Touching the Clouds by Bonnie Leon: A Book Review

The Wedding that Wasn't

We meet Kate Evans, protagonist of Touching the Clouds, on the day that was supposed to be her wedding day. A week before, she had told Richard, the man she was to marry, that she feels a need to move to Alaska to become a bush pilot. Richard is hurt and not ready to give up on marrying her. Her parents don't completely understand, either, and it's hard for Kate to explain. She likes Richard a lot. She doesn't enjoy hurting him. She just doesn't think she loves him enough to marry him.

Kate wants to get away from all that reminds her of the awful day she "killed" her best friend Alison. Kate was seventeen then. She had talked her friend into flying with her in her father's plane. The weather had been fine, with clear skies, when they started out. But when they got to Rimrock Lake it was foggy. She didn't turn back even though she knew she should. They had crashed into the lake, which sucked the plane down into the icy waters. For seven years Kate has blamed herself for Alison's death and is sure everyone else in town blames her, too. She want to go where  no one knows about the accident.

Image in Public Domain Edited with Text from Touching the Clouds by Bonnie Leon.
Created on https://getstencil.com/app/

Right after the accident, she was afraid to fly again, but her dad, an excellent pilot who had taught her to fly, helped her to get back in a plane and resume flying once again. Now she is 25 and wants to do something she believes matters -- something more than just getting married and having babies. Her mother warns that she can't let her past rule her present.  She replies,

As long as I stay here, everything is about the past. I need to start over in a place where I can prove myself, a place where I'm free to live without shadows of that horrible day dogging me.

Now, as she's about to get into her Bellanca Pacemaker and head for Alaska, she leans against her father Bill -- the one who taught her to fly and has always understood her. Her feelings are mixed as she prepares to leave her parents and the apple farm in Yakima. The angry roar of Richard's truck as he left moments ago, after one last attempt to keep her home, still sticks in her mind. She wonders if she will regret her decision.

She climbs into the plane. Her father cranked it for her, she pulled on her helmet, and checked the gauges one last time, and took off. The year was 1935.

A New Life in Alaska

Chugach Mountains Near Anchorage from the Air,
Courtesy of Frank Kovalchek, CC 2.0 

When Kate landed in Anchorage, she spent the first night in a hotel she could not really afford. The next day she applied for a job at the local mercantile. She knew she probably wouldn't get a job as a pilot right away and meanwhile she would need to support herself.

When Albert Towns, the owner of the store, interviewed her, she admitted she really wanted to be a bush pilot, but recognized that probably would take some time. Albert and his wife Helen were OK with that, saying that if she found work as a pilot, she could work part-time around her flying hours. The couple also said she could stay in a room at the back of the store. The arrangement worked well for all of them. They became close friends.

One of the first customers Kate helped in the store was Paul Anderson, who lived in Bear Creek in a rather isolated cabin. He came to town a couple of times a year to stock up on supplies. He had come from San Francisco but no one knew much about why he came to Alaska. The reader learns his wife back home, Susan, had died. No one knew how he had earned his living in California. In Bear Creek he was trapping animals for their meat and fur.

The reader can sense that Paul finds Kate fascinating, and Kate admits to herself he is handsome and intriguing. One wonders if this is the beginning of a possible new romance.

When Paul learns that Kate wants to work as a pilot, he suggests she try the new airfield at Lake Spenard. She had already tried Merrill Field with no success. They didn't need any more pilots. Kate applies at Lake Spenard. Although the interview was tough, Sidney Schaefer tests her in the air, and hires her part-time for a mail run. The current pilot filling in for the mail run, Mike Conlin, was to train her the next Monday.

Kate Begins Taking Passengers

This is the terrain of  the Chugach Mountains Kate flew over near Anchorage. 

Kate soon got used to the mail run, and looked forward to giving people their mail, especially Paul and his neighbors -- Patrick and his wife Sassy and their daughter Lily. Paul felt uncomfortable with Lily because he knew Patrick and Sassy wanted him to marry her and he didn't want to. Sassy was always sending Lily over with food, or to help. Paul was polite, but he didn't want to encourage her.

Paul was fighting his attraction to Kate because he didn't want to give his heart away again.  Falling in love would make him vulnerable to hurt again. He knew Kate's work as a pilot was dangerous, and he could lose her, just as he'd lost his wife.

Kate proved herself capable on the mail run, and Sidney began to let her carry passengers. Her first opportunity was a rescue flight to check on hikers at McKinley Park who should have gotten in before the sun went down. She was called in  early morning to go search for them. She found them just before her fuel got low enough to necessitate turning back. That made her more sure than ever that she would not return to Washington and Richard, who was still writing and begging her to come back. She knew she belonged in Alaska, flying as a bush pilot, fulfilling her dreams.

Photo of Mt. McKinley Courtesy of  Pixabay

Kate got to play Santa Claus before Christmas. She flew to Kotzebue,  549 air miles northwest of Anchorage, to bring Christmas packages to that small town. She had made friends with the owner of the airfield Joe Turchick and his native wife Nena on her first visit. She had arrived on Halloween and Nena invited her to go trick or treating with her and her children. Since then she'd stayed overnight with them on her trips there. It was like her home away from home in Kotzebue.

Nena was afraid to fly. After the Christmas  trip, though, she asks if Kate will take her to visit her sister in Candle, who is about to have a baby. She overcomes her fear when she sees how beautiful it is to look down at the scenery. She decides she actually likes to fly.

Flying Wasn't All Fun

Most of Kate's trips were uneventful, but some passengers put her and everyone else on the plane at risk. It's hard to handle drunk hunters bigger than you are and fly a plane at the same time, especially when the drunkest one opens the door in the back of the plane . One woman lied about about how far her pregnancy had advanced and actually gave birth in the plane. Kate knew nothing about bringing babies into the world, but she had to find a place to land and deliver the baby.

Kate had many close calls. On one occasion she left on a mercy flight with a nurse to pick up a miner in Hatcher Pass who had fallen, was seriously injured, and needed to get to a hospital.  The weather conditions were so bad that Jack, the other pilot there on call refused to go and called Kate a fool for going.

Hatcher Pass Photo Courtesy of Dootsle20, CC 2.0

Kate wound up agreeing with him when after flying in the fog she discovered she was off course. Her compass was malfunctioning. She had to find a safe place to land and wait for the fog to clear. Meanwhile, everyone at home was worried. Unfortunately, when the fog cleared they found that the miner had died. None of the pilots could afford radios in their planes, so when  pilots had trouble, there was no way to contact anyone to report their locations.

After each close call, Mike, who was getting to be a close friend, comforted Kate. His interest in her was obvious. Paul's reaction to Kate's close calls was to withdraw.  One of Kate's fellow pilots, one of the best, crashed and did not survive. The loss hit Kate and the other pilots hard.

Nena finally made it to Anchorage. She had a wonderful time. As Kate was taking her back home to Kotzebue, they passed Mt. Susitna, also known as the "sleeping lady." Kate veered from the flight plan a little to give Nena a closer look. That's when Nena smelled something, and Kate saw a drop of oil on her windshield. Memories of Rimrock Lake came rushing back. Below is a photo of Mt. Susitna from Cook Inlet, the location Kate was flying over when this happened. You will have to read the book to find out what happens next.

BySanchom - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0aption, CC 3.0

A Decision to Make

The first decision, the one Kate had already made, was to stay in Alaska and fly. She had learned that she did not want to live an ordinary life. She had told Richard she would not be coming back to him. She knew he would not want to live in Alaska.

Kate had been dating Mike, her fellow pilot. He was protective of her and a good friend, but she did not think she was in love with him. She was eager to know Paul better, but although he sometimes seemed attracted to her, he would  keep withdrawing. They had some great experiences together, but then he would avoid her again. She knew she was attracted to him.

She is pretty sure Mike wants to marry her. He has given her plenty of hints, but she just isn't ready.  She knows she needs to decide soon, because she doesn't want to lead him on if she knows it won't work.

 Recommendation

I found it hard to put his book down. The characters were well-developed, and   every one of them was necessary to the plot. I appreciated that I had time to get to know them in small batches instead of having too many being introduced at the beginning and having to try to keep them straight. I enjoyed learning more about Alaska and aviation in 1935.

I enjoyed getting to know Kate. She is the sort of person you can imagine having as a friend. She is brave, kind, and stubborn. She is willing to take risks, and sometimes takes foolish risks that land her in trouble. 

The characters are realistic and complex. Kate and Paul individually have guilt and fear to overcome in order to become whole again. Kate trusts in God. Paul has given up on God. Even minor characters, such as the drunk hunters, and the pregnant woman come alive through Bonnie Leon's words. So do the other pilots, Jack and Frank.

One of the mysteries in the book is Paul. No one knows why he came to Alaska. No one knows much about him.  Patrick knows his wife died.  Paul eventually also shares that information with Kate under duress.The author gives the reader enough clues to get close figuring out who he really is.

The author is very good at foreshadowing what will happen without really telling the reader. An alert reader is able to pick up the clues and be on the alert for what will follow. 

I would recommend this Christian novel to anyone who likes adventure stories, aviation, strong women, Alaska, and/or a touch of romance. I am anxious to read the rest of the series. I hope I've been able to interest you in these books, too. I would suggest you get the set so you can just keep reading after you finish Touching the Clouds. I don't  think you will want to stop. Just click below if you want to buy them. 

Alaskan (3 Book Series)Touching the Clouds (Alaskan Skies Book #1): A Novel

Here's one last photo that's designed to Pinterest specifications if you'd like to pin it.

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My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry - Book Review

by Fredrik Backman

A Delightful and Most Charming Story

Elsa is seven-going-on-eight, and different.  Granny is seventy-seven years old, and nutty. They are best friends and love each other dearly.  Elsa admits only to herself that her granny is her ONLY friend, as her school chums think her strange and are mean to her. Elsa's strangeness is only in the fact that she is extremely smart and very grown-up for her age (constantly looking words up on Wikipedia!). Her world revolves around her grandmother, her parents, adventures in the fairy tales granny tells, and her admiration for superheros and Harry Potter.

Elsa's parents are divorced and she sees her dad every-other-weekend.  The rest of the time she lives with her mom, who is expecting a baby, and George on the top floor of a 4-story flat across the hall from her grandmother.  The rest of the apartment building is filled with a strange mixture of people we learn about as time goes on. 

The Land-of-Almost-Awake

 

For quite some years, Granny has been telling fairy tales to Elsa to help her go to sleep and get her to practice Granny's secret language.  The fairy tales take place in the "Land-of-Almost-Awake" and the "Kingdom of Miamas" where everybody is different and nobody needs to be normal. 

Later, Elsa's grandmother dies and leaves behind a series of letters apologizing to people she has wronged.  The letters are entrusted to Elsa to deliver, bringing about her greatest adventure ever.  The stories of the people who live in the apartment building, including a brave dog who is very much like the 'wurse' in the Kingdom of Miamas, are revealed to us one by one.  As each letter is delivered we learn the truth about fairy tales and kingdoms and a grandmother like no other.

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry was written by Fredrik Backman, a native of Sweden who lives in Stockholm. This is only his second novel, but you get the feeling from this well-written story that he has been writing for a very long time. 


His first novel is A Man Called Ove, which became a #1 bestseller in Sweden. 

*Note: When Backman's second book was first published in England in 2014, it had the title: My Grandmother Sends Her Regards and Apologises. 

My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry

 

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry is an absolutely charming story filled with humor and wisdom, and with a glimpse into a fairy tale world we all wish we could visit.  I took Elsa and her grandmother so much to heart that when I finished the book I wanted to immediately go back to page one and read it all over again. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you will fall in love with these delightful characters. I highly recommend this book.

*Wednesday Elf

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Could You Survive Emigrating to An Untamed Land? A Book Review

Could You Survive An Untamed Land?

Those who emigrated beyond the American Frontier in the 1800's were a special breed. They knew they would have to conquer an untamed land in order to survive in their new homes. Laura Snelling puts us into their shoes as we read An Untamed Land (Red River of the North #1). This historical Christian novel follows two Norwegian brothers who emigrated from Norway to America with their wives and children in 1880. They wanted to homestead in the Dakota territory. One of the children was born on the ship during the journey to the United States.

Photo Courtesy of Pixabay, modified on PicMonkey

The book opens with the entire family gathered together to discuss whether the brothers should emigrate. There was a great deal of emotion, since everyone knew that if the brothers left, it was unlikely they would ever see their families again. Gustav's younger brother was already in America. Roald and Carl had read his letters. 

You will pick up the sadness of Gustaf as he thinks of his family separated by an ocean.  Yet Gustaf and Bridget knew their younger sons had no real way to work on their own land  if they stayed at home. 

Why Did the Brothers Want to Emigrate?

The brother were part of a large family in Norway.  It was traditional for the eldest son to inherit his father's lands.  The other brothers would have to work the land belonging to others. A Norwegian journalist, Paul Hansen, who had immigrated to the Red River district of  North Dakota and Minnesota,  wrote glowing descriptions of free flat land for those willing to homestead it. Carl and Roald Bjorklund, sons of Gustaf and Bridget Bjorklund, wanted to go and build their future on their own land in the Dakota country. 

Once the family had given their reluctant blessing, everyone worked to raise money for the sea voyage to America. Roald and Carl took jobs on a fishing boat. Roald's wife Anna moved in with the Bjorklund family to help Bridget and save money on rent. When they moved out, they sold everything from the house they would not need in America.  Roald and Carl's sister Augusta then got a job outside the home to help raise money.

It was with great reluctance their parents let them go. Roald had married Ingeborg after his first wife, Anna, had died in childbirth. Thoriff is their first son, now five. Although Roald and Ingeborg respected each other, Roald was still grieving over Anna, and Ingeborg liked, but did not yet love Roald. Carl was in love with Kaaren Hejelmson, and married her before they left.  

So why did these young couples emigrate? Why did they leave all they had known to face hardship and danger settling in a foreign land where they didn’t even know the language? Because they wanted a better life for their children where they could have their own land and live free.

New York

The author skips telling us about the ocean voyage, except for sharing the vivid memories the family members had as they were preparing to go ashore. You can only imagine how hard it was for Karen to give birth on the ship. She had been seasick for most of the voyage, and had been sick since the baby was born. She was so sick when they reached New York that Carl had to carry her off the ship. Ingeborg helped to look after her and the new baby and encouraged Kaaren not to give up hope. Ingeborg has discovered she is also pregnant. 

As they prepared to leave the ship, Roald told Ingeborg to wait below to avoid the crowds, even though she was dying to see the ship land.  Below it was so crowded with belongings one could barely move. There was no fresh air and it stank, for many had been seasick. 

Once off the ship the families were amazed to see the tall buildings and the busy, crowded dock. The families' first stop was to be Castle Garden, where they were to go through immigration. Kaaren was afraid she'd be turned away because of her illness. 

Castle Garden, By Unattributed [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Roald started walking with a load of luggage, asking Ingeborg to follow with Thoriff. Roald was walking so fast, without looking back, that she lost him. She also lost Thoriff in a crowd and not knowing English made it hard to get help. Finally someone who understood Norwegian came to her aid, and they found Thoriff, but he was already in trouble. Ingeborg meets a new friend -- a wealthy man who becomes important in the rest of the book. 

The Journey West

Travel was hard. There were no fast food places along the way to stop for meals. Tired women had to get out of the wagons after a hard day of travel and prepare a meal over an open fire using whatever they had left of provisions and whatever meat or fish could be procured by the men. When the families finally reached their land, no home was waiting. They had to continue to live in the covered wagon until they got a home built. They had to share a cabin until they could spare time to build another one.

Since I’ve read more than handful of memoirs by pioneer woman, little in this book was new to me. But it struck me again how hard these women worked physically compared to most of us today. Their very lives depended on how well they could plan ahead what they needed when the general store might be an overnight trip or longer.

Survival on the Land

By Solomon D. Butcher [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

The couples got along well, and they shared the first home they built -- a sod house such as was common on the prairie. They shared the work of turning the sod, planting a garden, and later, caring for livestock. Remember, Kaaren had been sick to start with and Ingeborg was also feeling the effects of carrying a child. They were dependent mostly on each other for medical care. 

There are some treatments I could not have stood to watch were they on film. We take so much for granted today -- anesthetics, antibiotics, and other modern treatments. We wouldn't want to have to sew up someone we love without them, let alone be the patient.  The only help they had was a woman who was half Indian and half white who thought the land they were claiming was really hers, since she was squatting there and thought her dead husband had title to it. She knew how to use native plants to treat illness, and without her knowledge and care Ingeborg would have died after falling and hitting her head while fishing. She lost consciousness and it was hours before anyone discovered her. 

When the families finally had neighbors they were able to help each other build barns and homes and do seasonal jobs in the fields. One family could buy a cow and the other a bull for and they could share them for breeding. Best of all, they could experience friendship again in their new land. 

For the first years settler families had to put all their efforts into survival -- building, planting, harvesting, food storage, and gathering wood and water. Getting a well was a big event. Schools and churches would have to come later, after basic needs were met. Everyone worked, even the children when old enough, to help care for animals, do chores, and produce food. All the while, there was the feeling of loss because family and old friends were far away in the land they had left.

Later they replaced sod homes with wood homes with real floors, like this pioneer house, built 1873 in Cass County, North Dakota for Johannes Hellestvedt from Hardanger, Norway. It is a log cabin.

Was Coming to America Worth the Cost?

That's a judgment you, the reader, will have to make.  The Bjorklund families did get free land as they had hoped, but it exacted a very high non-monetary price from them. Their faith was seriously tested, especially that of Ingeborg. This is not your typical historical prairie romance. It is a realistic look at marriage, family life, and pioneer life on the American frontier. I would classify it as Christian historical fiction. After you read it, you will very much appreciate your life today, no matter how rough it may be. 

An Untamed Land is the first in a series. I first read this book a couple of years ago, and I reread it before writing this review. I am anxious to read the other books in the series when I can find time. If you finish the first book, you will want to continue reading to see what happens next. 

 An Untamed Land/A New Day Rising/A Land to Call Home (Red River of the North Pack #1-3) An Untamed Land (Red River of the North #1) A New Day Rising (Red River of the North #2) A Land to Call Home (Red River of the North #3) (Volume 3)

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If you found this review useful, please share it with friends who might appreciate this book. The image below is just right for sharing on Pinterest.

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What would have been the hardest adjustment for you as a homesteader in this Dakota Country?

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Reviewing The Royal Wizard Of Yurt Book Series

Fun Fantasy Series Of Books

Last week while trolling around for something new to read, I discovered an older series of books The Royal Wizard of Yurt by C. Dale Brittain. The first book in the series of fantasy fiction was published in 1991 and can be found in both paperback and digital formats. Ms. Brittain penned 10 books in total for this light and fun reading journey.

A Bad Spell In Yurt (First Book In Series)

In the first book, we are taken to a fantasy world that could be in a medieval era except that there are modern types of conveniences like telephones and lighting that would not be available for several centuries. Now, these appliances are not quite like what we know of today or even like the ones that were first invented some 140 years ago. The lighting and the telephones are made by magic by the wizards in this fantasy realm. There are small little kingdoms scattered throughout with the story taking place in a tiny little kingdom of Yurt. The modes of transportation are not as modern as the phones and the lighting. People either travel by horse or walk, unless you are a wizard and then you can fly using a flying spell or by hiring a flying contraption that resembles a dragon.

Daimbert, has been hired as the Royal Wizard of Yurt fresh out of Wizard School. He was not the best student in the class but rather a bit of a goof-off that barely graduated. Daimbert had cut most of his classes and rarely paid attention in the ones that he did attend. Imagine his surprise when he applies for the job of Royal Wizard and finds out that he has been hired!

It doesn't take long after arriving at the castle of the King and Queen of Yurt for Daimbert to figure out that something is not quite right in the kingdom. He senses an evil presence that he can't quite figure out and the people who live there all become suspect in his mind. He pushes that task aside when he finds out that his first assignment is to create a telephone system. What will he do? He didn't pay attention in the few classes where they learned the magic for telephones! Hopefully, he can find a book in the previous wizard's books that will tell him how to do it or in one of the books that he has brought with him.

This was a fun book to read! Daimbert muddles through what little magic he has retained and learns on his own spells that he should have learned at Wizard School along with some he creates himself. He becomes acquainted with the old wizard who retired from the castle and falls in love with the Queen of Yurt the moment he lays eyes on her.

There are amusing twists and turns in this light read that I enjoyed very much. The young wizard grows in his skills as he bungles along trying to figure out who is behind the evil he senses. I don't like to spoil stories so I am not going to reveal much more. You will have to read the first book yourself to find out what is going on in the land of Yurt whose Royal Wizard slept through most of his wizardry classes.

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The Swans of Kensington Garden~Perfect for Swan Lovers!

Review: The Swans of Kensington Garden

Why am I reviewing my own book? Because many people love to give coffee table books as gifts and I am one of them. Who doesn't love a beautiful book of photographs to look at? They make perfect gifts for people who seem to have everything. Plus they are a perfect accessory for the coffee table and a conversation piece when guests come over. With that idea in mind I recently published a coffee table book of my own: The Swans of Kensington Garden.

It all started with a trip to London, England and a visit to the gardens surrounding Kensington Palace. I just could not get over all the beautiful Swans in the lake there so I went home to grab my camera and started snapping away.  My husband and I love birds a lot and Swans in particular so this was a dream day in London for us. In the end I had more than 300 photos of the beautiful Mute Swans that inhabit the lake. When I got home I decided it would be wonderful to share all my photos and some fun facts about the Swans so the book was born.

 The Swans of Kensington Garden: A Photo Book of Swans

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I used Create Space to publish the book on Amazon. It was actually very easy to do, although there is a learning curve. I think the hardest thing was choosing only 36 photos out of the more than 300 I had taken. Actually maybe the hardest thing was formatting them and the text to fit in the template provided. But I am very happy with how it turned out, and now I have a permanent reminder of that beautiful day in my living room and not only do my guests get to see it, but anyone who purchases the book does too. I might be biased but I think it's a beautiful book and fun to read. I added little tidbits of information about the Mute Swan and several poems so you might even learn a little about Swans that you didn't know.

My friends who have seen my Swan book have all  remarked on the quality of the cover and the photos, so if you ever want to create a permanent memory of a trip and have a wonderful gift to give your friends, I highly recommend using Create Space to create a book very inexpensively. Very soon I will be writing an article explaining how to do that.

Meanwhile, if you love Swans, or know someone who does, my little coffee table book of Swans is sure to please them and would make a wonderful gift.

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Reviewing The Reflections Of Queen Snow White

Snow White The Woman

I just recently read the book The Reflections Of Queen Snow White and wanted to share my review with you all. I think that we all have grown up with the fairy tale of Snow White, her friends the seven dwarfs and of course Prince Charming. I am sure we read the story in a the fairy tale books and have watched the movie version by Walt Disney. Those two versions leave us with Prince Charming and Snow White living happily ever after once the Prince kisses her back to life after having eaten the poisoned apple. For most of us that is where the story ends but what was their lives like after that life awakening kiss? 

The author, David Meredith, has written an insightful tale of what life might have been like for Snow White after she marries Prince Charming. Mr. Meredith takes us to a realistic world of the woman Snow White that is not meant as a continuation of a child's fairy tale but more a story for adults to read.

The Reflections Of Queen Snow White

I am going to admit that there were parts of this book that were difficult for me to read, not because they were poorly written but because they touched a nerve in my soul. The original fairy tale only insinuates that the evil Queen mistreated dear Snow White but this book tells in realistic detail the abuse that the young Princess suffered under her step-mother's tutelage. The story shows us vividly the mistreatment and the scars left locked away in her mind many years after the abuse was over. It was hard to read but it was so very accurate in the damage done to one who has suffered abuse. One who has suffered from abuse recognizes the truth in the story.

"Mirror, Mirror on the wall. Who is the fairest of them all?"

Mr. Meredith writes this book with the premise that Snow White is depressed after her wonderful Prince Charming dies from old age. This isn't just the veiled suggestion of depression but a very accurate depiction of what deep disabling depression can be like. Having experienced the depths of depression myself, the author describes it very well which makes me think that he writes from what he knows. It is honest, heart wrenching and realistic. Depression isn't pretty, not even for a Queen but it is real and not portrayed often enough for people who haven't walked in those shoes to comprehend. The author did a fine job, even though it is hard to picture Snow White that overcome with despair. Depression knows no boundaries, it doesn't come to just one sector of a culture; it can touch any life from the poorest of souls to even a Queen. 

I referenced the mirror above that the evil Queen step-mother used. It is a huge part of this story. I don't want to give a lot away about the book so I will be careful about what I say from here. Suffice it to say, we can see a lot in the reflections of a mirror. If we look hard enough, we might even be able to see our soul, troubled as it might be. 

So far, I have painted a rather dark description of this book. It is dark in several places but life itself can be a dark and frightening place. This story needs to touch on the darker parts of a human's life in order to also show hope. There is hope or at least there should always be hope in one's life. Sometimes it may be hard for us to see a glimmer of hope but it is there; we just have to dig really deep to find it. 

The story is also about inner strength, something that many of us fail to see in ourselves. When we have suffered abuse, lost a loved one or any of the other things that life throws at us that causes us to fall into a deep depression; we feel that we are weak and can't possibly get through this dark journey. Are we strong enough to face those inner demons that torment our soul? Can we let go of the anger and bitterness we feel from the mistreatment, the feelings of abandonment when a loved one dies and heal the wounds of hurt? Can Queen Snow White? Does she have the strength to look in the mirror at herself? Will she find her happily ever after in a new way? 

We often gush over a book that was light and fun to read. This isn't a book that you will gush over but I can say that I liked it. It hurt to read some of it, it brought back some of my old demons or at least the memories of them. It also reminded me of the strength it took to overcome my own depression. It reminded me of hope. It made me stop and think about life and the souls who might be next to me who are battling their own demons. It reminded me that the answers are always within us; we just have to have the courage to look inside and deal with what we see. It is a story that will stay with me for a long time. It is real, it is a bit raw but most of all it has a good strong message about life and all of the hurts we can encounter and overcome if we choose to.

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“The Good Dinosaur” Book and Movie Review

The story is set on a fictional Earth where dinosaurs never became extinct.

 

We are familiar with many movies made from books, but this book was created FROM the movie.  

I read the Junior Novelization version of "The Good Dinosaur", written for 9-12 year olds, which retells the whole exciting story and features eight pages of full-color scenes from the movie.  The book can also be found in other forms such as the Big Golden Book for 3-7 year olds and in Little Golden Book form and board book form for preschoolers 2-5 years old.

My sister-in-law saw this book at my house and became fascinated with it.  She had to borrow it to read, and loved it.  Her thoughts on the book were:  “It was a great story for kids and adults showing the importance of family, loyalty and bravery. The characters were sweet and funny.”

Arlo the Apatosaurus Dinosaur

The movie, and the book from the movie, are about a good-natured little Apatosaurus dinosaur named 'Arlo' who tries to overcome being afraid of almost everything while he works to find his place in the world his parents and bigger brother and sister have no problem with. Arlo's father tells him that “sometimes you gotta get through your fear to see the beauty on the other side.”

After the rest of the family have 'made their mark' (a dinosaur mudprint on rocks used to protect the opening to the family corn silo on their farm), Arlo attempts to earn his right to his own mark.  His Poppa tries to teach him the importance of bravery, as well as proper goal setting and follow-through: “You gotta earn your mark by doing something big.” 

Spot the Human Caveboy

When tragedy strikes, Arlo ventures out into the wilderness where he makes an unusual friendship with a human caveboy who answers to the name 'Spot'.  After being swept away by a raging river during a storm, Arlo and Spot have a variety of adventures while trying to find Arlo's home again.  Their journey is complete with pterodactyl chases, T. rex run-ins and terrible storms.  Spot saves Arlo from the river by teaching him how to swim and Arlo later saves Spot from the mean pterodactyls. A special friendship develops through these shared adventures.

As their journey nears an end and they approach Arlo's home, the two come across a caveman family. Reluctantly and sadly, Arlo pushes Spot to join his own kind, and the two of them share a tearful goodbye. Arlo finally arrives back home to his mother and siblings, and makes his own mark he has bravely earned on the silo between those of his mother and father. 

The Good Dinosaur is a Disney Pixar Movie

Official Movie Trailer

The Good Dinosaur Animated Movie

 
Quick Links:

• The Good Dinosaur as a junior novelization 
• The Good Dinosaur as a Big Golden Book
• The Good Dinosaur as a Little Golden Book

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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FREE KINDLE BOOK: April Fools Pranks 31 Pranks for the Office Book Review

Let me start by saying, this is NOT an April Fool's prank or joke.  The book really is free to download on Amazon.com.

I've never been a very good prankster and I am the world's worst at making "April Fool's" of anyone.  Maybe people can tell by the look on my face when I am lying.  Or perhaps, it is simply because I can't seem to keep a straight face when I am trying to trick someone.  If I am telling a tale, I tend to burst out laughing before I can get to the punchline or end.  

I can't even seem to fool someone with a text message.  I have tried, but I always get a text reply of April Fools!  It's just so wrong.  Even my children won't pretend they are fooled.  

The Book, April Fools Office Book

 April Fools The Office BookCheck AvailabityWhen I found this book on, April Fools Pranks,  I was pretty excited.  It only took a few minutes to read and I love some of the suggestions.  Mainly, because I don't have to speak to pull these pranks.  

My favorite suggestion included a cat food treat box.  That is one I could definitely do!  I think it would be hilarious to see the look on Buckhawk's face  when I offered to share my treats with her.

I can so easily imagine making screenshots to mess with all of my fellow contributors here on Review This too!   I can totally envision poor Dawn Rae or Elf freaking out over not being able to log-in to their sites and begging for tech support immediately.   

I could also imagine bringing a jar of Vaseline into the office.  Yes, this one I would have to use on our ever efficient and meticulous cleaning guru, Susan Deppner.   

I would have to turn Mary Beth's photos upside down, or maybe flip them sideways and I would mess with Olivia's mouse.   I always wanted to see these two lose their patience.  Until I read this book, I didn't think that would be possible.

For Barbara aka Brite-Ideas, who loves music, I would borrow the musical birthday card prank suggestion and for BarbRad, I would totally pull the paper clip trick on her.  Not being able to remove the paper clip would drive her nuts.  I think I would be forced to rename Brenda's book files or better yet, her eBay files!  Oh, yeah!  (Treasure's by Brenda eBay store, be ye forewarned!  lol)

I have a very "special" coffee mug set aside just for Heather and for Bev, I have something really, really bad planned, but I can't tell you all about that one, YET!

I was laughing so hard when I was reading and thought of how much fun it would be to mess with them, that I woke the dogs from their sound sleep and was forced to get out of bed to let them outside.

Read the Book

Well, I couldn't very well describe each of the pranks here. You will have to download and read the book yourself to find out exactly what each of these pranks entail.  It was fun dreaming and I think you will enjoy it too!

Click Here to Download the FREE Book on your Kindle, or use the Amazon Free App to read it on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required!




Yes, I do know about payback which is why it is probably a really good thing that we don't report to a brick & mortar office everyday!




"FREE KINDLE BOOK: April Fools Pranks 31 Pranks for the Office Book Review" Written by:

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Book Review of Twilight in America by Martin Mawyer

My curiosity led me to read this book about terrorist training camps in America and my concern made me write this book review of Twilight in America by Martin Mawyer. 

I wanted to know the truth about claims that some Americans in rural areas may have Islamic Terrorists living very close to them, training for jihad. It seemed very far out to me. After all, it would seem that if people were actively training for guerrilla warfare in America, learning to make bombs, storing and shooting assault weapons, and putting armed guards at their compound entrances, the FBI would put a stop to it.

Twilight in America: The Untold Story of Islamic Terrorist Training Camps Inside America is author Martin Mawyer's attempt to show Americans what is going on right under the noses of local  police and the FBI, neither of which appears to want to get involved. The introduction opens with the kidnapping and beheading of Wall Street Journal Reporter Daniel Pearl in 2002. It seems Pearl was trying to get information about the shoe bomber, Richard Reed, who was said to have visited the jihadi cleric Mubarik Ali Shad Gilani in Pakistan just prior to his attempt to bomb a flight from Paris to Miami.

Later in 2002, the Beltway snipers began a 23-day killing spree in the Washington, D. C. area. John Allen Muhammad, the elder of the two snipers, had intended to wage jihad against Americans by kidnapping and brainwashing young American boys so that he could train them to kill Americans for Allah. Mawyer learned that the Beltway snipers had connections to Jamaat Al Fuqra, a terrorist group founded by Mubarik Ali Shad Gilani. Also see "The Beltway Snipers' Motives" by Daniel Pipes. To  imagine what this must have been like for residents of the Washington, D.C. areas during the attacks, watch this documentary. It's long, but if you are a true crime fan, it will hold your interest.

Gilani is also the leader of the group Muslims of the Americas (MOA).  MOA owns a Muslim compound of 200 in Red House in Charlotte  County, Virginia, which is believed to have hidden the Beltway snipers. Is your head swimming yet? I haven't even gotten past the introduction to the book in the review so far. There is another article online, Jamaat ul-Fuqra in Virginia, Part 1 that even links to a map of a compound close to this and this article documents much of what I mention below.

Twilight in America: The Untold Story of Islamic Terrorist Training Camps Inside America
Chapter 1 leads us to Arizona and Colorado, where an alert owner of a storage locker company notified police of suspicious activity related to a locker on which the rent had not been paid for two months. He had heard of robberies in the area and thought maybe his locker might have been used to hide stolen goods. When police and FBI investigated, they found instead weapons and evidence of terrorist attacks already committed and plans for more to be carried out. One of these was a plan to kill the "infidel" Muslim cleric Rashad Khalifa, who had turned his Tucson home into a Muslim mosque.

After the plot was uncovered, police officers went to Khalifa to warn him of the planned attack, which had been written out in great detail on four pages. The cleric admitted he had gotten death threats from Colorado. About two weeks after the police had warned him, Khalifa was murdered in exactly the way he was warned it would happen.

This is shocking enough. What is even more shocking to me, though, is that the same storage locker that contained the murder plans and weapons also contained evidence that we, the American people, are being bilked by these terrorists taking advantage of our welfare system and using programs meant to benefit the poor to finance terror. They also used identity theft, insurance and other fraud to launder money to support their terror training activities here and to send money overseas to Gilani in Pakistan. These fraudulent activities cost American businesses and taxpayers billions of dollars every year.

Meanwhile, back in the compounds, in some of which live four generations of Muslim families in poverty, people in a position to know have stated that abuse of Muslim women and children is rampant.  Some have been in these camps all their lives, getting all their education in the camps. An informant for the New York Police lived in one camp where he saw children beaten with sticks and women tied to trees and hit with sticks or lashed for not obeying commands of Gilani or for trying to leave.

This review just scratches the surface of the information that is included. It is well-documented. Pages 259 - 285 consist of just appendices and footnotes. The camps are not touched by the authorities, who say they have to respect the inhabitants' First Amendment rights. They can only act after a crime has been committed. Those running the compounds send those who are about to commit crimes outside the compounds to live in apartments in a city before they commit the crimes, so that if the police are looking for them,  they won't be in the compounds and the leaders can say they were sent away because they were criminals.

In Twilight in America, Mawyer has researched the connections between Jamaat Al Fuqra, MOA, the Muslim Brotherhood, and acts of crime and terrorism in the United States. He believes these compounds are training terrorists on American soil by recruiting in American prisons and moving these prisoners to the compounds after release to "rehabilitate" them. There are 21 known camps, compounds, villages, and communes spread throughout the United States, mostly concentrated on the east and west coasts. There are similar compounds in Canada.

I know this all sounds impossible. That's what I thought, too. Before you dismiss it, though, read the book and examine the documentation for yourself. Even if you decide not to believe what you read, it's still a fast-moving story that could very well fit into the true crime category. Get the book, and decide for yourself. You also might want to get one or both of the DVD's by the author listed below -- especially if you live in Europe.

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Europe's Last Stand: America's Final Warning, Part 1
North America is not the only place that needs to worry about Jihadist activity on its soil. This set of documentary DVD's on the rise of Islam in Western Europe reveals the Five Pillars of Islamic Conquest: Infiltration. Imams. Isolation. Islamization. Implosion. This DVD,        Part One, focuses primarily on Infiltration, Imams and Isolation. The documentary took four years to make and required investigations in over a dozen European countries. Information cannot hurt us. We can examine it and decide ourselves whether it is accurate or just alarmist. Lack of information can hurt us.

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Europe's Last Stand: America's Final Warning - Part 2


Part Two focuses on the last two Pillars of Islamic Conquest -- Islamization and Implosion.

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Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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The Final Cut - Book Review

by Catherine Coulter (and J.T. Ellison)

The Final Cut by Catherine Coulter

Author Catherine Coulter has written a series of suspense thrillers about continuing characters Special Agents Lacey Sherlock & Dillon Savich who are not only partners in their FBI roles as agents and computer specialists, but are partners in private life. This husband & wife team has given readers & fans exciting adventures since being introduced in the first book of the series (The Cove) in 1996.

My Catherine Coulter Books

(c) Wednesday Elf

I've followed Dillon & Lacey (who goes by Sherlock) through all 25 books (to date) as they meet during training at Quantico, fall in love, and get married. They work together as a married couple FBI team (most unusual and probably would only happen in fiction) solving crimes, and, as the series continues, become parents to the light of their life ~ their son Sean.

With The Final Cut, Coulter (and co-author J.T. Ellison) introduces us to what has fast become another favorite character and series. Nicholas Drummond, American-born chief inspector at Scotland Yard, comes to America and joins Dillon & Sherlock to solve an international crime.

Introducing Nicholas Drummond, a Brit in the FBI

An FBI Thriller

The first book in a brilliant new international thriller series starring that 'Brit in the FBI', handsome Nicholas Drummond, a dashing 'James Bond' type.

New International Thriller Series

In The Final Cut, our favorite team of Dillon and Sherlock joins Nicholas Drummond in his search for an international jewel thief (The Fox) who has stolen the Koh-i-Noor diamond, currently a centerpiece of the Queen Mother's Crown displayed at the Tower of London. The diamond was on loan for a special exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and, while heavily guarded, was snatched through a clever plot. Scotland Yard and the FBI combine to chase the jewel thief from New York to Paris to recover the diamond.

Koh-i-Noor Diamond - Wikimedia Commons

We learn of the diamond's long, complicated history, which once weighed an incredible 793 carets and was once the world's largest diamond and how it passed from hand to hand (perhaps beginning with the great god Krishna) ~ always coveted, but never bought or sold, only gained through conquest.

The title 'Final Cut' refers to the last time the diamond was cut. The diamond is real -- this story about the theft of the stone is fiction. Blended together, the facts & fiction make a very good story.

Introducing the character Nicholas Drummond to us through a set of favorite characters we already love is a unique and clever twist by an author – we fans of one series are easily led to meet a new (and delightful) permanent character. And judging by the fact that the second and third Nicholas Drummond books have already been published, us readers know that a new Catherine Coulter series has now begun.

An Interview with Author Catherine Coulter

In this interview with Catherine Coulter, the author tells us how she found her co-author, J.T. Ellison, and about how they joined up to write The Final Cut.

The Second Book in the Nicholas Drummond Series

The Lost Key (A Brit in the FBI)

Published in September 2014, The Lost Key is the 2nd book in the new Coulter series starring that 'Brit in the FBI', Nicholas Drummond!  With help from his partner, Mike Caine, they are in an  eleventh-hour race to stop a madman from finding a cache of lost World War I gold—and a weapon the world has never seen.  I've already read this book as well.

Third Nicholas Drummond Book

The End Game (A Brit in the FBI)

As I write this review of the first book in the Nicholas Drummond series, I have just finished reading the third book in the series, The End Game.  My original favorite characters (Dillon Savich and Lacey Sherlock) join Drummond, along with the CIA, the Secret Service, and Mosssad as they move to defeat remarkable enemies.   

Fourth Book in the Series Starring Nicholas Drummond

The Devil's Triangle

Nicholas Drummond (the Brit in the FBI) and his  partner Michaela Caine are now part of the Covert Eyes team.  But their first case with the team may be their last when they  once again come up against the dangerous thief known as the Fox. 






Scene From My Home Collection of Mystery & Suspense Books

 

Catherine Coulter - One of my Favorite Mystery/Suspense Genre Authors

As you can see in the photo above, I'm a big fan of the Mystery Genre. I collect entire series of favorite authors, such as Catherine Coulter. 

Are you a fan of Catherine Coulter's books? Have you read the FBI Thriller series with Special Agents Savich & Sherlock? Come meet a new character - Nicholas Drummond, the Brit in the FBI.

Quick Links:

 

The Final Cut

The Lost Key
The End Game
The Devil's Triangle

Read more book reviews at ReviewThisBooks.com

*(c) Wednesday Elf.  Review originally written on 2/20/16. Updated on 1/20/2024

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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