Guest Post: Researching Other Cultures for Historical Fiction by J.J. White

 Imagine a knock on your door in the middle of the day to find military police outside with orders to take you and your family to a concentration camp, immediately. They have arrested your spouse, removed your children from school, and told you the only possessions you can take with you are a suitcase and the clothes on your back. It sounds like Nazi Germany but it isn’t. This story and hundreds of thousands of similar stories are what happened to Japanese-Americans soon after the Pearl Harbor attack when President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, essentially incarcerating Americans of Japanese heritage.

Now also imagine it’s 1944 and you are a Japanese-American soldier in the US Army in WWII France and you are ordered on a suicide mission, along with 3000 other Japanese-American soldiers of the 442^nd Regimental Combat Team, to attack 10,000 crack German troops to save the lives of 211 white GIs. You would obey the order because you know the newspapers back home will say you’re a traitor for refusing because you are a Japanese-American.

These were stories I found while doing research for my Historical Fiction book, Nisei, and it was during this research that I discovered in order to get the facts and atmosphere correct, I had to learn both a new language and different culture to understand why these Japanese-American Nisei, though citizens of the United States, reacted to these struggles the way they did.

My novel, Nisei, is the story of Hideo Bobby Takahashi, a Hawaiian-born Japanese-American who must overcome prejudice, internment, and the policies of his own government to prove his loyalty to his country. Narrated by Bobby Takahashi and read by his son, Robert, 46 years after Bobby’s death, the story details the young Nisei’s determination to fight honorably for his country and return to the young love he was forced to leave, a girl he cannot have because she is white.

The notebook of research material I gathered to write the book was almost twice as large as the book itself. Had I been writing a book about a white, Irish-American I could have used my own life and experience for material, but when writing about a different culture, it was necessary to research so deeply that I literally became the character with my words and actions. It was very much like method acting, where you get into the head of the protagonist.

In order to write realistic dialogue, I learned to speak Pidgin, a mixture of Japanese, Portuguese, Hawaiian, and English that the Nisei of Hawaii speak. I think I drove my wife crazy as I spent most of my time speaking in the short, choppy Pidgin, mixed with Hawaiian colloquialisms, on a daily basis. I also had to dig deep into Asian culture in order to understand the Japanese-American’s preference for honor and bravery over self-survival.

This may have seemed like a lot to go through to write a book, but readers of Historical Fiction obsessively scrutinize an author’s work more than fans of other genres, and they expect those facts to agree with historical events.

I hope my importance to detail comes out in the book and I also hope the reader will identify and empathize with Bobby Takahshi as he deals with the obstacles and struggles that all Japanese-Americans had to deal with in those volatile times of American history.

Author Bio

J. J. White is an award winning novelist and short story writer who has been published in several anthologies and magazines including, Wordsmith, The Homestead Review, The Seven Hills Review, Bacopa Review, and The Grey Sparrow Journal. His story, The Adventures of the Nine Hole League, was recently published in The Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine, #13. He has won awards and honors from the Alabama Writers Conclave, Writers-Editors International, Maryland Writers Association, The Royal Palm Literary Awards, Professional Writers of Prescott, and Writer’s Digest.

His crime fiction book, Deviant Acts, was released by Black Opal books in November, and was followed by his Historical Fiction book, Nisei, in 2016. He was recently nominated for the Pushcart Prize for his short piece, Tour Bus. He lives in Merritt Island, Florida with his understanding wife and editor, Pamela.

Links:              www.jjwhitebooks.com

Facebook Author Page

Deviant Acts on Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Deviant-Acts-J-J-White/dp/1626942854/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1447440390&sr=1-1

Nisei on Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Nisei-JJ-White-ebook/dp/B01HQOY92C/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1471634066&sr=1-1&keywords=Nisei+White

The Snake Fence by Janet Kastner Olshewsky

Genre: Middle Grade, Historical Fiction

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This is a great historical novel. Take a young Quaker boy named Noble, who believes in nothing less than peace, and put him in the middle of violent situations. He wants to bring peace between the Delaware Indians and the British settlers.

Noble wants to be a cabinet maker. Although he’s finished his apprenticeship his desire won’t become a reality until he has his own tools. That requires money. He searches for a way to make the money. An opportunity opens the door and he step through. He joins a wagon train from Pennsylvania to take supplies to Fort Cumberland. He isn’t exactly excited that he must have an older brother travel with him. This is the only way his father will allow it.

But what happens when he wants to continue helping against his father’s wishes?

I really enjoyed the book. There was obviously a lot of research don’t before the author wrote this book.  It gives us a look at the belief system and work ethic of those peaceful people called Quakers. Most people think of Quakers only when they see the oatmeal box. This gives kids an opportunity to learn about them and about the time period it is set in.  I recommended this to my 8^th grade teacher as part of one of her units. I believe this would hold their interest and help them learn so much about that time period. This is one book I will highly recommend.

Escape From the Past: The Dukes Wrath by Annette Oppenlander

Genre:  Young Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fiction

Source:  I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

From Goodreads:

When fifteen-year-old nerd and gamer Max Anderson thinks he's sneaking a preview of an unpublished video game, he doesn't realize that 1) He's been chosen as a beta, an experimental test player. 2) He’s playing the ultimate history game, transporting him into the actual past: anywhere and anytime. And 3) Survival is optional: to return home he must decipher the game's rules and complete its missions—if he lives long enough. To fail means to stay in the past—forever.

Now Max is trapped in medieval Germany, unprepared and clueless. It is 1471 and he quickly learns that being an outcast may cost him his head. Especially after rescuing a beautiful peasant girl from a deadly infection and thus provoking sinister wannabe Duke Ott. Overnight he is dragged into a hornets' nest of feuding lords who will stop at nothing to bring down the conjuring stranger in their midst. 

My Thoughts:

I love time travel books. This one here was over the top. You have a kid transported to another time through a video game.  Every kid today will be able to identify with that. Imagine going from current time to medieval times. No matter what you have read in books, you would not have everything you need to fit in.

I loved that you were brought into the book and into the time period. This is what great Historical Fiction does. Students will be so enthralled with Max and his situation they won’t even realize they have been learning history until they start talking with each other. Through this book  readers will learn what life was like for everyone during this time from the lowly peasant all the way up to the life of a knight.

My problem with a lot of time travel stories is the manner in which the author chooses to  bring their character back to present time. I’m often left feeling cheated. I can tell you up front you won’t feel that way with this book.  You will love it.  This is a series I can say I will enjoy from beginning to end. I can’t wait for my first student to read it.

Forsaken by Ross Howell, Jr.

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This book was the story of Virginia Christian, the youngest African American female to be executed. Virginia Christian was put on trial and then found guilty of  killing the white woman for whom she did laundry. A white reporter named Charlie Mears covered the story. This story takes place from his perspective.   Virgie was only 17 when she was executed in Virginia’s electric chair. They waited until the day after she turned 17 to perform the execution. The author used actual court documents, actual stories from the newspaper to tell this story.

There was so much tension throughout the book. My initial reaction was shock that they would just decide she deserved to die because she was African American. This is an eye opener whe it comes to showing the lopsided rules and laws when it came to dealing with African Americans

I really enjoyed this book. I enjoy anytime we can take a look back in time and what really happened. I definitely will recommend this book to those I know enjoy reading historical fiction.  You must read the book then truthfully ask yourself has much really changed today?

Author Website

Annexed - Sharon Dogar

Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction

Source: I purchased a copy.

I grew up with the story of Anne Frank and her diary. I was thrilled when I was younger to discover we shared the same birth date.  For these reasons I decided to read this book that is wonderfully told from Peter Van Pels point of view.  It was interesting to note that Peter saw Anne as a very annoying child until they had shared the annex for a couple of years. We then find his opinion of her changing. He has begun to fall for her. I kept wondering, if they had both lived, would they have ended up together? Anne tried to look at the good in people and God, whereas Peter kind of took the other road. Anne always expressed herself through her writing. Peter liked to express himself through his drawing.  What is interesting about this book is that we look at Peter’s life once he is sent to the concentration camp. No, we don’t really know his story. The author has done a lot of research into what it would have been like. She based it on the accounts of survivors.  It is often hard to tell what is actually true and what is fiction because the writing has so beautifully intertwined the facts with fiction.  I did enjoy the end of her book where she tells the reader what happened to Anne and those who spent all of that time hiding in the Annex. This is definitely a book not to be missed. 

Hoplite by Lee Ness

Genre: Middle Grade, Historical Fiction

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Book description for the Hoplite novel: 
In 440BC, all the young Alexander wants to be is an Olympian. But while trying to follow his hoplite father, Alexander becomes trapped aboard a troop ship. His life spins out of control when making port, the seemingly benign state of Samos overthrows the mighty Athenian army and tragedy strikes. He soon realises that the foes in his own camp are more dangerous than the Samian rebels. When one of his only friends and allies on the island goes missing, Alexander has to further endanger his own life to try and find him but by doing so he puts his friend's life, and his mother back in Athens, in danger. 
Note: This novella is Part 1 of Hoplite. The other five parts will be released over the course of the year. 
Book description for Part 1. 
Alexander hero-worships his father, but Lysander is recalled back from furlough by the Athenian Army to intervene in a dispute between the island Samos and the City state of Miletus. Alexander decides to follow him, but finds himself trapped on the troop ship when it embarks. With the ship unable to return to port, Alexander must stay with the troops all the way to Samos. Lysander decides there is little danger as the Samians are mere farmers and scholars, no match for the might of the Athenian Army. But the Samians revolt and suddenly, all the Athenians are in danger....

My Notes:

I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
This story starts off somewhat mysterious. We have a young boy, Alexander, who is sneaking along the docks. He is trying to locate his father. The reason we learn is that his father is going off to battle. He had been bullied and the way he handled it didn’t turn out right. His mother doesn’t really belong in Athens and as an outsider can own no land. With her son gone she is in danger from the people where she lives. Alexander spots his father. His desire is to speak to him and then go home. To avoid being seen he is grabbed and told to carry something aboard his father’s ship. He hides below deck where he falls asleep. When caught by a soldier he ran into on shore he is smacked around, until his father rescues him. Under his father’s care he is protected. He is stuck on board until they can get him back home. This means he will follow his father to the battle. When he sees his father killed things go from bad to worse. How will he get home? Was his father’s death his fault?

Alexander is a very brave young man who finds himself in circumstances he should never have been in. This book will keep you turning pages until you reach the end. It will also keep you waiting and wanting the next in this series. This is an awesome book.Alexander is a very brave young man who finds himself in circumstances he should never have been in. This book will keep you turning pages until you reach the end. It will also keep you waiting and wanting the next in this series.  This is an awesome book.

The Beat on Ruby's Street by Jenna Zark

Genre:  Middle Grade, Historical Fiction
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Ruby is an eleven-year-old, who has become a "free thinker" like her idol Jack Kerouac. She is on her way to one of his readings when she is arrested and accused of stealing fruit. Her mom is an artist and her father is a musician. They allow her to run the streets and be this free thinker and this is what gets social services to remove her.  Ruby learns that there are  no perfect families. She also learns how important to it is to follow her own heart. She remains true to herself. She handles this situation  the best way she can, by being creative.
The author did a wonderful job of plunking the reader into Greenwich Village in 1958. You feel the "vibes" of that time period throughout the book. It is realistic, historical, and a book both adults and kids will be able to relate to. I am pleased to recommend this book to my students and will definitely watch for more from this author.

The One Who Sees Me by Kandi J. Wyatt

Genre: Young Adult, Adult, Historical Fiction

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review.

Kandi Wyatt has taken historical fiction and elevated it to a higher level. Her world building pulls you in and puts you right in the middle of the adventure.  This is why I love her books.  I immediately recogized the story line in her newest book.  It is the story of Hagar and her son Ishmael.  However, she has taken the information from the Bible and told Hagars story from her perspective. She also removed it from the Biblical time period and set it in medieval times. For me this works so well. We find Faru (Hagar) traded from her mistress to a young Lord. When his wife is finally returned to him, they keep her.  Things go along well for years with Faru attending to Lady Cwen's needs. She even finds herself falling in love with a young man named Cailean. But all of this is to change because The Existing One has told him he will have a son.

I will say nothing further because to do so will spoil such a wonderful story. However, if you are familiar with the story you know what will happen. The story is full of hope, love, betrayal and the hardship of living the life of a servant in medieval times. It is also full of hope and trust in "The Existing One".  As a Christian it is a reminder to all who follow him that we must always place our trust in God and understand that even through hardships he knows what is best for us.  I will definitely recommend this book to others and because it is such a clean read and one that will appeal to teens and adult, will proudly put a copy on my shelves at school.  I can't wait to see what this author comes up with next.

Christmas in July: A Log Cabin Christmas

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction, Christmas, Inspirational

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This is a collection of nine wonderful short stories by nine wonderful authors. They all take place in log cabins, in different states,  in the 1800s. There are several reasons I loved this book. First it deals with log cabins which I think are some of the most romantic buildings ever. The stories all happen in my favorite time period in history. If I could go back in time that would be the time period I would wish to live in. The final reason I loved this book was because it was written by nine extremely talented writers, a few I was unfamiliar with, which gave me the opportunity to experience their writing. Each short story is about fifty pages long. I’ve had the book for quite some time.  Whenever I wanted to read something but had limited time I would pick the book up.  For me reading a book of Christmas stories is just as special in July as it is in December.  So let’s talk about these nine stories. 

I have to say “Snow Angel” by Margaret Brownley was my favorite.  Miss Parker comes west to teach in this one room school house. A lot of the parents don’t have a lot of faith in her ability to survive there. When she and three children are stuck in the school house due to a blizzard, the sheriff must go out to find them. They all end up stuck there. They all  have personal issues that make this at times a heart-wrenching and at times a hilarious story.

     I’ve read many books by Wanda Brunstetter. In “The Christmas Secret” while preparing the house for a Christmas Eve wedding, bride-to-be Elizabeth finds a journal that holds a secret. The secret is enough to make her run away. Now it is up to the groom-to-be to find her and together work things out.

     “Christmas Traps and Trimmings” by Kelly Hake gives you an idea of what life was like for women in the early 1800s. They had little say over their lives. Mina has been promised to a cousin in marriage. She sets off for American with her nurse in search for Sam her guardian and find themselves in an earthquake.  This story shakes up their lives in more than one way.

     “A Star in the Night” by Liz Johnson is another one I loved.  I am very familiar with Franklin, Tennessee. This is set during the Civil War. A Yankee soldier is found near Cora’s cabin in Confederate territory. Cora is dealing with the horrors she has seen in this war while she and her grandfather nurse this man back to health.  With their hearts entwined can there be a happily ever after for them?

     “The Courting Quilt” by Jane Kirkpatrick shows the lengths unmarried women would go to in finding a husband. Richard is a traveling salesman and partners with Mary to help sell her goods.  One of his tactics has him convincing women he will propose to them if they “meet the test” as a quilter.  From this you know things are going to be hopping.

     “Under His Wings” by Liz Tolsma is the story of two people who find themselves in a unique situation. Adie cooks for the lumber camp and lives in a cottage with her father. This is her protection. Noah is working to save money to go to seminary and become a preacher. Then Adie’s father is killed in an accident.  She is fair game for all of these men as the only female in camp.  Noah is there to protect her if she will only allow him to, even if it is a marriage of convenience.

takes place in the Minnesota North Woods in 1875. Beth Sorenson is convinced that she can only be a minister's wife and Todd Rambek, a mere blacksmith, will never do. After all her family has been ministers and wives of ministers for several generations and as a minister's wife she can be in service. The Christmas program that Beth is putting together can only be done by her, no one else is capable of doing it right. But when the unexpected happens and everything seems ruined can Beth learn a valuable lesson in service and see what is right in front of her? Or will Beth drive away those who care for her with her attitude?

     “The Dogtrot Christmas” by Michelle Ule takes place in Texas. While a man is off to war his land is sold without his permission.  He returns to finds a brother and sister building a dogtrot cabin.  If you don’t know what this is the look it up. It is quite fascinating and resourceful.  Luis must learn to forgive and Molly may just be the one to help him heal.

brother-in-law Manuel or will peace elude him? Can Molly's kindness help a soul damaged by war?

     “A Grand County Christmas” by Debra Ullrick takes place in Colorado. This is a story of loss yet we find God’s goodness through this loss. Widower Amadeus finds Awyna freezing and starving outside his cabin.  She’d been out looking for food and got lost.  She stays with him and his three children and his mother until the weather breaks. She returns home only to find she’s lost everything. But, sometimes the loss of one thing leads us to what great thing God has for us.

     “Christmas Service” by Erica Vetsch is one of those stories that can step on your toes.  I remember telling my parents I felt God calling me to be a missionary.  I was sure I was going to be a missionary like the many I’d grown up learning about. This seems funny because I was such a shy person.  I asked a missionary how I could have been so wrong when I became a teacher.  That missionary told me that missionaries come in all kinds of packages and for me it was the package of a teacher.  So when I read this story about Beth who believes she needs to marry a preacher because that is the only way she can serve God I got tickled. She had a great man, Todd, a blacksmith in front of her that wanted to court her but she couldn’t see it for her own blinders.  Sometimes God has to allow drastic things to happen to open our eyes.

This book is filled with stories that show God’s infinite love for us as we bumble along in life.  It doesn’t matter that these stories took place in the 1800s because they are just as appropriate to today. You know the saying, same situation different setting.  I definitely recommend this book and would not wait until Christmas time to enjoy it. We should celebrate the true meaning of Christmas year round.

Two Amish and a Shaker

Sit back and prepare to enjoy these three books.  Although you might look at the covers and think that they are all Amish fiction, you will be suprised to learn that the last one is about the Shakers.  If you aren't familiar with them you can do do things. One look them up on the Internet and three read my review which will give you some insight.

The Missing – Beverly Lewis

Genre: Adult, Amish Fiction

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This is the second book in the “Season’s of Grace” series. Grace Byler is dealing with so much in her life.  Her mother mysteriously left and didn’t tell anyone why.  Something had been bothering her for quite some time.  Grace is trying to help her father and around the house.  Then there is Heather, a young English woman who finally confides in Grace.  He lost her adoptive mom to cancer and now she has cancer. Her father wants her to take chemo like her mother, but she prefers to try naturopathy. She learns she was adopted from an Amish family and would like to find more. 

Grace’s father is a quiet man and confused with his wife’s behavior. Their bishop is threatening to shun her if she doesn’t return soon.  One thing Grace’s father is pretty sure of is that his in-laws know something about why Lettie left, but won’t speak of it. Grace breaks up with Henry and finds she suddenly has the attention of another young man named Yonnie.  There is even a problem with this situation. Her best friends has eyes for Yonnie and is upset with Grace.

In my opinion Grace was aptly named. She handles all of these situations with grace.  Nothing is resolved by the end of the book, yet you get a pretty good idea where this is heading and what some of the outcomes will be. Beverly Lewis has once again done an excellent job of creating a situation that will capture you and hold you until the end of the series.  I definitely recommend this book.

The Mercy – Beverly Lewis

Genre: Adult, Amish Fiction

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The Opinions expressed here are my own.

If you haven’t read the first two books in this series “The Thorn” and “The Judgment” I would suggest you do.

Briefly you have Rose Kauffman who was taking care of her mother after a buggy accident.  You have her sister Hen and her five year old daughter Mattie Sue. Hen had married an Englisher and then gone back home during which time her husband began divorce proceeding that threatened her custody of her daughter. Then there was her husbands car accident.  Rosie and her boyfriend Silas have had an on again, off again relationship.  Then there is Nick, the bishops adopted son who came from the English world and seems to have left for it again after the bishop’s son Christian is killed in an accident. Does Rosie love Silas or does she love Nick? Does Silas love Rosie or does he love Rehbeka?  All of that drama and more happened in the first two books. 

In this third book in the series, Beverly Lewis has tied up all of the loose ends. Rosie’s mother is finally going to have the back surgery that will hopefully alleviate the terrible pain she has been in for years.  Rosie is still having relationship issues. She turns Silas loose, but now there is another guy in the picture named Isaac.  Then Nick returns. Because of all that went on with the Bishop’s sons, he has been “silenced”. I found it inspiring that it was the Bishop God used to reach Hen’s husband.  He had made it clear he wanted nothing to do with the Amish and their ways. After being temporarily blinded and having to stay in the Amish community, thing have changed.  So now you are wondering what exactly has changed yes?  Well this is where I tell you that once again Beverly Lewis has done an excellent job of storytelling and that you really must read the book to find out how all of these conflicts were fixed or not.  This is another highly recommended series by a great author.

The Gifted  - Ann H. Gabhart

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Imagine growing up in a world where you can see God’s beauty all around you and follow your heart.  Now imagine that world is crushed by the death of a loved one.  Jessamine Brady lived in that world with her grandmother until the age of 10. When her grandmother died the Shaker community took her in.  This is where I really had to pay attention. I’d heard of the Shakers but really didn’t know anything about them.  I thought they were like the Amish.  Boy was I wrong.  I felt their beliefs were way out there, especially their belief about remaining celibate.  Men and women were equal in all ways.  They stayed separate.  They considered marriage  and procreation a sin.  I kept wondering how a people could get so messed up.  Jessamine remembers her life outside of the Shakers.  When she and her sister find a man in the woods and bring him back because he is injured, things change.  They are immediately drawn to each other. Tristan had lost his memory. When he gets it back he tells no one hoping to find out who tried to kill him.  However, the closer he and Jessamine get the more the Shakers are ready to send him packing.  That is exactly what happens and Jessamine goes with him. Tristin’s parents have made a marriage arrangement to save their finances.  Will Tristin and Jessamine stay together? If he leaves will she stay in this world or go back to the Shaker world?  If you want these answers you will definitely need to read the book for yourself.  It was definitely a different take on religion. The author did an excellent job of presenting the history of that time period.

Three Different Genre's, Three Great Reads

Since I've been going through physical therapy I find I have plenty of time to read. I read while waiting my turn for the therapist. I read while they are icing my knees down and using a tens unit on me.  When I get home and the effects (pain) from the therapy sets in, and I can't move very well, I read.  If I have early morning therapy, like today, then I get several books read.  I hope you enjoy my eclectic reads for the day.

A Fistful of Collars by Spencer Quinn

Genre:  Adult, Mystery

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This was an interesting story because it is told from Chet the dog’s point of view. Chet is a police dog. Bernie is his handler or should I say side kick. The two are tasked with watching over movie star Thad Perry during filming in their town. Thad  seems to have a not so glamorous reputation. In addition to this Bernie’s son has scored a role in the movie.  Bernie’s ex-wife can see a future in this, something Bernie is not real happy about, especially when he realizes how talented his son is.

When a dead reporter turns up Bernie and Chet are on the case.  They realize that this murder is connected to a murder in the past.  They also realize that someone is willing to go to a lot of trouble to keep anyone from delving into the past. While you have this great mystery going on; you have Chet’s ability or lack of ability to always understand humans.  This in itself adds the humor that makes this book so wonderful to read.  So if you are looking for something kind of on the light side then I recommend this book to you.  It is a stand-alone novel even though it is part of a series.  

Adobe Gold by Robert C. Mowry

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I am one of those people who love historical fiction. Adobe Gold is the first book in the Stone Justice Series. Colonel Tyrone Rafter was sent on an important mission by his friend Abraham Lincoln. While in Mexico looking for an important man. He is captured and imprisoned.  Due to a leg injury and a inept doctor his leg is removed.  He spends seven years in prison until he escapes.  He returns home and learns things have really changed.  He's lost his wife to another man because she believes he is dead. This was enough to change everything. He becomes a very bitter person.  When Lincoln learns he's alive he needs him for another mission.  He is sent back to Mexico to find out if there really is gold in Santa Fe.   I found it ironic that as a professing atheist he is sent back as a minister. While performing the duties of a minister he reads his Bible.  Will this change him from the hardened man he has become?  You really need to read this book to find out.

Chimera by Vaun Murphrey

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

*Parental Warning* There is some sexual content at the beginning of this book.

I have to say right off that I absolutely loved the cover of this book.  It says so much. Once you read the book you will understand what I mean.  At age five Cassandra watched her parents murdered. At age thirteen she is rescued by an uncle she has never known.  While she was held captive she had no one to talk to.  She kept within herself.  That is why I said the cover was so appropriate.  Her uncle takes her to live with them.  The counsel doesn't want her living there because they think she will endanger all of them. She is trained in martial arts and like her family, as a Weaver.  A Weaver is not what you think it is.  Think of a Weaver as someone who is able to use the Internet of the mind. Cassandra has more abilities than the others in the colony.  She also has someone hunting her so she must go into hiding.  This is the first book in the series.  I know there are three others that I've not yet had a chance to read.  Hopefully my schedule will allow it soon.  I believe teens and adults who like science fiction will enjoy this.

Finding My Thunder by Diane Munier

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

From Goodreads:
The story takes place in the late sixties. Hilly Grunier has been in love with Danny Boyd since she was a kid telling scary stories on summer nights at the fire hydrant while Danny pulled lcose on his bike. But when Danny is thirteen, their friendship ends when he and his brother Sukey have a vicious fight over Hilly. Years pass, and Hilly carries a secret and growing love as she watches Danny rise athletically to the top of their school's food chain. He even dates the prom queen and rumor says they are engaged. Now Danny has graduated and shows up in her dad's shop looking for some temporary employment until the army picks him off for Vietnam. He's thrown aside his college scholarship and the golden girl. He seems to be searching for something new before he leaves town. he seems to be searching for her. Hilly can't let him go overseas without showing him how she feels. But once he's gone, her own battle intensifies. It's a long road to finding her thunder.

My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed this book.  Hilly Grunier plods along in life with an alcoholic, abusive father who doesn't really seem to know she exists, and with  a mother who is mentally ill.  She is and has been in love with Danny Boyd for years. Danny is good for Hilly.  With him she learns to be stronger than what she thought she was.  She learns her family's secrets and decides to let them make her into a better person.  The author did a wonderful job of creating the time period and the characters.  You feel the tension of the time with all the racial tension, the Vietnam War, the hippies and free love.  She gives you characters that are so well drawn that you can't help but hate some of them.  Hilly's father was a real piece of work.  I hated him from the beginning.  I understood part of what shaped him, yet I could not forget the way he let his hatred of her mother and Naomi cloud his opinion of Hilly.  I think I realized how strong my feelings were when he tried to get to move out of the house.  This author has a way of weaving the feeling through the writing that makes it almost poetic. I will be reading and reviewing her book Me and Mom Fall For Spencer in a week and now that I've read this one I can't wait to start on it.




About the Author:
Diane Munier was raised as a midwestern urban kid. She spent a lot of time nosing around in the many establishments that filled the neighborhood. Love of story grew as she sat in various places--pews, restaurant chairs, barstools, and listened to the story-tellers, the keepers of the tales that patched us together. Lots of colors in the neighborhood quilt, lots of threads and shapes and patterns. It was all music ad she wondered how to capture what she was feeling; she wondered how to share it. Diane wanted a voice and to take her place in the quilt. She's currently learning to stitch some small part of it together.

Pretty Maids in a Row by Teri Kanefield

Genre: Middle Grade Historical Fiction
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed ehre are my own.

I am and have always been a fan of time travel. Teri Kanefield is a master story teller when it comes to time travel stories. The main character is a fourteen year old girl named Mattie.  She and her parents are in France when she is transported into the body of Mary, Queen of Scots. Most time travel stories places the main character in the historical time period. This book drops the mai character into another body.  Mattie has to figure out whether she should do what she knows is best or make a decision that could change history.  This is an awesome way to do historical fiction.

One of the lessons, (yes, you knew there had to be a lesson) was about how life for women was different.  They were expected to behave a certain way and they were expected to stay in their place.  She also learned that some of her problems, time had not changed.  Like all of Teri's books I will proudly put this on my shelves at school. This is one I will also recommend to our school librarian, As long as Teri is writing books she will have a reader in me.  I highly recommend this book to all time travel fans or fans of the Tudor period.

Student Saturday: The Sacrifice by Kathleen Benner Duble

Student Reviewer: Amari B.
Genre: Middle Grade, Historical Fiction

This book is a historical fiction book.  It is about a girl named Abigail Faulkners. In the beginning Abigail is punished because she was racing. While she was running she was being inappropriate by making her skirt flap everywhere showing her legs. Then all of a sudden, her dad starts acting crazy and saying crazy things like someone was after him. This book felt very emotional to me because the family has to suffer because of the dad's actions. How would you feel if you had to deal with soemone like that? I would recommend this book to people who would want to sacrifice themselves for anyone or anything.

Student Saturday: The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Student Reviewer: Logan C.
Genre: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade

The characters are twelve year old Hugo, Isabelle, the toymaker, the stations inspector and Hugo's uncle. The setting is at the train station, the toymaker's house, and in the toymaker's shoe.

the major plot points are that Hugo is taught his uncle's craft after he is orphaned. His uncle goes missing and Hugo has to keep the clocks working. He found an automator in the fire that killed his father. They realize that the toy maker was a movie maker in the past.

Some connections I had with this book is that Hugo is my age, and likes to explore, take things apart, and make new things. I would recommend reading this book because even though it's thick it is really a quick read. I thought the book was better than the movie because the characters seem more real. This book also uses real antique photos as well as award winning drawings.

Then Like the Blind Man by Freddie Owens

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Warning:  This book contains language that may be objectionable, even if it is historically accurate.

Orbie is a young boy growing up in Detroit.  He is often bullied and he has very prejudiced ideas.
Orbie's father is killed.  A short time later Orbie's mom marries the man who was his father's boss. Orbie doesn't like him.  He has good reason.  Orbie's new stepfather Victor is very abusive.  He is physically abusive and molesting Orbie's sister.  Victor doesn't like Orbie.  He decides they are moving to Florida and he doesn't want to take Orbie with them. They drop him off at his mother's parent's house.  Orbie feels deserted for good reason.  He soon learns how prejudiced he was raised and that his grandparents truly do want the best for him. This is a realistic look at life in the early  1950's. The pacing is great.  You don' t have a problem and then a sudden solution.  It moves gradually so that everything flows smoothly and naturally. I would recommend this to people who love those coming of age stories set in a time period before most of us were born.  I would warn that because of the time period there is the use of the "n" word, as well as other  coarse language. The author did a great job with bringing everything to a VERY satisfying ending.  

Rivka's Way by Teri Kanefield

Genre: Middle Grade, Historical Fiction
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

If you love historical fiction as much as I do then this is the book for you. Rivka is a fifteen year old girl who lives in the Jewish ghetto of Prague. The time period is the late 1800's. Unlike many of the other Jews in the ghetto, her family has it much better.  You may be wondering why. Her father is a doctor and there for is considere upper class in the ghetto.

Rivka is best friends with her brother Jakob.  She has grown up listening to his stories about the outside world.  He has left Prague to go to school to become a Rabbi.  Her mother just wants her to put foolish notions and stories away and prepare for her arranged engagement. I loved the fact that Rivka wanted to plant trees and other plants so much that she created a garden on the rooftop of her building. Having a garden isn't enough for her.  She wants so much to see what is outside the ghetto that she dresses in boys clothing and travels around as a gentile boy.  I loved her spunk.  I am not sure, given the time period that I would have had as much courage as she had to do this.  I would want the freedom, but I'm not sure I could pull it off.

This is a must read for all historical fiction buffs out there.  You won't regret this one.  Since this is considered a middle grade book I'll let you in on a secret.  I'm not a middle grade kid and I loved it. This is a book to be loved by all ages.

About the Author From Amazon
Teri writes novels, short stories, essays, stories for children, and nonfiction for both children and adults.
Her stories and essays have appeared in publications as diverse as Education Week, Scope Magazine, The Iowa Review, The American Literary Review, and Cricket Magazine.
Her children's books include the critically acclaimed The Girl From the Tar Paper School and Guilty? Crime, Punishment, and the Changing Face Justice. Both books were Junior Library Guild Selections. The Girl From the Tar Paper School was a California Reading Association Silver Honor book. Her first novel, Rivka's Way, was a Sydney Taylor Awards Notable Book. 
Teri lives in California near the beach. 
To learn more about Teri and her books, please visit her website at www.terikanefield.com

The Locket by Suzanne Lieurance

Genre: Middle Grade, Historical Fiction
Source: Purchased

If you are looking for a historical fiction that will knock your socks off then this is the book.  This story is a familiar one to many of us. It is the story of lives lost in one of the worst fires in New York City.  Galena and Anya are two Jewish sisters who have immigrated from Russia with their parents.  Anya works on the 10th floor of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. Galena is only 14 and works on the eighth floor. Her job is to snip loose threads from the garments. She works six days a week.  Her sister's boyfriend Dimitri is trying to get Anya to join the union.  Their mother is against it. Dimitri wants them to be safe and he knows that working for the union is the only way that can be guaranteed. In March of 1911 a fire broke out in the factory.  Anya runs upstairs to find her sister.  What she witnesses that day is such a horror.  When talking to my students about it they will be able to make connections between this book and the Towers that were hit on 9/11.  It is a book that is hard to put down.  It is a story that must be heard again and again.  It is one I will definitely read to my students.

Shay West's Trilogy

Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Historical Fiction, Young Adult

Welcome to the world created by Shay West.  

Alexis Davenport is the teen protagonist in this wonderful trilogy. We start out with the book Dangerous Reflections where Alexis and her mom have moved across the country to her aunts guest house. There are so many changes in her life.  She wasn't expecting to see another face in a mirror.  She especially wasn't expecting to time travel through the mirror into the body of that face.  She is special and is out to save the world. For my full review of this book click here.

The second book in the series is called Twisted Reflections.  In this second book in the trilogy Alexis travels back in time to Egypt, and this time she meets someone like herself that can help her figure some of this out.  You can check out my full review to this book here.

The final book in this trilogy is called Desperate Reflections.  In this book Alexis comes face to face with the evil she has been trying to stop. This time he has not only her in his sights, but her friends and family as well.

I have to tell you that if there is one set of books you buy this year then this should be the set.   I have recommended it to several of my students.  I waited for all three books to come out in paperback before I  purchased them for my classroom.  I have students that won't start a series until the books are all out so that they can read them all straight through.  By bundling all of these kindle books together, you get not only a great series, but also a great price. Click here for a link to the Amazon page to order yours.  Understand that I am inn no way compensated for my review.  I just believe that it is one of the best series I have read this year.  So what are you waiting on?

The Last Witness by Jerry Amernic

Genre: Adult, Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

From Goodreads:

The year is 2039, and Jack Fisher is the last living survivor of the Holocaust. Set in a world that is abysmally complacent about events of the last century, Jack is a 100-year-old man whose worst memories took place before he was 5. His story hearkens back to the Jewish ghetto of his birth and to Auschwitz where, as a little boy, he had to fend for himself to survive after losing his family. Jack becomes the central figure in a missing-person investigation when his granddaughter suddenly disappears. While assisting police, he finds himself in danger and must reach into the darkest corners of his memory to come out alive.

My Thoughts:

Once again we are reminded that if we try to sanitize history, as so many of our school history books do, the we are sure to repeat it.  That is not always a good thing. From the minute I read of the first killing I was hooked.  What is so amazing is that this book is set in the future, not too far from present time, yet we have all heard people say the holocaust didn’t happen.  Are we doomed to repeat history?  Maybe. I hope that if we ever have such an event that I can show as much courage as Jack did as a child and as an adult.  I was able to connect with his granddaughter’s passion for learning about his history not only because I love history, but because I too am a teacher.  I learned a long time ago that almost all teachers strive to continue to learn something new. The fact that someone would kill to keep the truth of the holocaust quiet is so realistic and frightening.  This is a book I will definitely recommend to my friends, especially those who are teachers.  These are lessons that should be taught in schools.  I would definitely read anything else this author wrote as this was an excellent piece of writing.