Svetlana's Reads and Views

(Personally I went through quite a few changes in 2012; one being that I began to read books my Sony E-Reader, and then I discovered Goodreads Firstreads where I became blessed with a lot of wonderful reads thus I also began reviewing non-fiction on this blog. Fun fact: I won my Sony E-Reader a year or two ago from 2012 and haven't used it in this whole time. I won it without even trying...) Turkeys of the Year: (Books I didn't like) Recommendations of the Year: (Books I loved) January People of the Wolf-Michael W Gear, Kathleen O'Neal Gear Sense and Sensibility-Jane Austen The curse of the ruby necklace-Francine Pascal The curse of the golden heart-Francine Pascal Millicent Min, Girl Genius-Lisa Yee Weekend-Christopher Pike The haunted burial ground-Francine Pascal Slumber Party-Christopher Pike Burning Tigress-Jade Lee Master of Murder-Christopher Pike Brother wind-Sue Harrison Nothing's fair in fifth grade-Barthe DeClements Monster-Chr...

Name of Book: Becoming George Washington Author: Stephen Yoch ISBN: 978-1-940014-52-4 Publisher: Wise Ink Publishing Type of book: Pre-revolutionary America, French and Indian Wars, treatment of colonists in America, George Washington, ranking in army, politics, 1747-1759, honor, differences between traditional and new tactics Year it was published: 2016 Summary: George Washington, action hero . . . Long before Washington was the old man on the dollar bill, he was a fatherless boy with few resources and even less education. So how did he become the most famous person in American history? Becoming George Washington tells the story of a young man with boundless energy, bravery, and passion, who grew from a fatherless boy into a self-confident leader. At the same time, he struggled to suppress both an awful temper and his love for a married woman, Sally Fairfax. A courageous war hero, Washington rose to the pinnacle of Virginia politics. His experiences as a young...

Name of Book: The Lady in the Castle Author: Iny Lorentz ISBN: 978-1477826720 Publisher: AmazonCrossing Year it was published: 2005 Summary: Marie lives happily in Sobernburg Castle with her beloved husband, Michel Adler, a tremendous achievement for a woman who was once the "Wandering Harlot." The happy couple longs for a family, but when Michel is called to battle against the rebellious Hussites, they have to put those dreams on hold until- if they're lucky, Michel returns home. Soon after his departure, Marie is thrilled to find she is already with child, but this bright news is quickly tarnished by anxiety for her husband's return. News of him trickles in: first that he's been knighted for his exemplary courage in battle . . . and then that he disappeared without a trace during a grisly massacre and is presumed dead. Pregnant and alone, Marie's place in the world is once again precarious. Unwilling to abandon the hope that her husband ...

Title of the book: Dogs Rule Nonchalantly Author: Mark Ulriksen Publisher: Goff Books Publishing Date: 2014 ISBN: 978-1-939621-10-8 Summary: There is nothing happier than a happy dog” reads one of the observations in this humorous and heartwarming look at the everyday interactions between man and man’s best friend. Renown illustrator Mark Ulriksen combines his handwritten observations with his intricate paintings of dogs from over 20 years of his career. Mark reaches back to his youth to talk about his first dog and chronicles the idiosyncrasies of each of his ten dogs that have enriched his life. Mark parallels major life events from dating, married life, and raising a family, with such humorous moments as house-breaking a puppy, obedience classes, the sad melancholy of nursing an aging canine friend, Ted, and his eventual ascension to “dog heaven.” Dogs Rule, Nonchalantly appeals to dog lovers of all ages. The intuitive, colorful paintings communicate a depth ...

Title of the book: Loom Knitting for Babies and Toddlers; 30 easy no-needle designs Author: Isela Phelps Publisher: Quintet Publishing Publishing Date: 2013 ISBN: 978-1-250-02514-2 Summary: More projects from loom knitting maven, Isela Phelps, that address the loom knitter’s constant demand for new and varied designs—this time in a book solely devoted to knitting for babies and toddlers. The delightful designs in the book are fun, easy, and quick to make on a loom. In a small amount of time Isela will have you whipping up a fabulous collection of baby garments, toys, and accessories for every child or grandchild in your family or neighborhood! As more crafters discover loom knitting they appreciate the clear instructions, diagrams, and photos that are a trademark of this easy-to-follow loom knitting series, and are continued in this latest collection of adorable projects. With an illustrated introductory chapter that clearly explains and demonstrates the different t...

Name of Book:  Turkey: A Short History Author:  Norman Stone ISBN: 978-00-500-29038-5 Publisher: Thames and Hudson Year it was published: 2014 Summary: A virtuoso performance by historian Norman Stone, who has lived and worked in the country since 1997, this concise survey of Turkeys relations with its immediate neighbours and the wider world from the 11th century to the present day. Stone deftly conducts the reader through this story, from the arrival of the Seljuks in Anatolia in the eleventh century to the modern republic applying for EU membership in the twenty-first. It is an historical account of epic proportions, featuring rapacious leaders such as Genghis Khan and Tamerlane through the glories of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent to Kemal Atatürk, the reforming genius and founder of modern Turkey. At its height, the Ottoman Empire was a superpower that brought Islam to the gates of Vienna. Stone examines the reasons for the empires long decline and shows ...

General Information: Name of Book: Tree of Souls ISBN: 9780195086799 Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA Year it was published: 2004 Overall theme: "With only one God, heaven would be a barren place, at least in mythic terms. Yet the actual Jewish view of heaven is quite different. There are seven heavens, filled with angels and other divine beings, such as the Messiah [Not jesus!], who is said to have a palace of his own in the highest heaven. The clestial Temple can be found there- the mirror image of the Temple in the earthly Jerusalem- as well as an abundance of heavenly palaces, one for each of the patriarchs and matriarchs and sages, where he or she teaches Torah to the attentive souls of the righteous and the angels..." (xliii) "Drawing on the full range of Jewish sources, sacred and nonsacred, ten major categories of Jewish mythology can be identified: Myths of God, Myths of Creation...Each of these categories explores a mythic realm, and,...

Name of Book: The Art of Crash Landing Author: Melissa DeCarlo ISBN: 978-0-06-239054-7 Publisher: William Morrow Type of book: Oklahoma, trainwreck, getting things together, modern times, relationships, mothers/daughters, sarcastic, humorous, growing up, coming of age, past, secrets, mystery Year it was published: 2015 Summary: From a bright new talent comes this debut novel about a young woman who travels for the first time to her mother’s hometown, and gets sucked into the mystery that changed her family forever. Mattie Wallace has really screwed up this time. Broke and knocked up, she’s got all her worldly possessions crammed into six giant trash bags, and nowhere to go. Try as she might, Mattie can no longer deny that she really is turning into her mother, a broken alcoholic who never met a bad choice she didn’t make. When Mattie gets news of a possible inheritance left by a grandmother she’s never met, she jumps at this one last chance to turn things around...

Title of the book:  Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy; Four Women Undercover in the Civil War Author: Karen Abbott Publisher: Harper Perennial Publishing Date: 2014 ISBN: 978-0-06-209290-8 Summary: Karen Abbott, the New York Times bestselling author of Sin in the Second City and “pioneer of sizzle history” (USA Today), tells the spellbinding true story of four women who risked everything to become spies during the Civil War. Karen Abbott illuminates one of the most fascinating yet little known aspects of the Civil War: the stories of four courageous women—a socialite, a farmgirl, an abolitionist, and a widow—who were spies. After shooting a Union soldier in her front hall with a pocket pistol, Belle Boyd became a courier and spy for the Confederate army, using her charms to seduce men on both sides. Emma Edmonds cut off her hair and assumed the identity of a man to enlist as a Union private, witnessing the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. The beautiful widow, Ro...