The History Book Club discussion

Here is your new thread for 2013.

Our Format:

JANUARY

1. by Winston Churchill
Finish date: March 2008
Genre: (whatever genre the book happens to be)
Rating: A
Review: You can add text from a review you have written but no links to any review elsewhere even goodreads. And that is about it. Just make sure to number consecutively and just add the months.

Note: I will delete required format post once you get started.

February

1. by Victoria Laurie
Finish date: February 2 2013
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Rating:A
Review: Goodreads recommended this book to me and I am so glad they did. It is a great cozy mystery. Abby Cooper is a Psychic Intuitive who gets involved with a murder case and the detective assigned to case does not have a lot of faith in her abilities. She gets more than she bargains for when the murderer believes she knows too much. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves cozy mysteries.

Carly, don't forget to add the month header in bold and the genre. You can amend your first post. Thanks!

2. by
Finish Date: February 7 2013
Genre: romantic suspense
Rating: A
Review: Another great In Death novel. This one involves mass murder using a lethal mixture of drugs that causes the victims to kill each other in rage and panic. Once again LT. Dallas is on the case and with the help of her partner Detective Peabody and her Husband Roarke she solves the case. What I loved about this book is that there is several chapters left when she arrests and chargers the suspect so I wondered what more there could be to the story. I did not expect the story to continue after she caught the person, but there was an unexpected twist that I enjoyed.

3. byMark Stein no photo
Finish Date: February 15 2013
Genre: History
Rating: A
Review: Have you ever wondered why the states have such silly shapes? Well if you have then this is the perfect book for you. It gives a fascinating account of the process of creating the Jigsaw puzzle that is the United States. This book tells the tale of how difficult it was to produce the borders and how it sometimes took years to resolve disputes. It is also interesting that some of those disputes were violent or had the potential of becoming violent

Good start Carly.

4. By Nicholas Sparks
Finish Date: February 19 2013
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Rating: A
Review: This is my favorite Nicholas Sparks book so far. I could not put this book down. I read it in two days. The ending was a surprise, but I loved it. The last few pages made my cry. Now I can go see the movie even though I know it will not be as good as the book.

5. by Mark Stein no photo
Finish Date: February 27 2013
Genre: History
Rating: A
Review: This is a great book. It focuses on the people that influenced the borders of the United States. This is a great book for anyone who is interested in how the States borders came to be. My favorite story is the story of the brilliant legal maneuvers that allowed West Virginia to secede from the Virginia and become its own state.

I've often been curious about that book. Sounds like a fun little read.

On posts 2, 7, and 8, you need to add the author links. It is book cover, author photo (when available, when not available no need to use the blank avatar), and author link. It becomes second nature once you get the hang of it but takes a few times to get in the habit.
Good progress!

March


6. by Sophie Kinsella
Finish Date: March 5, 2013
Genre: chick Lit/Romance
Rating: B
Review: This was not my favorite Kinsella novel,but I still enjoyed it. It has the same humor you expect from Sophie Kinsella. The only reason I did not give this book an A is because the two main characters Sadie and Lara were very annoying in my opinion. I know that the characters weird quarks are what supposed to make this book funny but their quarks went way beyond cute and funny. However, they became less annoying when as the story went along and everything worked itself out. I will still recommend this book especially if you liked Kinsella's Shopaholic series.

7. by Agatha Christie
Finish Date: March 26 2013
Genre: Mystery
Rating:A
Review: Another great Mystery by Agatha Christie. I can Never guess who the murderer is. That is what I love about Agatha christie mysteries, you can never guess who the murderer is. You may think you have an idea but it always turns out you are completely wrong.

I am also a fan of Christie, Carly, and this one of my favorites...........but my number one on the Christie list is The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.

and by Agatha Christie

8. by Victoria Laurie

Finish Date: March 29 2013
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Rating: A
Review: This is the second book in Victoria Laurie's Psychic Eye series. It follows Abby Cooper who unknowingly accepts a request to do psychic readings at a mob wedding. This leads her down a dangerous path when the mob boss wants her to help him find his wife. This is all happening while she is helping the police find a serial rapist. Another book I highly recommend.

April

9. by Victoria Laurie
Finish Date: April 4, 2013
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Rating: A
Review: This is the first book Victoria Laurie's Ghost Hunter series. M.J. Holliday is a medium who uses her skills to help spirits cross over to the other side. M.J. finds herself helping a wealthy good looking doctor find out what happened to his grandfather. But stranger things are happening someone very much alive is putting her and the hansom doctor in danger.

10. by Victoria Laurie
Finish date: April 17 2013
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Rating: A
Review: This is the second book in Victoria Laurie's Ghost Hunter series. M.J. and her partners go up against a very dangerous ghost that chases students with a hatchet. She has trouble because there is not a lot of information out there about this ghost, but with help from the locals and her partners she finds out who the ghost is and locks it up for good.

An impressive list

11. by Robert Cowley
Finish Date: April 30 2013
Genre: History
Rating: A
Review: I loved this book. This book ask the question where might we be if history had not unfolded the way it did. The answers to this question are very frightening especially with how close historical outcomes could have been different. Western Civilization would be nothing like it is today or World War II and its aftermath could have turned Europe into a radioactive wasteland or the whole European continent could have fallen to the Soviets and Communism. This a great book for anyone who ever pondered the What Ifs of history.

May

12. by Lisa Waller Rogers no photo
Finish Date: May 8,2013
Genre: History
Rating: A
Review: This book contain excerpts from diaries. letters, and memoirs written by the remarkable people that settled Texas. Through the eyes of Spanish conquistadors, everyday housewives,the heros of the Texas Revolution, and many more we get a glimpse into the past.

13. by Victoria Laurie
Finish Date: May 25 2013
Genre: Cozy mystery
Rating: A
Review: This is the third book in the Psychic Eye series. Abby Cooper had no idea that she would become a ghostbuster when she invested in a fixer-upper. She must uncover the identity of the ghost haunting her house and solve her its murder if she wants to fix it up and sell it for profit. With the help of her FBI agent boyfriend, Abby discovers the key to finding the answer to her ghost problem. However,a madman is also very determined to find it too. Abby life is in danger as she get closer to the truth. I loved this book it combined suspenseful drama, romance and comedy which are some of my favorite things.

14. by Janet Evanovich
Finish Date: May 29,2013
Genre: Romance
Rating: A-
Review: This is one of her early romances that Janet Evanovich wrote before she wrote her Stephanie Plum series. This was a quick read about 250 pages. It has everything you love about Evanovich cars destroyed or stolen, a helpful old lady, a good looking man, and a lot of humor.

15. by Kenneth C. Davis
Finish Date: May 29, 2013
Genre: History
Rating: A
review: This book answers a lot of question that most be have about the Bible. We do not know a lot about the Bible because few people know the historical and cultural background of the people the book written for and about. Many people including myself do not have clear picture of the most well known bible stories because we are basing our knowlege on sunday school versions which are censored and cleaned up so they are apprriate for young ears. So basically this book tries to clear up the contradictions, conflicting accounts, and mistranslations found in the Bible. People who are devout Christians who interpret the Bible literaly might disagree or find this book offensive but that is not the intention of this book.

June

16. by David Crystal
Finish Date: June 4, 2013
Genre: history
Rating: A
review: David Crystal chooses 100 words that best illustrates the sources, influences, and events that helped shaped the English language from the 5th century to the 21st century. He not only talks about the well known influences like French and Latin, but also the not so well know influences like Yiddish, Arabic, and Turkish. This books takes you on a wonderful journey through the Germanic influence of the Anglo-Saxons all the way to the influence of technology like the internet.

17. byMark K. Updegrove no photo
Finish Date: June 7, 2013
Genre: History
Rating: A
Review: A look at eight presidents who took office in times of unprecedented crises. Mark Updegrove does a great job explaining the challenges faces these eight presidents. George Washington led a fragile nation while defining the role of the presidency. Thomas Jefferson faced a two party schism that divided the nation. John Tyler faced the constitutional crisis caused by the first death of a sitting president. Abraham Lincoln inherited a bitterly divied country on the brink of war. FDR had to deal with the fear of a nation during the Great Depression. Truman became president at the end of WWII. John F.Kennedy became president as the cold war heated up. Gerald Ford in the wake of the Watergate scandal became the first unelected president. All eight presidents had something in common. They all showed strength of character when leading the country through crisis.

Great review, sounds really interesting. Added it to my ever growing to-read list.

18. by Deirdre Martin

Finish Date: June 9, 2013
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Rating: A
Review: This is the 11th book in Deirdre Martin's New York Blades Series. This series combines three of my favorite things: Romance,Hockey,and Ireland. In Breakaway Deirdre Martin combines characters from her Blades series and her Wild Hart Series. Breakaway takes place in Ireland where New York Blades player Rory Brady comes home to win back the girl he left behind. Another great entry in the Blades series. I will highly recommend anyone to read this series and the wild Hart series. You do not have to read them order but I recommend that you do.

19. by Philippa Gregory

Finish Date: June 18, 2013
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: A
Review: Philippa Gregory is one of my favorite writers. The Kingmaker's Daughter is the 4th book in the Cousin's War series. This one follows Anne Neville, the daughter of Richard Neville, the Earl of Warwick. The Earl uses his daughters Anne and Isabel as pawns in his political games. Anne grows more and more fearful as her father makes war on his former friends and forces her to marry her former enemy. She soon becomes a widow and fatherless. With her mother in sanctuary and her sister married to the enemy she must make an escape. She does this by marrying Richard, Duke of Gloucester, the future Richard the III. Historically, we do not know how she escaped from the protection or imprisonment of her sister, but I like to think that it was really close to how Philippa portrays it.

20. by Jared Diamond

Finish Date: June 22, 2013
Genre: Human History/Science
Rating:B
Review: I liked this book. It is well researched and the information is very interesting. However, the book reads like a doctoral thesis and can be dry and technical. It does a very good job in answering the difficult question why Eurasian societies developed earlier/faster than other societies and were able to conquer other socities like the Americas. The easy answer is the immediate causes found in the title, guns, germs, and steel. However, this book tries to answer the question with the ultimate causes. Long answer short the differences between the continents in several environmental factors that led to Eurasian societies developing farming earlier than other societies or some societies not developing farming at all.

21. by J.D. Robb

Finish Date: June 25 2013
Genre: Romantic suspense
Rating: A
Review: Another great book by J.D Robb. Eve Dallas once again must race against the clock to find and arrest a murderer. This time a young accountant and mother is found dead. At first glance it looks like a mugging gone horribly wrong but Lt. Dallas knows better. She must put all the pieces of the puzzle to together before the killer strikes again.

22. by Heinz Heger

Finish Date: June 26 2013
Genre: History/Memoir
Rating: A
Review: A victim of Nazi Germany's persecution of homosexuals, who chose to remain anonymous because of the persecution that continued when he first told his story in 1971, tells his story to the German writer Heinz Heger. This account of one man's nightmarish years provides a powerful introduction to long ignored/forgotten chapter in Nazi and gay history.

Carly wrote: "22. byHeinz Heger

Finish Date: June 26 2013
Genre: H..."

As a Jew and as a human, I agree it is important not to forget that the Nazis targeted many other groups besides the Jews: GLBT people, the Romany (gypsies), the disabled, communists, trade unionists and others.

Or, as I sometimes say on twitter "To claim rights only for one group is like saying 'my side of the boat is leaking'". There's one boat. We're all in it.

July



23. by Philippa Gregory

Finish Date: July 3 2013
Genre: Historical fiction
Rating: A
Review: This is the story of Katherine of Aragon. A young women raised to be Queen who went to great lengths to fulfill a deathbed promise. In order to keep her promise she must tell a crucial lie that changed the course of history. This is another great book by Philippa Gregory. I now want read more about Katherine's life. There is more to her story than just being the old, devout, dull queen that Henry VIII divorces for the young ambitious Anne Boleyn.

24. by Victoria Laurie

Finish Date: July 8, 2013
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Rating: A
Review: This is the third book in Victoria Laurie's Ghost Hunter series. M.J. Holliday heads to San Francisco to take part in television show about psychic mediums. From the start M.J. realizes that this will be no ordinary ghost bust. The hotel is haunted with several ghost that she needs to help crossover. However, ghost are not the only thing haunted the hotel. Demons from a lower realm are also on the loose and hotel guests are being murdered. She must find a way to get rid of this evil entity and solve these murders before its too late.

Good progress Carly.

25. by Maya Banks
Finish Date: July 16 2013
genre: Romance (suspense)
Rating: A
Review: This is the third book in Maya Banks KGI series about a family of six brothers who own and operate KGI, a private mercenary company. The CIA hires KGI to take down the head of a huge criminal organization named Lattimer. Garrett Kelly takes the job. Its personal for him since Lattimer shot him and killed members of his team. The CIA wants Garrett to get close to Lattimer's sister Sarah who may be the key to capturing Lattimer. Garrett soon realizes that Sarah is in more danger than they first realized. Protecting Sarah has become personal for Garrett and he will stop at nothing to make sure she comes out alive. A good quick beach read.

26. by Peter Haugen (no picture)

Finish Date: July 29, 2013
Genre: World History
Rating: A-
Review: A standard run-down of thousands of years of world history. This book basically gives you short and simple explanations of major historical events. I love this kind of book because I can find something very interesting that I want to learn more about. Some of the information in this this book is a little bit over simplified, but I think that is the point of this book.

27. by Annie West

Finish Date: July 31, 2013
Genre: Contemporary romance
Rating: A-
Review: I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway. Leila is very willing to enter an arranged marriage in order to escape her emotionally abusive step father. She is all to willing to agree to the terms that Joss, her new husband sets forth. A no strings attached business arrangement. No emotional ties. However, this gets complicated when she starts to fall in love with Joss.

August

28. by John L. Taylor (no photo)

Finish Date: August 6 2013
Genre: History
Rating: A-
Review: I really liked this book. This book is a great book for anyone who does not think they like history. It gives the basic facts about about important events that shaped the world as we know it. John Taylor explains these events in a simple easy to understand way. This book also encourages the reader to read more about the events in this book. I love these kinds of books because they make me want to read more about a particular history subject. Some of the information was too oversimplified, however I still highly recommend this book.

Great progress Carly - keep it up.

29. by Billie Letts

Finish Date: August 8 2013
Genre: Chic Lit
Rating: A
Review: I loved this book. Novalee is so sweet. Novalee and Forney are such a cute couple. This book has been sitting on my bookshelf for over a year collecting dust so I am very happy that I finally chose this one to read over the dozens of other books on my bookshelf.

Carly, I think you forgot the author link :-)

Bryan wrote: "Carly, I think you forgot the author link :-)"

oops

Better, the picture comes first, then the name.

30. by Lesley Adkins

Finish Date: August 19, 2013
Genre: History
Rating: A
Review: I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway. A great introduction to the culture and customs of late 18th and early 19th century England. This book uses a wide array of contemporary sources including Jane Austen's personal letters to portray the everyday lives of the lower and middle classes. It covers many topics including marriage, birth, religion, and hygiene. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in this era in English history.

31. by Dan Jones (no photo)

Finish Date: August 30, 2013
Genre: History
Rating: A
review: I absolutely loved this book. I really enjoyed the way the book is set up: seven parts divided into short chapters. By reading this wonderful book I gained new insights into the life and times of the Plantagenets.

This is the epic story of the Plantagenet dynasty that lasted more than two centuries. Its the story of warrior queens like Matilda who refused to give up her claim to the throne and the story of Eleanor of Aquitaine, the wife of two kings, the mother of two more, and very influential in medieval European politics. Its the story of warrior kings who ruled an empire that at one point stretched from Scotland to Jerusalem. Most importantly its the story of a family of rulers who made England what it is today. Under their rule the magna carta was signed, the predecessor of the modern parliament was established, English became the language of proceedings in royal courts and parliaments. English was well on its way to becoming the dominant language it is today. The foundations of the relationships between England and the rest of the British Isles that have largely endured to this day emerged under reign of the Plantagenets.

Good progress Carly

September

32. by Philippa Gregory

Finish Date: September 7, 2013
Genre: Historical fiction
Rating: A
Review: I absolutely loved this book. I think this is my favorite of the series. With other Phillipa Gregory books it took several chapters before I really got into the story, but with The White Princess I was hooked from the beginning.

The White Princess follows Elizabeth Princess of York as she enters a loveless marriage with Henry the VII. Her husband and her mother in law do not trust her as Henry the VII fights the people's loyalty towards the last remaining members of her family, the Yorks. Elizabeth must choose between her divided loyalties. She must choose between her husband and the pretender to the thrown which she believes is her brother.

I found the subject matter very interesting and I am very eager to read more about Richard III, the two princes in tower, and Perkin Warbeck.

33. by Julia Bramer

Finish Date: September 17, 2013
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Rating: A-
Review: I really liked this book. It was fast paced but not too fast paced. This book really surprised me. It started out as a typical contemporary romance. A bad boy/player meets sweet innocent girl. They fall in love. Then at the end its becomes this suspense drama with a cliffhanger. I can't wait to read the next book to find out what happens.

34. by Jane Feather

Finish Date: September 19, 2013
Genre: Historical romance
Rating: A-
Review: This is the first book in Jane Feather's Cavendish Square Trilogy. It did begin a little slow but it picked up once I got past chapter 6. I really enjoyed reading this book. It was part regency romance and part spy thriller. Cornelia, Aurelia, and Liv Lacey leave the English country side to spend a month at the home Liv inherits from her Aunt. When they arrive they meet Viscount Bonham who wants to buy the rundown house. The reader knows why Bonham wants to buy the house but he must hide his reasons from the ladies. As an agent for the Crown he must retrieve codes hidden in the house. These codes put the whole household in danger. In the process of getting his hands on the codes he forms a relationship with Cornelia and they fall in love. Of course, Cornelia finds out about all of Bonham's lies and must decide if she could ever forgive him and accept his marriage proposal.

35. by Jill Sanders

Finish Date: September 21, 2013
Genre: Suspense Romance
Rating: B
review: I decided to pick this one up because it was free on amazon. I did not absolutely love this book, but I enjoyed reading it.

After finding out a huge secret about her family Kate runs away to Europe without telling anyone where she is going. Jason, her best friend, is hired to follow her to make sure she is ok. When a couple of thugs try to kidnap Katie, Jason realizes that she is grave danger and someone is out to cause her and her family harm. Jason and Katie journey to Rome to meet up with Katie's family trying to outrun the thugs that are after them.

The suspenseful action in this book could have been better but overall a very enjoyable read. It ending in a pretty good cliff hanger so I can't wait to read the other books in this series.


Note: You might want to read Lasting Pride before this one because characters from this book show up in Secret Seduction and it bothered me a little bit that these characters were written in a such a way that the author expected you to know their story. (less)

36. by Alison Pray (No Photo)
Finish Date: 9/23/2013
Genre: Cookbook
Rating: A
Review: I checked this book out from the library. I absolutely love this cookbook. I love to bake. It is full of yummy pastries. I was looking for a good croissant recipe. That recipe is the first in this book. It also has several recipes that use the croissant dough so you do not have to make just plain croissants. Now I will go out and buy this book so I can make the recipes anytime I want.