State of the ARC 1

This is my very first State of the ARC post, hosted by Avalinah's Books, and I'm super excited to be participating. One of my 2018 Reading Goals (also find a related Top Ten Tuesday HERE) is to catch up on all the galleys I fell behind on when I began writing my own book last year. I am still trying to figure out how best to go about displaying the information, so please be patient with me.

I have been a member of NetGalley for almost three years now and I love it. I have read so many amazing books, and of course a few not-so-amazing books, but I am very happy with my experience so far. I just joined Edelweiss yesterday, and am a little more hesitant. I think that is going to be one I will have to play around with a bit more to see if I like it. That, however, did not stop me from requesting two ARCs anyway.

I am very behind on my NetGalley ARCs, and that pains me. A lot of the books have already been published and I hate that I did not uphold my end of the bargain in the end of 2016/through 2017. It is my goal this year to split my time more evenly, as these publishers and authors still deserve the reviews after they so kindly granted my requests. All links go to Goodreads.

(Format equals = title/% complete, pub date)

Pending Approval/Denial = Five

NetGalley

1. The Secret Poisoner, 3-22-16

2. Lincoln's Last Trial: The Murder Case That Propelled Him to the Presidency, 6-5-18

3. The Price of Greatness, 6-5-18

Edelweiss

4. In the Enemy's House, 2-10-18

5. The Black Prince, 5-1-18

Not Started = Six

Six Months at the White House with Abraham Lincoln, 4-15-16 (Received three days after publication)

Failure, 7-1-16 (Received three months after publication)

The Poison Plot, 5-15-18

Educated, 2-2-18

First Ladies of the Republic, 3-6-18

The Man Who Caught the Storm, 4-3-18

Started = Twelve

Whose Promised Land (8%), 10-15-15 (Received four months after publication)

The Witch of Lime Street (12%), 10-6-15 (Received three months after publication)

Queens of the Conquest (4%), 9-26-17

The First Congress (12%), 2-9-16 (Received one month after publication)

American Gothic (22%), 10-4-16

We Were Eight Years in Power (5%), 10-3-17

George Washington's Secret Spy War (15%), 9-20-16

Scars of Independence (8%), 5-9-17

Muslims, Christians, and Jesus (4%), 11-7-17 (Received two months after publication)

1932 (32%), 10-1-15

Lincoln Reconsidered (20%), 3-22-16 (Received one week before publication)

Thieves, Rascals and Sore Losers (9%), 5-8-15 (Received 15 months after publication)

Finished, Review To Come = Two

The Unmaking of the President 2016, 2-6-18

No Justice, 1-9-18 (Received a week after publication)

I know this list looks kind of ugly right now, believe me I understand. Not only is it ugly because of the looooong overdue dates on some, but because of the format. I am still working those kinks out and hopefully this will be more aesthetically pleasing in future posts.

Let me know what you think and leave a link to your post as well.
Happy Reading!
Sarah

Now, with Edelweiss!

In a kind of ironic turn of events, just a few weeks out from my 2018 goals being set - goals in which I explicitly stated I am going to get caught up on my NetGalley ARCs - I may or may not have signed up for Edelweiss. And by that I mean, of course I did.

For those of you who use both NetGalley and Edelweiss, how do you feel they compare? Do you prefer one over the other and if so, why?

Stacking the Shelves 4

Stacking the Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, whether it be physical or virtual. You can include books you buy in-store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts, and of course ebooks! To find out more, visit the official launch page.

I never realized how many books I truly procured on a weekly basis until starting this little adventure with Stacking the Shelves. Oi. No wonder my mom says I need an intervention.

NetGalley ARCs

 
 

Author Gifts

I have already finished No Justice and will be posting the review this weekend. I also just finished The Day Sonny Died, and will be reviewing it shortly as well. I even used it as my contribution to First Line Friday this week.

What goodies did YOU find this week? Leave me a comment and a link to your haul so I can check it out.

Happy Reading!
Sarah

First Line Friday: The Day Sonny Died

Lord, have mercy. Thank goodness Friday is just about here! It's time for another round of #FirstLineFriday, hosted by Hoarding Books.

My line this week comes from such a heart-breaking, but ultimately hopeful, story which sounds strange to say when considering the title. But I promise, it will be worth a read to understand what I mean. 

"There was still blood on Sonny's shoes when the detective came to interview him."

I discovered this book two weeks ago via Remembrancy when Suzie posted about it. Something about the story just called to me, and I was so lucky that one of the authors, M. Simone Boyd (who co-wrote the book with her father, Onnie I. Kirk, Jr) offered me a copy. Not even asking for a review, just straight up offered me a copy (no worries, there will be a review!) Despite having my own plate full with research, writing, reading, and raising a human, I plowed through the book in just three days. The ultimate story is of God's love for us and the options He presents us so we can live out our purpose - which because of our free will, we can choose to accept or reject.

Leave a comment or a line of your own, then head over to Hoarding Books to find the other lines waiting for you this week.

Happy Reading,

Sarah

My Imaginary Dinner Party

I have talked about this a time or two in some Top ten Tuesday posts and probably First Line Friday also.

Seeing as how I have heaps of reading and writing to do, it seems like a good time for a game, no?

Right then. So, as I am reading and writing and wishing for a significant part of my day that I had a time machine, I'm giving more and more thought to who, in a perfect world with no constraints on logic or possibility, would I invite to a dinner party and why?

Let's say you can invite up to five guests and they can be real people or book characters, no limits except to try to keep this somehow bookishly-related. Naturally my picks involve either modern or historic figures I enjoy reading about, or authors I enjoy reading.

My Picks

Eleanor of Aquitaine

Kind of a given. I only have about seven-hundred and fifty-eight million questions to ask her about every aspect of her life, such as about her childhood up to the time she married Louis VII and left for Paris (and what she really thought of Abbot Suger and Bernard of Clairvaux). I'm also keen to know about the fifteen years ol' Henry kept her locked up in various castles for her part in their sons' rebellion and whether they ever actually came to love one another in the first place, long before that all went down. I'd also like to know the date of her birth so that debate can be settled once and for all. In general I'd like to meet Eleanor because she was a BAMF who kept shit together while Richard was on Crusade, then locked up as a prisoner himself by Duke Leopold of Austria. AND I want to know what she REALLY thought of John and whether or not it terrified her as to what might happen to the empire once she was gone. It would also be cool to know what she really looked like, as no portrait has survived as far as we know that shows he likeness. There are portraits and paintings purporting to be her, but there is no agreement or even evidence to fully confirm one way or another. Her effigy is the only face we can unequivocally say is Eleanor, and it was likely not even added to her tomb until after her death.

Pope Francis

Ah, Pope Francis, the pope the world needs but does not deserve. I'm not even Catholic, and I heart this guy. While I realize that no actual church doctrine has changed, and likely won't, the statements he has made on his own opinions of contentious issues within the church make my heart so, so happy. Plus, he must be doing something right for certain members of the clergy and some Catholic scholars to say he is supporting heresy. As far as I know they have been very careful to not call Francis himself a heretic, just that he is supporting it. Go, Francis.

Dan Jones

I mean, yeah okay so I met him back in September of 2017 and he signed all my books and personalized them and let me hug him and say ridiculous things and then talked to me about Eleanor of Aquitaine long after the crowd had left and my friend Roxy and I were the only two who remained. But we could also talk about tattoos and the Plantagenets and which UK castles are our favorites and why that damn top shelf in his library can't just be fitted with another board so that the white space is filled up. This last sentence will make no sense if you have not seen any of his Facebook Live chats, so go watch them, they're hilarious.

Bernie Sanders

Easily two of the most unpopular candidates in US history squared off to become President of the United States, when it did not have to be that way. Bernie would have beaten Trumplethinskin, no question. Unfortunately instead of that reality we have this one, where I wake up every day thankful that I woke up at all and we were not all killed overnight in the launching of all the nukes in the world.

William Marshal

The greatest knight to ever live? Hell yeah, I want to meet him. If you do not know the story of William Marshal's life, I highly suggest looking for his biography, the original one written in the years following his death. William Marshal is the first known person from the era who was not a king to have such a work written. Not too shabby. Plus, he and Eleanor knew one another well, so it might help them not freak out by their sudden transplant to a world unlike anything they knew in their own lifetimes.

Honorable Mentions Because I Can't Even Follow My Own Rules

Alfred the Great

The only king in the history of England to be know as 'the Great'? Yeah, let's meet please. Then we can talk about the Danes and their tomfoolery, and the whole biscuit-burning thing and why that legend has persisted for over a thousand years. I'd also like to discuss his contributions to education and literature, and what impact that really had on the populace, if he saw results within his own lifetime.

Harold Goodwinson

Mostly I want to ask him why he did not wait for reinforcements before marching to Hastings, and give him a good shake for not doing so. I mean, I know why, because they had just won such a decisive victory at Stamford Bridge that saw the demise of Harald Hardrada, the last great Viking warrior, and they were buoyed by that success. But it seemed like such a mistake, even before the arrow-in-the-eye thing, because his men were not only worn out from THAT battle but were then exhausted from the march itself. I also want to know what REALLY happened to Edward the Exile (son of Edmund Ironside) on his return, and just exactly how he managed to die before meeting up with Edward the Confessor - you know, since he was the rightful heir and everything. I suspect Harold, or his family, had something to do with it.

So there you have it! What do you think of my picks, and who would yours be?

Happy Reading!

Sarah

Luck Favors the Prepared

I received a free copy of this book from the author, Nathaniel Barber. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 4 Stars

This is an interesting collection of short stories ranging from observations on death, family, high school, divorce, and a variety of other topics. At times I could not seriously believe that all of these things could have happened to one person. And that's coming from someone who has had her own share of experiences that also border on the comically devastating. This is not a linear memoir of Barber's life, but moments in time that have at least partially defined who he is, or is not.

I have a couple favorite stories from this collection, though all are strong in their own ways. I don't want to spoil too much so all I will say is that one of my favorites is that of the author's first attempt at being a landlord. The home he and his ex-wife shared is the home he offers up as a rental property for a family who turn out to be the exact nightmare I envisioned, were I ever to attempt it myself. Things start out normal enough, but quickly take a turn for the weird - and worse. The wife turns out to be a total psycho and you can't help but both cringe and chuckle at her insanity. Of course, were I the author, I definitely would not have been laughing. But that is the beauty of the author's writing, the way he presents them are at least in part, an attempt at humor and he is most often successful. It may not always be a laugh-out-loud humor, but readers will appreciate the wit and dry humor to be found in this collection. As the stories are snippets of his own life, that humor often comes at the author's own expense, and you will be glad that many of these experiences are not your own.

As mentioned before, the stories are not told in a linear fashion. Barber jumps around back and forth in his life, sharing these stories that all have one thing in common: him. There are loose threads tying some together, but for the most part they are stand-alones, stories you might share sitting around the table with your friends, recounting some of the more embarrassing or oh-my-gosh moments in your lives.

Barber is a gifted storyteller, in the most frustrating of ways. In some of the stories, I was waiting for the punchline, thinking surely it could not end the way I perceived it was ending. Yet I ended up swiping the age with no resolution at all. I wanted to know more, I HAD to know more, and I was left hanging. The difference here is that the stories were strong enough that I still cared to know what happened, after the initial WTF passed. In the past I have read stories told in a similar way. Sometimes I cared to know what happened after the words on the page ended, and some I did not. For many of these stories, these tales of family and friends, an ex-wife, a brother who was both a friend and a foe, I had to know more. It is his use of silence that is as powerful as the words he does give, that keeps drawing the reader in.

These stories are real, and real-life is messy. There is not always a happy ending, with sunshine and roses and puppies. You might find yourself questioning how all of these misadventures could happen to one person, but the way in which they are told confirms that they indeed did. Perhaps some of the stories contain embellishments, perhaps not. In the end that does not matter, because even at their tamest, some are still bordering on unbelievable. You'll laugh, cringe, wonder how the hell some of these people function in daily life, and then want to give Barber a hug. Highly recommended.

SNOW DAY!

As a Minnesota girl, I love this time of year. I love winter and snow and snow and winter and it is glorious. As a teacher, I also love snow days; we are on our third day in three weeks. Sadly, it is not so much due to actual snow, but ice and too-cold temps/wind chills.

What's the weather like in your part of the world right now? Here it is a good day to curl up with my baby girl and a few good books.

Happy Reading!

Sarah

Stacking the Shelves 3

Stacking the Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, whether it be physical or virtual. You can include books you buy in-store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts, and of course ebooks! To find out more, visit the official launch page.

I had no intention of procuring any new books, aside from the pending requests I have still lingering on NetGalley, which I hopefully will be approved for soon.

Buuuuuuut...

I had a couple coupons to one of my favorite bookstores, Divine Truth. And since I am trying to be an adult, I thought it would be a good idea to go get this book:

...to help further my progress in being a better money-manager. The book and workbook were on sale, so it was perfect timing. Until ten other books demanded to be purchased as well...

 

 

 

 

 

Clearly, I am Ramsey's target audience but so help me if he tries to cure me of this compulsion to buy books constantly, we will have a problem.

And then when I was at the register, the owner of the store, Mr Rod Mackrill, made a comment about me liking to read and asked if I had read his wife's book. I said I didn't know and asked who she was; he said, "Hold on a minute", then returned about a minute later and gave me a copy of her book.

I am pretty pleased with this unexpected haul, and so touched by the generosity of Mr Mackrill for the gift of his wife Susan's book. Let me know what gems you found this week and what you think of mine.

Happy Reading!

Sarah

First Line Friday: Cecily Neville Edition

Hello again and welcome to another edition of First Line Friday, hosted by Hoarding Books.

This week my line is from a book that I am destined to enjoy because it is by one of my favorite historians, Amy Licence.

"On 31 May 1495, an old lady was putting the finishing touches to her will."

That 'old lady' is none other than Cecily Neville, who lived through an era of great turbulence in England. As mother to both Edward IV and Richard III, she could do little but watch as her sons destroyed one another - either physically or reputation-wise. She came close to being queen herself, and ended up out-living her husband and most of her children.

If you've not read anything by Amy Licence and love the drama of Lancaster vs. York, the Tudors specifically, or the Medieval period in general, you are missing out.

Leave a comment and then head over to Hoarding Books to see what other lines are waiting for you this week.

Happy Reading!

Sarah

Speaking With the Spirits of the Old Southwest: Conversations With Miners, Outlaws and Pioneers Who Still Roam Ghost Towns

I received a free ARC via NetGalley from Llewellyn Publications in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4 Stars

One of my favorite things about NetGalley is that I have been auto-approved by Llewellyn so I can immediately read any book they've posted. This tends to make for some spooky reads, because they of course publish a lot of material related to all things paranormal. I believe in ghosts, I have had experiences of my own, and I love reading about the experiences of others. When I saw this book available, it was doubly exciting because there is something so tragic and romantic and, well, haunting, about the Old West. Despite its historical inaccuracies, Tombstone is one of my fave movies and I was hoping that some investigations would be made into the lives of the real men and women the movie represented. I was NOT disappointed in that respect at all.

One author, Dan Baldwin, has several years of experience using a dowsing pendulum to communicate with spirits who have not yet crossed over. I am kind of glad that I did not know ahead of time about this tool that he uses, as it might have made me hesitate. Prior to reading this one, I had no idea what a dowsing pendulum even was. I have to admit much skepticism to start with and I am not entirely convinced of its work yet, but it certainly gives one much to think about.

He was joined with a husband-wife team, Rhonda and Dwight Hull, who are both psychic mediums and can communicate with the dead. Something I really liked from the start is the team's goal of helping these spirits cross over. I also liked the fact that they did not attempt to force a spirit to cross over - though of course forcing a spirit to do anything would be impossible. More than once the author mentioned that the team did not feel right attempting to suggest the spirit move on if the spirit seemed content and happy to stay where they were. They came across a few spirits like this, who knew there was something beyond our plane of existence, but were happy to be where they were and wished to remain so. There were others who were afraid to cross, such as a young girl they encountered who was afraid she would not find her family. Perhaps the story that stuck with me the longest is the one of the supposed encounter with Mattie Blaylock, Wyatt Earp's common-law wife who he abandoned in Tombstone when he met Josephine Marcus. Mattie's story is a sad one and she died of a laudanum overdose, though whether it was an accident or suicide is still debated. The team here falls on the side of believing she committed suicide and in their communication with what they believe is her spirit, they conclude she has remained behind because she is ashamed of the way she died and is afraid she can't leave the place where she is in self-imposed exile. The team encourages the spirit to move on, that she is forgiven and she is allowed to leave, then end the session.

Each chapter is set up the same way: background information of the place or subject the team is investigating, then the transcripts of the sessions. I feel like those are important, as well as the commentary within the transcripts to help the reader know what is going on. with books like this, I feel like one of the most crucial things an author can do is give as much background information as possible in order to place their subjects in the proper context. Perhaps this is even more true in regards to those who are famous or infamous. Everyone knows stories of the Old West but it is important to go beyond the legends and discover who these people actually were. It also shows me that investigators have done their homework so to speak, prior to beginning. This could also partially have to do with the fact that I love non-fiction and history in particular, but I think we can agree research is an important aspect in this line of work. Not only do they give the background information, but at the end of the chapter, when available, they list follow-up/further reading information

Despite my caution still in regards to the pendulum use (I have to learn more about it, possibly see one in action for myself in this kind of situation before rendering a verdict), another point where this team and I agree on is that we all believe spirits can return to a place where they were happy. I have been incredibly lucky in being able to spend a couple nights at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado and I can say 100% that there are spirits there. Between the audio and visual confirmations, you can just FEEL the energy. I never felt anything negative, it was happy and peaceful - though, I could have done without whoever was in the room above us stomping around all night on hardwood floors, dragging furniture about. Also, none of the floors have been hardwood for decades, it's all carpeted. And yet both nights I was woken up by very loud, heavy shoes on hard floors. But that aside, yes I believe the spirits of the little boy and girl are happy to be at the Stanley, a place they must have loved very much in life. On the reverse side, I also believe that it is possible for the doer of evil deeds to return to the scene of his or her crime. I've been to the Villisca Ax Murder House in Iowa and there is definitely some negative/bad mojo coming from that attic. I think it is possible that whoever murdered the Moore family and Stillinger girls is still in the house, along with at least a couple of the children.

All in all I definitely recommend this one to those who have an interest in the paranormal. The multiple locations they visit have made me want to set up a vacation in the southwest, ASAP. The transcripts of their sessions at various locations in these ghost towns are truly interesting. I admire their commitment to the field and will you leave you with this quote that I feel like really sums up their mission (at 27%):

"You will notice in reading the transcript of the session we were not collecting EVPs like someone would collect stamps, coins, or arrowheads. Rather, these efforts are aimed at building a relationship with those who have crossed over and in gaining a better understanding of their individual situation."