Guest Review: National Geographic’s Atlas of World War ll

Posted on December 3, 2018 by Jenn

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Guest Review: National Geographic’s Atlas of World War llAtlas of World War II: History's Greatest Conflict Revealed Through Rare Wartime Maps and New Cartography Published by National Geographic on October 30, 2018
Genres: Non-Fiction, War & Military, World War II
Pages: 256
Format: Hardcover
Source: the publisher
Many of you "met" my guest reviewer several years ago when he appeared on this blog as part of a feature called "Tales of a (Formerly) Reluctant Reader."  In those posts, John would discuss books that he thinks other reluctant readers (former or not) will enjoy.  Since that feature started, nearly 8 years ago, John has graduated high school, has started college, and has matured into a lover of books!  He found his niche: history, particularly WWII.  He's now obsessed (his Christmas wish list is made up of movies and WWII books!). I thought he'd be a perfect reviewer for this title!

It is in my opinion that the book, Atlas of World War II, is perhaps the greatest history and WWII book I have read. Not only does it give great detail about how the war was fought, but it also shows what the greatest generation gave, risked and lost during the war.

Perhaps the best part about this book were the maps and strategies that showed how battles were won. Never before have I seen so much information in one book. Additionally, this title provides vast information on important leaders and strong fighting forces like the Tuskegee Airmen.
Those that struggle with reading (even as an adult) will find this title to be quite captivating to read; it is full of tremendous photos and maps of the many battles of World War II.  Never did I feel overwhelmed or bogged down with text; the visuals compelled me to devour this title quite quickly.
For everyone reading this, if you have to write a report on the topic or are just a big fan of the topic like myself, this is the book for you.
Posted in Historical Non-Fiction, Non-Fiction, Review | 2 Comments

2018 Thankfully Reading Weekend Wrap

Posted on November 25, 2018 by Jenn

ThankfullyReading

 

Another year of Thankfully Reading Weekend has come to an end! While I never get as much reading done as I’d like, I did quite enjoy the time off with my boys and the Harry Potter marathon we started!

For those of you interested in doing a wrap-up post, I’ve included a link-up below.

Don’t forget, challenges are still up:

Small Business Saturday Challenge
What Book Are You Most Thankful For?
What’s the Menu for a Good Book?

Thank you again to all who participated. Get those last few hours of reading in!!


Posted in Thankfully Reading Weekend | 1 Comment

2018 Thankfully Reading Weekend Day Four: Small Business Saturday!

Posted on November 24, 2018 by Jenn

 

ThankfullyReading

It’s Day Four of Thankfully Reading Weekend! Can you believe how quickly the time has flown by?

Today, I encourage you to take a small break from reading to participate in Small Business Saturday.  Have a local independent bookstore? Pay them a visit and let them know how much you appreciate them!  As the owner of my own small business, I do appreciate the importance of shopping local!

We’ll be visiting our favorite independent bookstore today, One More Page Books in Arlington, VA!

Today’s challenge is easy! Did you visit your local indie today? Share a pic of your purchases!  Include the post with pic or list of books you picked up in the link up  below!


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2018 Thankfully Reading Weekend: Day Three!

Posted on November 23, 2018 by Jenn

ThankfullyReading

 

Happy Day After Thankgiving! How did everyone do yesterday? Full stomachs, plenty of reading time…sounds like bliss to me! I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to a day of reading at home, avoiding the retail madness! Yesterday the boys and I started a Harry Potter movie marathon; we will likely continue that today!

For today’s challenge, I invite you to write about the book you are most thankful for this year. Is it a book written by one of your favorite authors or one you just happened to come upon? Tell us about it!  Include a link to your post below (or if you don’t have a blog, tell us about the book in the comments.


Posted in Thankfully Reading Weekend | 1 Comment

2018 Thankfully Reading Weekend: Day Two!

Posted on November 22, 2018 by Jenn

ThankfullyReading

 

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

We have a nice low-key Thanksgiving planned.  We usually travel to OH to visit my family for Thanksgiving, but since we’re going for Christmas we’re staying at home this year! We plan to teach the boys how to properly prepare a turkey dinner, from start to finish!

For today’s challenge, let’s talk about a “reading menu.” What makes a good menu to you?  What are your favorite genres, favorite books? Any tactics authors use that drives you crazy (like cliffhangers!?).

Feel free to answer in the comments or below! I’ve also added a Mr. Linky for those updating on their blogs!

 


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2018 Thankfully Reading Weekend Begins!

Posted on November 21, 2018 by Jenn

It’s time!!

This is the official kick off post for Thankfully Reading!  Instead of braving the crowds and shopping this weekend, we’re spending our time curled up with a book!

Feel free to link up your kick-off post below, as well as any update posts you have. Don’t have a blog? Don’t worry! You can keep us updated on your progress in the comments below, on Instagram, Twitter (use #thankfullyreading or make sure you tag me so I can see it!) or Facebook! Haven’t signed up yet to participate? Not to worry! There is still plenty of time!

If you don’t know what to post, here are some ideas. But remember there are no rules; feel free to post as little/as much as you like!

  • How will/did you celebrate Thanksgiving?
  • What’s in your TBR pile for the weekend?
  • How much time do you think you’ll have for reading?
  • What book are you starting out with?
  • Are you reading print, ebooks, or audio? Maybe a bit each?
  • What books will you be talking about during Thanksgiving dinner? Be sure to keep track of any recommendations you receive and share when you have the time.If you don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, don’t worry, this is a weekend for everyone throughout the world.
  • Pictures and/or vlogs are a great thing to add to your kick-off posts!

Throughout the weekend, feel free to post about your progress or even get some reviews up. Be sure to come back and link up your posts. Then take a break and check out everyone else’s posts. We’re looking forward to seeing how everyone else is celebrating Thankfully Reading Weekend.

Oh and don’t forget that some of your fellow readers will be on Twitter. You can search for Thankfully Reading Weekend tweets and hook up with others by using the hashtag #thankfullyreading.

On Sunday afternoon, we’ll post another link-up for your wrap-up post. Tell us how your Thankfully Reading Weekend went. You could give mini-reviews of your books, tell us how many books and which books you read, number of pages, number of hours, and so on. This is a rule-free, contest-free event, so you can wrap up the weekend however you’d like.


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2018 Thankfully Reading Weekend Sign-Ups Open!

Posted on November 15, 2018 by Jenn

What is this Thankfully Reading Weekend I speak of?  Here are the details:

This year, Thankfully Reading Weekend will take place November 21-25th! There are no rules to the weekend, we’re simply hoping to devote a good amount of time to reading, and perhaps meeting some of our reading challenges and goals for the year. We thought it’d be fun if we cheered each other on a bit. If you think you can join in, grab the button  and add your sign up post to the link-up below. If you don’t have a blog, you can sign up the comments or sign up using a link to your Twitter account or Facebook page, or Instagram account!

Want to host a challenge? Email me directly at jennsbookshelf@gmail.com.

We’ll also be checking in on Twitter and Instagram using hashtag #thankfullyreading. Join in for the weekend or for only a single day. No rules, no pressure!

To sign up, fill out the linky below! Link to wherever you will be posting your updates, be it Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook!


Posted in Thankfully Reading Weekend | 16 Comments

2018 Thankfully Reading Weekend!

Posted on November 8, 2018 by Jenn

ThankfullyReading

 

Thanksgiving is just right around the corner. With that comes the dreaded Black Friday (well, now lately, it’s Black Thursday, too!).

I’m pleased to announce that I will once again be hosting Thankfully Reading Weekend, November 21-25th! Yes, that’s a long weekend, but I figure people have time off for the holidays and, therefore, time to read! Want to avoid the crowds & shopping on Black Friday? Plan on spending a nice, quiet holiday at home? Join us!

Just what is this Thankfully Reading Weekend I speak of?  Here are the details:

There are no rules to the weekend, we’re simply hoping to devote a good amount of time to reading, and perhaps meeting some of our reading challenges and goals for the year. We thought it’d be fun if we cheered each other on a bit. If you think you can join in, grab the button  and add your sign up post to the link-up below. If you don’t have a blog, you can sign up the comments or sign up using a link to your Twitter account or Facebook page, or Instagram account!

Want to host a challenge? Email me directly at jennsbookshelf@gmail.com.

We’ll also be checking in on Twitter and Instagram using hashtag #thankfullyreading. Join in for the weekend or for only a single day. No rules, no pressure!

Stay tuned; more details to come!

Posted in Thankfully Reading Weekend | 1 Comment

Review: Elevation by Stephen King

Posted on November 7, 2018 by Jenn
Review: Elevation by Stephen KingElevation by Stephen King
Also by this author: Finders Keepers, Gwendy's Button Box
Published by Simon and Schuster on October 30, 2018
Genres: Fiction, Literary, Supernatural, Suspense, Thrillers
Pages: 160
Format: Hardcover
Source: personal copy
Scott Carey doesn't appear to be losing weight.  Yet when he steps on the scale, he's noticed a steady decline in his weight, roughly a pound per day.  Additionally, he weighs just as much clothed as without.  He isn't attempting a diet (he prefers gravy on everything) yet this apparent weight loss has him concerned.

Meanwhile, Scott is in an escalating battle with his neighbors. They allow their dog to walk free throughout the neighborhood, not carrying to clean up after it.   Unknown to Scott, his neighbors, a lesbian married couple, are struggling to keep their restaurant afloat. The town of Castle Rock, set in its ways, refuses to allow a gay couple to succeed.

Scott's ailment provides a mechanism for the most unlikely of alliances to come together.  Prejudices are lifted, bringing out the very best in the small Maine town.

Admittedly, when I received my copy of Elevation I was quite shocked. It’s tiny, not only in page count (under 200), but in size as well.  It looks more like a gift book than the typical Stephen King volume.  I was a bit disappointed, craving a chuckster of King brilliance.

I should have trusted Uncle Steve. This tiny, miniature size book packs a big punch.  King excels at horror, but he also excels at exploring and bringing to life the darkest part of our society.  In this instance, he brings hope and love and light to a world that is struggling with hate and divisiveness.

I read this in one sitting and I cannot wait to read again.  This is a book that I will gift to dozens of readers for it’s the very thing we need right now: Hope.

 

Highly, highly recommended.

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Cover Reveal! One Small Sacrifice by Hilary Davidson

Posted on November 2, 2018 by Jenn

Those who know me well know that I don’t typically do cover reveals on my blog. Yet when one of my favorite thriller writers, Hilary Davidson, reached out to me, I couldn’t resist.  I’m a huge fan of everything she’s written and I can’t wait to read this latest! Release date is May 19, 2019.

 

An apparent suicide. A mysterious disappearance. Did one man get away with murder—twice?

NYPD detective Sheryn Sterling has had her eye on Alex Traynor ever since his friend Cori fell to her death under suspicious circumstances a year ago. Cori’s death was ruled a suicide, but Sheryn thinks Alex—a wartime photojournalist suffering from PTSD—got away with murder.

When Alex’s fiancée, Emily, a talented and beloved local doctor, suddenly goes missing, Sheryn suspects that Alex is again at the center of a sticky case. Sheryn dislikes loose ends, and Cori’s death had way too many of them.

But as Sheryn starts pulling at the threads in this web, her whole theory unravels. Everyone involved remembers the night Cori died differently—and the truth about her death could be the key to solving Emily’s disappearance.

 

Pre-order now!

 

Posted in Thriller | 2 Comments