Seven Days of Us is a novel that follows the Birch family during their seven day quarantine when the eldest daughter, Olivia, comes home from treating Haag patients in Liberia. Along with their younger daughter, Phoebe, and surprise visit from Mr. Birch’s son, whom he didn’t know about until recently, the Birch family find themselves learning more than they
bargained for during the holiday! With secrets abound and slow churning chaos ensuing once hidden truths are exposed, will these secrets drive an already unraveling family apart, or will it knit them back together with a stronger bond?
This novel was thoroughly interesting and original,
sentimental without heavy hysterics. Although it is not exactly a sad novel, it did have its points where I was enveloped with all of the feelings and empathy of the characters, truly grasping their sadness. Hornak weaves an absorbing tale of the Birch family that kept my nose in the book, making it hard to put down. I highly recommend this book for those who enjoy novels filled with family drama and realistic endings.
Thirteen-year-old Lenora (Leni) Allbright has never really had a place she can call home. Her father, Ernt Allbright, a Vietnam POW, is always convinced that the next place they move to will return him to the man he was before the war changed him. After losing yet another job, he makes an impulsive decision to move his family to Alaska, despite Leni and her mother's reluctance to leave behind everything they know to venture into America's last true frontier.
The Allbrights meet a group of friendly people who are more than willing to help them prepare for the harsh winter ahead and lend some much needed heart to a lackluster existence. But it's not long before everyone learns that no matter how far you go, you can't outrun your demons, and with the devastating snow storms, and near constant darkness that winter brings, Leni and her mother must work together to survive against all odds.
Kristin Hannah brings the wild beauty of the Alaskan landscape to life, painting it as the stunning and dangerous place it is. Full of dark places and broken dreams, The Great Alone also shows just how strong the bond between mother and daughter can become. Highly recommended.
Ironfoot is the first book in the Enchanter General series by Dave Duncan. It takes place in 12th century Norman-ruled England, an especially bad time to be a a poor, crippled, Saxon youth. But such is the lot of our hero, Durwin, nicknamed Ironfoot for the metal boot he wears to support an injured leg. By chance, his cleverness and competency with horses earns him a place as a student at a university which teaches the art of magic along with the sciences. When catastrophe befalls a professor’s noble family, Durwin is called upon to accompany him home. While at the castle, he uncovers a string of murders and the burden of solving them falls upon his shoulders. He needs all his wits, luck with his spellwork, and the aid of the school bully to solve them.
This book would appeal to those who enjoy historical mysteries as well as fantasy readers. The setting is quite historically detailed, with just a little bit of magic thrown in. It should be interesting to follow Durwin’s career from lower-class stable-boy to Enchanter General as the series continues. The next book, Trial by Treason just came out in October 2018.
This is a book reminiscent of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid's Tale. It is the story of a near-future America in which women and girls are given just 100 words to speak per day. They receive a jolt of electricity through a metal counter (i.e. bracelet) for every word they speak after 100. Women have been sent back in time to where they are the homemakers, cooking dinner for their husbands and tending to household needs while the men work "real" jobs. Books are thrown out or locked up with the only key on the husband’s keychain; men are in charge of everything from finances to medical decisions; women aren't allowed to write or even gesture with their hands to communicate. Adulterers (women only, because "boys will be boys…") and homosexuals are taken to labor camps in the Midwest. The country, in short, is run by morally "Pure" men.
Though Dalcher’s writing took some time to get used to (she is a little more candid than I am used to), by the midway point, I was totally sucked into the story. It's a semi-believable plot with just enough sexist garbage to really fire me up! Dalcher really knows what to say to frustrate the heck out of women reading this, but in the best possible way! It had me wanting to march in the streets and burn down the patriarchy.
To conclude, I ended up enjoying this book. It's a solid debut and I recommend it to those who like Atwood or other dystopian works of fiction.
