REVIEW - HARBOR LIGHTS & A CHESAPEAKE SHORES CHRISTMAS

I read these two books over the summer. I tucked them away for a review later. But they mistakenly got put on my bookshelf. The one where all the books I've read are kept. I was cleaning out some books to pass along to a friend and found these two. This is going to be short so don't think it's going to be a long winded review.

Harbor Lights by Sherryl Woods
I really liked this book, it brought the O'Brian son, Kevin into the series. His romantic life isn't that good until he meets Shanna. Who happens to open a bookstore on main street. But both Keven and Shanna have some issues from their past to solve. And Mick and Megan are trying to solve their problems so they can get back together.

A Chesapeake Shores Christmas by Sherryl Woods
This book is all about Mick and Megan getting back together and remarrying. But there is one hold out in the family, Connor. He can't forgive his mother for leaving them all. Really enjoyed reading about the season of Christmas at the O'Brian household and the romance coming back.

That's it. I'm on to reading more of the O'Brian's story. The next book is Driftwood Cottage. I'm reading it now. This one is all about Connor and his ex-wife Heather. Will they get back together? Will Heather get Driftwood Cottage? You'll have to read the book to find out. Be watching for my review soon.

REVIEW - A PUG'S TALE

This book is for 1 of my reading challenges.
Outdo Yourself Challenge(181/200)

"A Pug's Tale" by Alison Pace
Product Description(Amazon.com)
There are pugs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art!
Hope McNeill has worked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for years, but this is the first time she's been able to bring along her pug, Max. (Officially at least. Previously she's had to smuggle him in inside her tote bag.)
The occasion: a special "Pug Night" party in honor of a deep-pocketed donor. Max and his friends are having a ball stalking the hors d'oeuvres and getting rambunctious, and making Hope wonder if this is also the last time she gets to bring Max to the museum.
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley Trade; Original edition (June 7, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 042524119X
ISBN-13: 978-0425241196

MY THOUGHTS: Hope meets Daphne, a fellow pug owner, at a pug party at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. A painting goes missing. The fake ends up in the art restoration office. Hope's boss decides not to go to the authorities and takes matters in his own hands. Hope thinks she is a suspect. Hope doesn't have anyone to confide in. Her boyfriend is in Africa. After a few random meetings, she ends up confiding in Daphne, who is thrilled with the idea of a mystery that needs to be solved. When I was asked to read and review this book, I didn't know this was a sequel to Pug Hill. But the book stands alone and I didn't feel like I missed anything. But I will be adding Pug Hill to my TBR list. I really enjoyed reading about Hope and Max. Does Hope find the painting? Does Max get to go back to the museum? You'll have to read the book to find out.

MY RATING: 5

[This is a free review book and my own opinion.]

NEEDLEWORK TUESDAY

Heather over at Books and Quilts is the host for Needlework Tuesday. You really need to head over there. Heather has a one woman quilt show of her mother's quilts. They are awesome. But first, what is Needlework Tuesday? Here's some info:

Needlework Tuesday is open to all readers looking for inspiration, encouragement or who want to share their recent needlework project. Introduce yourself in the comments and be sure to leave a link to your current post. Feel free to grab the cute little mouse for your post.

I've finished my Granny Square Blanket. I think it turned out very pretty.

Since that is finished I needed something to work on. So have decided to make a hexagon blanket. I've always wanted to do one of these. But first I had to find a pattern. So Googled hexagon patterns and found Lucy. She has an awesome blog called Attic 24. You really need to check this out. Anyway Lucy has a tutorial on how to make a hexagon. It's so easy I've made 7 of them so far. It's been a little hectic around here so didn't get as many done.

I've also started a new book that I can't seem to put down for very long. It's Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. I've linked it to Amazon.com if you want to check it out.

I was playing around with the hexagons and I'm going to have to redo a few. The dark colors aren't showing up very well. I may have to go buy some lighter yarn. I see a shopping trip in my future. Anyway, that's my project for awhile. Hexagons and more hexagons.

IT'S MONDAY, WHAT ARE YOU READING?

Sheila over at Book Journey is the host for It's Monday, What Are You Reading? Head over and check it out. You could find your next book.

Last week I finished and reviewed 2 books. One was a memoir the other the end of a series........

The Reckoning - Kelley Armstrong - I was a little disappointed in the ending of this book and series. Lots of questions still unanswered.

Ghellow Road - T. H. Waters - a memoir of the authors life. This is an ARC I read for the author. I really enjoyed reading this book.

What I'm planning on reading this week........

Unbroken - Laura Hillenbrand - this book came highly recommended by a couple ladies at my book club. So far I am totally engrossed in this book.

REVIEW - GHELLOW ROAD

This book is for 1 of my reading challenges.
Outdo Yourself Challenge(180/200)

"Ghellow Road" by T. H. Waters
Product Description(Amazon.com)
Ghellow Road is a literary diary of a young girl's journey through the tangled labyrinth that is her life. Theresa's story begins in a large midwestern city where she is born to loving parents in 1965. For a brief moment in time, her life is full, as is her heart, and the world is hers to receive without consequence. As time passes and Theresa grows, supernatural forces begin to shape her existence, no matter how carefully her father colors the empty spaces of her world. After a series of tragic events, Theresa and her family seek refuge in a small Minnesota town nestled near the shores of Rainy Lake. She creates a new life for herself there, sharing adventures with friends and riding the ups and downs of adolescence. Yet through it all, her mother remains forever lost in the prison of her own mind and forever lost to Theresa. The young girl feels as though she is leading a double life, one that no one else could possibly understand. She begins to peer at the world as if looking through a thick, black veil, never certain which pieces are illusion and which are not. Through the kindness and support of the townspeople, She eventually summons the strength to survive. This is a story of tragedy and triumph. This is the story of my life.
Paperback: 302 pages
Publisher: Verefor Publishing Company LLC (October 14, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0982893116
ISBN-13: 978-0982893111

MY THOUGHTS: This is a memoir of Theresa's life with her mom. Her mother has a mental illness, schizophrenia. Teresa and her brother Mikie are caught in this life and can't get out as they are very young. The only stable person grounding Theresa is her father. The book follows Theresa from birth to her teens years. I don't really want to say too much as it will give away the story. If you like reading memoirs this is a great book to read. I really enjoyed reading about Theresa's life.

MY RATING: 8-12

[This is a free review book and my own opinion.]

BOOK BEGINNINGS

Katy over at A Few More Pages is the host for Book Beginnings. Want to join in? here are some particulars.

How to participate: Share the first line (or two) of the book you are currently reading on your blog or in the comments. Include the title and the author so we know what you're reading. Then, if you would like, let us know what your first impressions were based on that first line, and let us know if you liked or did not like the sentence. The link-up will be at A Few More Pages every Friday and will be open for the entire week.

I am reading an ARC right now. The author actually requested a review of her book. She also signed the book for me. I am a little over half way through the book and love reading it.

Ghellow Road by T. H. Waters

This is actually the second paragraph of the book. This is what made me want to read this book.

The year was 1965.
I was a tiny, toe-headed girl, the second child of two parents who were madly in love with me. I will never forget those early years before The Invisibles came to cast their dark, permanent shadows upon our unsuspecting walls. Mom would lovingly cradle me for hours in the mod 60's rocking chair that resided in a corner of our humbly furnished living room.

I love reading about other people's lives. Biography or memoirs. I'm not really sure why, but they are interesting to me. This book grabbed me from the first page. From the memories of a little girl comes The Invisibles. I wanted to find out more about The Invisibles. What are they? Who are They?

THEME THURSDAY

I'm joining Kavyen over at Reading Between Pages for Theme Thursday.

Theme Thursdays is a fun weekly event that will be open from one thursday to the next. Anyone can participate in it. The rules are simple:

A theme will be posted each week (on Thursday’s)
Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you are reading
Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don’t necessarily need to have the word)
Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have “They kissed so gently” or “Their lips touched each other” or “The smooch was so passionate”

This week's theme......
PLACE DESCRIPTION (Location / Place / Room description)

That morning, I uneasily settled into my craky, wooden chair for the first few agonizing hours of English, Science and Social Studies.

Taken from Ghellow Road by T. H. Waters

For all those celebrating, have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

WWW WEDNESDAY

I'm joining MizB over at Should Be Reading for WWW Wednesday.

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading.......
Ghellow Road - T. H. Waters - I'm really enjoying this book. It reminds me of The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls.

Recently Finished........
The Reckoning - Kelley Armstrong - this was the last book of The Darkest Powers series. I wasn't happy with the ending. My review is here.

Reading Next.........
A Pug's Tale - Alison Pace - this is an ARC that I've been sent. Sounds pretty interesting.

REVIEW - THE RECKONING

This book is for 3 of my reading challenges.
Outdo Yourself Challenge(179/200)
52 Books in 52 Weeks(Wk.47)
Fill in the Gaps(67/100)

"The Reckoning" by Kelley Armstrong
Product Description(Amazon.com)
My name is Chloe Saunders. I'm fifteen, and I would love to be normal.
But normal is one thing I'm not.
For one thing, I'm having these feelings for a certain antisocial werewolf and his sweet-tempered brother—who just happens to be a sorcerer—but, between you and me, I'm leaning toward the werewolf.
Not normal.
My friends and I are also on the run from an evil corporation that wants to get rid of us—permanently.
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins; 1 edition (April 6, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0061662836
ASIN: B004HB1CYQ

MY THOUGHTS: This 3rd book in the Darkest Powers series returns you to the safe house where Chloe, Derek, Simon, and Tori are hiding from the Edison Group. The pace was fast, and the plot's twists left me guessing who to trust and very surprised when the answers were revealed. This book did not provide the ending to the trilogy that I had wanted. It left me with lots of questions and no answers. But the romance between Chloe and Derek was answered. Do Chloe, Derek, Simon and Tori get away and into safe hands? You'll have to read the book to find out.

MY RATING: 2

IT'S MONDAY, WHAT ARE YOU READING?

Sheila over at Book Journey is the host for It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from!

Last week was pretty good reading wise. I got 5 books finished up and reviews posted. They were all pretty good. One was a disappointment.

Kill Me If You Can - James Patterson
The Jungle Adventure of Chimpoo - A. Lawati
Wanna Get Lucky? - Deborah Coonts
If This Is Paradise, I Want My Money Back - Claudia Carroll
Iron Thunder - AVI

What I well be reading this week. I'm trying to finish the Darkest Powers series by Kelley Armstrong. And a ARC I'm doing, which is very good so far.

The Reckoning - Kelley Armstrong

My name is Chloe Saunders. I'm fifteen, and I would love to be normal.
But normal is one thing I'm not.
For one thing, I'm having these feelings for a certain antisocial werewolf and his sweet-tempered brother—who just happens to be a sorcerer—but, between you and me, I'm leaning toward the werewolf.
Not normal.
My friends and I are also on the run from an evil corporation that wants to get rid of us—permanently.

Ghellow Road - T. H. Waters

Ghellow Road is a literary diary of a young girl's journey through the tangled labyrinth that is her life. Theresa's story begins in a large midwestern city where she is born to loving parents in 1965. For a brief moment in time, her life is full, as is her heart, and the world is hers to receive without consequence. As time passes and Theresa grows, supernatural forces begin to shape her existence, no matter how carefully her father colors the empty spaces of her world. After a series of tragic events, Theresa and her family seek refuge in a small Minnesota town nestled near the shores of Rainy Lake. She creates a new life for herself there, sharing adventures with friends and riding the ups and downs of adolescence. Yet through it all, her mother remains forever lost in the prison of her own mind and forever lost to Theresa. The young girl feels as though she is leading a double life, one that no one else could possibly understand. She begins to peer at the world as if looking through a thick, black veil, never certain which pieces are illusion and which are not. Through the kindness and support of the townspeople, She eventually summons the strength to survive. This is a story of tragedy and triumph. This is the story of my life.

Well that's it. Who know if I'll make it through these books with the holiday coming up. But I'll try my best to make it.

WHAT'S IN A NAME 5

I said I wasn't joining anymore reading challenges. But I have to join this one. I love doing this challenge. It's a challenge trying to find a book to fit the category. Beth over at Beth Fish Reads is hosting this reading challenge. Here's how it works.

Between January 1 and December 31, 2012, read one book in each of the following categories:

1. A book with a topographical feature (land formation) in the title: Black Hills, Purgatory Ridge, Emily of Deep Valley
2. A book with something you'd see in the sky in the title: Moon Called, Seeing Stars, Cloud Atlas
3. A book with a creepy crawly in the title: Little Bee, Spider Bones, The Witches of Worm
4. A book with a type of house in the title: The Glass Castle, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, Ape House
5. A book with something you'd carry in your pocket, purse, or backpack in the title: Sarah's Key, The Scarlet Letter, Devlin Diary
6. A book with a something you'd find on a calendar in the title: Day of the Jackal, Elegy for April, Freaky Friday, Year of Magical Thinking

I'll be adding books though out the year.

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REVIEW - KILL ME IF YOU CAN

This book is for 1 of my reading challenges.
Outdo Yourself Challenge(178/200)

"Kill Me If You Can" by James Patterson
Product Description(Amazon.com)
Matthew Bannon, a poor art student living in New York City, finds a duffel bag filled with diamonds during a chaotic attack at Grand Central Station. Plans for a worry-free life with his stunning girlfriend Katherine fill his thoughts--until he realizes that he is being hunted, and that whoever is after him won't stop until they have reclaimed the diamonds and exacted their revenge.
Trailing him is the Ghost, the world's greatest assassin, who has just pulled off his most high-profile hit: killing Walter Zelvas, a top member of the international Diamond Syndicate. There's only one small problem: the diamonds he was supposed to retrieve from Zelvas are missing. Now, the Ghost is on Bannon's trail--but so is a rival assassin who would like nothing more than to make the Ghost disappear forever.
Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (August 29, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316097543
ISBN-13: 978-0316097543

MY THOUGHTS: I didn't like this book very well. I don't know if was the characters or the story line, but it just didn't hook me. I love reading James Patterson's books. But this one didn't work for me. I did finish it, but reluctantly. I almost put it down, but kept at it. It reads like a mob book and I don't like those kind of books. The main character, Matthew stumbles into this mess. When Zelvas is killed by the Ghost. This starts the whole thing rolling. The Ghost hunting for Mattthew and then they send out another assassin to kill The Ghost. Which really confused me. Why kill the person who is going to get your diamonds back? It didn't make sense to me. Does Matthew get to keep the diamonds? Does the Ghost get caught? You'll have to read the book to find out.

MY RATING: 1

READING CHALLENGE ADDICT

I decided to join in for the 2012 Reading Challenge Addict. Want to know more?

Are you ready for some challenges??
It's that time again!!
Yes, I said it!
It's time to sign up for challenges!
Reading Challenges, to be specific. I know you're doing it! But why?

Is it the pretty buttons?
Is it the challenge?
or Is it just that you can't seem to help yourself?
Well, whatever your reason. Join in on the fun!

I've joined up for 12 reading challenges this year. That's it no more. I'm going to be strong and not join anymore. I promise, well maybe one more. I joined the Goodreads Just For Fun challenge. If you want to check it out it's on my sidebar. Or you can go here to see all about it.

REVIEW - THE JUNGLE ADVENTURE OF CHIMPOO

This book is for one of my reading challenges.
Outdo Yourself Challenge(177/200)

"The Jungle Adventure of Chimpoo" by A. Lawati
Product Description(Amazon.com)
"But how will we get him out of the cage?" This is it, he thought. No turning back. Mommy got worried and told Chimpoo to look after his brother. Just thinking about it gave him the shivers.
Paperback: 40 pages
Publisher: AuthorHouse (July 14, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1463429215
ISBN-13: 978-1463429218

MY THOUGHTS: This is an ARC I received. I really like the story and the pictures are great. Chimpoo is going to get his father, who has been captured by humans. Along the way he meets Thinking Eyes, a wise old owl. Together they try to get Chimpoo's father out of the cage. I read this to my grandchildren this past week. Although they are only 16 months old, they didn't really understand the story line but they really enjoyed looking at the pictures. The graphics are really good. And does Chimpoo get his father out of the cage? You'll have to read the book to find out.

MY RATING: 5

[This is a free review book and my own opinion.]

I'm also linking up with Julie over at Booking Mama for Kid Konnection.

Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books.

Hop over and see what everyone is sharing.

THE FRIDAY 56

Freda over at Freda's Voice is the host for The Friday 56.

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Add your (url) post below in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url.

It's that simple.

Mine comes from The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong

P. 56
"What the hell are you doing, Chloe? I said we'd come out here later and try to contact that ghost. Key Word? We. If you're here--"

THEME THURSDAY

First off, I've been reading a lot the last month or so. Trying to catch up on several of my reading challenges. Which I've done, I've finished 2 reading challenges. That's why I haven't been doing any memes. All my time has been spent reading. So today I've taken a break and am joining Kavyen over at Reading Between Pages for Theme Thursday.

CHARACTER DESCRIPTION

"There was a dead guy at my feet, a fortune in diamonds in my hands, and an NYPD uniform pointing his gun at me."

"And there she was, wearing a dove-gray V-neck sweater that matched her eyes and a just-to-the-knees denim skirt that showed off her legs nicely, Katherine."

Taken from Kill Me If You Can - James Patterson

REVIEW - WANNA GET LUCKY?

This book is for one of my reading challenges.
Outdo Yourself Challenge(176/200)

"Wanna Get Lucky? by Deborah Coonts
Product Description(Amazon.com)
A young woman plunges from a Las Vegas sightseeing helicopter, landing in the Pirate’s lagoon in front of the Treasure Island Hotel in the middle of the 8:30 Pirate Show. Almost everyone writes her off as another Vegas victim.
But Lucky O’Toole smells a rat. She’s head of Customer Relations at The Babylon, the newest, most opulent mega-casino and resort on the Strip, so she’s got a lot on her plate: the Adult Film industry’s annual awards banquet, a spouse-swapping convention, sex toy purveyors preying on the pocket-protector crowd attending ElectroniCon…. Still, Lucky can’t resist turning over a few stones.
When a former flame is one of the snakes she uncovers, Lucky’s certain she’s no longer dealing with an anonymous Sin City suicide. To top it all off, Lucky’s best friend Teddie—Las Vegas’ finest female impersonator—presses to take their relationship to the next level. Leave it to Lucky to attract a man who looks better in a dress than she does.
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Forge Books; First Edition edition (May 11, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0765325438
ASIN: B004IK9E8C

MY THOUGHTS: Lucky is smart, sarcastic, and uses her sarcasm as a defense mechanism. The characters in this book are wonderful. Loved reading about all of them, especially Lucky's mom. Coonts has given us the city in all its over-the-top outrageousness. Does Lucky solve the supposed suicide? Does her relationship with the female impersonator go anywhere? You'll have to read the book to find out.

MY RATING: 5

[This is a free review book and my own opinion.]

REVIEW - IF THIS IS PARADISE, I WANT MY MONEY BACK

This book is for 2 of my reading challenges.
Outdo Yourself Challenge(175/200)
52 Books in 52 Weeks(Wk.46)

"If This is Paradise, I Want My Money Back" by Claudia Carroll
Product Description(Amazon.com)
Being in a coma has helped to open Charlotte Grey’s eyes for the very first time . . .
As she hovers somewhere between life and death, Charlotte finally realizes what a complete mess she’s made of her time on Earth—including the five years she’s wasted on worthless, faithless James Kane. The afterlife should be paradise compared to that—except “heaven” seems to be nothing more than a big retirement home in the sky, with lots of bingo and bridge and absolutely no sign of Elvis, Princess Di, Kurt Cobain, or anyone else worth spending eternity with. Charlotte would rather return to Earth, thank you very much. But the only way she can get there is as a bona fide guardian angel . . . and the lost soul she’s assigned to is none other than the James Kane, who tore her heart out and stomped on it.
Still, Charlotte’s determined to use her second chance to really start living, Kane or not, and have some fun . . . for once in her afterlife.
Paperback: 480 pages
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; Reprint edition (October 18, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0062045156
ISBN-13: 978-0062045157

MY THOUGHTS: This is my book clubs choice to read this month. It looked promising, but it was a bit of a chore to read at times. Being able to get even with an awful ex is something most of us would love to do. Charlotte is an interesting main character. But you can see the book's predictability. You can see every big revelation and plot twist coming. Which kind of spoils the book for me. But I wanted to finish this book to find out what happened to Charlotte. Does she come out of the comma? Does she get even with her ex? You'll have to read the book to find out.

MY RATING: 2

REVIEW - IRON THUNDER

This book is for 2 of my reading challenges.
Outdo Yourself Challenge(174/200)
War Through the Generations(Civil War)[Wrap Up]

"Iron Thunder" by AVI
Product Description(Amazon.com)
When his father is killed fighting for the Union in the War Between the States, thirteen-year-old Tom Carroll must take a job to help support his family. He manages to find work at a bustling ironworks in his hometown of Brooklyn, New York, where dozens of men are frantically pounding together the strangest ship Tom has ever seen. A ship made of iron.
Tom becomes assistant to the ship’s inventor, a gruff, boastful man named Captain John Ericsson. He soon learns that the Union army has very important plans for this iron ship called the Monitor. It is supposed to fight the Confederate “sea monster”--another ironclad--the Merrimac. But Ericsson is practically the only person who believes the Monitor will float. Everyone else calls it “Ericsson’s Folly” or “the iron coffin.”
Meanwhile, Tom’s position as Ericsson’s assistant has made him a target of Confederate spies, who offer him money for information about the ship. Tom finds himself caught between two certain dangers: an encounter with murderous spies and a battle at sea in an iron coffin …
Reading level: Ages 1 and up
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH; Reprint edition (August 11, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1423105184
ISBN-13: 978-1423105183

MY THOUGHTS: Tom, a 13 year old boy is telling the tale of the Iron Clad ship the Monitor. Tom gets a job as assitant/errand boy to the designer of the Monitor. Tom is approached by Confederate spies. They are hoping to get some information about the Monitor. The author takes you along the trip it took to make this ship and all the troubles that went along with it. Very good book and I enjoyed reading it.

MY RATING: 5

**************************************************************8
War Though the Generations Wrap Up

My list of books.
1. Coal Black Horse - Robert Olmstead
2. Sunrise - Jacquelyn Cook
3. The Red Badge of Courage - Stephan Crane
4. Dearest Enemy - Nan Ryan
5. A Light in the Storm - Karen Hesse
6. How I Found the Strong - Margaret McMullan
7. Gabriel's Horses - Alison Hart
8. A Time to Dance - Mary Pope Osborne
9. Hear The Wind Blow - Mary Downing Hahn
10. Iron Thunder - AVI

REVIEW - HEAR THE WIND BLOW

This book is for 2 of my reading challenges.
Outdo Yourself Challenge(173/200)
War Through The Generations(Civil War)

"Hear the Wind Blow" by Mary Downing Hahn
Product Description(Amazon.com)
On a cold, snowy night, Haswell Magruder makes a decision that will have a profound effect on his own life as well as the lives of all those he loves. A wounded Confederate soldier appears at the family’s Virginia farm, and Haswell convinces his mother and sister to take the man in, despite the certain repercussions if the enemy Yankees were to catch them in such a “traitorous” act. Unfortunately, this is precisely what happens, setting off a horrific chain of events that leaves Haswell’s mother dead and the farmhouse burned to the ground.
After leading his younger sister to safety with relatives, Haswell sets out on his journey in search of his older brother, a Confederate soldier. His quest is also a passage into manhood, as he experiences the last bloody days of the Civil War.
Reading level: Ages 10 and up
Hardcover: 224 pages
Publisher: Clarion Books; None edition (May 19, 2003)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0618181903
ISBN-13: 978-0618181902

MY THOUGHTS: This book tells a war story through the eyes of a young boy. All Haswell wants to do is give some comfort to a wounded solider. It was a good thing to do, but there were repercussions for this act of kindness. After the death of his mother, Haswell takes his sister to his relatives. He then embarks on a journey to find his brother. This novel leads on Haswell's journey. You see the war through his eyes, the destruction and lost lives. Does Haswell find his brother? Does his family get back together? You'll have to read the book to find out.

MY RATING: 5