A Tree, A Book, and A Breeze

Jefferson's America Julie M. Fenster Crown Publishing      Despite being a lifelong history lover, there are certain "blind spots" that I have--and Jefferson's administration is one of them. I never knew much beyond the Louisiana Purchase, and even that was just the basics (Lewis & Clark & Sacajawea - that's all, right?) For instance, I had no idea about the tensions with Spain, which played a HUGE part in the tale, and I certainly didn't know very much about all of the many other men who were exploring the continent around the same time. This book was informative, although I also found some of the information hard to grasp. Not so much that it was difficult to understand , but simply that it was written in such as manner as to be difficult to remember . However, I do believe that this problem lessened as the book went on. Still, having read several non-fiction history books within the last month, this one wasn't as pleasurable to read...

Kill Devil Mike Dellosso Tyndale Jed Patrick is convinced he's doing all it takes to keep his family safe--new names, new location, new identity. But just when he thinks he finally has his life back, trained men claiming to be CIA agents break in and threaten his wife and daughter, proving once and for all his family will never truly be safe until he eliminates the agency dead set on hunting him down.Not knowing if Karen and Lilly are better off by his side or in hiding, Jed is determined to protect them while finding a way to use the classified information that he possesses to dismantle the Centralia Project. But he soon learns that eliminating Centralia may require compromising his own values. As danger escalates, Jed isn't sure whether there's anyone or anything he can trust--including his own senses.      This was one mind-bender- literally. Sort of like a Christian Jason Bourne (though not as Bourne-ish as the first book), with high stakes and lots of...

From This Moment Elizabeth Camden Bethany House Romulus White has tried for years to hire illustrator Stella West for his renowned scientific magazine. She is the missing piece he needs to propel his magazine to the forefront of the industry. But Stella abruptly quit the art world and moved to Boston with a single purpose: to solve the mysterious death of her beloved sister. Romulus, a man with connections to high society and every important power circle in the city, could be her most valuable ally.  Sparks fly the instant Stella and Romulus join forces, and Romulus soon realizes the strong-willed and charismatic Stella could disrupt his hard-won independence. Can they continue to help each other when their efforts draw the wrong kind of attention from the powers-that-be and put all they've worked for at risk?      I love how distinct and unusual Elizabeth Camden can make her characters and their situations; it's always a highlight of her books for me....