A Sheltered Promise, by Jane Kirkpatrick

A Sheltered Promise, by Jane Kirkpatrick

This is three tales based on the history of Muddy Creek Ranch near Antelope, Oregon--also known as Rajneesh Puram and later as Washington Family Ranch. The author has taken some historical tidbits and woven them together, bridging the events of the late 1800s or early 1900s with the murder of a man, with the occupation by the Rajneeshis in the 1980s, to the redemption of the compound becoming a wonderful camp for young people to attend. 

This starts with the story of a young woman, pregnant, and her husband is in jail and being tried for the murder of a ranch hand, and is found guilty. He cuts off all communication and emotion toward his wife, telling her to divorce him and start life elsewhere, since he has a life sentence. But she is determined not to leave him and not to give up on him, and she finds that miracles do happen.

Then the story jumps up almost 100 years, to a woman who is going to visit the Rajneeshi compound to try to rescue her daughter and granddaughter from the cult. There are dangerous things going on there, from poisoning salad bars at restaurants in the Dalles, to difficult people "disappearing", to people being drugged, conversations being bugged, and members being coerced to give up all their money, investments, and retirement accounts to further the compound, Can she get them out before it is too late?

The third story is after the Rajneeshis left, and the property was bought by the Washington family. Some workers from Young Life had been praying for a large campground where they would be able to minister to youth, and this property was put on their hearts. So many things worked together to make it happen, God's hand was seen in every detail.

I live in Oregon. I remember seeing the whole issue with the Rajneeshis on the local news, and my mother believed that she was poisoned at a restaurant in the Dalles as she was traveling through---which may or may not have happened, but is possible. And my daughters have both been to the Washington Family Ranch for Young Life camps and they loved it, so this book really interested me. Even though the stories have artistic license, it still gives a fuller picture of the history of the area, and is definitely worth reading, especially if you remember Rajneesh Puram or are involved in Young Life.

 

Accomplice to the Villain, by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Accomplice to the Villain, by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

This is the third installment of the Assistant to the Villain series. It has been enjoyable. We find out more about the Villain's family dynamic and how he came to view himself as a villain. Kingsley's curse is also causing him to lose his self awareness and become more froglike, and they must figure out how to break his curse. This sends them on a quest to find the enchantress that originally put the spell on him. But finding her isn't as easy as they would hope. Also, Evie and Tristan , in the last book, broke down some emotional barriers between the two of them. Will those barriers stay down? Will they or won't they? 

 

The Nightingale, Kristin Hannah

The Nightingale, Kristin Hannah

This book was incredible. It's hard to believe it's fiction. I make a point of reading books, both fiction and nonfiction, about World War 2, as a way to remember what happened and honor those who suffered. 

This is the story of two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle Rossignol, and happens during the occupation of France by the Nazis. Vianne has a husband, child, and home, and Isabelle is much younger, but wild and impulsive, and has been kicked out of multiple finishing schools for her uncontrollable personality. Both have been rejected by their cold father, and their mother has long been dead. The two don't know how to be sisters. Isabelle needs Vianne's love and affection, and Vianne is so wrapped up in her own life and responsibilities she has none to give her.

Then they are personally affected by the Nazi occupation. As their village is occupied, and Vianne's husband, who went to war, is in a POW camp, a Nazi officer billets at her home. Although he is polite, Isabelle understands that all Nazis are venomous snakes, and she can barely control her tongue around him. Vianne decides to be as quiet and compliant as possible, to protect her daughter and keep her home. Isabelle gets involved with the underground resistance, and decides it's best for everyone if she goes to Paris. 

From here, their stories differ, but yet both find ways to help fight the Nazis. Isabelle rescues fallen airmen and gets them out of the country, and becomes "The Nightingale". Vianne does not really try to do anything dangerous as she is trying to protect her daughter, but as Jews are being taken away to concentration camps, some of the mothers ask her to take their children. This is the beginning of her work, taking orphaned Jews and hiding them away in a safe place. 

I did not cry in this book, but I was on the verge of tears in many places. The heartbreak, the struggle with doing what one must to survive as well as protect others,  the loss, even exploring the idea of a Nazi officer who knows what he must do is morally wrong, and believes that once, he used to be a good man, really made this story come to life. This has to be one of the best WW2 fiction books I have read. If you have not read it yet, do it before you go see the movie.

 

A Dance of Birds, Poetry and Paper Collage by Angela Blair and Sherri Linnemeyer

A Dance of Birds, Poetry and Paper Collage

Angela Blair and Sherri Linnemeyer

Last night I attended the premiere book signing for this book, A Dance of Birds by Angela Blair and Sherri Linnemeyer. The book was written by Angela, and is a poem about birds, and is suitable for young children to adults. The illustrations are by Sherri, and were created with tissue paper collage, and they are exquisite. So much so that I not only purchased a book and had them sign it, but I also bought one of the original pieces of art by Sherri that is included in the book. I would have loved to get the parrot cover art, but that, I knew, was not available or had already sold. But the piece that I did get, was of a starling in front of the Notre Dame cathedral and will look great on my wall. 

European Starling and Cathedral

Sherri Linnemeyer

The event itself was also lovely. It was held at Churchill School in Baker City, which is an old elementary school turned into a multipurpose center for arts and events (including an  Air B&B, bike hostel, recording studio, artist studios, hair salon, and more.) The Dance Hall was used for this event, which is the old school gymnasium auditorium. It has old school tables and benches that fold into the wall on one side, and repurposed theater seating on the other side, with seat backs custom painted by local artists, including me. Angela and Sherri were both there with a table for purchasing books and where they would both sign, and Sherri had her art on display and for sale. There were treats served by East Side Bakery, and drinks served in the bar by Corinne Vegter. Robert Anders and a friend (I am sorry I did not get her name) played guitar and violin to serve as atmospheric background music and it was very well done. Angela and Sherri spoke about how the book came into being, and then Angela read it for all of us. It was truly a delightful evening, and great for me and my daughters to get out of the house for a bit and be among some wonderful people.

This book is available to purchase from Amazon, or if you are in Baker City, Oregon, you can find it at Betty's Books. The author's website is angieblair.com for more information.

 

If Keanu Were Your Boyfriend, by Marisa Polansky

If Keanu Were Your Boyfriend by Marisa Polansky

It is no secret that when I laid my girlhood crush on Ricky Schroder to rest, that I then discovered Keanu Reeves, not yet the superstar that he would shortly become. I wasn't as outwardly fanatic with this crush, but I used to joke that I was going to marry him....or Cary Elwes (Westley from Princess Bride). 

So when I found this book at the local library book sale, of course it had to come home with me. It was meant for me, right? 

This is a fun, quick read based on articles and interviews with Keanu Reeves. You learn little tidbits about him like his favorite food, where he was born, tragedies that have occured in his life, and even the rumor that he may be immortal because he looks so youthful.

It was a nice distraction from the craziness in my life. I have a friend I am loaning this to, so she can imagine what it might be like if Keanu were her boyfriend.  

O Keanu, I pined for you in my youth, but that was a lifetime ago. I am married over 30 years now, and those fun celebrity crushes of my teenage years must now be only appreciation for the beautiful person you have become and the roles you have played. You will have to be my boyfriend in some alternate universe where I might be found worthy of your affection. 

 

Daybreak--2250 AD by Andre Norton

Daybreak--2250 AD, Andre Norton

I have no clue where I picked up this old paperback book, but I have a special place in my heart for science fiction that is from the 1960s or earlier, and this one is dated 1952. This is the story of a half mutant human in a post-nuclear war America. Survivors of a nuclear war have banded into their own tribes--the knowledge, science, and history seeking mountaineer Puma Clan, the wandering and adventurous Plains People who live much like Native Americans of old, the Flying Men, a tribe of dark skinned artists and inventors descended from airplane pilots,  and the Beast Things, which come from  human ancestry but are mutated into savage monsters. 

Fors is the son of a Star Man, an honored title of an expert mountaineer, and he seeks to follow in his deceased father's footsteps to also become a Star Man. However, his mother was a mutant, the type which have white hair and can communicate with animals; so Fors has never been fully accepted as part of his tribe. He has taken all the tests to become a Star Man, and did well, but unexplicably was not approved, knowing it was because he is mutant. So now, he must become a laborer and give up his mountaineer ways and live as little more than a slave. He escapes his clan and takes his mutant cat with him, to try to find something in the city ruins of the Old Ones, that will bring him approval from his clan. But he must steer clear of the blue territories, which are still radioactive, and avoid the Beast Things if at all possible, for they are vicious and will hunt him down and eat him.

While he is out, he finds a dark skinned man in a trap, and pulls him out and bandages up his wounds. This is Arskane, of the Flying Men, a tribe that is from the south. He and Fors become friends like brothers, and learn of some things in their journeys about each others' peoples, and how they would like to seek peace with men rather than battle. But they also learn that the Beast Things have been attacking and perhaps evolving in their intelligence, and are becoming a bigger threat to all humanity. All clans must ban together to survive the Beast Things. 

This was written at a time where there was massive racial division, and the author's message was all about looking past differences to see that we are all brothers and sisters, we are all human. Page 81 stood out to me where Arskane and Fors are talking about their civilizations: "It seems to me,"he said slowly, "that we are like the parts of one body. My people are the busy hands, fashioning things by which life may be made easier and more beautiful. The Plainspeople are the restless, hurrying feet, ever itching for new trails and the strange things which might lie beyond the sunrise and the sunset. And your clan is the head, thinking, remembering, planning for geet and hands. Together--"

"Together," Fors breathed, "we would make such a nation as this land has not seen since the days of the Old Ones!"

"No, not a nation such as the Old Ones knew!" Arskane's answer was sharp. They were not one body--for they knew war. And out of that warfare came what is today. If the body grows together again it must be because each part, knowing its own worth and taking pride in it, recognizes also the worth of the other two. And color of skin, or eyes, or the customs of a man's tribe must mean no more to strangers when meeting than the dust they wash from their hands before they take meat. We must come to one another free of such dust--or it will rise to blind our eyes and what the Old Ones started will continue to live for ever and ever to poison the earth."

 

The Engines of God, Jack McDevitt

The Engines of God by Jack McDevitt

This is the first book in the Priscilla Hutchins or the Academy series. I came upon Deepsix, which I believe is the third in the series, and started out with that, not realizing it was a series. Deepsix was really enjoyable, made me want to read more. So I went on Paperbackswap.com and found the others in the series. This first book in the series did not disappoint, and I look forward to reading the others in order!

These are set in the not too distant future, where space travel has become a common thing, and the people of earth have started exploring other planets, looking for those that might be able to hold life and be terraformed, because the Earth is becoming volatile, with wars, famines, massive storms destroying everything. They have found one planet with intelligent life, but it is not advanced beyond Earth's 19th century. Other planets have been found with life, but not intelligent. But there are a few planets that have been found where there were once civilizations, but they have been extinct for thousands of years, and what's interesting is that each one has some kind of geometric structure on a moon, and on the planet itself, a sculpture of some being, which is the same sculpture and same being, placed on each planet. 

So the Academy has set up archeologists and scientists on these planets to try and solve the mystery of who these beings are and what has happened on the planets. 

Priscilla Hutchins, or Hutch, is a pilot transporting people and supplies to and from these places, and she is called to one where a large temple has been found with plenty of artifacts. The scientists are sure they are about to discover something big, like a Rosetta stone, which will make it easier to translate the writing, but this planet will begin terraforming very soon, with large chunks of ice being dropped in from the sky to raise the water levels. Everyone needs to be evacuated before it begins, because everything will soon be underwater. 

What happens next, I won't say, just in case you want to read it, but be sure, nothing goes according to plan, and it's up to Hutch and her team to solve the mystery and perhaps even save the Earth.