Infinite Paradise: Witnessing the Wild provides a clear sense of time and place. The location is the author's 16-acre family property in rural southern Ontario, Canada - called 'Paradise' by the author's mother. This book is an almanac of sorts, following the changes each season with entries from every month of the year. Paradise is not simply a setting in her prose, but the core 'character'. Her meditative observations are chronicled of … [Read more...]
Following Sunshine by Niamh McAnally
This delightful read transports readers on a journey around the world; it is the story of being unemployed, middle-aged and home-free, traveling around the planet pursuing purpose through volunteering and gaining experiences rather than things. McAnally brings the readers to remote projects, often involving islands including off the coast of Belize, Vanuatu, Tonga, Bora Bora, Palau, Fiji and Saint Barthélemy. Bouncing around from project … [Read more...]
Flame of the Border by Vingie E Roe
Sonya, the 'white angel' of the desert is a doctor dedicated to helping the Navajo people. While not fully defined in terms of an exact era, the story most likely takes place in the 1920s or early 1930s. This tale of western romance is focused around Sonya; her boyfriend Rod lives on the east coast but has made it very clear he will marry her sooner than later. But then she meets a mysterious man who rides alone in the desert. A bandit with a … [Read more...]
Silenced Whispers by Afarin Ordubadi Bellisario
Silenced Whispers is a fictionalized and riveting account of individuals living in Iran from the years 1905 through 1916. For reference, the Constitutional Revolution in the country began in 1905 and ended in 1925 with the ascent of Reza Khan, the founder of the Pahlavi dynasty. This novel is the story of Gohar, a young girl living in a small desert town. At the age of 14 she marries a 55 year old politician; their marriage was arranged by the … [Read more...]
The Execution, Life and Times of Patrick O’Donnell by Gavin O’Donnell
This powerful historical fiction is one of our best reads in 2025. The man is real; the story highlights the important points in his life with the author taking some creative liberty to fictionalize some of the minor and unimportant points. This is a gripping novel based on the 26 letters Patrick O'Donnell wrote to Victor Hugo during his last days in the Newgate Prison in London between December 5th and December 17th. O'Donnell was in prison … [Read more...]
Murder Across the Ocean by Charlene Wesler
Some vacations do not turn out as expected. Some vacations turn out completely opposite. This is one of those stories. Septuagenarian, Lori Brill travels from her home in Arizona to London to spend time with her granddaughter, Cate. Her plans are derailed almost immediately when she randomly bumps into Josh, a lothario and an old flame from high school. They enjoy a blazing night of passion in bed in a hotel room. In the morning, Lori leaves … [Read more...]
Who Will Accompany You? by Meg Stafford with Kate Stafford and Gale Stafford
Who Will Accompany You? is a a look at two separate international trips simultaneously told through the eyes of Meg (the mother) and her daughters Kate and Gale. Thoughtfully written, this journey follows Meg and Kate to the Himalayas where Kate spends her time meditating at a monastery while Meg hikes in the mountains. The second part of the book is about a trip to Colombia where Meg follows Gale who is part of an organization helping … [Read more...]
Escape from Dachau by Kathe Mueller Slonim
This is a frightening and true story of an incredible rescue of a prisoner by a family member from Dachau (Germany's first atrocity camp) in the middle of the night in late 1938. Third Reich official Max Immanuel has already secured the proper documents to legally leave Germany but when a family member calls and requests his help in trying to rescue another family member, he has to make a potentially life threatening decision. He faces down … [Read more...]
Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Insha Allah by Sara Cheikh
This book follows the author as she leaves Paris in the Spring of 2020 to visit her grandmother and large extended family in the Western Sahara. What was supposed to be a two week vacation turns into a much longer adventure due to closed borders and difficulties of travel that year. She returns to the Saharawi society and refuge camps from where she was born. This story is one of the cultural differences between her home in France and her … [Read more...]
Where to Nest by Kristen Van Nest
At its core, Where to Nest by Kristen Van Nest is a book about self-discovery and finding a sense of place and purpose. And this searching is built around international experiences through most of Kristen's twenties while living abroad. She moved to Luxembourg on a Fulbright Scholarship, followed by three years in China working for a wine importer and spending time in Thailand during a government coup and in Greece during a banking crisis. … [Read more...]
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