Code Talker: The First and Only Memoir By One of the Original Navajo Code Talkers of WWII

4 out of 5 stars I think this was an extremely interesting book. At first I questioned the detour into growing up on the reservation and going to boarding school (although I do think the whole forced boarding school thing is an under-addressed atrocity in this country's history) but it made sense later on in reinforcing his bilingualness. The story about the Livestock massacre also served to illustrate the Navajo people's character and that they did not hold a grudge and allow America's mistreatment of them to affect their loyalty and desire to serve their country in the military. I am not a fan of war books or movies, and grew a little battle weary of the long passages of battle experience, but they were still interesting and I did not find myself distracted and putting down the book for other pursuits during these scenes. They were well written and engaging. I did audibly gasp when Chester was sent home right before Iwo Jima. This is a fascinating man, a fascinating story and a good read. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11437988-code-talker The November selection for the MPL History Buff Book Club

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

5 out of 5 stars. Seriously, this is a classic and though many have tried, there is nothing quite as creepy as the original. The language is beautiful and descriptive. Though it is antiquated, it is still accessible and I feel like it gives a good insight into a day in the life of an itinerant country school teacher. And as ghost stories go, don't listen to it and walk in the dark or read it and walk alone in the dark! This was the November selection for our own Books & Brunch book club. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/93261.The_Legend_of_Sleepy_Hollow?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=eG4R6q389F&rank=1

An Irish Country Doctor

3 1/2 out of 5 stars. This book was delightful, if a little TOO predictable and sacharine. It was a nice change of pace from my October fare which is mostly thrillers and ghost stories, and this book provided a nice pallet cleanser but it was just a little too pat for my taste. I like a happily every after as much as the next person, but I never thought that everything wouldn't work out. What conflict there was, never felt conflicty enough - even though it was a doctor, nothing every felt life or death. But I did enjoy the characters, I was rooting for them and though there were no surprises and everything did work out in the end, it was still a nice break from the doom and gloom (and the sheer number of actual deaths) of my October reading. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/173233.An_Irish_Country_Doctor This book was the November selection for the Celtic MKE Irish Book Club.

The Stranger Diaries

5 out of 5 stars This is a rare top rating from me, but I really liked this book and read it in record time, so... the proverbial, couldn't put it down! A self professed Modern Gothic Novel, I think that is a fitting description. I was thinking while I was reading it, that it was a cross between an Agatha Christy Novel and The Norman Conquests - where you see the same story from three different points of view. I really liked seeing the two different perspectives of Clare and Harbinder, especially how they felt about each other and how that relationship evolved. And the addition of Georgie's POV - with the youth, yet 'old soul' and a depth that her mother completely missed. It was a good mystery, creepy and I did not figure out the ending at all, though, like the 6th sense, once the killer is revealed, I felt like I should have seen all the signs, The use of The Stranger short story was also very effective and the parallels between the story and the author and the current story were very effective. This book was recommended to me by a co-worker who is a bit of a Brit-o-phile but knows my taste in books and thought I would like it. She was not wrong. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40796097-the-stranger-diaries

Horrorstör

4 out of 5 stars! What an amazingly fun tale. This is the third of Grady Hendrix books that I have read and they have a similar style, but the stories are delivered in a little bit quirky fashion. (Hmmm... distributed by Quirk Books!) This story about retail trials and tribulations is a fun twist on the haunted house story and also the dead-end job problem. It has a much deeper message than you would originally think of coming from the characters. In all of the books I have read by this author there is an element of the larger community being able to deny the unexpected, unexplainable, yet obvious scenario. I find this speaks very loudly to a lot of what is going on in America today - people are able to justify anything to support their bias. I absoluteily loved the chapter headings written in the style of a catalog entry. And the suble change from standard furniture to much more sinister offerings. I am looking forward to The Final Girl Support Group and really like both Grady Hendrix and Quirk Books. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13129925-horrorst-r

The Final Girl

What and interesting and unexpected book! It was a perfect last-read before Halloween. We have been binging The Last Drive In and partaking in all of the B-Movie lore, especially as it relates to some of the bigger franchises like Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th. This book turned that formula on it's head and was a great addition to the spooky/slasher cannon. Enough twists and red herrings to remove the predictability and keep you guessing. The Mom-Cop reminded me of Under Devil's Bridge, but it didn't feel like the same book, just texture for the character. All in all - 4 1/2 of 5 stars. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58726038-the-final-girl