Must Love Dogs...and Hockey (Bears Hockey #1)

 MUST LOVE DOGS...AND HOCKEY                        KELLY JAMIESON

Lilly: My life is like the love child of a train wreck and a dumpster fire right now. I’ve been canned, my professional reputation is shredded, and now I’m walking dogs to make ends meet.
But I still believe everything will work out. Somehow.
Then a dog at the park attacks my friend’s dog. At first, I’m ready to give the owner hell—but it turns out he’s in desperate need of doggie daycare. I figure, why not? I love dogs and I need the cash.
Too bad his cocky bad boy attitude annoys me. He’s too damn cute for his own good. And I’m not talking about the dog.

Easton: My coach is riding my ass and I’m not handling it well. When I’m saddled with an abandoned pooch, my teammate thinks a dog will keep my temper in check. I think I have enough problems already.
But when my new dog gets into a tussle that leads me to meet a smoking hot chick who knows how to handle the rascal, I start to think pet ownership isn’t all bad. At least it gives me an excuse to see Lilly again. . . .
Neither of us are interested in a relationship. First, they steal your bed, then they steal your heart. And I’m not talking about the dog. 

PAT'S REVIEW

Lilly’s life has down in flames, at least her professional life. Fired again from another job in the same field she is now looking at never working again in the hospitality field. This is all going through her mind of course as she has no job and no prospects for one either. Hockey player Easton is still feeling new to the team that traded for him and he has not opened up to any of the other players. He has been getting a lot of lip from the coach and he is tired of hearing it. Home form a road trip, he enters his apartment complex only to see a woman stepping into an elevator and the dog she has been caught on the outside of the door. With the dog being straggled he rushes to the door and is able to disconnect the dog from his leash. The woman comes downstairs and gives Easton the dog running out of the apartment complex. Lilly has begun walking a dog for money and while at the dog park her dog is being jumped on by another dog. When the owner of that dog comes over, she is surprised at how good looking he is but is still upset with him about allowing his dog to be off its leash. Easton thinking that Lilly is very attractive tells her that he has just gotten the dog named Otis and it is not until much later that she finds out what happened in order for him to get the dog. Later that day he asks her if she would be willing to watch his dog for three days because he has to go out of town. She agrees. It is after this that she decides to start a dog walking business and Easton helps her as much as she will let him. This is not a fast romance story. Though they both like each other the author makes this a slow build-up and as they become more into each other both of their pasts are becoming a problem. Each has to work through them in order to have a future. The issues that she deals with especially with Easton’s coach is something that is not tolerated anymore and I am surprised to say when I played sports in the early to mid-seventies some of those practices were allowed. Of course, not now but even then, as a teen I thought what the coach was doing was wrong but none of us said anything. I am glad for all of the issues that were talked about and for the wonderful story about these two characters. Another good Kelly Jamieson book. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 5 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com

Peggy Lee: A Century of Song

 PEGGY LEE                                                         TISH ONEY

Lee stood out among her peers as an exquisite singer possessing a cool vocal style, a songwriter frequently collaborating with leading composers of American jazz and film music, and a globally-loved entertainer with star quality. Tish Oney sheds new light upon this Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner's impressive musical talents while guiding the reader through the best of Lee's fifty-plus albums, radio and TV performances, creative contributions to the film industry, and over half a century of finely-polished live performances.

Oney focuses on the evolution of Peggy Lee's recorded music, vocal development, artistic achievements, and contributions to American music while interviews with Lee's family, friends, and music colleagues reveal new insights and memories of this musical icon. Peggy Lee enables readers to discover a brilliant artist's inimitable legacy in the history of American popular music. 

PAT'S REVIEW

I found this book to be full of information about a woman that I grew up listening to. What I did not know though was that she also wrote songs and some for movies. One of her most famous ones was “Lady and the Tramp”. That was very interesting information. Here the book follows her life from Jamestown North Dakota to then singing with the Benny Goodman Band then leaving with another band member to marry they moved to Hollywood. Here is where she would write for movies and star in some and also co-write with other people and come out with other albums. “New American Blues” and “Pete Kelly Blues” would be two big records for her. She would write three songs for the movie “Lady and the Tramp” the title song which she sang, the Siamese cat song, and “He’s a Tramp”. This I did not know. She would later co-write a song with Duke Ellington and also Cy Coleman. Still her rendition of the song “Fever” from 1958 which is still a fantastic song and one that I remembered her from. Once I learned about her I then knew that I had heard her also growing up for my father listened to Benny Goodman and so she was one of the early singers. The information about her songwriting I did not know and was glad to find out. Overall a very good book about a wonderful singer. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 5 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com

The Book of Two Ways

 THE BOOK OF TWO WAYS                                JODI PICOULT

Everything changes in a single moment for Dawn Edelstein. She's on a plane when the flight attendant makes an announcement: prepare for a crash landing. She braces herself as thoughts flashed through her mind. The shocking thing is, the thoughts are not of her husband, but a man she last saw fifteen years ago: Wyatt Armstrong.

Dawn, miraculously, survives the crash, but so do all the doubts that have suddenly been raised. She has led a good life. Back in Boston, there is her husband, Brian, her beloved daughter, and her work as a death doula, where she helps ease the transition between life and death for patients in hospice.

But somewhere in Egypt is Wyatt Armstrong, who works as an archaeologist unearthing ancient burial sites, a job she once studied for but was forced to abandon when life suddenly intervened. And now, when it seems that fate is offering her second chances, she is not as sure of the choice she once made.

After the crash landing, the airline ensures the survivors are seen by a doctor, then offers transportation wherever they want to go. The obvious option for Dawn is to continue down the path she is on and go home to her family. The other is to return to the archaeological site she left years before, reconnect with Wyatt and their unresolved history, and maybe even complete her research on The Book of Two Ways--the first known map of the afterlife.

As the story unfolds, Dawn's two possible futures unspool side by side, as do the secrets and doubts long-buried beside them. Dawn must confront the questions she's never truly asked: What does a life well-lived look like? When we leave this earth, what do we leave behind? Do we make choices...or do our choices make us? And who would you be, if you hadn't turned out to be the person you are right now?

PAT'S REVIEW

The book opens with a woman Dawn Edelstein preparing for a crash landing like all of the other passengers on the plane. Expecting to see her husbands’ face before the crash she is surprised when the face that appears in her mind is from her past, Wyatt Armstrong. They were together on a dig in Egypt when she was a grad student at Yale. She had not thought of him or Egypt in years since she had to leave suddenly because of her mother having cancer. Here is where the book begins to take you on a journey of her getting a plane ticket to Egypt and finishing what she had once started. Also, you have the author going back through her life of being married, having a daughter, and why she would even want to think about that. There is a lot to this book and the characters are good. It just seemed long and at the end well? Anyway, a good story. I got this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 4 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com

Dead Man Dancing: A Novel

 DEAD MAN DANCING                               JOHN GALLIGAN

It’s a time for celebration in Bad Axe County as the town gathers for the annual Syttende Mai—or Norwegian Independence Day—festival. During this rollicking family-oriented event filled with dancing and food, Sheriff Heidi Kick discovers a dark and shocking event—a migrant worker has been savagely beaten but refuses to explain what happened. Then, a sudden murder of a band member shatters the festival. Something is deeply wrong in Bad Axe County.

As she looks for answers, Heidi plunges into a secret underworld where high-stakes cage fights double as combat training for the White Nationalist movement. Then all hell breaks loose for Heidi when her husband disappears and a secret he’s been keeping from Heidi is revealed.

A timely portrait of the deep divisions and simmering tensions brewing in our country today, Dead Man Dancing takes you into the dark heart of a movement defined by violence and hate. Featuring John Galligan’s signature “striking prose, engaging characters” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review), and unforgettable twists and turns, Dead Man Dancing is a breathless thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. (less)

PAT'S REVIEW

I did not read the first book but here you are getting ready for a Norwegian holiday and you also have a man looking forward to having not only his book being published but also selling it at the festival. The book is one of the genealogy of the area which he believes to be of vital importance. Sheriff Heide Kick has noticed an influx of violence lately and is working at stopping it, one of the persons involved in her brother in law. Heidi is also dealing with her husband who feels left out because she is spending time away from him and the family. She feels guilty as well because she is a mother and she does not feel that she spends enough time with her children. With everything going on and then a murder she is working on stopping the people from changing her town from a nice sleepy one to a violent one. The topic of this story centers around race and how some people from the town don’t believe that any African Americans settled in Wisconsin or their town. That they could be descendants of slaves is a whole other issue. The book itself was a good story with different storylines with different characters. This topic though hot now is really one that should be taught in schools. Freed slaves were given land to settle throughout Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana. Churches, schools, and communities were built yet this is never taught. Hell, here in California we had our own community named Colonel Allensworth who was the highest-ranking black officer of the Civil War. He retired in 1906 and came to California and set up a community of freed slaves, with their own school, bank, church and they framed themselves as well. Sadly, it went away when he passed in 1914. But these communities were around everywhere they are just not talked about or taught. This book gives a little history into it. A very good book. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 5 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com

The Vacation

 THE VACATION                                           T.M. LOGAN

It was supposed to be the perfect holiday - a group of families enjoying a week together in the sun. Four women who have been best friends for as long as they can remember making the most of a luxurious villa in the south of France.

But Kate has a secret: her husband is having an affair. And a week away might just be the perfect opportunity to get the proof she needs - to catch him in the act once and for all. Because she suspects the other woman is one of her two best friends.

One of them is working against her, willing to sacrifice years of friendship to destroy her family. But which one? As Kate closes in on the truth in the stifling Mediterranean heat, she realizes too late that the stakes are far higher than she ever imagined . . .

Because someone in the villa may be prepared to kill to keep their secret hidden.

PAT'S REVIEW

This book opens with what you think is a group of old friends getting back together for a vacation. This something that they used to do but life has gotten away from them. Once they arrive at their destination in France. You get the feeling that there is something wrong with the marriage but could it be just because of work and the children.
Kate though looks at her husbands’ phone after multiple pings and realizes that he is having an affair and the other person is with them for the week. Now she must find out which one of her friends is having an affair with her husband?
What I the reader was not expecting was the way the story turned and though yes you had an affair it really was more and what Kate would lose was far worse than a marriage. The surprises and twists that this story took made this for an interesting read. A good book. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 5 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com

Two Reasons to Run (Pelican Harbor #2)

 TWO REASONS TO RUN                                  COLLEEN COBLE

A lie changed her world.

Police Chief Jane Hardy is still reeling from the scandal that rocked her small-town department just as she took over for her retired father—the man who wrecked her life with one little lie. Now she’s finally been reunited with her presumed-dead fifteen-year-old son, Will, and his father, documentarian Reid Bechtol. 

A crisis looms. 

When a murder aboard the oil platform Zeus exposes an environmental terrorist’s plot to flood Mobile Bay with crude oil, Jane and Reid must put their feelings for each other behind them and work together to prevent the rig from being sabotaged. 

A killer targets her son. 

Then the terrorist puts her son Will’s life on the line. Protecting him could be the common ground they need . . . but then ghosts from the past threaten to ruin Jane and Reid for good. 

She’s got plenty of reasons to run. But what if she stays? 

“Colleen Coble’s superpower is transporting her readers into beautiful settings in vivid detail. One Little Lie is no exception. Add to that the suspense that keeps you wanting to know more, and characters that pull at your heart.” —Terri Blackstock, USA TODAY bestselling author of If I Run 

“Colleen Coble’s latest has it all: characters to root for, a sinister villain, and a story that just won’t stop.” —Siri Mitchell, author of State of Lies  


Full-length romantic suspense
Includes discussion questions for book clubs
Perfect for fans of Allison Brennan, Terri Blackstock, and Dani Pettrey
Part of the Pelican Harbor series
Book One: One Little Lie

Book Two: Two Reasons to Run

PAT'S REVIEW

I did not read the first book but it still was able to connect with the character of the sheriff but felt lost with some of the other characters and part of the story with her son. The book opens with death on an oil rig in the Gulf. Then a mother coming to the sheriff with the son missing and whether it is a suicide, murder, or just a missing case. There is also a hint of a possible threat of an explosion of the rig which would cause devastating harm to wildlife and to the livelihood of the people along the gulf coast. So as Jane is dealing with one possibility about a terrorist threat, she is also still dealing with her son being in her life from apparently the first book. She is also dealing with the boy’s father also. You have two things happening which for me once I felt like I got caught up in the story seemed to work and after the halfway point was a good book. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 3 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com

The Dark Fights

DARK FIGHTS                                              ALEXANDRA VINAROV

 Escaping a traumatic childhood, Sasha finds peace, sanctuary, and purpose in a martial arts dojo whose sensei teaches her the ways of the samurai warrior. An accomplished black-belt fighter, she now happily dwells in the dojo, tucked away from the streets of Manhattan, until a midnight call sets her on a path into an underground world.

Struggling to pay off a gambling debt, her brother Danilo is severely injured in a no-rules club fight run by unscrupulous Russian Mafiosi. To settle the debt, Sasha volunteers to perform in one of these "dark fights," vowing it's for one time only. But her beauty, skill, and martial arts mastery bring her to the attention of powerful men who see her as a big meal ticket. Seducing her with money and drugs they draw her into their sordid scheme until she becomes a big and glamorous draw, enriching herself while enriching her handlers and leaving behind a pulverized host of vanquished rivals. But she realizes how addictive the lure of brutality has become. As the stakes rise, she must become more and more violent to satisfy her handlers' bloodlust.

Can she pull out before destroying someone? Can she pull out before destroying herself? Two fascinating men offer love and escape. But how true are their intentions? Genuine feelings and betrayal, violence and glamour, sex, and martial arts all go hand in hand throughout the book. The Dark Fights introduces you to an unknown and frightening world and pins you to the mat until the very last page.

PAT'S REVIEW

A book that once I got started and into the characters especially Sasha, I found this story to be really compelling. Sasha living at a Dojo in Manhattan and is one if of the few women to ever to live and train under the master. Being a Black Belt, she finds herself being drawn to wanting to save her brother who he being sucked in because of gambling. She is also being forced by her uncle to fight who is a Russian mafia leader and who wants her to fight in the dark fights to pay off her brothers’ debuts. You are taken from the Dojo and her leaving to the fights and where she becomes strong with the help of a man who she believes is in love with her. Here you are taken on her journey. One of finding herself and finding love. She wants to stay with her martial arts for its give her center and that is what she is looking for in her personal relationships and hope to find love. Her story takes you through many different emotions and surprises, especially with characters. A few that she thinks are her friends are really against her and when she meets one in the cage you see where the author is taking you. I thought was still not ready for what happens as you get closer to the end and more is revealed. A very good story with really good characters. I received this book from Netgalley. I gave it 5 stars. Follow www.1rad-readerreviews.com

Following in the Footsteps of King Arthur

FOLLOWING THE FOOTSTEPS OF KING ARTHUR        ANDREW BEATTIE

The story of King Arthur is one of the best known in English history: he was the boy who was schooled by Merlin and who claimed his right to lead the Britons against the Saxons by drawing a sword from a stone; later, he was the warrior who congregated with his knights around a Round Table and who was given a magical sword, Excalibur, by the Lady of the Lake. These stories have been told and re-told hundreds of times - and over the centuries the actual figure of Arthur has retreated into obscurity, with many scholars suggesting that he was a mythical figure who never actually existed. Arthur has been the subject of thousands of books; yet this one tells his story in a way that is wholly new - through the places where the events surrounding his life supposedly unfolded.

From Tintagel Castle in Cornwall, Arthur's reputed place of birth, to Slaughterbridge in the same county, one of the contenders for the location of his final battle against the Saxons, and from Cadbury Castle in Somerset, one of the numerous claimants to be the site of Arthur's fort of Camelot, to Glastonbury, wherein 1191 his grave was reputedly discovered by local monks, the trail through some of England's most historic places throws a whole new light on this most compelling of legends. 

PAT'S REVIEW

Myths and legends of King Arthur have always been told and I for one have been interested in the story, real or not. Here is a book by a man who works to do the research. Is there or was an Arthur? What I was surprised with is he began his search on Scotland, I did not see that coming from the beginning. Mr. Beattie does a wonderful job of first explaining to you or us the reader all of his points of origin of where he found the information. That in itself was impressive. He starts from the first written time of Arthur and then goes from there after setting a timeline. Following each mention of Arthur across Scotland, England, and Europe. A very good book and in the end the author lists all of his sources and areas he traveled should anyone wants to read or travel the different places. Overall I was pleased with this book a good read. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 5 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com

 

The Cowboy's Secret Baby (Colorado Dreamin' #3)

THE COWBOY'S SECRET BABY                       MADDIE JAMES

The long-requested sequel to Maddie James' first published novel, Roses & Rawhide is now available!Readers wanted to know...
What happened to Jillie and Mack's relationship at the end of Roses & Rawhide?
Why did Jillie go back to Kentucky?
Will they get back together?
What's their story?

"Nothing could fix the past. Her only option was to keep looking forward."

While Kim Martin and Thad Winchester find their happily-ever-after in Roses & Rawhide, their best friends, Jillie Abernathy and Mack Montgomery, end their sleeping bag sharing relationship during the rugged, two-week pack trip into the Colorado San Juan mountains.

But when Kim and Thad host their wedding at Thad's Colorado ranch a few months later, Mack and Jillie must come face-to-face with reality--and with each other. She's the Maid of Honor. He's the Best Man. Both are harboring secrets--secrets that could break a potential future relationship if they both keep avoiding telling the truth.

Can they reveal those secrets to each other? And if so, can they get past the withheld truths to plan a future together?

PAT'S REVEIW

This is the second book and though I did not read the first one the author does a good job in setting you up in the story. You are given all of the characters and the backstories. How they met with. Jill and Kim came to Colorado from Kentucky for a two-week vacation. Kim ended up staying and Jill went back home to Kentucky when Mack Montgomery who had started a two-week affair with Kim walks away from her and says things to her that hurt her. Now months later Jill is marrying Thad and of course, Kim is on her way back to Colorado, the one person she does not want to see is Mack but from the time she arrives at the airport, this is the person she seems to be stuck with. It is during one of these times that she begins to find out the secrets that Mack had not told her it is those secrets that have kept him away from any relationships. Also, from her. She also has her own and she wants to tell him and when she does it does not go as planned of course. It is up to Mack to grow up and to decide if he wants to be alone or go after the woman how makes him happy. See what happens with this story. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 4 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com

 

Yours to Keep (Man of the Year #2)

 YOURS TO KEEP                                        LAUREN LAYNE

Pro baseball shortstop Carter Ramsey is about to be Citizen magazine’s Man of the Year, but the only title that matters to him is out of reach: World Series MVP. Benched by a recent injury, Carter retreats to his hometown to recover. His ten-year class reunion and a potential reconciliation with the sweetheart he left behind could be perfect distractions. Until another old acquaintance throws Carter a curveball.

Olive Dunn admits that her former high school science partner is still a handsome charmer. But she wasn’t swayed then, and she won’t be swayed now. Because Olive remembers Carter’s little shortcoming: he tends to bail the moment it suits him, without a backward glance. Best to keep her feelings strictly platonic while he’s in town.

Except for the entitled boy she knew is a changed man: solid, reflective, and generous. As they ease back into their familiar friendship, things take a surprising turn, and Carter and Olive must decide if what they have is a passing flirtation or a real shot at love.

PAT'S REVIEW

Carter Ramsey is a pro baseball player and is now on the injured list with a broken arm and hurt shoulder. He is talked into going home for his high schools’ ten-year reunion. When he arrives and begins to move into the house he has rented, his neighbor turns out to be his former lab partner from high school Olive Dunn. She really makes this book for me. She is now a high school science teacher. Olive begins to take over Carter’s life and he really does not realize it even after he is signing the paperwork for the red truck that he is buying that she picked out. Or when he is chosen to help her with the reunion. As they begin to work together and you see the bond between them you are hoping for a relationship between them. Then his old high school girlfriend shows up and spoils everything. It is in his court if he wants to get Olive back. The rest of the book and the ending is really good and very much worth the read. I received this book from Netgallet.com I gave it 4 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com

Murphy's Law: My Journey from Army Ranger and Green Beret to Investigative Journalist

 MURPHY'S LAW                                               JACK MURPHY

Growing up in small New York towns, Jack Murphy knew he wanted to lead a life far from the ordinary—a life of adventure and valor. After the 9/11 attacks, he immediately enlisted in the Army, knowing this was his chance to live the life he desired and fight for a cause he staunchly supported. After making it through the rigorous Ranger Indoctrination Program, he graduated sniper school and was promptly deployed to Afghanistan, where his experiences went from ordinary to extraordinary.

In this gripping military memoir, Murphy recounts the multiple missions he underwent as a Ranger, a Special Forces weapons sergeant, and ultimately, a boots-on-the-ground journalist. From enemy ambushes, dodging explosives, crashing terrorists’ weddings, and landing helicopters in the streets of Mosul, Jack provides a hard-hitting glimpse of what combat is like in some of the world’s most dangerous, war-torn places. With tours of duty in two of the most decorated units of the armed forces, Murphy brings a unique perspective to the military genre as he reflects on his great triumphs and shattering failures both on and off the battlefield.

Later, Murphy turned his attention to breaking news within the military. His stories have taken him from Iraq to Switzerland, from Syria to South Korea. From crossing Middle Eastern borders in the dead of night to rolling into an IED-laden zone, Murphy’s stories are never boring.

Murphy’s Law tells a story of intense bravery and sacrifice—both on and off the battlefield.

PAT'S REVIEW

I received this book for an honest review. I have heard about Mr. Murphy from some of his reporting, so being able to read his story was a privilege. Here you have an honest look into his career and his goal from Ranger to Green Beret. You really don’t get books about these men very often so being able to read one was good. He describes some of his training not all, but he does go into the process of being chosen and the ones who either drop out or are dropped. He talks of getting to a point where he did not think he would make it to the next round only to be surprised when he did. When he finally believes he will be assigned to a squad he is instead sent for more training and misses a rotation of being deployed. He goes into his frustration as a person trained and not going. Then when he finally goes on his first deployment, he is involved in a friendly fire incident and he takes you through not only the process he went through militarily but also personally. Once you read this part of the book you know the rest of his story is going to be an honest look at all he has done and what he has accomplished since leaving. I found this book to be an excellent book and very much worth the read. I received this book from Macmillan Publishers for an honest review. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com

The Right Kind of Crazy: Navy SEAL, Covert Operative, and Boy Scout from Hell

THE RIGHT KIND OF CRAZY                         CLINT EMERSON

Retired Navy SEAL Clint Emerson is the only SEAL ever inducted into the International Spy Museum. Operating from the shadows, with an instinct for running towards trouble, his unique skill set made him the perfect hybrid of elite and modern-day counterintelligence agent.

Emerson spent his career on the bleeding edge of intelligence and operations, often specializing in solo missions that took advantage of subterfuge, improvisation, the best in recon and surveillance tech, and even elements of Hollywood disguise to combat the changing global battlefield. MacGyvering everyday objects into working spyware was routine, and fellow SEALs referred to his top-secret activities simply as “special shit.” His parameters were: find, fix, and finish—and of course, leave no trace.

While Emerson was a real-life Jason Bourne as well as a decorated soldier, he operated by only two codes: “if you aren’t cheating, you aren’t trying” and “it’s only illegal if you get caught.” The Right Kind of Crazy is unlike any military memoir you’ve ever read because Emerson is upfront about the fact that what makes you a great soldier and sometimes hero doesn’t always make you the best guy—but it does make for damn good stories.

PAT'S REVIEW

I will say I thought the first part of his book was really good and entertaining. He skipped over the training since it has been discussed in other books, and got into his story. Which was good. He even speaks of his marriage and how he takes full responsibility for the break up of that and also his working at being a father. He goes into different missions at least some details that he can, other information is blacked out and he does talk about why a certain part got blacked out. He tries to make it funny. What really got me was about losing his friend in Bengasi which is not spoken about much and he also speaks of another mission of great loss of life named Extortion 17, both of these are not talked about much so to see them at least spoken a little bit was nice. Towards the end, he goes into being investigated along with others just because they knew a member a former Seal who wrote a book without approval. He goes through what it felt like and though he and others did nothing wrong were treated differently even after nearly 20 years of service and sacrifice for our country. How the powers to be di not even look into that but just because he met the guy once or twice. Really an eye-opener when you get to that part of the story. Overall a good book and worthy for anyone to read. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave this book 4 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com

Shadow Play: The Unsolved Murder of Robert F. Kennedy

SHADOW PLAY                                                 WILLIAM KLABER

On June 4, 1968, just after he had declared victory in the California presidential primary, Robert F. Kennedy was gunned down in the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel. Captured a few feet away, gun in hand, was a young Palestinian-American named Sirhan Sirhan. The case against Sirhan was declared “open and shut” and the court proceedings against him were billed as “the trial of the century”; American justice at its fairest and most sure. But was it? By careful examination of the police files, hidden for twenty years, Shadow Play explores the chilling significance of altered evidence, ignored witnesses, and coerced testimony. It challenges the official assumptions and conclusions about this most troubling, and perhaps still unsolved, political murder.

PAT'S REVIEW

This book is a 2018 publication and I am now reviewing it after reading it once again. I remember when Robert Kennedy was shot and days after. I did not pay to much attention to the trail being younger and just not into it. Southern California had a lot of different things happening from one day to the next.
Here though the author sets out to say that Sirhan Sirhan was a fall guy, he could not have fired the five shots. He then goes into botched evidence by LAPD and the FBI. That once they had him, they made sure everything pointed to him. I remember the hotel for my father would take me their occasionally and I also remember when they tore it down and thought that was strange, for I am sure Robert Kennedy would have won the election that year. We as a nation probably would not have had Nixon who won that year.
People don’t even know that it was said that Sirhan Sirhan commented on this act because of the seven-day war between Israel and Palestine, he being Palestine. The author of the book speaks of all of the other evidence that has been talked about like a second and people that left before they were questioned. Overall, I thought this was a good book and for the most part, I don’t think it will change anyone's mind but for me, this was some information that I had heard and I am glad it was at least put out there. Worth the read. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 4 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com
 

Dewey Defeats Truman: The 1948 Election and the Battle for America's Soul

DEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN                              A.J. BAIME

On the eve of the 1948 election, America was a fractured country. Racism was rampant, foreign relations were fraught, and political parties were more divided than ever. Americans were certain that President Harry S. Truman’s political career was over. “The ballots haven’t been counted,” noted political columnist Fred Othman, “but there seems to be no further need for holding up an affectional farewell to Harry Truman.” Truman’s own staff did not believe he could win. Nor did his wife, Bess. The only man in the world confident that Truman would win was Mr. Truman himself. And win he did. 

1948 was a fight for the soul of a nation. In Dewey Defeats Truman, A. J. Baime sheds light on one of the most action-packed six months in American history, as Truman not only triumphs, but oversees watershed events—the passing of the Marshall plan, the acknowledgment of Israel as a new state, the careful attention to the origins of the Cold War, and the first desegregation of the military. 

Not only did Truman win the election, he succeeded in guiding his country forward at a critical time with high stakes and haunting parallels to the modern-day.

PAT'S REVIEW

The photo on the outside of this book is probably one of the most famous. I hope this new generation will come to appreciate the history behind it. Written by the same author who wrote “The Accidental President” which also was an excellent book and were at the beginning of this book he mentions some information will be repeated if you had read the other book. Dealing with the press and the Eighth Congress President Truman had his own ideas about the country. A man who says Germany surrender 21 days after he came into office it would then be four months later when Japan Surrendered. Dealing with the ramifications from Yalta which he was never given any idea into what was spoken of during those meetings between the big three, one can assume it was really Stalin telling Roosevelt and Churchill the way it was going to be, for he went straight into countries right after the war and imposed his will. Just a few days after Germany surrenders Poland was Russian along with many other countries bit everyone was focused on Berlin. Congress and the press wanted nothing to do with Berlin but Truman seeing into the future knew something different. Still, you begin the book with the press making the president out to be a country bumkin. You find out how everyone is so wrong. You see how Thomas Dewey; Strom Thurman and their ideas opinions were different than his. Everything really changed for Truman during his train stop campaign especially with the framers and when he told them that the Eighth congress got rid of the grain storage containers. Congress thinking that farmers did not need those and this was just one of the issues that Truman would begin to raise and how he would go about his fight against the congress was really good. I found this to be a very fascinating book about how the country was changing after World War Two and also the World. You also see the fear of the country and communism but not World wide but just in the country. You also get a look at the beginning of Korea as well. This was a great book about the history of our country and the author did a huge job in research to make this book work. Very much worth the read. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 5 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com

 

I Marched with Patton: A Firsthand Account of World War II Alongside One of the U.S. Army's Greatest Generals

I MARCHED WITH PATTON                          FRANK SISSON

 Following in the footsteps of the bestsellers All the Gallant Men, Every Man a Hero, Don't Give Up, Don't Give In, and Never Call Me a Hero, I Marched with Patton is a remarkable eyewitness account that offers priceless insights into a foot soldier’s life on the front lines during World War II under the command one of the legendary figures in American military history.

Now a spry ninety-four years old, Frank Sisson looks back at his life and his service in the Third Army. Born in rural Oklahoma, Frank grew up fatherless during the Great Depression. In 1944, at age eighteen, he enlisted and was deployed to France where he marched with Patton, taking part in many of the key Allied movements of the war. Frank fought in the Battle of the Bulge, nearly died crossing the Rhine with Patton, and was among the first American soldiers who liberated the notorious Dachau concentration camp. 

After the war, Frank continued to serve in the army as a military police inspector in Berlin. When he finally returned home, he attended college and built a career in business. 

Frank Sisson’s remarkable reminiscences provide a fresh, unique look at Patton’s leadership, the final year of World War II and its direct aftermath, and the experience of combat on the front lines.

I Marched with Patton includes 25 black-and-white photographs. (less)

PAT'S REVIEW

My wife got me this book because she knows I enjoy the history of WWII plus my father was a paratrooper in WWII. Here you have a man from that generation giving us his story about what his life was like in rural Oklahoma during the depression and then the reasons for his enlisting into the Army. Each person’s story was different man or woman for joining, enlisting and his were probably like many others at that time. When he arrives D-Day was happening and you follow along when he steps onto France and a Sargent yells for him to fix the traffic jam with all of the vehicles ahead. Achieving that goal his next would be going ahead of the unit with wire for communication, sometimes going behind enemy lines for that would be the high ground. They would also sight in the changes with artillery when needed. You see the banter between the other men he was with but also when it was time to do the job it would get done. Sadly he would not keep in touch with these men. My father had kept in touch with his buddies from the 82nd and Korea. I also liked the part where he talks about his time staying over in Germany after the surrender. My father did the same thing and this gave me a new look into things that were going on at that time. The entire book was a good read and kept me going to where I sat down and read it in one evening, I was surprised at how focused I was to his story. An excellent book and I am grateful he took the time to write it, so many of this generation did not and we lost not only stories but the people that lived them. Very much worth the read. I received this book from Netgalley.com Follow us as www.1rad-readerreviews.com

RomeAntically Challenged (When in Rome #1)

 ROMANTICALLY CHALLENGED                   MARINA ADAIR

Marina Adair’s Romeantically Challenged is a humorous and heartening take on Three Men and a Baby meets 27 Dresses, in which a newly single physician's assistant who sets out on an exotic—and man-free—adventure gets stranded in a coastal Rhode Island town full of eccentric residents, nosy neighbors, and an infuriatingly sexy roommate who makes her question her man-free diet.

PAT'S REVIEW

All I have to say is that this really must have happened to someone to be put in a story. Though it says it is a romantic comedy which for some I guess it could be. As a father, I wanted to!!!!!! Annie’s ex. He calls off the wedding after she had gone through with picking the venue and everything else. He though keeps the venue, the date which was here grandparent’s anniversary also keeps the money that he is to send back to her which he has. Then the topper is his new bride goes to the same bridal store and somehow everything is mixed up and her grandmother’s wedding dress is with the new bride. Then to make her day complete she thought she was accepting a job in Rome Italy, instead, she is in Rome Rhode Island. Here the other part of the story is where she thought she would be living in a cabin by herself instead the man who owns the cabin has come back home. Emmitt, he is one of three dads to a teenage girl which is explained in the story. She also has to deal with her mother as well. Emmitt's story at times takes over at times for he is working through his own issues about life. Overall a good book and worth the read. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 4 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com

Not My Romeo (The Game Changers #1)

 NOT MY ROMEO                                                ILSA MADDEN-MILLS

My blind date isn’t the studious guy I expected: he’s a drop-dead gorgeous player with sinful amber eyes. Somehow we end up at his penthouse. I blame the gin and tonic.

The next day I learn he’s Jack Hawke—bad-boy professional quarterback with a murky past. The NDA he has me sign should be a warning that he isn’t a regular person. Please. I sign it Juliet Capulet, so goodbye, a famous football player with abs of steel, and good luck tracking down this small-town librarian.

But Jack keeps showing up in places I least expect him. Just when I’m sure he’s gone, he waltzes into my community theater and wins the part of Romeo to my Juliet. How’s a plain, mostly innocent girl like me supposed to resist a man like him?

Is Jack my real Romeo… or will this gorgeous football player only break my heart?

PAT'S REVIEW

I really had known idea what this book was going to be about when I began, it had been on my TBR list for a while and so when I began, I was hooked from the very beginning. Elena has had no luck when it comes to Valentine's day dates. Now meeting a blind date who is supposed to be a weatherman, he is also to be wearing a blue shirt. Seeing a man in the far corner wearing a blue shirt she goes and sits at his table. Giving him grieve because it is rude to begin to eat before your date arrives, she proceeds. It is this whole conversation at the table that hooks me and the rest of their time at the restaurant. The banter back and forth and it is not until much later that she realizes he is not a weatherman. When they arrive at his apartment, he asks her to sign an NDA which she does as Julia Capulet from Romeo and Juliet the play. Elena does not back down from him and keeps him grounded he just does not know that. Are their parts of the book that are from other stories maybe a few but overall, this is a funny story but also with a touch a realism. She is showing Jack that there are people out there that care just about him, not about the money he makes or that he is a pro quarterback which she did not even know at first. It is Jack who needs to learn trust and acceptance. I am leaving a lot out because you should really read this book. It has wonderful characters and a very good storyline, overall a very good book. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 5 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com

Under Pressure (Lucas Page #2)

 UNDER PRESSURE                                   ROBERT POBI

On a beautiful October evening, New York City's iconic Guggenheim Museum is closed for a tech company's private gala. Until an explosion rocks the night, instantly killing 702 people, including every single attendee—yet the damage to the building itself was minimal.

An explosion of that precision was no accident and, in response, the FBI mobilizes its entire team -- but the sheer number of victims strains their resources. Were all 702 victims in the wrong place at the wrong time, or was there only one target and 701 unlucky bystanders? That many victim files is a staggering amount of data to sort through and Brett Kehoe, Special Agent in Charge of Manhattan, decides that he can't do this without more computational power.

Dr. Lucas Page, astrophysicist, university professor, and former FBI agent, is uniquely gifted for the task at hand—he can visualize a crime scene as if he was a bystander and can break down any set of data at a glance. Even though Page wants nothing to do with the FBI, with his city under attack and his family at risk, he steps in to find a killer in a haystack before they strike again.

PAT'S REVIEW

You are back with Dr. Luca Page; he has been called in after a bomb goes off in the Guggenheim Museum. He of course has figured out the type of bomb before the experts and there begins the back and forth between him and the team that he is supposed to work with. He now needs to look through the over 700 victims to see what if anything sticks out as to why this occurred. Just like the first book, you are taken on a ride from the first page to the very last page. You do have some of the characters from the first book in this one and you also get to see a little more of his home life as well. Overall, this was a very good story with really good characters and the book will keep you guessing but also entertained all the way through. Another excellent job by the author and very much worth the read. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 5 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com