LAST IN A LONG LINE OF REBELS by Lisa Lewis Tyre!

LAST IN A LONG LINE OF REBELS by  Lisa Lewis Tyre! 

    

Lisa Lewis Tyre is a debut novelist and boy what a debut!  If you are looking for a great read for young adults or just want to recapture your youth with a book that has the ring of a Nancy Drew Mystery, Last in a Long Line of Rebels is a must read.

     

For the past thirty years, I have lived in houses that date back to the 1800s. Once I even tried to have a Historic Landmark Marker placed in front of one of my houses.  Let me just say, I was an adult and that whole process was a fiasco, so I could truly empathize with Lou's plight.  

After Lou inadvertently discovers that her Civil War era home might be demolished by the city she springs into action.  The thought of losing her home is unfathomable and her plan to save it is ingenious.  I was right there with our protagonist each step of the way.  Lou is outspoken and full of spunk.  No way is she about to take the news lying down.  The journey to save her home from being condemned is full of surprises because Last in a Long Line of Rebels is more than a story about saving an old house it also tackles the issue of intolerance that still exists in the world today.  

The novel is a coming of age story that allows the reader to make unexpected discoveries right along with the main character. Surprises abound the deeper into the novel the reader journeys.   Let's just say the further Lou digs into the past of her ancestors the more she realizes that one must continue to be vigilant in the fight against injustice or history can and will repeat itself.  Tyre's characters feel real and authentic and readers will be right there with Lou Mayhew on her journey of self-discovery.

Lisa Lewis Tyre’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Monday, February 1st: Geo Librarian

Tuesday, February 2nd: Randomly Reading

Wednesday, February 3rd: All Roads Lead to the Kitchen

Thursday, February 4th: Life is Story

Monday, February 8th: Just Commonly

Wednesday, February 10th: Shooting Stars Mag

Thursday, February 11th: Musings by Maureen

Monday, February 15th: Peeking Between the Pages

Tuesday, February 16th: You Can Read Me Anything

Wednesday, February 17th: WV Stitcher

Thursday, February 18th: Tina Says…

Monday, February 22nd: The Things You Can Read

Wednesday, February 24th: A Chick Who Reads

Thursday, February 25th: Just One More Chapter

Monday, February 29th: Laura’s Reviews

Wednesday, March 2nd: Absurd Book Nerd

Thursday, March 3rd: FictionZeal

Monday, March 7th: View from the Birdhouse

I'd like to thank TLC for allowing me access to an advance readers copy (ARC) of  LAST IN A LONG LINE OF REBELS by  Lisa Lewis Tyre

Does  LAST IN A LONG LINE OF REBELS by  Lisa Lewis Tyre GRAB your attention?  Is it a novel you'd be interested in reading?  Let us know here at The Things You Can Read!

Don't Forget To Be Awesome!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I am an educator with over 25 years of teaching experience; I currently teach English in the public school system of Virginia. In my spare time, I am an avid reader. writer, reviewer, blogger, writing/art journaler, beekeeper, grad student, and MOTHER. - See more: Here

Review in Miniature: Stitches : a handbook on meaning, hope, and repair by Anne Lamott

Anne Lamott is an amazing voice in today’s writing world. She is able to capture what so many of us feel with just the right words. I’ve been a fan of her writing since reading Bird By Bird back in the 90s. I’ll also add that I am partial to her nonfiction writing, although her works of fiction are great too. So it was with great enthusiasm that I opened her latest work of nonfiction Stitches: a handbook on meaning, hope, and repair, which is out on the heels of her previous bestseller Help, Thanks, Wow. 

In Stitches Lamott explores how in these chaotic times in which we live we can recover from personal devastation and loss and find peace, meaning and wholeness in our lives. How does she suggest we do this, well in typical Lamott fashion, “..by collecting the ripped shreds of our emotional and spiritual fabric and sewing them back together, one stitch at a time.” This is classic Lamott! 

If you are familiar with Lamott’s previous works sit back and enjoy her prose. If you are new to Lamott this is a great choice to tryout the Lamott experience. 

Thank you Net Galley and Penguin Riverhead Hardcover for the advanced reader’s copy of Stitches: a handbook on meaning, hope, and repair by Anne Lamott.

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Review in Miniature: The Wives of Los Alamos by TaraShea Nesbit

“I am in awe of this novel . . . The Wives of Los Alamos will be read and reread and remembered.” —Gail Godwin 

Well, praise like that is hard won and in this case well deserved. This is the story of the women who came together from all over the world to make homes and a life for the men who were working on the bomb that will ultimately be used to annihilate those living in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. 

Written in the collective first person plural this novel’s unique use of perspective takes the reader on a different kind of ride. Think modern Greek chorus and you’ve got the picture. Some may find this off putting, I did not. It was an innovative refreshing way to structure the story. The real question behind the “We” is could you have stomached the story once the bomb was dropped without it? I felt at that point the “We” that may have alienated some readers becomes essential to deal with the horror of what those living in Los Alamos had constructed. 

If you are looking for something different in the methodology used to tell the story give The Wives of Los Alamos by TaraShea Nesbit a try.

Thank you Net Galley and Bloomsbury for the advance reader’s copy of The Wives of Los Alamos by TaraShea Nesbit.

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Review in Miniature: The ABC's of Yoga For Kids by Teresa Anne Power, Kathleen Rietz (Illustrator), Brookes Nohlgren (Editor).

I will start by saying before I had kids I was a yoga nut. I practiced the crazy kind of yoga in a 101 degree room for 90 minutes--did I mention that I did this every single day...sometimes twice a day. I loved it, but I wanted more from life then a great yoga practice, which is where the kids come into the story. I’ve had four children in five years, my biological clock was ticking, and my personal yoga practice is sadly nonexistent.  Wait a minute that's where this book comes into the story...that nonexistent yoga practice was true until this book.  I believe in the benefits of yoga and wanted to instill this healthy practice into my children's lives, so I was very excited to discover The ABCs of Yoga for Kids by Teresa Anne Power, Kathleen Rietz (Illustrator), Brookes Nohlgren (Editor). 

Because of The ABCS of Yoga for Kids my girls and I now have a yoga practice together. It’s not the kind of practice I had five years ago, but it is a perfect fit for us as a family. I should also mention the book is geared for children between the ages of two and a half to five, which almost covers all my children that is except for the new baby.

I want to add that I received an electronic advance reader’s copy (ARC) of this book, but our family loved this book so much we purchased our own hardcover copy and the deck of 56 yoga cards that compliment the book (see pictures). Thanks Teresa for bringing yoga back into my family’s life in a most enjoyable and family-friendly way. 

I encourage anyone looking to practice yoga with young children or to practice as a family to pick up a copy of this book and start a regular practice together.

Thank you Net Galley and Stafford House for the advanced reader’s copy of The ABCs of Yoga for Kids by Teresa Anne Power, Kathleen Rietz (Illustrator), Brookes Nohlgren (Editor).

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Review in Miniature: A Marker to Measure Drift Alexander Maksik

Usually I am drawn to a novel based on its cover or its title, but neither was the case with this one. Instead what I noticed was all the advance praise, but not from other big name authors, rather from the guys in the trenches, various and sundry independent booksellers. Comments like, “I’m haunted by the power of A Marker to Measure Drift by Alexander Maksik. Shattering, gorgeous, each sentence is a dagger to the heart,” were the prose used to praise this novel. Wow, with that kind of admiration from folks who are constantly bombarded by the next best book I could not help but be interested in this one, and I was not disappointed.

A Marker to Measure Drift by Alexander Maksik is a novel where the author loses himself completely in the creation of someone else entirely different from himself, which is a masterful accomplishment for any writer. Then on top of that the person he creates is the opposite sex, which I think is another challenge for a writer, and to do this realistically as Maksik has is to be applauded. 

 
When you read as much as I do you need a shorthand for judging a novel and I have found that the first fifty pages usually say it all. Now, with that said, it was easy to become emotionally involved with the protagonist, Jacqueline, by page twenty-five you couldn't help but feel empathy for her suffering. Yet the pain this character has experienced and will continue to experience makes your heart ache, but yet in still, it will also keep you reading.

If my comments haven’t persuaded you to read this one let me add that this was a New York Times Notable Book and the tagline used to grab the readers attention was, “A hypnotic, spellbinding novel set in Greece and Africa, where a young Liberian woman reckons with a haunted past.” I highly recommend you travel to these exotic places and learn about Jacqueline’s past.

Thank you Net Galley and Knopf for an advance review copy of A Marker to Measure Drift by Alexander Maksik.

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Review in Miniature: My Accidental Jihad by Krista Bremer

Love is a powerful thing, but love does not conquer all. Too many Americans hold fast to the belief that love is the great equalizer. Having been raised by parents from two different cultures I can say with great certainty that the love and affection that the two people who raised me had did not offset that fact that they did not see the world in the same way and therein lay the conflict of their marriage. With that said, my parents were married for over fifty years until the death of my father in 2011, but their relationship was a roller coaster ride which often hinged on cultural differences. I share all this because The memoir My Accidental Jihad by Krista Bremer repeatedly made me reflect on my life as a child of a bicultural couple. 

Although my parents cultures were not the same as the ones in this memoir the problems were very similar. Bremer writes an honest personal narrative where she bares her soul about her relationship with her husband. The author’s candidness and the refusal to avoid the uncomfortable parts of the relationship make for a compelling read.

Thank you NetGalley, Edelweiss, and Algonquin Books for the review copy of My Accidental Jihad by Krista Bremer.  As always I continue to count on Algonquin to publish quality works of nonfiction and My Accidental Jihad is just another example of the discerning choices this publishing house makes.

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Review in Miniature: The Transcriptionist by Amy Rowland

After reading the following blurb, “A stunning novel told with the same gravity as Nicole Krauss’s History of Love,” I had to read this book. What book might that be? Why, The Transcriptionist by Amy Rowland, of course.

Let me start by stating that I love books set in New York City. Authors who can make the city a character are truly gifted, which this author obviously is. I also love books about certain industries, in this case, the news biz. Enter Lena’s world and discover a very different kind of novel. From a chance encounter with a blind woman who has a fascination with lions to wonderful quotes that seem to foreshadow so much that is yet to come, watch how Rowland creates a world that is full of similarities and contrasts for these two women.

If you like novels that are different and make you think then this is a read for you. In a nutshell, what the novel boils down to is the discovery of one’s true self, “Listening doesn't make us disappear. It just helps us recognize our absurdity, our humanity.” - The Transcriptionist

Simply said this is one beautiful debut novel.

Thank you Net Galley and Algonquin Books for the review copy of The Transcriptionist. As always I continue to count on Algonquin to publish quality works of fiction and The Transcriptionist is just another example of the discerning choices this publishing house makes.

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Review in Miniature: The City by Dean Koontz

What can I say other than it’s Dean Koontz, which means you had me at Dean Koontz. And I’ll be honest this was my first Dean Koontz novel, so I don’t have any of his other novels to compare it to, which I personally feel was not a bad thing. Based on this one I’d certainly be open to reading more of the Dean Koontz backlist, because The City kept me coming back for more. 

From the moment I learned Jonah’s full name, Jonah Ellington Basie Hines Eldridge Wilson Hampton Armstrong Kirk, I was totally enthralled. I have to add that I’m the lady that gave all four of her children four names and boy did I get comments about that, so who in their right mind gives someone nine names? This bit of weirdness is just the beginning of the adventure for the reader as you journey with Jonah through Koontz’s The City.

I’d say kudos to the interesting characters Mr. Koontz has created. These relationships are the backbone to Jonah’s story. From Jonah’s mother, grandfather, best friend Malcolm, Mr. Yoshioka, Mrs. Lorenzo, and Miss Pearl each character’s interaction with Jonah’s adds layer upon layer to the protagonist. 

I have always been intrigued with child prodigies and the idea that Jonah is a musical genius makes for some interesting storytelling. Koontz’s writing weaves a tale that had me eagerly returning to discover more about this eccentric character. 

Again, I enjoyed my first Dean Koontz's novel and look forward to reading his previous works.

Thank you Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group - Bantam Dell for the advanced Readers Copy of this novel.

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Review in Miniature: Five Miles South of Peculiar by Angela Elwell Hunt

If you are looking for that next quirky character driven summer read than Five Miles South of Peculiar by Angela Elwell Hunt is a perfect fit. Sisterly love and hate abounds in the pages of this well written novel. Join the three Caldwell sisters in Five Miles South of Peculiar, a small town in the southern part of Florida, as you open yourself up to a story about family, loyalty, love, growing-up, taking risks and faith. 

The best way I can describe the feel of this book is to say the author writes as if you she’s your best friend and she just arrived on your front porch for some tea and local gossip. Here it is in a nutshell, two of the three sisters have hit that milestone birthday number 50 and start to examine their lives or should I say reexamine their lives. Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living,” and therein lies the conflict of this novel. 

I don’t want to give too much away, but if you are a fan of this bestselling author then this is a must read. If you are new to this author what a great novel to get your feet wet with as you sit pool or beachside. 

Thank you Net Galley and Simon & Schuster Inc./Howard Books for the Advance Reader’s copy of this book.

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Review in Miniature: Equilateral by Ken Kalfus

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Does a book’s cover matter?  Oh, yes it does, and in the case of Equilateral by Ken Kalfus it was the reason I wanted to read the book.  Cover first, description second!  What can I say, I’m a very visual person and I’ve picked up many a book because of the cover art, but it doesn’t mean I liked all of them, however in the case of Equilateral, I loved it!

Equilateral is hard to define, part historical fiction, part science fiction, with just the right amount of weird, and you have an idea of what you are in for with this one.  Set in 1894, we meet Sanford Thayer a British astronomer who has spent years working on the construction of a massive equilateral triangle in Egypt, and guess what?  Thayer, our brilliant scientist, has come to believe that his triangle possesses the ability to communicate with those folks living on Mars if in fact the triangle is finished on a specific day and set a fire, which will allow the planets to properly align for said communication.  Are you still with me? Because as bizarre as this sounds it works.  Kalfus expertly weaves his tales like a spider luring his readers into the world of Sanford Thayer.  I really mean it when I say it truly was a fascinating read.

If you are a film buff, like I am, this novel was in a sense like the 1902 movie A Trip to the Moon but instead of the camera performing the illusions the written words did all the tricks.  If you are a fan of “different” then pick up a copy of Equilateral and sit back for an interesting ride.

Thank you Net Galley and Bloomsbury USA for an advance review copy of Equilateral by Ken Kalfus.

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Review in Miniature: Hello, Gorgeous: Becoming Barbra Streisand by William J. Mann

Here is a secret about me, movie trivia is my thing.  Not current stuff, I'm talking tidbits from the silent era to about 1970.  I often lament...If only I could cash in on my worthless movie knowledge.  Honest to goodness, I'm a savant when it comes to this topic, which brings me to my other secret love and that is reading autobiographies and biographies of actresses, actors, directors, producers, screenwriters...you get the idea, so I'd never pass up the opportunity to read about one of the greats: Barbra Streisand.

Having read oodles and oodles of this genre I can say without hesitation that this is a great read!  I stop here to add that this is not your typical biography.  It does not cover Streisand's entire career, but rather a crucial period of five years at the start:  1960-65.  Seventeen in 1960 we see just how one with the right mix of determination and talent makes it.  The only downside to the book is that Mann doesn't tell us the rest of the Streisand story.  If you enjoy peeking inside the world of movie icons then this is a must read.

Thank you Net Galley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for allowing me access to a review copy of  Hello, Gorgeous: Becoming Barbra Streisand by William J. Mann. 

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Review in Miniature: Love Slave By Jennifer Spiegel

Need a break from those heavier books of literary fiction you've been reading? Looking for that next hipster read for the summer? Well, here it is, Love Slave by Jennifer Spiegel. Realistic in its presentation of Sybil Weatherfield’s life circa 1995, enter the craziness that is the New York City lifestyle. Sybil is witty, sarcastic, and a cynic, in other words, she is my kind of gal. Like many from this generation she is not able to reach her full potential and therein lies the conflict.

Again, if you need a break from heavier reading choices then take a trip to NYC via Love Slave and see what Sybil is up to.

Thank you Net Galley and Unbridled Books for the review copy of Love Slave by Jennifer Spiegel.

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Review in Miniature: Autism Breakthrough: The Groundbreaking Method That Has Helped Families All Over The World by Raun K. Kaufman

When the book blurb reads, “This is the book that parents, professionals and educators of children with Autism have always wanted!” the book has a great deal to live up to and guess what, this one really does live up to the hype. I am an educator who has taught Autistic children in the regular classroom and I am a parent of a recently diagnosed child with Autism/Asperger’s Syndrome (February 2014), and I can tell you based on my research and reading on the topic this book is one of the best I have read on the subject to date. I say this after just having finished Tony Attwood’s The Complete Guide to Autism. Please keep in mind that Mr. Attwood is considered one of the leading Autism gurus or experts, if you will. What book am I referencing? Answer: Autism Breakthrough: The Groundbreaking Method That Has Helped Families All Over The World by Raun K. Kaufman.

Let me start by saying that Raun K. Kaufman confesses to having experienced a full recovery from Autism and let me add that this proclamation is somewhat controversial, but considering that it wasn't until 1980 that Autism was even on the research radar whose to say that it can’t be cured. I suggest laying aside the controversy that surrounds Kaufman’s Son Rise Program/ Option Institute and focus instead on the useful information that is to be discerned inside Autism Breakthrough. Information that parents, professionals and educators of children with Autism can use to help a child who suffers from Autism. This book is a tool for adults who chose to look at an Autistic child and, “...see possibilities not deficiencies,” and for those who want to create a truly safe environment where their child can grow and reach his or her full potential.

Again as an educator and parent, I highly recommend this book to anyone wishing to understand and help those who have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Thank you Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for the Advance Reader’s Copy of Autism Breakthrough: The Groundbreaking Method That Has Helped Families All Over The World by Raun K. Kaufman.

Update:

I implemented the strategy of "Joining" with my son and I can say it works.  He is not talking and he is about to turn four on August 2, but when I joined in with his STIM behavior we were counting out-loud to twelve in a matter of minutes.  His stacking STIM behavior was a way for him to count INTERNALLY and when I joined him and started counting the spice containers from the spice shelf OUT-LOUD he gave me a big smile and joined in OUT-LOUD.  He didn't just do this once he counted repeatedly and added more jars to our lineup as we continued to count together.  We did this for about five minutes TOGETHER.  I know that doesn't sound like much to most parents of an average four year-old, but this is a tremendous breakthrough for my son who we knew had a lot going on in his own internal world.  I also need to add that prior to reading this book when he would get into the spice cabinet we would repeatedly correct him only to have him return to the cabinet and repeat his stim behavior.

Additional Links:
NPR: Send in the Idiots: Stories from the Other Side of Autism by Nazeer, Kamran

NPR:  A Conversation with Temple Grandin

NPR:  Tracking Causes of Autism Back to the Womb

NPR:  Researchers Set Sights on Early Autism Diagnosis
NPR:  Commentary: Autism and Vaccination
NPR:  Dr. Fred Volkmar on Asperger's Syndrome

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Review in Miniature: The Violinist's Thumb And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our Genetic Code by Sam Kean

In recent years I have grown to love nonfiction. I didn't always. It has to do with the methodology/structural choices that modern-day nonfiction writers use to share their information. Here's what it boils down to...when the information unfolds like a story it makes it so enjoyable to read that I forget I’m reading nonfiction. Then couple that with the ability of the author to take a complicated idea and bring it down to a level that my non-sciency-self can understand and you have a great read. This is why Sam Kean’s books are so enjoyable to read.

I have to admit that it was the title that grabbed me on this one along with the reference to Paganini, the famous violinists. Interesting what will make one open a book. I certainly learned a great deal about what made Paganini more accomplished than other violinist, but the author didn't stop there. Kean takes the reader on a DNA ride of titanic proportions. He shares terms, anecdotal stories, and other science stuff a non-sciency person like myself never expected to enjoy. A big thanks to Mr. Kean for making science accessible and interesting.

If you want to know more about DNA, but were afraid the science was too complicated then grab a copy of The Violinist's Thumb and start reading!

Thank you Net Galley and Little, Brown and Company for the review copy of The Violinist's Thumb by Sam Kean.

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Review in Miniature: The Art Forger A Novel by B. A. Shapiro

Let me start by saying that I love stories that deal with the art world.  We all have favorite artists and there is nothing better than seeing a favorite painting in person, which is why the The Art Forger by B. A. Shapiro hooked me from the get-go.  

As many may or may not already know, on March 18, 1990, thirteen works of art today worth over $500 million were stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston and this heist remains the largest unsolved art theft in history.  What really happened?  Well, here is a plausible fictional accounting of what might have been.  There is so much fact inside The Art Forger you can easily forget that you are reading a work of fiction. I was quickly caught up in the world of artists, art dealers, gallery owners, critics, curators, and  forgers.  

My favorite part of the book was the expertly researched detail the author shared on how one creates a believable forgery.  So not only does this novel entertain with a compelling story it also educates those of us who do not live and breathe the art world; sharing with us the secrets on how one goes about fooling the experts.

Love Claire or hate Claire you can’t help, but be caught up in her world. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who loves a good mystery or anyone who like me loves stories set in the art world.

Thank you Net Galley and Algonquin Books for the review copy of The Art Forger.  As always I continue to count on Algonquin to publish quality works of fiction and The Art Forger is just another example of the discerning choices this publishing house makes.

Happy Reading☮

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