The BookFetish Blog

History classes leave out all the good stuff. Sure, they get the essential facts (generally) correct, but rarely do we get the backstory, the snippets of every day life for the people involved, or the detail to really make us think about the impact of these events. Denise Kiernan’s The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II helps fill in some of the details we missed in school.

Oak Ridge, Tennessee was created by the US government during World War II for the express purpose of housing the men and women who would be working on the atomic bomb. Of course, most people in Oak Ridge had no idea what they were manufacturing. You did your job, only your job, and you talked about it with no one.  You didn’t need to know the step before; what happened after your part didn’t matter.  The only important thing was that you were helping to end the War.

Kiernan profiles several women from all different backgrounds who came to Oak Ridge looking for a good job and a way to contribute to the war effort.  Jobs like this, coming out of the Depression and for women, were few and far between and this was a rare opportunity for most of these ladies.  A handful were highly educated and for once their knowledge and skills were sought after. Yet life at Oak Ridge certainly wasn’t posh and easy, and cultural issues like racial discrimination existed on base as they did in the real world.  The Girls of the Atomic City offers a glimpse into a piece of history we’ve not seen the likes of in my lifetime.

I enjoyed the book overall- I learned a lot about the beginnings of uranium enrichment, the scientists who feared its potential, and delved a bit into the secrecy and deliberate misinformation to the American public about what was going on at these various sites (this makes sense given the heightened concern that Hitler might also be working to develop nuclear technology and no one knew who might be spies).  I was a little bit disappointed, though, only because I thought we were going to get even more details about the women who contributed to this effort and what their daily lives were like- we did get that, it’s just that the book also focused on other things I was not expecting. For instance, I did not know that Oak Ridge had been created specifically for this purpose. Nor did I know that in some instances the government forced families to sell their homes and land at unfairly low prices.  But we had a war to win.

One of the most intriguing aspects of the book to me was the reaction from people who had contributed to building this bomb once they found out what the bomb was and how it was used in Japan. That certainly brought some humanity to the story that I found quite interesting.

This is not a non-fiction book that reads like a novel- I read it mostly in the evenings before bed- but I liked getting this glimpse into the past and learning more about Wold War II and the people who lived it.

I recently read By A Thread and thought it would be fun to post the review as part of author RL Griffin’s Birthday Blog Bash. As part of the Bash, Griffin was also kind enough to do a Q and A with me, which follows at the end of this post. Enjoy!

From the By A Thread synopsis: “Stella’s future was set, and it was a bright one. She was engaged to a man she adored, and was headed to law school in the fall. Tragically, her perfectly planned future ends just as it was beginning. With no ties to family or friends, Stella finds herself alone in a new city, spiraling out of control. Her typical day comes to a close with her passed out on the floor; sometimes clothed. Luckily, her new roommate, essentially a stranger, is dead set on getting Stella past her grief and back to functioning within society. Putting one foot in front of the other, she climbs up from the bottom of a bottle. Even with all her progress, Stella walks through life unfeeling, numb. Defiant, she sends out warning signals for the world to keep away. But, is that what she really wants? With the steadfast help of a few tight knit friends, she gradually begins to feel again. She starts to savor the flavor of food again; lets herself notice how the handsome bartender glances at her. Still, after allowing herself a fling, she wonders if she will ever be able to let go of her shattered past, fully enjoy the present, or get over what she thought would be her perfect future and with the man who destroyed her heart.”

By A Thread was an intriguing story of grief and redemption.  I handle grief very differently than Stella, so at times I had a very hard time identifying with her. Sometimes I wanted to shake her and say “get up and put one foot in front of the other and go on.”  But then I stopped that, and reminded myself that everyone handles grief differently. Sometimes, just making it to the next day is handling it.  So I stopped being so judgmental of Stella and just read the story for what it was.

The meaningful part of this story is really the friendships Stella develops.  While I think Stella’s family would have been there for her in their way, had she let them, it is often the family we create, rather than the one we are born into, that we need in times of crisis. This is what Stella’s friends are to her. This bond of friendship between them is truly the heart of the story. Simply put, Stella would not have survived without her tribe, and that is what true friendship is often all about.

The ending of the book is not what I expected- and at the risk of being at all spoiler-y that is all I am going to say about that.   But you’ll get a bit more insight with the Q and A below.

Although the subject matter is a bit heavy, I think By A Thread is a good book to put on your summer reading list- the story sucks you in and you want to know what happens.

Q and A With RL Griffin:

RLG: When I was younger, I lost 9 people I knew and some whom I was close too.  I remember feeling numb, broken, angry and all of those other things that come out of losing someone too soon.  I also remember seeing their family and other loved ones.  I just thought those combination of emotions were a story waiting to be told.

RLG: Not quite the same, but I did live in DC for awhile and had a great group of friends when I was in law school.  I also lived with two guys, very different from Billy and Patrick.  They were both in law school too. I just thought the dynamic was so fun.  I had a blast living with two guys, but I had great girlfriends too.  We had a ton of parties.

TBF: What’s your favorite part of being an author?  Least Favorite?

RLG: I LOVE WRITING!  I could write all day and night.  I have to love it because I miss sleep to do it.  You know what else I love, is talking to people about the stories I create.  I’ve had a ball talking to readers and going to book clubs in the Atlanta area.  Least favorite, Editing… it’s a pain in my ass.

Remember when I recently posted my review for “Nobody’s Damsel“?  Well, there’s a chance for you to win a copy of E.M Tippets’ newest books, Castles on the Sand.  All you have to do is comment here before Sunday night at 6PM EDT, and a winner will be chosen at random.  International entries may be accepted, and print or ebook copies are an option.  You can also “like” the Facebook page for an extra chance to win: http://facebook.com/emtippetts

Here is a synopsis of the book:

“A fast-paced blend of high-stakes drama and average teenage concerns (sex, appearance, friends), capped with a welcome message of hope.” ~Kirkus Reviews

If there’s one thing Madison Lukas understands, it’s pain. The pain she feels when her mother ignores her completely. The pain her best friend endures as her parents starve her as punishment. The pain of a dangerous boy whose mother has to be carried away by law enforcement on a regular basis.

She gets it. She feels the pain of others as if it were her own.

But when a mysterious man claiming to be her long lost brother appears with promises of relieving her suffering, trusting him could reveal more truths than Madison is ready for. Because the truth can hurt, too.

And you can get additional details here:

Book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VksZHpuhBaM

Links to the book:

Amazon- http://www.amazon.com/Castles-on-the-Sand-ebook/dp/B008ZGNMDS/ref=pd_sim_kstore_2

B&N- http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/castles-on-the-sand-e-m-tippetts/1112545170?ean=9781479120291

Kobo- http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Castles-on-the-Sand/book-16FiWx64a0q7jJuN7gEcZw/page1.html?s=gAYDg5KUWk60BXmaG6-WYA&r=1

Goodreads – http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15759350-castles-on-the-sand

So enter now, but 6PM EDT Sunday, May 26 and a winner will be chosen at random.  I’ll a message to the winner that evening to get the following information:

winner’s full name, winner’s correct email, what format (mobi or epub) if choosing an eBook or the shipping information if choosing a print, and the URL to your post.

So please be available to supply that Sunday evening.

Good luck!

If you’re of a certain age, chances are you’ve seen the episode of friends where Joey is reading Little Women. He’s so upset about how sick Beth is, he has to take a break from the book, and put it in the freezer for a while to chill- and lessen the intensity for him.

That’s a bit what reading Stifyn Emrys’ Identity Break was like for me. I’ll tell you why after you take a look at the synopsis below:

How far would you go to find yourself?

Imagine everything you thought you knew about yourself turned out to be a lie, and you didn’t know who was telling the truth. Imagine you possessed a secret so dangerous that, if it were exposed, it would reshape the entire world.
What would you do if that secret were your very identity?

In almost every way, Palo Vista seems like a typical California city, with office buildings, schools, and homes sprawled out across suburbia, filled with families making a life for themselves at the dawn of the new millennium.
But two seniors at Mt. MacMurray High are about to find out that nothing is as it seems. Jason Nix is a star athlete and honors student who can’t seem to remember anything about his childhood. Elyse Van Auten is a budding artist from a broken home whose father left her mother two years ago – or so she’s been led to believe.

Like most teens entering adulthood, Elyse and Jason just want to find out who they really are. For them, however, the stakes go far beyond their own personal quest. Join them on a journey of self-discovery that becomes a desperate fight for survival against enemies determined to conceal the truth … and find out what happens when that fight becomes personal.

There were times that so much was happening in Identity Break  that I had to take a break from the story for a bit. I was afraid something terrible was going to happen to Jason or Elyse.  At the same time, I was dying to know what this hidden truth was, and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to find out.  Although the stories are different,  I got the same little thrill reading Identity Break as I do reading Veronica Roth’s Divergent series. It’s that entertaining. There’s plenty of action and colorful characters, and more than one squirm inducing (in a good way) scene.  

My only criticism is that I feel like some seeds were planted in the story that were not fully fleshed out, but I hope that means a sequel is coming. I like the characters, and I feel like there is a lot more story to tell here, both backstory and the implications of what Jason and Elyse learn in Identity Break.

I’m glad to be a part of the blog tour for Identity Break, and think this is a great vacation read for you to check out.

To learn more about Stifyn Embrys and the book, check out these links:  

Facebook page: www.facebook.com/semrys

Amazon: www.amazon.com/Stifyn-Emrys/e/B008LHKFM2/

Twitter: @stifynemrys

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/stifyn-emrys/58/b73/36b

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/6453846.Stifyn_Emrys

Blog: http://semrys.blogspot.com/

Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/stifyn-emrys?dref=2207

Josh Hanagarne loves books and reading. He found his calling as a librarian. He loves his family. He has Tourette Syndrome. He’s incredibly strong. The World’s Strongest Librarian is Josh’s memoir about how all these things fit together. And it’s already a contender for one of my Favorites of 2013.

As Josh describes it, The World’s Strongest Librarian is a “memoir of Tourette’s, faith, strength, and the power of family.” He leaves out of that a voracious love of the written word, but the description is apt. I love to read memoirs that encompass a love of reading, as well as a discussion of (or crisis of) faith, and something unique. This book has all of those. Each chapter has subheadings, and each subheading is prefixed with the appropriate Dewey Decimal number. It’s a bit quirky, sure, but charming, too. In fact, charming and quirky is a good description for both Josh and the book.

Josh recounts his early days and his love of books. He was one of those kids whose father read to him before he was even born. Books weren’t ever not a part of his life. His first crush was Fern from Charlotte’s Web. In fact, Josh’s early life can be classified as “Before Fern” and “After Fern”.

Equally important to the books, though, are Josh’s family and faith, and his Tourette’s (Note: Early in the book, Josh provides an explanation of when to use Tourette and when to use Tourette’s. I have tried to follow his protocol here).  His family is a bit quirky but loving.  He presents his struggle with Tourette’s in a straightforward manner that he saves from being melodramatic.  It still provokes empathy, however, as Josh describes how he at times has little control over what his body does, to the point of injuring himself.  Enter the strength training, and the opportunity it gave Josh to control his body, even if only for the duration of a workout.

So why am I saying this one is a contender for my Favorites list?  I like the subject matter and I like the tone.  I think Josh has been dealt a tricky hand with Tourette’s, but he tells his story with honesty and dignity, without making himself out to be a hero.  He’s naturally curious and willing to explore different avenues to find out what works best for him.  He’s quite authentic. I found his telling of his Mormon mission and his crisis of faith to be very sincere and honest, and representative of a very personal journey for him- one that he recognizes may not be right for everyone.

The love between Josh and his family- both his birth family and the family he has created with his wife Janette, is palpable without being overwrought. But it isn’t just that.  Reading this book made me want to visit my local library. It made me curious about new things. It gave me a new understanding of what life can be like for someone with Tourette Syndrome. And it proves that nothing can completely destroy you if you don’t let it.

The World’s Strongest Librarian is available now. Enjoy this trailer to get you excited to read it. You can also follow any Twitter news about the book through #strengthandbooks and visit Josh’s blog.

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, and I’m so glad I had the chance to read it.  Put it on your reading list now.