"The Children's Blizzard" by Melanie Benjamin--A Very Sad Story

The Children's Blizzard by Melanie Benjamin tells the story of two young prairie school teachers who have to find an answer not found in their school books.  How are they going to get the children left in their care home safe and sound when the weather turns from a warm day into a blizzard?  The author does a very good job of making the reader feel how it was on that day.

This historical fiction book is much more than just that one day.  You really get to know the characters!  I had high hopes for this book going in and it certainly delivered.  It was better than I expected!  I LOVED this book and even read the author's notes, which I normally do not do.  (Gerard's review, 1/31/21, 5++ stars)

Karen's review: 

The Children's Blizzard by Melanie Benjamin is based on a true event but with fictional characters.  This is a very sad story with lots of death and guilt.  Just reading it made me feel cold!  Knowing this actually happened made it interesting and even sadder.  It revolves around two sisters who both were school teachers and one of their students.  Both teachers were only 16 and 17 or 18, Raina and Gerda.  Raina made a right decision and Gerda, a terrible one.  This is a story about immigrants and homesteading in the 1800s and survival.  It has adventure and much heartbreak.  Reading this for me was like plowing through a blizzard myself.  (4 stars)

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"Turning Point" by Danielle Steel

Turning Point by Danielle Steel deals with four people:  Bill, Stephanie, Wendy and Tom.  They are all very good doctors who love what they do.  Life is good when they are at the hospital; their lives outside of the hospital, not so much.  They get picked to go to Paris for a month for a training session and jump at the chance to go.  But life has a way of changing things as they find out.  

I really enjoyed how the author developed the four leading characters.  The book flew by!  (Gerard's review, 5 stars)

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"Old Bones" by Preston & Child

Old Bones by Preston & Child is about the Donner party.  Nora is an archaeologist who teams up with Clive, an historian, to find the so-called "lost camp."  They find there is more to the lost camp than they thought.  They are not the only ones interested in finding out.  This is good stuff.  The story has a good flow and the characters are brought out well with a good ending.  (Gerard's review, 4.5 stars)

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"Olive, Mabel & Me" by Andrew Cotter (Life and Adventures with Two Very Good Dogs)

Olive, Mabel & Me is a short book detailing how Andrew Cotter lives with his two very good dogs.  I enjoyed how he talks about their outings on hikes in the mountains as well as their day-to-day actions.  (Gerard's review, 5 stars)

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"A Vow so Bold and Deadly" by Brigid Kemmerer (The End of a GREAT series!)

A Vow so Bold and Deadly is the third and final book in the Cursebreaker series.  I loved this series very much!  It is fantasy with some magic but also very relatable characters and lots of character development and interaction among them.  This last book centers mostly on Grey, Harper, Rhen and Lilith.  There is lots of action, and relationship developments.  I hated to see this series end, but loved the ending!  (Karen's review, 5 stars)

 

A Vow so Bold and Deadly is the third and final book in the Cursebreaker series.  Both my wife and I enjoyed this entire series very much!  Rhen and Gray are getting ready to go to battle against each other.  I do not want to give any spoilers, but I will tell you that the women have a lot to say and do in this book, especially Harper.  The ending kept me turning pages as quickly as I could!  This book is a great finish to an awesome series!  (Gerard 1/25/21, 5++ stars) 

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