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The Final Moments of World War II…”Killing the Rising Sun”…by Bill O’Reilly

In another of his “Killing” series, author and Fox News Channel host of The O’Reilly Factor, Bill O’Reilly has published Killing the Rising Sun, along with Martin Dugard. This follows their previous books…….Killing Lincoln, Killing Kennedy, Killing Jesus, Killing Patton, and Killing Reagan. It has been said that this book relates the specifics of the final moments of World War II, as no other has attempted to do.

As World War II is winding down in Europe, it was escalating in the Pacific. The Japanese in following the code of samurai Bushido, which says that surrender is dishonorable, adamantly refuse to surrender. The book takes the reader to the bloody battles of Peleliu, Iwo Jima, and the Phillipines with General Douglas MacArthur, as across the globe, Dr. Robert J. Oppenheimer and associates are preparing to test the deadliest weapon ever known. It is a trying time for the United State’s military plan when FDR dies while in office, with Harry Truman moving up to the Presidency. Immediately upon assuming the office, Truman was faced with the monumental decision of whether to use the massive bomb. Despite a huge, mounting death toll, Emperor Hirohito will not surrender. Thus, the worst weapon known to mankind is unleashed.

Most critics seem to love the book, but there are a few critics who seem to let their own political agenda keep them from giving the book it’s deserved accolades. Unfortunately, some reviewers seem to review the perceived political views of Bill O’Reilly rather than keep their comments solely about the merits of the book. The reader will be able to determine this for themselves.

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In Extreme Situations…How Do You Respond?…”Rushing Waters”, by Danielle Steel

We all watched in horror as Hurricane Sandy destroyed area after area in New Jersey and New York. It seemed surreal actually watching such a violent act of nature uprooting and ruining people’s lives and health. American author, Danielle Steel creates a fictional account of a hurricane of horrific proportions striking the densely populated area of New York City. She weaves together many characters from several different walks of life, to demonstrate how people personally react to extreme situations.

I have always wondered why some people choose to refuse to evacuate from threatened areas when the evacuation orders are given. Author Steel gives the back story of some such people, and how their decisions affect their safety or harm. Others characters are among those who must deal with trying to patch up those who have been injured, or in the worst cases, report deaths to anxiously awaiting family members. Some characters are unlucky foreign visitors who have gotten caught up in the storm drama.

Hurricane Ophelia does not discriminate against any victims. The wealthy, the poor, the students, the medical teams……. all suffer the chaos of the storm. It is up to those individuals to decide how they will respond. “Keenly observed and brilliantly told, this is an unforgettable story that proves that while life can change in an instant, even the darkest storm can bring forth courage, resilience, unexpected joy, and new life”.

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The Moral Dilemma of Right and Wrong…”The Light Between Oceans”, by M.L. Stedman

In an exquisite novel, author M. L. Stedman presented the moral dilemma of right and wrong in a very complicated situation. Tom Sherbourne, a World War I veteran has accepted a position as an Australian lighthouse keeper to move away from civilization as much as possible. However, in the small town where he must get supplies, Tom meets a beautiful girl who becomes smitten with him. One reviewer suggested that maybe he was so appealing to her because he was one of only a few who returned from the war with both legs.

Isabel joins Tom on the isolated island, where supplies are only delivered once per year, and leave is only granted every other year. In great desire to have a child, Isabel suffers two miscarriages and a heartbreaking stillbirth. While being inundated with overwhelming grief, Isabel hears a baby’s cries through the sound of the wind. As it turned out, a man washed up on shore in a small boat, but was found dead. However, much to Isabel’s wonder, a living baby was found in the boat. And so began the moral dilemma for Tom. He wanted to report the dead man and the baby, but Isabel convinced him to go along with her plan to present the baby as their own. What seemed like justice for the agony the couple had suffered, turned out to be a tragic loss for someone else.

Derek Cianfrance directed the film adaptation of Stedman’s book in the melodrama of the same name. Tom is played by Michael Fassbender, and Isabel is played by Alicia Vikander. The dialogue is sparse, and the imagery is very beautiful with the lighthouse scenes and the dramatic, crashing waves. The beauty is intensified by the music which is from a score by Alexandre Desplat.

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Shy, Dyslexic…”Damaged”, by Lisa Scottoline

With anti-bullying being a contemporary anthem these days, the 15th in the Rosati & DiNunzio novel is very timely. Patrick O’Brien is the target of those who are so cruel to their fellow students. Patrick, who is 10 years old, is shy, dyslexic, very small for his age, and does not defend himself against the bullies. In an unfortunate set of events, he is accused by a nefarious teacher’s aide of Patrick stabbing him with scissors. The male aide sues Patrick’s guardian (his grandfather), and the school board. Mary DiNunzio is called to defend the ten year old. Patrick would never harm anyone.

Mary DiNunzio was just about to walk down the aisle when the complicated and emotionally draining case was presented to her. She immediately became very emotionally involved, to the point of finding herself fighting her associates, her fiancé, and social workers to defend and care for Patrick.

The story has many upsetting twists and turns as though ripped from current headlines. As if the abuse that Patrick has encountered from the aide isn’t bad enough, having to announce it to the public through court is very traumatizing to both Mary and Patrick. Then, the nasty opposing lawyer attempts every trick in the book to try to remove Mary as the boy’s attorney. “Starting slowly, (author) Lisa Scottoline, expertly stokes the boiler to the bursting point”. Readers will immerse themselves in Mary’s sweet-talking attempts to rescue this ten year old boy who is in danger of being lost to a world of trouble.

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Who’s Trustworthy, Who’s Not…”Bullseye”, by James Patterson

One of the most thought about ideas, probably of all time, is the question…….what would happen if the United States of America and Russia would go to war against each other? It is a daunting thought……one that brings fear to the hearts of even well seasoned members of the military. Author, James Patterson, has once again struck a nerve of reality with his newest book, Bullseye.

There is a husband/wife team of assassins on the streets of New York City. They are stalking their prey like animals ready for the kill. Detective Michael Bennett has received his orders to find a deadly pair of assassin’s before they are able to carry out their mission. Unfortunately, the President of the United States is in their cross hairs. Also unfortunately, he is in New York City for a summit with his Russian counterpart at the United Nations. Such an incident could cause negative reverberations around the world. Michael must find the source of the threat to head off a potential world war.

How can he tell who is trustworthy and who is not? Who is friend, or who is foe? There is no one above suspicion…….only Bennett has a chance to find the killers, before they can get to the President. The safety of the country is at stake.

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Awake in His Brain…A New Set of Powers…”End of Watch”, by Stephen King

Does just mentioning the name of author Stephen King send chills up your spine!!! If so, then his last in the Mercedes Massacre novels, End of Watch, will not disappoint! Retired police detective, Bill Hodges, and his partner in bringing down Brady Hartsfield, Holly Gibney, are called upon once again to figure out why people in the community are being driven to suicide. If they do not discover the reason soon, the whole community, including themselves, is in jeopardy.

The Mercedes Massacre mastermind, Brady Hartsfield is laying in a brain trauma unit of the local hospital, supposedly unable to communicate, and has been that way for five years. But unknown to the outside world, he has been awake inside his brain and has come up with a new set of powers that have proven to be unimaginably dangerous and lethal. He can influence those inside and outside his hospital room without ever leaving the room, or even getting out of his supposed catatonic state. Brady Hartsfield is contriving one last vengeful plan to get revenge against not only Hodges and Gibney, but the entire town.

The final chapter to Stephen King’s Mercedes Massacre series has been reviewed to be one of his most terrifying and unnerving novels yet. A diabolical plan by a psychopath which uses subliminal powers to take advantage of human frailty and vulnerability……. nobody does it better than Stephen King.

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Backroom Deals, Media-Created Scandals & Secret Cover-Ups…”Guilty Minds”, by Joseph Finder

Author, Joseph Finder, has accomplished many things, but being an American author of mystery thrillers seems to be his best niche in life. He has been a history teacher at Harvard, has been recruited by the CIA, and supposedly sang with Ella Fitzgerald, but most remarkably, is a New York Times bestselling author. His latest, Guilty Minds, is a theme that could be taken right out of current political playbooks, where a very powerful person can be brought down by professional character assassinators with carefully structured lies. It is a sad commentary to think that such people exist, but we know they do…….we have recently seen them in action.

Guilty Minds is the third in a series featuring super spy, Nick Heller, who has been called in to find the necessary evidence to defend a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court against the untrue accusations presented against him by a prostitute. Not only is this “escort” trying to defame him, but a sleezy website known for their lying gossip is supporting her with publicizing the lies. Nick is based in Boston, but is hired by many because he has a history of handling discreet and risky situations in his own way. He has just 48 hours to prove the allegation to be false, which seemed like an easy task to accomplish……..then, he found the prostitute murdered. The story – line then takes many twists and turns exposing political backroom “deals”, media – created scandals, and secret cover-ups!!! All proving that the secrets we keep and bury so deep, can never truly stay buried.

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Shaking Up the Establishment…”Great Again: How To Fix Our Crippled America”, By Donald J. Trump

If you have read a biography of author and businessman, Donald J. Trump, you already know that he is the definition of the American success story. He is constantly upgrading the standards of excellence, while at the same time, increasing his interests in real estate, sports, and entertainment. Mr. Trump has written more than fifteen books, with his first book, The Art of the Deal, being a classic and iconic book in the business field. Mr. Trump was himself, a graduate of the Wharton School of Finance.

Crippled America: How To Make America Great Again, is Mr. Trump’s latest book. He calls this book a blueprint of how to Make America Great Again. His idea is that the country just needs someone who can courageously say exactly what needs to be done, and it does not happen through career politicians.

To quote Mr. Trump: “I am shaking up the establishment on both sides of the political aisle”………. because he is a different kind of candidate who did not take money from special interest groups during the primary campaign. He spent his own funds to run his campaign until he received the Republican nomination. Through staying above the usual handouts for money, Mr. Trump has established his agenda for bringing America back to greatness and prosperity.
Excerpt……..”We need someone with a proven track record in business, who understands greatness, someone who can rally us to the standard of excellence we once epitomized and explain what needs to be done.”

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Demeanor Like a Ticking Time Bomb…”The Black Window”, by Daniel Silva

As with author Daniel Silva’s other seventeen spy novels, The Black Widow is another ingenious writing that is a very timely book of intrigue and extreme danger. The subject of ISIS is very compelling and one which many people want to learn more about.

The main character, Gabriel Allon, art restorer, spy, and assassin is again asked to find an Islamist extremist who has claimed responsibility for a huge bomb that was exploded in a part of Paris. He enlists the assistance of a beautiful doctor who will pose as an ISIS recruit. Her demeanor is to be that of a ticking time bomb……..a black widow.

The novel is a journey into a new world of darkness that promises to haunt those who read it. “The Black Widow reveals itself as Silva’s most timely and powerful novel yet.”

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She Could Be So Charming One Minute and Brutally Ruthless in the Next…”The Girls”, by Emma Cline

If the reader is looking for a light-hearted novel to read and relax, Emma Cline’s debut novel, The Girls, might not be a good one to choose. But for most readers it will be a very interesting comparison to the other novels that have been written about the subject. The Girls is a sort of explanation from the woman’s point of view as to why the women, or girls as they were very young, chose to have any part of Charles Manson and the cult they became, to go on a horrendous, murderous crime spree. Most previous works have focused on how Charles Manson got these seemingly ordinary girls to do the awful acts that they committed at his request. Cline delves into who they were before the murders and who some are as they are older.

As one character Evie, exemplifies, she was 14 when she came into contact with Russell’s cult. She is going through puberty, easily influenced by the other girls who seem to be so sure of themselves. She finds an immediate attraction to the group. Another, Suzanne, who is an extension of real-life Susan Atkins, is a different story. The character Suzanne is like Susan who was both troubled and attractive, so she used her ability to read people’s desires to her advantage. She could be so charming one minute and brutally ruthless in the next. She chose power and belonging over having any control over any part of her life, including her body. Cline chooses to show the many facets of Suzanne’s (Susan’s) personality, rather than just simply make her the “bad girl” as other works have done. Many agree that Cline’s portrayal of Susan through Suzanne is probably more like what the true person was.

The one thing the reader may notice is that Russell (Manson) is not charismatic or even interesting as a person on his own. He preyed on girls who had issues and flaws, who were wanting attention, or who needed to belong to something…..anything! Other sociopaths do not get the continuing notoriety of Charles Manson, and Emma Cline honed in on an explanation for that…….. the others did not have a group of seemingly “normal” young women following them around doing their bidding. It seems there is very little left to say about Manson, but still plenty of information to be told about The Girls.

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