Reviewing: Things We Didn't Say by Amy Lynn Green

...from the publisher....

 

Headstrong Johanna Berglund, a linguistics student at the University of Minnesota, has very definite plans for her future . . . plans that do not include returning to her hometown and the secrets and heartaches she left behind there. But the US Army wants her to work as a translator at a nearby camp for German POWs.

Johanna arrives to find the once-sleepy town exploding with hostility. Most patriotic citizens want nothing to do with German soldiers laboring in their fields, and they're not afraid to criticize those who work at the camp as well. When Johanna describes the trouble to her friend Peter Ito, a language instructor at a school for military intelligence officers, he encourages her to give the town that rejected her a second chance.

As Johanna interacts with the men of the camp and censors their letters home, she begins to see the prisoners in a more sympathetic light. But advocating for better treatment makes her enemies in the community, especially when charismatic German spokesman Stefan Werner begins to show interest in Johanna and her work. The longer Johanna wages her home-front battle, the more the lines between compassion and treason become blurred--and it's no longer clear whom she can trust.

...my thoughts...

Things We Didn't Say is Amy Lynn Green's debut novel and I expect it to be the first of many.  I was intrigued by this story line because it seemed to be a well kept secret that there were as many German P.O.W. camps in our country during World War II.  At least, it was certainly never mentioned in any history books I had, and that was one subject I didn't slack off on my homework.  The first time I heard of these camps, I was an adult and heard someone tell of a relative whose father had spent time in a camp within my own state.  So, years later, I found myself intrigued by Amy's book I found myself not only enjoying the story but doing a little research, only to find there were many camps within our country.

Amy did a wonderful job on her research and her characters are well developed.  Johanna, and Peter's correspondence make up a lot of the story and it was intriguing to see the story from each viewpoint.  Johanna, a linguist specialist, strives to do the best she can at a job she clearly didn't want in the beginning of the book.  As time goes, she gets more and more involved in the lives of the prisoners as she translates their own correspondence from their families and does her best to improve their lot within the confines of the camp.  Stefan Werner, who seems to represent his fellow prisoners, seems to have a pulse on everything that goes on inside.  Johanna, for her part, seems to become more distant to her community, the more involved she becomes in her work.

Peter, Johanna's close friend, is my favorite character. He is a young, Japanese American, whose family was cruelly placed in an internment camp at the start of the war.  His desire to fight for his country is hampered by his being recruited to a Japanese language school.  His letters have a calming effect on Johanna and the true meaning of his friendship is mired in her desires to go study in Oxford, long her goal but now sidelined by this war and her job.  She is brilliant, but, as with many who are brilliant, there are some things she just didn't see.  This book is compelling, and gives you a ringside seat into a very real piece of our country's history. 

Amish Friends From Scratch Cookbook: Timely New Cookbook by Wanda E Brunstetter

 

...from the publisher...

Why does nothing compare to the memories of Great-Grandma’s food? Could it be because she made everything from scratch? Amish and Mennonite cooks contribute recipes that celebrate the value of skipping the factory-made shortcuts and cooking from scratch. Over 270 recipes are organized into traditional categories from main dishes and sides to desserts and snacks. Also included are kitchen tips and stories about growing up around an Amish kitchen. Encased in a lay-flat binding and presented in full color, home cooks of all ages will be delighted to add this cookbook to their collections.

...my thoughts...

Some of my earliest memories are being in the kitchen with my family.  Everyone had a job to do no matter how small we were.  Nothing compares to enjoying a good home cooked meal from scratch, eaten around a large table. Amish  Friends From Scratch Cookbook is reminiscent of copying those favorite recipes by hand on a three by five inch card to share.  My box is overflowing still with treasures from my family and friends.  This new collection of recipes gathered by Wanda Brunstetter is full of recipes that have been tried and tested.  

One recipe to note especially, is Coffee Shop Brownies....from one chocolate lover to another, they are quite good!  The Buttermilk pancake recipe conjures up memories of my dad on a Saturday morning making his special pancakes. Other recipes that are noteworthy are Delicious  Cream Cheese and Marshmallow Creme Fluff.  Those are two things I thought were found only in the grocery store!  If you are looking for tried and true recipes for your family, I recommend this cookbook. Consider adding this to your gift list for budding cooks in the family. You may benefit by an invitation to enjoy one of these good recipes around the table.

The Blended Quilt...Heartwarming New Book by Wanda Brunstetter

 

...from the publisher...

 Sadie Kuhns has a lot happening in her life. She is creating a unique quilt by blending a traditional Amish pattern with a Hawaiian pattern as a tribute to her time spent in the islands, and she is working on a self-published book. But her relationship with Wyman Kauffman has stagnated after six months of courtship. He can’t seem to commit to a profession that would secure a future, and he is jealous of the time Sadie gives to her own pursuits. Is there really any reason to drag this courtship out? Only time will tell in this new novel from New York Times bestselling author Wanda E. Brunstetter, writing with her daughter-in-law Jean Brunstetter.

...my thoughts...

I enjoyed reading the Blended Quilt by Wanda and Jean Brunstetter. The Amish people are set apart from the world we live in with their plain lifestyle.  However set apart their world is from us, human nature prevails.  Behind those prayer caps and black suspenders are people who live and love just as we do.

Sadie wants to marry Wyman and although he loves her, his inability to settle into one job is cause for concern.  I  thought he was a selfish young man who seemed to have everything handed to him by his parents, including a good job that he felt was beneath him.  Sadie, for her part, decides to move on and busies herself with her quilting.  A talented quilter, she is encouraged to write her book on quilting.  What starts out as a project to share her love of the art of quilting with others turns into a living room filled with boxes of books it is up to her to sell.  Sell she does on a whirlwind book tour that opens both Sadie and Wyman's eyes to what is really important.

If you like books that are encouraging and uplifting, I recommend The Blended Quilt.  It represents much more than a quilt patterned after both plain and Englisch styles.  It represents finding that what we really want may be closer than we realize.

 

Sarah Huckabee Sanders Speaking for Myself is Positive and Inspiring!

 ...my thoughts...

I just finished listening to Sarah Huckabee Sanders Speaking for Myself! I knew she had one of the most challenging jobs as White House Press Secretary to President Trump.  This book not only confirms it but also confirms that it takes a special person for this role.  Sarah is just such a person.

Raised by amazing Christian parents former Arkansas Governor Mike and his wife Janet Huckabee, she grew up in the spotlight.  She modeled her parents leadership and gave 110% to our country and to our president. Juggling her children, marriage and career was possible by her strong commitment and faith.  I enjoyed listening to this book so that I could hear her story in her voice.  Her love for her husband and children are the main priority in her life.  Leaving a powerful career may have been hard but there is a lot to be said about knowing how quickly your children grow up and leave is something I admire.

...from the publisher...

Sarah Huckabee Sanders served as White House Press Secretary for President Donald J. Trump from 2017 to 2019. A trusted confidante of the President, Sanders advised him on everything from press and communications strategy to personnel and policy. She was at the President’s side for two and a half years, battling with the media, working with lawmakers and CEOs, and accompanying the President on every international trip, including dozens of meetings with foreign leaders―all while unfailingly exhibiting grace under pressure. Upon her departure from the administration, President Trump described Sarah as “irreplaceable,” a “warrior” and “very special person with extraordinary talents, who has done an incredible job.”

Now, in Speaking for Myself, Sarah Huckabee Sanders describes what it was like on the front lines and inside the White House, discussing her faith, the challenges of being a working mother at the highest level of American politics, her relationship with the press, and her unique role in the historic fight raging between the Trump administration and its critics for the future of our country.

This frank, revealing, and engaging memoir will offer a truly unique perspective on the most important issues and events of the era, and unprecedented access to both public and behind-the-scenes conversations within the Trump White House.