Included on this page are books in a variety of genres that I have enjoyed or others have told me about and I have not gotten to read them yet. I hope you find a book you will enjoy.

The Keeper of Dawn by J. B. Hickman.
Groomed for greatness, 15-year-old Jacob Hawthorne is sent to boarding school against his will. With a self-absorbed mother, an estranged father, and an older brother on the other side of the world, only the unlikely friendship with his grandfather can lure Jacob back home. But home feels like a distant memory from the shore of Raker Island, the isolated campus of one of the Northeast’s elite boarding schools. As the surrogate bonds of a cloistered all-boys school fall into place, Jacob finds himself among other sons of privilege who suffer the same affliction-growing up in their fathers’ shadow. But when tragedy strikes, Jacob is forced to journey into the past to reclaim a well-guarded family secret.

This is Hickman’s first novel. It is a well-written and fascinating story depicting the coming-of-age of a group of privileged boys in an all boys school. I read this as a favor to the author and thoroughly enjoyed it. The ups and downs of the story carried me along to the very end. Hickman has definitely launched his career as an interesting author. Available on Amazon.com or www.thekeeperofdawn.com.

Widow Woman by Julia Tagliere
It is 1962, the starting pistol for a decade of tremendous change. President Kennedy bans all trade with Cuba. Jackie Robinson becomes the first African American elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. The Beatles record their first song together, and Illinois becomes the first U.S. state to decriminalize homosexual acts between consenting adults. For Audrey Randolph, a young Midwestern wife, 1962 also brings a personal tragedy: her mother dies suddenly, leaving behind a lifetime of letters, photos and unimaginable secrets. Audrey, stunned by her mother’s death and the subsequent revelations of past loves and lovers, can no longer trust the reality she has always known. She must come to terms with dual losses, both her mother’s death, as well as the unanswered, nagging question: Was anything she knew real? Audrey turns to her estranged father, her family’s pastor, even her mother’s best friend, to uncover the truth. Through her desperate search to learn which lies, and which people, are forgivable, Audrey will discover a greater truth: that sometimes, forgiving yourself is the first step to letting go. Available on Kindle at Amazon.com. For more information contact Tagliere at jtagliere@hotmail.com.

Reinventing New Chapters in Your Life at Any Age by Nadia Giordana
Lifestyle Strategist, Nadia Giordana developed a customizable Lifestyle GPS system™ her readers can use to design roadmaps to affect their personal transformations or create new chapters in their lives. This book takes the reader step-by-step through the author’s seven steps to reinventing new chapters in your life: 1) You will learn to reshape a healthier body and attitude, 2) realign relationships that are out of sync, 3) redirect your thought patterns towards the possibilities, 4) rediscover the magic in your life, and 5) remove lingering regrets. 6) Then you’ll learn to rewrite an exciting new chapter in your life and 7) enjoy the excitement that comes with revealing and living it. The author not only transformed her personal appearance when she lost 80+ pounds at the age of 60, she went on to conquer a paralyzing fear of public speaking. She now inspires and motivates other women living their second act to reawaken sidelined dreams. Available at Amazon.com. For more information go to www.embodyyourvision.com.

Life of Gratitude – 21 Days to Overcoming Self-Pity and Negativity by Shelley Hitz
During a season of transition in her life, Hitz found herself overwhelmed with negative emotions like self-pity and a complaining spirit. It was as if a dark cloud had descended over her. She prayed and asked God for wisdom on how to overcome these negative emotions. As she did, she sensed Him leading her to do a 21 day gratitude challenge. In her book, Hitz shares what she learned including 21 Days of Gratitude Challenge, 21 Prayers of Gratitude, and 21 Stories of Gratitude. Available on Amazon.com or www.bodyandsoulpublishing.com.

If We Forget by The Gathering
This book is dedicated to all persons with memory loss and all those who care for them. The Gathering is a program serving people with early- to mid-stage memory loss and giving respite to caregivers who desire a break. Under the leadership of Lyngblomsten in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the program is offered in collaborative partnerships with churches in the Twin Cities metro area. We learn a great deal from those with early memory loss, including what they are hoping for in programming to work their brains and keep them as healthy as possible for as long as possible. This book compiles the voices of The Gathering at Oak Knoll Lutheran Church (Minnetonka, MN), sharing what they want others to know about people with memory loss. Available on Amazon.com or by sending $13.00 ($10.00 plus shipping and handling) to Oak Knoll Lutheran Church, 600 Hopkins Crossroads, Minnetonka, MN 55305. Be sure to include your address and telephone number.

The Spirit of the Snowpeople by Diane Keyes
This children’s book is the story of a small village of north woods folks who brighten the long gloomy days of winter for their children by building amazingly detailed and lifelike snow sculptures. Soon visitors come to see the snowpeople and find themselves touched by the villagers’ gentle goodwill and simple hospitality. But when warm spring winds melt the snowpeople the villagers teach their new friends must learn how to keep the spirit of the snowpeople alive in their hearts all year. For more information go to www.spiritofthesnowpeople.com .

This SOLD House by Diane Keyes
This SOLd House is an award-winning, easy-to-follow home staging guide designed to enhance equity and help home owners and Realtors alike prepare their properties to sell quickly and for the highest possible price in today’s challenging market. Filled with hundreds of quick, easy, low and no-cost ideas, this book gives sellers all the information they need to create the most marketable homes with the least amount of money, time and effort and get the best price for their home. Best of all—absolutely NO decorating savvy is required! For more information go to www.thissoldhouse.biz.

Musing and Munching by Gloria VanDemmeltraadt
Musing and Munching is a memoir as well as a cookbook. It is both a story of survival and perseverance, and a unique collection of memories and menus. The author has written stories of her tumultuous life as they involve food, and has included detailed recipes for foods from around the world. As the stories unfold, readers will laugh and cry, and mouths will water.
The book is available through VanDemmeltraadt’s website, www.gloriavandemmeltraadt.com, or Amazon.com.