Tag: TheLastPilgrim

Books That Changed Me: 2024 Fall Edition! @Sandra_Cox @RobertaEaton17 @YvetteMCalleiro #writingcommunity #mustreadbook #whattoread

Happy belated Fall! (—or Spring!)

It’s back my favorite time of year! The leaves are changing into yellows and reds while the nights are getting cooler. Summer is still trying to hang on but Fall is pushing its way in. I’ve been baking pumpkin and banana bread and thinking about an apple cobbler. My Halloween decorations are up and I’m ready for this season’s walk in the woods.

Another fun autumn thing to do is read a good book. You’ve seen these books reviewed on my blog, but they deserve another look. I’ve included their blurb and link. Happy fall reading.

The Last Pilgrim 

BLURB
This book captures and celebrates the grit and struggle of the Pilgrim women who stepped off the Mayflower in the winter of 1620 to an unknown world – one filled with hardship, danger and death. The Plymouth Colony would not have survived without them.
Mary Allerton Cushman was the last surviving passenger of the Mayflower, dying at age 88 in 1699.
Mary’s life is set against the real background of that time. The Last Pilgrim begins from her father’s point of view – she was, after all, only four when she descended into the cramped and dank living space below deck on the Mayflower – but gradually assumes Mary’s voice, as the colony achieves a foothold in the New England’s rocky soil.
What was a woman’s life like in the Plymouth Colony? The Last Pilgrim will tell you.

Mateo’s Woman 

BLURB
Delilah is dead.
With her demise, everyone should be safe, but something insidious is happening to Mateo’s town and to the woman he loves. People are dying and Blair is changing, taking on mannerisms that are clearly not her own. Becoming a danger to herself and others. He has no idea what is happening to the town’s people but he has an inkling of what is happening to Blair and what he’s thinking just isn’t possible. But whether it’s possible or not, he has to pry Blair from the evil that’s sunk its fangs into her. Now it’s a race against time to save the woman he loves and get to the bottom of who is killing Grizzly’s citizenry. And if that’s not enough of a challenge for the shapeshifting sheriff, his future mother-in-law has come for a visit.
BLURB
A collection of short paranormal and dark stories.
Includes the award-winning short story, The Bite.A group of boys participate in a reality television challenge; to the death.What does it mean to be a Canary Girl? One young woman is about to find out.Where is the bride? A beautiful young woman goes missing during a game of hide and seek on her wedding day.Some stories will make you cry, some will make you gasp, and some will leave you believing in vigilante justice. All will end with a grave.

And a powerful short story:
BLURB
JT pulled the short end of the stick when he was given his life’s journey. With a convicted felon as a dad and a drunk as a mom, there weren’t many positive influences in his life. When his mom’s boyfriend began sharing his marijuana with JT, his father fought for custody and won.
Life on his dad’s farm was simpler. JT started turning his life around until one tragic event sent him spiraling again. All choices have consequences. For JT, those choices left him staring down the barrel of a gun. Could JT rise above his circumstances, or would karma have its way with him?
Embrace your inner fall child, read a good book! D. L. Finn

July Book Reviews! @teagangeneviene #writingcommunity #mustread #readersoftwitter #bookreviews #readersoffacebook

Here are the books I read in June that were four stars and higher. Click on the book titles for an Amazon link.

The Rabbit Hole: A Short Story

By Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

“The Rabbit Hole” is a fresh adaptation of “Alice in Wonderland.” Liddie is in a strange place but finds guidance through her friends, Catty, and Loco Hatley. A special tea helps her clear her head as they go out into this reality. I was a big fan of not only Liddie but Catty and Loco too. Although a fast read, it doesn’t feel incomplete. It’s a fantastic take on a classic with a modern twist. I can easily recommend this well-written story!

Lunar Gazing Haiku

By Dawn Pisturino

“Lunar Gazing Haiku” is a collection of 62 haiku poems that cover subjects including season, moon gazing, supernatural, and emotions. While I enjoyed all the poems, there are a couple that stood out to me, such as: “Passion burns, hurts, scars/The tender flesh of my heart/Feeling life again.”—Passion, “leaves rustle in the trees/withered gold-brown-red treasures/blowing far away.”—Leaves, “Words sprinkle across/The paper like fairy dust/Shining with magic.”—Words, and “Monsters lurk in dark/Corners where nightmares come true/Frightened children scream.”—Monsters. This chapbook is meant for endless reading. If you’re a fan of poetry, I can easily recommend this to you.

The Last Pilgrim

By Noelle A. Granger

“The Last Pilgrim” is an amazingly detailed and well-written story focused on Mary Allerton Cushman’s life. Four-year-old Mary and her family were on the Mayflower, wanting to start a new life with the freedom to practice their religion. They squeezed together below deck with many other families, enduring limited food, water, and no hygiene. The boat faced various obstacles, such as sickness and scurvy, but upon reaching land and finding a suitable place, the survivors had to hastily construct a shelter for the cold winter. They were a hardy group who not only pulled together to accomplish their survival, but I found it captivating how they pieced together a group of people with a dream of a better life into a functioning society. What caught my attention was the strong women with limited voice or rights. They were equal in the colony’s success as the men and, at times, surpassed them. Some medical treatments and punishments given to lawbreakers made me cringe. Mary’s daily life and the surrounding people were as fascinating as the politics and religion. Although a long read, I didn’t even notice because I was so drawn in. I can highly recommend this historical fiction!

“Telling Sonny” is a heartfelt story set in the 1920s. Faby is a bored small-town girl who catches the eye of a vaudeville performer, Slim White. They enjoy each other’s company for the week the show performs there. Despite things going too far on the last night, Faby moves on as he promises to stay in touch. He doesn’t, and she finds herself in trouble. Although Faby finds him, and he does the right thing. Now, Faby is married to a stranger and they are currently traveling together. The attention to detail pulled me deep into this drama. Faby is relatable, and I was rooting for her. Even though the book starts with an older Faby having to relay unwelcome news, the story goes back and relives her life up to that point. I couldn’t stop hoping she would find happiness on her journey, but it quickly became clear that Faby was just along for the ride as she explored new places. An exceptionally written coming-of-age, historical fiction, that I wholeheartedly recommend.
Congrats to my Blog Tour Winners: $10 Amazon Gift Card goes to Jan on day 3 (John W Howell’s Fiction Favorites) and $5 Amazon Gift Card goes to Debra on day 4 (Jacqui Murray’s Word Dreams)!
Thank you to all who stopped by and offered your support on the tour 🙂
Read a good book and embrace your inner child, D. L. Finn