Mary E. Trimble

Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah is a spell-binding contemporary novel about love and trust.

Joanna Teale is a survivor. She’s battled breast cancer, leaving her disfigured and unable to have children, and is still grieving the death of her mother. She turns her energy and dedication to her graduate research on nesting birds in rural Illinois, renting a cabin for the summer that’s close to her work.

While conducting research—monitoring nests, finding new nests, and downloading data from nest cameras—a little girl appears from the forest. The girl, about eight years old, is dirty, barefoot and covered in bruises. She calls herself Ursa and claims to have come from the stars to witness five miracles. She’s a bright girl, full of facts about the stars and constellations. Joanna is worried about the little girl, and about how concerned her parents must be. But Ursa is adamant: she doesn’t have parents. Joanna calls the sheriff, but just as he arrives, Ursa runs away and cannot be found. After the sheriff leaves, the little girl returns. Worried and frustrated by the situation, Joanna simply cannot turn the child away.

Gabriel Nash lives on a farm next to the property where Joanna is staying. She enlists his help in trying to locate the girl’s parents. The three develop a strong bond, but both Gabe and Joanna realize they’re setting themselves up for trouble with the law for harboring a runaway child without again reporting to the authorities. Gabe has a big heart, but also harbors his own heartache.

Where the Forest Meets the Stars is a lovely story, full of compassion and hope. With a background working as an endangered bird specialist in Illinois, the author speaks with authority about bird habitant. She vividly describes forest scenes and their inhabitants. On the other hand, she shows knowledge about the child welfare protective system and the ramifications of harboring a child illegally. Finally, the author clearly demonstrates a gifted child’s reactions to trauma, and the ability to capture the heart of someone with compassion and the willingness to help.

Book Review: Morning in This Broken World

Posted on September 11, 2023 by Mary

Morning in This Broken World, a novel by Katrina Kittle, is an amazing story of a newly widowed woman and a family desperate for a home.

Vivian Laurent grieves the death of her husband. She’s left their house vacant so that she could be with him at an assisted-living facility. But now he’s gone and she is alone.

Suddenly, the world changes with the invasion of Covid. The facility is going into lockdown. Going into quarantine, being stuck in the apartment without her husband is something Vivian can not bear.

In the meantime, Luna, a compassionate nursing assistant at the same facility, has a big problem. She and her two children are threatened with an eviction notice. Her estranged husband’s support check bounced and they are already behind in their rent. Luna has been especially kind to Vivian’s husband and Vivian and Luna’s daughter have become friends when the girl occasionally visited the facility. The eleven-year old daughter, Wren, is wheel-chair bound with cerebral palsy. Her sullen and defiant older brother, Cooper, has pretty much given up on the whole world.

Suddenly, it all comes together. Vivian leaves the facility and, together with Luna and her children, go to Vivian’s home. The housemates weather the pandemic together, but certainly not trouble-free.

How this newly-formed “family” manage is a testimony of strength born of necessity. Everyone must contribute to the well-being of all, pooling talents, accepting the bad with the good, and overcoming old prejudices.

Morning in this Broken World is a lovely novel, full of heart. I especially appreciated the natural, expressive dialog. I gained new insights into human behavior as this newly-formed family found their way. I loved Vivian’s feisty attitude and big heart. I witnessed Wren and Cooper grow in their new environment, finding the freedom and space to develop. And I watched as their mother, Luna, could finally find her own strengths without the worry of providing the basics for her family. This is a book teens and adults will enjoy and appreciate.

Book Review: I Am a Bocha Posh

Posted on September 4, 2023 by Mary

I Am a Bocha Posh: My Life as a Woman Living as a Man in Afghanistan by Ukmina Manoori, and translated by Peter E. Chianchiano is a stunning memoir about a woman who dared to live a life contrary to her country’s custom.

In Afghanistan, when a son isn’t born into the family, there is a widespread practice of girls dressing as boys, a tradition that saves them the disgrace of not having a male heir. By dressing as a boy, the practice, called Bocha Posh, offers families the freedom to allow the child to shop, work, escort sisters and mother to the market, even go to school. But when the child reaches adolescence, she must revert to being a girl, dress in a burqa, marry, give birth, be subject to her husband, giving up her personal freedom.

When Ukmina approached puberty and it was time to revert to being a girl, she refused. She loved the freedom of playing ball, of going where she wanted to go, wearing jeans and tee-shirts. Her father pressured her to conform to the custom of again becoming a woman. Even the village holy man, the Mullah, said she was sinning to not conform. By this time the family had two sons, but Ukmina was adamant. She would not play the role of a woman and continued to keep her menswear.

When Ukmina was eighteen years old, Russians invaded Afghanistan. Ukmina’s prayer to Allah was “Give me the power of men and the kindness of a woman.” She made herself useful by recovering bodies. When the Russians finally withdrew, the country was in shambles, the bombed out villages nearly unlivable. But then the Taliban took control. Ukmina’s situation was again threatened with the Talibans’ strict attitude about women’s role.

Ukmina was accepted by her countrymen and became known as Ukmina the Warrior. She was elected as a council member of her province. Her life has been an inspiration and even recognized in the United States when she received the Most Courageous Woman of the Year award.

I Am a Bocha Posh is an inspirational eye-opener. It’s hard to fathom the bravery and determination of this woman. I’ve barely covered her life with this review. I encourage women and girls to read this courageous memoir.

Book Review: A Walk in the Dark

Posted on August 28, 2023 by Mary

A Walk in the Dark, a novel by C. L. Craig is an inspiring, suspenseful story of fulfilling dreams and dealing with past mistakes. This book is the second of the “Mending Warriors” series.

Tracy Barnhart’s dream is to start a veterinary clinic. She’s purchased a 27-acre farm near Cody, Wyoming, sight unseen, but when she arrives she realizes the pictures showing the place were taken years ago. The dilapidated house will require serious work. The barn, which she planned to use as her clinic, is piled with junk from floor to ceiling.

Ryan McCauley lives nearby on a working cattle ranch dedicated to helping struggling veterans move forward with their lives. Ryan’s specialty is training search and rescue dogs. He’s haunted by the dog, Herc, he had to leave in Afghanistan. Herc wasn’t a trained military service dog, but a stray who latched on to Ryan’s unit, often warning them of impending danger.

An age-old mystery surrounds Tracy’s property, a mystery that is rekindled with its new owner. When near-disasters begin to occur, Tracy and Ryan face the threats together, incidences that are at times overwhelming. Will these challenges chase Tracy off, or will the newly formed bond between Ryan and Tracy endure to solve the mysteries and forge a life together?

A Walk in the Dark is a fast-paced mystery, a real page-turner. The author paints vivid pictures of the farm in the shadow of Wyoming’s Grand Tetons. She gives her characters depth as they deal with past mistakes and hope for brighter futures. The story is both suspenseful and heartwarming, resulting in a good, wholesome read.

Book Review: This Tender Land

Posted on August 21, 2023 by Mary

This Tender Land: A Novel by William Kent Krueger is an unforgettable story of four orphans and their loyalty to one another. The story begins on the banks of Minnesota’s Gilead River, 1932.

Odie O’Banion, 12, and his brother Albert, 16, have been confined to the Lincoln Indian Training School ever since they were orphaned. Although not Indian, at their time of placement there was no other option for them. The school was a cruel place that seemed to thrive on the motto, “Kill the Indian, save the man.” Their best friend was Mose, a Sioux mute boy, who conversed by sign language.

Odie was always in trouble, was constantly being punished. He couldn’t, wouldn’t, tolerate the cruel treatment given by the head master and mistress and their evil assistant. Finally, the three boys could take no more and escaped, together with a broken-hearted little girl named Emmy. They stole away in a canoe, heading for the Mississippi River and bound for Odie and Albert’s aunt in St. Louis, Missouri.

While on the run, the children encounter other lost souls suffering from hard times of the Great Depression, but they also benefit from the kindness of a faith healer troupe.

This Tender Land is a captivating story, full of heart. The reader sees the world through the eyes of these children, feels their struggle to belong, and recognizes the importance of family, whether through birth or choice.

Book Review: Tastefully Texas

Posted on August 7, 2023 by Mary

Tastefully Texas: A Contemporary Western Romance, the first in the “True Hearts of Texas” series by K.S. Jones is a fun read with a culinary twist. The story takes place in modern day Texas.

Mia Ellis is summoned back to her hometown of Legacy, Texas. Her mother was injured in an automobile accident and after her discharge from the hospital will need home care. It couldn’t have come at a worse time. Mia was scheduled to participate in a New York culinary apprenticeship program. When she left the small town of Legacy to attend culinary arts school in Houston, she left for good. Her heart was broken over the break-up with her high school sweetheart. All her close friends had left town. Nothing would entice her to return except this emergency with her mother. Hopefully, the date for her apprenticeship program can be rescheduled.

Jace Farr is heir to the Farr Reaches Ranch, a large cow-calf operation. But it’s tough going. Ranching isn’t what it used to be. He was only nineteen when his father died, and since then he’d made some wrong decisions. Not only that, he’d never gotten over his total blunder with Mia, his girl friend. They were meant for each other—anyone could see that—but he’d blown their chances.

When Mia arrives in Legacy she feels totally out of place. She settles her mother back at home, but soon realizes she needs to earn money to help pay the bills. It’s only temporary. Her New York position is on hold and as soon as her mother can take care of herself, Mia will resume her culinary dream. But in the meantime, the only job she can find is as a dishwasher in an out-of-the way bar and grill. When the owner realizes she can cook, her world changes.

In their small community, it was inevitable that she’d run into Jace. They find their flames suddenly reignited. But Jace is consumed with his struggling ranch, and Mia is just putting in time until her mother is back on her feet before she follows her dream in New York. They live in separate worlds now. Or do they?

I enjoyed Tastefully Texas. It’s a fast-paced story with a message. I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of the vast Texas hill country. The author does a good job of showing the various personalities of family and friends. The story held my interest through to the last page.

Book Review: Facing the Mountain

Posted on July 31, 2023 by Mary

Facing the Mountain: An Inspiring Story of Japanese American Patriots in World War II by Daniel James Brown is an enthralling in-depth chronicle of war-time America and the valor of Japanese Americans in battlefields across Europe.

Facing the Mountain tells the story of Japanese Americans, both first-generation and their children, and the important part they played in World War II. The story follows four young Japanese men and their parents before, during, and after the war years.

Since Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Japanese Americans in Hawaii and the American mainland had been persecuted: Buddhist temples ordered closed, Japanese-language school and community Japanese newspapers shut down, bank accounts frozen, fishermen banned from fishing, children barred from parks, turned away at theaters, shops refused service, long-time employees fired, business licenses rescinded.

Almost all Issei—first-generation Japanese men—were forced from their homes, taken without charges, with no spare clothes, without explanations of where they were going. Offspring of Issei, called Nisei, were shunned. Nearly three-fourths of the Hawaii Territorial Guard were Japanese and they were immediately dismissed because of their race. The boys were stunned, heart-broken that they were not trusted, not seen as American.

Japanese Americans in Hawaii and mainland America were rounded up with little notice, given orders to take only what they could carry, and were placed in internment camps. More than 100,000 people lived behind barbed wire in America in crowded, noisy, unsanitary conditions. Many of the camps had scant bathroom facilities–in some cases only a bucket for a toilet. Yet the detainees made do and constantly strove to make improvements.

In December, 1941, America entered World War II in Europe against Germany’s aggression toward Italy and France. Men were being drafted into the Army by the thousands. The army called for fifteen hundred Nisei volunteers from Hawaii. Nearly ten thousand turned out. The young men who served in the U.S. Army’s 442nd Regimental Combat Team were later recognized for their valor in battle. Composed of soldiers of Japanese ancestry, the 442nd became one of the most decorated military units in U.S. history.

I lived and worked in Hawaii from 1955 to 1957. Honolulu Savings & Loan employed about 25 people comprised of six Haoles (white people) one Chinese and the rest Japanese. On Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, December 7, 1955, I dreaded going to work, thinking it was going to be a day filled with tension, maybe even bitterness. But I found the Japanese I worked with to be very forth-coming with their stories, told without bitterness or rancor. Some talked about their fathers being torn away from their families; some of the men had served in the military. One of the men served as interpreter on a U.S. Navy ship, the only Japanese aboard. I asked what that was like. “Very lonely, no one trusted me.” But he said it with a smile and with no judgement toward me. It was a day I’ll never forget.

As I read Facing the Mountain, I was again impressed with Japanese American involvement in World War II, their bravery and dedication to America’s commitment to freedom. It is a well-documented book, told with openness and honesty. I highly recommend it.

Book Review: The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

Posted on July 24, 2023 by Mary

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, a novel by Kim Michele Richardson is an unforgettable story of poverty and bravery in the face of extreme prejudice. The story takes place in Appalachian Kentucky, Depression-era 1936.

Cussy Mary Carter, 19 is blue skinned. Blue skinned people were known for having a genetic trait that led to the blood disorder methemoglobinemia, causing the skin to appear blue. In those days, particularly in the hills of Kentucky, people with this affliction were considered “colored” and suffered the same stigma given to Blacks.

Cussy’s widowed father, a coal miner in ill health, wants to see that his daughter is married so that she will be taken care of, but Cussy resists a chance for “respectability” and instead joins the historical Pack Horse Library Project and becomes a librarian. Her duties as “Book Woman” don’t involve actually working in a library building, but rather riding her mule up treacherous mountains to deliver books and other reading materials to the poor hill communities. The books consist of big city library cast-offs plus home-made scrapbooks that contain recipes and other items of interest. Cussy takes her job seriously and tries to tailor reading material to individual needs of people on her route.

Many people are distrustful of Cussy’s blue skin. Although dedicated to her job, she sometimes faces actual danger among those she serves, but Cussy persists, firmly believing in the power of words. Not all on her route are approving of the Book Woman’s work. Some say, “A sneaky time thief is in them books. There’s more important ways to spend a fellar’s time.”

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is based on the true Pack Horse Librarian Project that existed 1935 to 1943. Book Women were paid $28 a month and had to furnish their own mounts. More than 1,000 women served in Kentucky. Author Kim Michele Richardson’s fictional account of this project is dedicated to those who served with “hope and heartbreak, raw courage and strength,” and to the historical blue-skinned people of Kentucky.

Book Review: Someone Else’s Secret

Posted on July 17, 2023 by Mary

Someone Else’s Secret: A Novel by Julia Spiro, kept my rapt attention from beginning to end. The story takes place on Martha’s Vineyard and Boston, Massachusetts over a ten-year period, beginning 2009.

Lindsey Davis has just graduated from college with an art degree that she hopes will eventually lead her to a position as an art curator. She accepts a summer job as nanny with a wealthy influential family who may help her land a position in Boston’s exclusive art world. Lindsey, twenty-two, is an attractive young woman, but is self-conscious about her large breasts which brings her unwanted attention from men, and resentment from women. She comes from a working-class family and feels out-of-place with the wealth she sees on Martha’s Vineyard. A college classmate who also summers on the island befriends her and invites her to a beach party which helps Lindsey meet young people her age.

Georgina (Georgie) is almost fifteen, is self-conscious about her body, feels overweight, unpopular, and resents having a nanny live with them, although Lindsey is really there for Georgie’s younger brother, Berty, five. Georgie is eager to be grown up, to have independence and yearns for her first love.

Over the summer, Lindsey and Georgie become close. They spend time together at the beach-front Country Club while Berty plays with friends. Georgie feels she can talk to Lindsey about things she can’t with her mother.

Toward the end of summer, Lindsey’s job situation at a Boston art gallery looks promising. Georgie is infatuated with an older boy, a man really, who pays special attention to her.

Then, one night by the lighthouse, a shocking act occurs that ensnares Lindsey and Georgie in a terrible secret. Their friendship is shattered. They each go their own way, Lindsey to an art gallery position, and Georgie to attend high school in Boston.

Ten years go by before they see each other again and dare to discuss the incident that tore them apart. Each has suffered the consequences of that terrible event. Once they confront it together, what they must do becomes clear.

Someone Else’s Secret is a timely novel that explores the traumatic events women and girls often face. The author does a good job describing the various reactions of both the young woman and the teen, and the strength of female friendship. I highly recommend this work of contemporary fiction to women and girls who are striving to know themselves and to understand the world in which they live.

Book Review: The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

Posted on July 10, 2023 by Mary

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, a novel by David Wroblewski, kept me spellbound. The story takes place in rural Wisconsin in the 1970s.

Edgar Sawtelle was born mute, but hearing. The family developed a sign language, not American Sign Language, but with his mother and father they could communicate. A bright boy, he attended school, and helped the family with their business of selective breeding and training dogs. Edgar is the third generation to work with these magnificent animals. The dogs are never identified by breed, but known as Sawtelle dogs that, even in the 1970s, sell for $1,500 each. The dogs are extraordinary companions, intuitive, and meticulously trained.

One of the Sawtelle dogs that the family kept, Almondine, becomes Edgar’s loving companion and understands Edgar’s moods and ambitions. She guards and protects her boy and in return receives his love and loyalty.

A tragedy occurs when Edgar is 14 and he feels he must leave all that he loves. With three yearling dogs, but not Almondine, he flees into the Wisconsin wilderness. He soon learns he was prepared with neither food nor equipment for himself or the dogs. Surviving on his own, the going is rough but he perseveres until at last he finds a temporary home. But he soon realizes that he must return home to learn the truth behind what happened.

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle is a huge volume—the paperback version is 608 pages. The author goes into minute detail about Edgar’s wilderness survival, how he persists in the face of hunger, hoards of mosquitoes, deer flies, and the responsibility of keeping the dogs safe. The landscapes of home and wilderness come to life under Wroblewski’s pen, as do human emotions and canine cunning. This is a magnificent book, one that will linger with me for some time.