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Showing posts from March, 2026

The Moonshine Women by Michelle Collins Anderson

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  The Moonshine Women brings a fascinating story of three sisters from the Ozark Mountains and the regions’ rich folk tradition of moonshine whiskey. Rebecca, the oldest sister, loves the farm life, surrounded by animals and nature. Elsie, the middle sister, craves beauty and a family atmosphere far from rural hardship. Shine, the youngest, is full of verve and the most inclined to carry on their father’s legacy. The story begins in 1929 Missouri, with seventeen-year-old Shine introducing the moonshine tradition. Even before the Prohibition, their father made his own moonshine, as many respected farmers did. None of them would waste money on store-bought alcohol. The formulas for moonshine were handed down from generation to generation like cake recipes. When crops became nearly worthless and couldn’t feed the family, they turned them into something that could. And with human nature, what was forbidden quickly became lucrative - especially when Grandma Lidy Strong added her own sec...

Daughter of Egypt by Marie Benedict

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  This novel brings to light two extraordinary women: Evelyn Herbert who helped uncover Tutankhamun’s tomb, and Hatshepsut with her mysterious reign as the first woman Pharaoh of Egypt. 1919, England. The novel begins with the backstory of Evelyn Herbert who comes from privileged family. Her father, Lord Carnarvon, employed Howard Carter to lead excavations in Egypt. Howard Carter has been tutoring Eve in history and archeology of ancient Egypt every summer since her childhood. And that’s when her fascination with Hatshepsut began – why her successors tried to erase her from history. That’s the puzzle she’s been determined to solve. The story portrays well the spirit of Eve and her fascination with Hatshepsut. While traveling to Egypt with her parents, she witnesses the excavations of the final layer at the site possibly tied to Tutankhamun and Hatshepsut. Her anticipation is contagious. She also experiences what she only heard of and never imagined that could happen to her unt...

It Girl by Allison Pataki

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 It  Girl brings to light the story based on real-life of Evelyn Nesbit - model, actress, and one of those first girls for whom beauty and talent allowed to become independent. They were one of those giving birth to the pop-culture. The novel is based on the life of Evelyn Nesbit with her last name changed to Talbot in the story. Evelyn’s story begins in 1897 Pittsburgh when she is an apple in her father’s eye who encourages her to dream big, but the fairy tale talk ends when her father dies suddenly. In order to help pay the bills, the mother takes thirteen year old Evelyn out of school and gets her a job at department store. Evelyn is told to present herself as sixteen year old, and to observe what life could be. Evelyn’s features grab attention of a customer who is a sketch artist and approaches Evelyn to pose for her. This is the beginning of cascading steps that lead Evelyn to the Broadway stage and ultimately her greatest fame. After arriving in NYC in 1899, she begins ...