Saint Philomena: The Wonder Worker--#53 finished

A book about St Philomena, first written in the 1920s and since reprinted I guess several times.  The book I have was printed in 1993.  This book was written before there were questions about this saint and still during when she was highly venerated because there being several miracles attributed to her. Since the '60s there has been questions about the remains and the stone tiles around her when she was found in the catacombs in Rome.  Because of information on the tiles when she was discovered they believed her to be a virgin martyr.  Her remains were found in 1802 and scholars at the time researched as best they could.  The pope at the time declared her a Saint and some relics were moved to a church in Naples where several miracles occurred as well as other churches in Europe.  The writing is from an earlier time and you can tell but still overall makes a good case for St Philomena.  With there still being some questions about her, there is still a devotion to her as well.  Certainly a Saint to pray to like many many Saints.

This will stay on my keeper shelf, never know if I want to re-visit this at another time.

Mislaid--#52 finished

A kind of weird and interesting read, at times funny along with just kind of making you think.  In the early '70s a lesbian goes off to a small town all women's college and meets a professor of old money that is a gay poet.  Well they hit it off and get married and have a couple of kids together but of course this wasn't meant to last.  She is kind of nuts and fears her husband's old money will have her committed and take the kids away.  She makes a break for it and has the youngest the girl but the boy doesn't seem to understand and stays with dad.  Goes on how she is able to stay hidden and raise her daughter--changing name and race.  Also talks about son and dad growing up.  Eventually both end up a same university and at a very bad time find each other.  Story is seemingly probable and also kind of absurd which makes it a good read.  Ending was a little off to me it seemed, just too much tying up loose ends but overall did not take away from a very good read.

There are 29 WL for it so no hurry at this point to post but will probably soon to move it on to another reader.

Breaking Creed--#51 finished

Alex Kava a NE author with a Maggie O'Dell series has started a new series that Maggie is also part of with a dog trainer Ryder Creed.  Creed's dogs search for different things, drugs, people, bodies, etc and are brought in to assist police or FBI.  This is first in the series but he was introduced in the other series.  Of course there are some sexual sparks between them too.  This one was about a serial killer doing the dirty work for a drug kingpin.  They were coming after Creed but they were able to stop them and then capture the kingpin that was also a DEA agent.  Good quick action read overall.

I have posted it on PBS & will be mailing it off in the next day or so.

Money for Nothing--#50 finished

A guy that falls into a salesman job that is offering cashout payments to lottery winners.  Basically screwing over these people that were already making bad decisions about their money into giving them a lump sum to make even more bad decisions.  I didn't really like the book and I certainly didn't like any of the characters, unfortunately it is a true story.  Yuck.

I have posted it on PBS, there was 1 WL so I hope it gets accepted so I can send this one away.

Building a Bridge--#49 finished

The author James Martin SJ a Jesuit priest writes about the Catholic church and it's relationship with the LGBT community.  I thought a very good and insightful read that looks into the feelings on both sides.  He purposes avoids same sex marriage and sex out side of marriage in this because he says the divide is too great in those areas.  What I read in this book is not controversial to me but I know that the US bishops removed him as a speaker from an event and then was included as a speaker at a Vatican sponsored Family week or meeting where the Pope also came later to in Ireland.  This is the one that as it was concluding the former Papal Nuncio wrote his now infamous letter calling out Pope Francis.  Much speculation on this is the Pope being too liberal for most Catholic conservatives was a big reason for the letter.  I think the church has to answer/figure out the LBGT relationship in order to grow in acceptance of them and vis versa.  The old way of thinking just doesn't match anymore, in this & seemingly in a lot of ways of the church.  I just pray that Pope Francis can continue his work for many years still.

This is a keeper book and will probably be handed around to others that need to read it.

Good News Bad News--#48 finished

A confusing book about two British spies/CIA types that because of screwed up paperwork are working the same location--a film developing store.  They do figure out they are both part of this organization when they also find out they are tasked to killing each other.  Gets confusing because this is being done as an inside job where a higher up that has been running ops is the one behind this. They team up & try to run but a person sent to get them seems to tail them through it all.  Eventually they escape to Canada where one has some money & contacts but gets confusing because it appears he dies but then doesn't but then tries to kill the other.  The other probably kills him & makes off with the money or so it seems at the end.  A little confusing yes but also didn't keep my interest enough to go back & try to sort out if it could be.  Oh well.

I have posted it on PBS, there are 4 copies ahead of it.  I am guessing it probably won't ever move but few enough copies to let it sit on my bookshelf for a while at least.

Getting in Tune--#47 finished

A book about an early '70's rock & roll band from Northern CA.  This is a fictional book but lots of talk and their play list was from the rock of then.  A good read overall about guys that were just out of high school trying to find their way.  They have played all the local dances & locations when they get a call to fill in at a hotel bar in WA & they agree to it.  Of course each band member has stresses in life and in band & it all comes out on the trip.  Nothing great here but still a good read overall.

I have posted it on PBS, it is the only copy so hope it will move at some point.