As the world endures once again the recurrent tragedy of war, this month’s stories remind us of those exceptional individuals who still manage to display courage and compassion despite cruelty, horror, destruction and loss.   We begin with one of the most unusual of these women – Mila Pavlichenko, heroine of Kate Quinn’s THE DIAMOND EYE, which is based on a true story.  Quiet Kiev history student Mila is completely absorbed by her library job and caring for her young son when Hitler’s invasion of Russia upends her world.  Called up like many women to join in the defense of the Motherland, she becomes one of the deadliest snipers on the Eastern front, named “Lady Death” by her Nazi foes.  But after her three hundredth kill, a government needing a rallying point turns her into a national heroine and sends her on a goodwill tour to the U.S. She’s feeling alone and lost in Washington, DC, until an unexpected friendship with Eleanor Roosevelt and a link born of shared experience with a fellow sniper brightens her world.  But wounds, loss, and a determined enemy from her past will show her that though she may have left the battlefield, the struggle…

It’s time again for another reading wrap up. In April I was able to read 10 books. I know a lot of people who read more than that, and just as many who read less. I really don’t care how many anyone reads (with the exception of my friend Yvonne with whom I have a reading bet) as long as they read. What was special about this month was that I read three library books. I read THINK TWICE by Lisa Scottoline, which was a first time, read for me from this author, and I really enjoyed it, and look forward to reading more from her in the future. I followed that up with WILD RIDE by Jennifer Cruise and Bob Mayer, and was really glad that I had gotten that from the library rather than investing in a Kindle version. The final library book was THE SHADOW OF YOUR SMILE by Mary Higgins Clark. It’s been way too long since I read a book by Clark, and after closing the last page of THE SHADOW OF YOUR SMILE I’m ready for another. Thankfully I can just go to the TBR for a backlist book. I also read MORE THAN…