Review: Sin in the Second City: Madams, Ministers, Playboys, and the Battle for America's Soul

Sin in the Second City: Madams, Ministers, Playboys, and the Battle for America's Soul by Karen Abbott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I grew up near Chicago and was aware it did not have a pristine history. Come on, Al Capone! This was a whole new side of Chicago for me. The descriptions are as rich as many of the characters. I felt like I was being let in on salacious gossip yet most of this was happening openly at the time. And while the author chose some very strong women to feature, don't think they were innocent bystanders. They could be the worst! Probably my favorite Karen Abbott book.

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Review: The 14th Colony

The 14th Colony by Steve Berry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I won an advance reader's edition of this book in one of the Goodreads giveaways. I was quite excited because I have enjoyed all of Steve Berry's books and was eagerly anticipating the release of this one. It didn't disappoint.

I won't give away any spoilers here. It is the eve of the inauguration of the new President. Stephanie Nelle and Cotton Malone are on one last mission for President Daniels. In an interesting change, Stephanie is really the central character. This mission provides the perfect vehicle to finally tell us her story. That was my favorite part of this book. If Stephanie isn't your favorite, don't despair. The regular crew have plenty to do as well.

With the US gearing up for its next Presidential election, the book's discussion of Presidential transition and succession are quite timely if not a bit scary. The historical tie-ins leave plenty of room for thought.

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