When Stars Are Scattered by Omar Mohamed and Victoria Jamieson

When Stars Are Scattered by Omar Mohamed and Victoria Jamieson

264 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Omar and his little brother, Hassan, arrived in Dadaab, a refugee camp in Kenya, seven years ago. Their father was killed the day they left home, and they haven't seen their mother since they joined their neighbors who were fleeing to Dadaab. Now Omar is eleven and Hassan is nine, and Omar has quit school to look after his brother, who has an intellectual disability.

When Omar is given the opportunity to return to school and carve out a future for himself and Hassan, he feels torn. He loves school and could have the opportunity to earn a coveted scholarship to a North American university--and with it a visa for himself and Hassan. But is it worth the risk and heartache of leaving his vulnerable brother for hours each day?

River of the Gods by Candice Millard

 River of the Gods: Genius, Courage and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile by Candice Millard -349 pages

The finding of the source of the Nile River at Lake Victoria by three explorers sent by the Royal Geographical Society in the late 1850s ended in tragedy for two of the men. John Henning Speke would make the actual discovery at Lake Nyanza (Victoria), but would die by suicide after engaging in a bitter dispute with the expedition's leader, Richard Francis Burton. Burton, a language expert and anthropologist before the term existed, would be professionally injured by the controversy surrounding an expedition beset with extreme hardship and illness. Their guide, Sidi Mubarak Bombay, would become one of the most widely traveled explorers of Africa. An interesting book on the exploration of Africa during the Victorian era. 

Chaos by Iris Johansen

 

Chaos by Iris Johansen  407 pages

One tough lady, CIA agent Alisa Flynn convinces Billionaire Gabe Korgan to join her in rescuing schoolgirls in Africa that have been kidnapped.  He has the high tech weaponry and skills to rescue them.  And one of these girls holds a special place in Alisa's heart.  Then they pull in a friend of Alisa's that can talk to animals.  She actually has conversations with her dog.  It's a pretty cool concept but far fetched.  Then the girl who has been kidnapped has this same power only with horses.  The story is wrought with a lot of mishaps and really bad men.  You are pulling for Alisa and her team so they can rescue the girls who have endured so much.  It was ok..a little too unreal for me!  

STAND by EK Jonathan

Stand by EK Jonathan - 349 pages

This is the conclusion to the "Flee" trilogy.  The author brings satisfying conclusions to all the characters.  This trilogy makes you think about what you would do in the same situation.  Would you listen to directives?  Especially when obedience could mean your life.  I am looking forward to seeing what the author writes about next.

Brush of Wings by Karen Kingsbury

Brush of Wings by Karen Kingsbury - 326 pages

 Against the advice of her doctor, Mary Catherine moves to Uganda to work at a new orphanage. Whatever time she has left, Mary Catherine wants to spend it helping children – especially since she is unable to have children of her own. The only problem is Marcus Dillinger, the Major League Baseball player she was never meant to fall in love with. But neither Marcus nor Mary Catherine’s other friends – Tyler Ames and Sami Dawson – know just how serious her heart condition is.

  Still, Marcus suspects something isn’t right. After months of silence, a divinely timed letter from Mary Catherine leads him on a desperate life-or-death mission to rescue her and get her to a US hospital before time runs out. Meanwhile, as Sami and Tyler prepare to marry, the group receives shocking news that changes everyone’s plans.

  The team of angels walking is busier than ever in this epic battle between life and death. Brush of Wings is a poignant tale of love, sacrifice, and the power of faith.

Chasing Sunsets by Karen Kingsbury

Chasing Sunsets by Karen Kingsbury - 316 pages


Growing up in a comfortable home, Mary Catherine wanted for nothing. Though she loves her wealthy parents, their lifestyle never appealed to her. Instead, Mary Catherine pursues meaning through charity work, giving away a part of herself but never giving away her heart.

Mary Catherine lives in Los Angeles with her roommate, Sami, and volunteers at a local youth center with coach Tyler Ames and LA Dodger Marcus Dillinger. Despite Mary Catherine’s intention to stay single, she finds herself drawing close to Marcus, and their budding romance offers an exciting life she never dreamed of. That is, until she receives devastating news from her doctor. News that alters her future and forces her to make a rash decision.

Long Way Down by Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman

328 pp. The continuing motorcycle adventures of actors Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman as they make their way from the northernmost tip of Scotland all the way to the southernmost tip of Africa, Cape Town.

Uganda Be Kidding Me by Chelsea Handler

Uganda Be Kidding Me by Chelsea Handler, 257 pages

Chelsea's Handler's books are extremely funny and this book was no exception.  Her books are all written in the same kind of crude humor.  If you are a fan of Chelsea's late night talk show on the E! network, you will definitely love her books.  Uganda Be Kidding Me follows Chelsea's traveling adventures around the world.  The first part of her book is about her African safari trip she took with some friends, a cousin and one of her sisters.  Their adventures across Africa are hilarious, but one wonders what Chelsea might do if she had to go a day without an alcoholic beverage or a xanax.  Luckily, not only does she poke fun at her co travelers, but also herself.  I would say it really pays to be a friend or relative of Chelsea Handler.  She travels in style!

Blood Diamonds, by Greg Campbell

Blood Diamonds: Tracing the Deadly Path of the World's Most Precious Stones, by Greg Campbell, 280 pages

This book discusses the history of diamond mining in Africa, the brutal toll it has taken on the people of Sierra Leone, and how these "blood" diamonds may have been used by al-Qaeda to fund 9/11.  The violence described is pretty gory and unpleasant, and there is not really an uplifting ending.

Tinderbox, by Craig Timberg & Daniel Halperin

Tinderbox: how the West sparked the AIDS epidemic and how the world can finally overcome it, by Craig Timberg & Daniel Halperin, 352 pages

Well, the title's a mouthful, but it pretty much sums it up.  The authors argue that nineteenth-century colonialism and modern-day cultural imperialism are what are keeping Africa locked in a cycle of AIDS infection.  This book really provides a great deal of food for thought; the authors specifically dispute the sensational idea put forth in Edward Hooper's gigantic tome The River that AIDS was spread to humans via polio vaccines, which I always found fairly suspect.  They support the growing theory that widespread circumcision would have tempered the spread of the disease in sub-Saharan Africa, and propose that alot of international policy regarding AIDS in Africa is doomed to fail because it doesn't include the input of Africans.

My only issue with this book was the endnotes- if something is important enough or needed as explanation, make it a footnote, so I don't have to keep flipping to the back of the book.  I love footnotes- I hate endnotes.  And that might have been the nerdiest sentence I've ever written.