In 2025, Terri and Duane read more than one hundred books. Terri read a hundred. Duane read some. Here we review two of our favorites. In the comments section below, we invite you to review one of your favorites from 2025. Happy New Year! Enjoy a book for the holiday.
Deep River, by Karl Marlantes
Fleeing Russian oppression in the 1890s, Finnish people came to southwest Washington State to become loggers, lumbermen, fishermen, and unionizers. The historical novel,
Deep River tells a story of the place and time that is engaging and illustrative.
In the 1950s and 1960s, I lived in Raymond, Washington, where the second language of my neighborhood was Finnish. I didn't learn the language, but I knew the people. I delivered their papers and mowed their lawns. Needless to say, I was a kid, and didn't know their history, but I do now, thanks to the writing of Karl Marlantes. The people of his story are just one generation removed from those I lived among.
Deep River beautifully tells a tale of the Finnish workers, families and industries, while exposing a history that was mostly unknown to me.
If you like the historical fiction of Ken Follett, you'll like this book!
--Duane McGuire, December 21, 2025
Before Dorothy, by Hazel Gaynor
I have been a fan of the Wizard of Oz, for a long time. What an adventure that girl had! In grade school, I read the whole series by Frank L Baum, and as an adult I also read the spin-off, alternate versions of Gregory Maguire: Wicked, Son of a Witch, A Lion Among Men, Out of Oz, and Tales Told in Oz. I am also a big fan of historical fiction. So, when I discovered this book, it quickly went on my list of "must read." It certainly did not disappoint.
Long before Dorothy ever visits Oz, her aunt, Emily Gale, sets off on her own unforgettable adventure. She and her husband Henry travel to Kansas to start a farm on the prairie. The story is set in 1930's during mass immigration, land grants, the Great Depression, drought, the Dust Bowl, and a wide spread fascination with flight -- airplanes, crop dusters, and hot air balloons.
When tragedy strikes, their orphaned niece, Dorothy, lands on their doorstep. This becomes a very touching, complex story with themes of family, home, resilience, courage and self-discovery.
This cleverly woven tale is not the fantasy of The Wizard of Oz; it is realistic fiction. The history is not a backdrop, but an integral part of the story. When the troubles multiply, Emily fears she will lose the most cherished thing of all: Dorothy.
I especially enjoyed the numerous "Easter Egg" clues that the author included that alluded to The Wizard of Oz.
Bursting with courage and heart, Before Dorothy tells the story of the woman who raised a beloved heroine, and ponders the question: what is the true meaning of home?
--Terri McGuire, December 25, 2025
