I’ve been trying to get this book read ever since I got it (2019 or 2020, Kassie, help me out 😆), and I really want this to be the year I get it read! I have started it three different times!

This is the story of Marcus Luttrell and the men who served and died in Operation Redwing. I first became aware of this story in 2012-2013 (?) and I knew exactly where I was when SEAL Team 10 started living this nightmare… It was eerie and it still kinda haunts me a little. So yeah, least I can do is learn their full story, right?

I read an article about amputees going back into the service and I was afraid it was all made up…then I found this book and let me tell you, I was so excited! I passed it up once at the library, but when I saw it was still for sale, I knew it was there for me 😆 So yeah, I’m excited to read about a hero who got a second chance to serve!

I’ve had this book for several years after my sister did a collection purge! I can’t wait to read about a Marine Colonel’s point of view, especially one I have looked up to ever since I was six 😁 Little me is very excited rn, haha! Plus its twenty years old so 😢

This is probably the book I know the least about. I know it’s about the service of Chris Kyle, but I’m not exactly sure if it’s about his whole career or something specific. But I do know it at least covers some of his time as a SEAL. Chris Kyle is no longer with us, which makes me want to read it even more urgently. I guess I don’t want to be part of the generation who forgets those who gave it all for us, even if their death wasn’t on the battlefield.

This one, oh man, I am so excited for! It’s a compilation of stories of men and women who have served our country, based on interviews done with the authors! Similar to Modern Warriors by Pete Hegseth, This book has nearly 400 pages of soldier stories! All written in bitesize pieces! With how little uninterrupted reading time I get these days, I’m sure this will be a good read for me, even if it will take time!
 
What’s on your patriotic TBR? Do any of these books sound interesting to you?
 
Happy Independence Day! Let Freedom Ring!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

Ah, the South… So many things come to mind when I think of my home *heart-eyes* I have told my husband many times, you can take the girl out of the South but you will never take the South out of the girl! And that includes turning me into a Marylander. Not happening, LOL!

So with that in mind, we are gonna talk about some of the symbols of the south and what they mean to us. Read it with an open mind, cause some of this may surprise some of you. The accepted narrative is rarely correct.

1| The Confederate Flag
Few things make me happier than seeing the Southern Cross flying. It instantly fills me with love and sorrow for my home and my heritage. It’s no secret I’m proud of my southern history. And when I say that, so many people tell me it’s racist. More than you might think. I just laugh because I know it isn’t. A racist is someone who hates a certain race of people enough to want to wipe them out, Ex. Hitler wanting to kill the Jews. And I don’t believe in that and neither did my Confederate ancestors. Unfortunately, bigots have taken this beloved and sacred symbol and tried to twist and mar it into something hateful and disgusting.

But they will not prevail. Because the more the media harps on the evil of that flag, the more people research and find out the truth. That flag always has and always will represent a beautiful piece of southern history: the years that our men fought and died for the rights of all Americans. When they lost the war, America lost many of their freedoms that we haven’t regained to this day. So, next time you see that flag, show some respect and reflect on the men and women who died in an attempt to preserve your God-given rights.
 
2| Cotton
I don’t care what you say, nothing says the South like driving by a nice big cotton field! Cotton symbolizes agriculture, self-sustainment, and the American work ethic. It represents the men and women who worked through the decades to pick, clean, card, spin, and weave clothing and contribute to the fashion world. It represents a simpler time and the American tractor *halo* It’s versatile, useful, and practical… all things that personify the South!
 
3| Fried Chicken
Need I say more? If you want a classic Southern meal, you gotta get yourself some fried chicken! And biscuits. And gravy and mashed potatoes. And Fried okra. You get the idea *halo*
 
4| Rocking Chairs
I love evenings in the South, sitting in a rocking chair, listening to the whippoorwills and cicadas (that for some reason Marylanders hate and I still don’t understand why! They are the most awesome bugs ever!) and the doves calling back and forth. I don’t really like the coyotes, but their solo howls ain’t too bad. A balmy breeze and maybe even a gentle rain… *sigh* Front porches with rocking chairs are the best thing ever…
 
5| Sweet Tea
And what is a post about the south without our classic beverage?? But I don’t mean just any sweet tea. I mean tea that is so sweet you don’t need to do any blood tests after drinking it cause they’ll be convinced you have diabetes! SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEET Tea. * in a toddler's voice* I must have all dey sugarses *halo* Sweet tea is a symbol of southern hospitality, friendship, and family. It’s a summer staple and year-round comfort beverage. You ain’t been down south until you’ve had you a glass of Southern Sweet Tea!
 
And on that note, I probably should go make a batch for my husband!
Have a Blessed Day and God Bless America!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

Hello and welcome back to Life of Heritage Corner! I hope you are having an amazing Monday! I’ve been promising book reviews for a while and today I am bringing you two! I’ve always had a morbid fascination with the murder of Abraham Lincoln (call it what it is, don’t hide behind fancy words) and have read more about it than the battle of Gettysburg and that’s saying a lot, since that is my favorite battle to study, lol!  (Would y’all like a 10TRF post about the Lincoln Murder? Comment below!)

These reviews are of two different books by the same author. The first is the young people’s version of the second, and tbh, I was surprised by how different they were. Without further ado, let’s jump into these reviews!

Chasing Lincoln’s Killer
By James L. Swanson
Middle Grade/YA
(Amazon, 12-18)
2012
3 Stars
|| Amazon ||

NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author James Swanson delivers a riveting account of the chase for Abraham Lincoln's assassin.

Based on rare archival material, obscure trial manuscripts, and interviews with relatives of the conspirators and the manhunters, CHASING LINCOLN'S KILLER is a fast-paced thriller about the pursuit and capture of John Wilkes Booth: a wild twelve-day chase through the streets of Washington, D.C., across the swamps of Maryland, and into the forests of Virginia.

-From Amazon

James L. Swanson is the award-winning author of the bestseller Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer. His other books include Chasing Lincoln's Killer, an adaptation of Manhunt for young adults, and his follow-up, "The President Has Been Shot!: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy", which was a finalist for the YALSA-ALA Excellence in Young Adult Nonfiction award. He has held a number of government and think-tank posts in Washington, D.C.

This book was good for the most part! It had excellent information, though some basic facts needed correcting. It assumed too strongly that Dr. Mudd was deserved to be punished when his only crime was knowing B
ooth. Though it did clarify he wasn’t involved in killing Lincoln. It also pushed the Lincoln Worship narrative to an almost cultish point in my opinion for a children’s book. It was very heavy-handed on calling the Confederacy rebels and such. It seemed more like an indoctrination campaign, lol!
I did appreciate how much detail was put into this book! It’s a great comprehensive book for young people that gives them information that will encourage them to share with others! It’s not the generic fact book; it’s got unique little-known facts!

At the conclusion of the book, there was a comment about Lincoln being the hero of the story; this was not true, as he had little “screen time” and most of the things said about him were incorrect. There was no protagonist in this story. Nothing wrong with that! Not all stories have a good guy.
I recommend it for anyone who loves history, true crime, and dramatic anti-heroes!
 
Recommended for 14+ || Content meter: 3.5* || Quality: 6 || Personal Enjoyment: 5 || Overall: 5

*One major swear word that I remember, in a quote. There is also great detail about injuries/blood. Moderate censoring is needed for  younger readers.

Manhunt: The 12-Day Hunt for Lincoln’s Killer
By James L. Swanson
Adult Narrative Non-Fiction
2006
5 Stars
|| Amazon ||

The murder of Abraham Lincoln set off the greatest manhunt in American history--the pursuit and capture of John Wilkes Booth. From April 14 to April 26, 1865, the assassin led Union cavalry troops on a wild, 12-day chase from the streets of Washington, D.C., across the swamps of Maryland, and into the forests of Virginia, while the nation, still reeling from the just-ended Civil War, watched in horror and sadness.

Based on rare archival materials, obscure trial transcripts, and Lincoln’s own blood relics Manhunt is a fully documented, fascinating tale of murder, intrigue, and betrayal. A gripping hour-by-hour account told through the eyes of the hunted and the hunters, it is history as it’s never been read before.

James L. Swanson is the author of the New York Times bestseller Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer. He is an attorney who has written about history, the Constitution, popular culture, and other subjects for a variety of publications, including the Wall Street Journal, American Heritage, Smithsonian, and the Los Angeles Times. Mr. Swanson serves on the advisory council of the Ford's Theatre Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Campaign and is a member of the advisory committee of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission.

This book is my favorite! It’s chock full of information that is incredibly difficult to find! People you had no idea were connected with the death of Lincoln and Booth, the mad dash through Virginia, and the final hours of both men.

There is some mild Lincoln worship and anti-southern propaganda, but not nearly as bad as the children’s version. There are multiple swear words in quotes that need censoring and there are some “Too much information!” moments that should be censored out. Remember, Booth was an actor, and the actors’ reputation of today applies to the past as well. The sections on Boston Corbett also need attention!

I learned so much about how Washington City was laid out, how interconnected the people were in each other's lives and how such a scheme could be pulled off with just a few hours' notice. It’s disturbing! Thank God we have more safeguards in place now, but it’s alarming just the same. I do wish they had emphasized more how the South did not sanction or condone Booth’s actions. So I will say it for the author: we do NOT as a whole believe that this was a proper move. As much as I dislike Lincoln, this was not the proper course of justice. It was his night to die, or he would not have died. But it was not Booth’s call to make; that was God’s.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves history, narrative non-fiction, and true crime. It’s well written and well executed! Grab a copy today!
 
Recommended for 18+ || Content meter: 3 || Quality: 10 || Personal Enjoyment: 9 || Overall: 9
 
Have you read these books? Do you have a recommendation for a book on this subject? Would you like a post of random facts about the Lincoln Murder? Comment below!

Have a Blessed Day and God Bless America!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

I don’t know about you, but I love me some totally random facts! And even more so, I love me a totally random battle that not many people have heard about! So today, we are going to look at what many say is the actual first battle of the War Between the States!

1| Where and When. This battle took place on June 10th, 1861, 160 years ago! The battle took place in Big Bethel Virginia and is one of the lesser-known battles of the war.

2| It All Happened Here. Many people refer to either Ft. Sumter or First Manassas when talking of the first battle of the War Between the States. But Big Bethel is actually the first.

3| Looking at the Numbers… As with most battles of the war, the Confederate Soldiers were outnumbered. They had under 1,500 men while the Union invaders had around 3,500. But you know us, that makes the odds about even! *halo*

4| The Men Behind the Moment. Two lesser-known Generals were in command of the opposing armies. For the federals, Brigadier General Ebenezer W. Peirce led them into battle. For the Confederacy, it was Colonel John B. Magruder.

5| Confederate Gold Star Family. This battle saw the death of the very first Confederate soldier in the field. Private Henry Wyatt was the sole Confederate soldier killed in the battle, the only fatality of 8 Southern soldiers injured.

6| How did he Die? Being the first enlisted casualty of battle, it’s no wonder we know how it happened. Colonel D. H. Hill requested 4 volunteers to set fire to a house federal troops had commandeered and were using to pin down the Southern troops with their firepower. Henry was one of them. They never made it to the house, and Henry died in the line of fire.

7| The Fate of the House. After Henry’s death, the volunteers were recalled and the house was taken out by artillery fire.

8| Why Here? Confederate Forces hoped to dislodge troops from Ft. Monroe, reclaiming it for the Confederacy. Unfortunately, the same fort where Custis Lee (Robert E. Lee’s son) was born at remained the only Southern Fort in Virginia to remain in federal control through the entire war.

9| Tar Heel Legacy. North Carolina has often been known as the state that was “First at Big Bethel and Last at Palmito Ranch.” We lost more soldiers than any other state and sent the most men to the Confederate Army. As usual, we had a big hand in the events at the battle of Big Bethel.

10| The Victorious Victors *Halo* The Confederacy of course. They couldn’t let the first battle at home be won by the opposing army!


Have you heard of this battle before today? Is this the first time? I encourage you to do some research and share some of your findings in the comments below!

Have a Blessed Day and God Bless America!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

It's Memorial Day!! What better way to honor those who gave it all on a book blog then to share about a book with the same goal in mind? This is probably one of my top books of the year so far, so without further ado, let's get into it!

Oh, the Fallen
Abigail Kay Harris
May 31st, 2021
Military Romance (Mild)
Recommended 12+ for Understanding
4 Stars

A more thorough review is in the works, using my system, but since this post is already long, I'll just cut to the chase. (I read a pre-edited copy of the book as a beta-reader. I received a copy of the book from the author for promotional purposes. All thoughts are my own.)

This book is amazing y'all. At the point in which I was reading it, it was in the process of being edited, so of course I caught a few things here and there and even offered a few suggestions, but honestly, the story blew me away! The author's voice is unique and homey and steeped in patriotic passion for God and Country. I cried through the entire thing and debuts rarely do that for me. Abigail Kay Harris has been added to my list of auto-buy authors!

There is some mild violence and romance, but nothing gory or PG-13. I would recommend a family read it together for Memorial Day. It's the perfect tribute <3

Grab the links above for more release day fun!
God Bless America and God Bless our Gold Star Families...
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

PS. What are your favorite Memorial Day reads? How do you honor those who have given their lives for us? Tell me in the comments below!