I read a lot of WWII historical fiction but it's almost always about the war in Europe. Those I have Lost takes place in Ceylon and India and about hoI read a lot of WWII historical fiction but it's almost always about the war in Europe. Those I have Lost takes place in Ceylon and India and about how they were affected by the war with Japan.
In 1933 when Rosie was 10, her beloved mother died. The family lived in India where the father was a professor of languages and her mother took care of the house and Rosie. She and her father were distraught at the death and when her mom's best friend came from Ceylon, she had a letter that her mom had written several years earlier that asked her raise Rosie if anything happened to her. Rosie and her father both realized that this was the best solution so she moved to Ceylon with her Aunt Silvia and became part of the family with two boys near her age and an older boy in college in England. Her life is happy and carefree until the threat of war gets stronger. All three of the brothers sign up for the military much to Aunt Silvia's dismay. Rosie decides that she needs to do more for the war effort so she starts working as a typist for the government. As the losses to her family start to happen, Rosie wonders if she'll ever find love and happiness. When the war if finally over, Rosie waits to see if any of the men in her life return home.
This coming of age story is told by Rosie and is written as a memoir later in her life. She is a brave girl, true to her friends and family but is often stubborn and set in her ways. The author does a fantastic job of making the story come alive with her descriptions of the scenery as well as the food. It was very interesting to read about the effect of the war that is not often written about. My only complaint about this book is that it starts off very slowly. My advice is to keep reading because when it picks up, it's a fantastic look at how the war affected both the military and their families in this war.
Thanks to Bookouture for a copy of this book to read and review.
Merged review:
I read a lot of WWII historical fiction but it's almost always about the war in Europe. Those I have Lost takes place in Ceylon and India and about how they were affected by the war with Japan.
In 1933 when Rosie was 10, her beloved mother died. The family lived in India where the father was a professor of languages and her mother took care of the house and Rosie. She and her father were distraught at the death and when her mom's best friend came from Ceylon, she had a letter that her mom had written several years earlier that asked her raise Rosie if anything happened to her. Rosie and her father both realized that this was the best solution so she moved to Ceylon with her Aunt Silvia and became part of the family with two boys near her age and an older boy in college in England. Her life is happy and carefree until the threat of war gets stronger. All three of the brothers sign up for the military much to Aunt Silvia's dismay. Rosie decides that she needs to do more for the war effort so she starts working as a typist for the government. As the losses to her family start to happen, Rosie wonders if she'll ever find love and happiness. When the war if finally over, Rosie waits to see if any of the men in her life return home.
This coming of age story is told by Rosie and is written as a memoir later in her life. She is a brave girl, true to her friends and family but is often stubborn and set in her ways. The author does a fantastic job of making the story come alive with her descriptions of the scenery as well as the food. It was very interesting to read about the effect of the war that is not often written about. My only complaint about this book is that it starts off very slowly. My advice is to keep reading because when it picks up, it's a fantastic look at how the war affected both the military and their families in this war.
Thanks to Bookouture for a copy of this book to read and review....more
I read a lot of WWII fiction and this book joined my shelf of favorites. It takes place in the 1950s in Germany and is about the after effect of the wI read a lot of WWII fiction and this book joined my shelf of favorites. It takes place in the 1950s in Germany and is about the after effect of the war as well as flashbacks to the war years. There are still people in Germany who are part of the National Socialist party and former Nazis who are unhappy with the changes in their country since the end of the war.
The main character is Jozef. He grows up in a fairly happy household with two parents. A friend of his father's, Michael, visits once a week to talk politics and drink with his dad. The day before Jozef goes away to university, his parents tell him that he is adopted which makes him question his entire life. While at the university he is thirsty for knowledge and learns more about WWII and eventually about the way that the Nazis euthanized people who were handicapped - both mentally and physically. He also tries to find out about his birth parents which further unsettles his life.
This novel had a great story but was also written to teach the reader about Germany - before, during and after WWII. Even though I read a lot of fiction from this era, I learned several items that I'd never known before which to me is the sign of a great work of historical fiction.
An interesting fact - this book was published by Amsterdam Publishing that was founded in 2012. I read this on their website and plan to look into some of their other books. AMSTERDAM PUBLISHERS IS SPECIALIZED IN HOLOCAUST MEMOIRS & WW2 HISTORICAL FICTION. HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR STORIES NEED TO BE KEPT ALIVE.
Merged review:
I read a lot of WWII fiction and this book joined my shelf of favorites. It takes place in the 1950s in Germany and is about the after effect of the war as well as flashbacks to the war years. There are still people in Germany who are part of the National Socialist party and former Nazis who are unhappy with the changes in their country since the end of the war.
The main character is Jozef. He grows up in a fairly happy household with two parents. A friend of his father's, Michael, visits once a week to talk politics and drink with his dad. The day before Jozef goes away to university, his parents tell him that he is adopted which makes him question his entire life. While at the university he is thirsty for knowledge and learns more about WWII and eventually about the way that the Nazis euthanized people who were handicapped - both mentally and physically. He also tries to find out about his birth parents which further unsettles his life.
This novel had a great story but was also written to teach the reader about Germany - before, during and after WWII. Even though I read a lot of fiction from this era, I learned several items that I'd never known before which to me is the sign of a great work of historical fiction.
An interesting fact - this book was published by Amsterdam Publishing that was founded in 2012. I read this on their website and plan to look into some of their other books. AMSTERDAM PUBLISHERS IS SPECIALIZED IN HOLOCAUST MEMOIRS & WW2 HISTORICAL FICTION. HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR STORIES NEED TO BE KEPT ALIVE....more
I read a lot of historical fiction based on World War II so it always surprises me when an author gives us a different perspective. This novel is baseI read a lot of historical fiction based on World War II so it always surprises me when an author gives us a different perspective. This novel is based after the war in England and looks at how life in a small town has been affected. This is a well-written dual time line novel that is based on true facts.
1946 - Norfolk England. In this quiet part of England, the government decided to create a camp for German prisoners of war to help remove the barbed wire and mines from the beach. The people of the village were angered by this - many of them lost their loved ones during the war and didn't want Germans in their town as a reminder. Fran lived with her sister June and her parents and had lost a brother during the war. Her sister hates the Germans and wants nothing to do with them, while Fran is more forgiving and goes to work at the camp as a secretary. When Fran first sees Thomas, one of the prisoners, she is aware of his blue eyes that seemed to see into her soul. She and Thomas fall in love but know that they have to keep it hidden because there was a law about fraternizing with the enemy. Thomas makes plans to stay in England after the war but they aren't sure how to accomplish this goal. He gets repatriated back to Germany and has to decide if he will look for his family at home or stay in England with his love. There is also a dual story line in this time period of the camp commander who is suffering from what we would now call PTSD and how his wife deals with it.
1989 - Berlin. Tiffany arrives in Berlin as the wall is coming done opening up the ability to travel to east Germany. She is Fran's granddaughter and is on a mission to find someone from the past. The 1989 part of the novel brackets the 1946 section and provides closure to the story of Fran and Thomas.
This is an interesting look at the trauma that many soldiers face when they go home after war. There is also a look at the way a person is treated by the people in town for not being able to fight due to health issues. This sweeping story looks at the power of hope and love after a war. Several parts of the book had me checking Google to see if they really happened. One of the most interesting was that the people of the area were encouraged by their church to invite a German prisoner to Christmas dinner and that many of the English families did open their homes. It showed the goal of many people to create peace after the long war.
Overall, this was a well written look at love and hope, family, and the effects of war on both the soldiers and their families. I am going to read some of the earlier books by this author.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review.
Merged review:
I read a lot of historical fiction based on World War II so it always surprises me when an author gives us a different perspective. This novel is based after the war in England and looks at how life in a small town has been affected. This is a well-written dual time line novel that is based on true facts.
1946 - Norfolk England. In this quiet part of England, the government decided to create a camp for German prisoners of war to help remove the barbed wire and mines from the beach. The people of the village were angered by this - many of them lost their loved ones during the war and didn't want Germans in their town as a reminder. Fran lived with her sister June and her parents and had lost a brother during the war. Her sister hates the Germans and wants nothing to do with them, while Fran is more forgiving and goes to work at the camp as a secretary. When Fran first sees Thomas, one of the prisoners, she is aware of his blue eyes that seemed to see into her soul. She and Thomas fall in love but know that they have to keep it hidden because there was a law about fraternizing with the enemy. Thomas makes plans to stay in England after the war but they aren't sure how to accomplish this goal. He gets repatriated back to Germany and has to decide if he will look for his family at home or stay in England with his love. There is also a dual story line in this time period of the camp commander who is suffering from what we would now call PTSD and how his wife deals with it.
1989 - Berlin. Tiffany arrives in Berlin as the wall is coming done opening up the ability to travel to east Germany. She is Fran's granddaughter and is on a mission to find someone from the past. The 1989 part of the novel brackets the 1946 section and provides closure to the story of Fran and Thomas.
This is an interesting look at the trauma that many soldiers face when they go home after war. There is also a look at the way a person is treated by the people in town for not being able to fight due to health issues. This sweeping story looks at the power of hope and love after a war. Several parts of the book had me checking Google to see if they really happened. One of the most interesting was that the people of the area were encouraged by their church to invite a German prisoner to Christmas dinner and that many of the English families did open their homes. It showed the goal of many people to create peace after the long war.
Overall, this was a well written look at love and hope, family, and the effects of war on both the soldiers and their families. I am going to read some of the earlier books by this author.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review....more
I read a lot of WWII fiction and it never gets boring because each book looks at the war and the people it affected differently. An American in Paris I read a lot of WWII fiction and it never gets boring because each book looks at the war and the people it affected differently. An American in Paris is the story of an American woman who falls in love in Paris and decides to stay and do what she can to bring peace back to her adopted country.
This is a dual timeline novel but the most important time line is the one that takes place in Paris in the 1940s. Florence is a dancer and is in Paris to dance at a friend's club. When she first arrives and is trying to find her apartment, her suitcase opens up on the steps to Sacre Coeur and the man who stops to help her ends up being the love of her life, Otto. It's 1937 and the people of France believe that that they are safe from the German armies. Otto is an artist from Austria where life has already changed for the Jewish citizens. In 1940, when the Nazis invade Paris, they both realize that their lives will drastically change. Otto goes into hiding because he's Jewish and both Florence and Otto begin to work for the resistance. Can her work with the Resistance help save Otto's life?
The current time timeline features Sage who is a media influencer until she posts some honest videos and the back lash against her becomes highly negative. As she is trying to find herself and her purpose in life, she meets an uncle that she never knew who had a manuscript written by her grandmother Florence during the war. Will reading the story of her grandmother help to put her current troubles in perspective?
This book has it all - historical information, lots of action and intrigue, friendship and most importantly love. The characters are well written and believable. There are a few holes in the plot - things that happened that would have been impossible but they are easy to overlook once you get caught up in the scope and excitement of this novel. Another great WWII novel about strong women and the roles they played during the war.
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I read a lot of WWII fiction and it never gets boring because each book looks at the war and the people it affected differently. An American in Paris is the story of an American woman who falls in love in Paris and decides to stay and do what she can to bring peace back to her adopted country.
This is a dual timeline novel but the most important time line is the one that takes place in Paris in the 1940s. Florence is a dancer and is in Paris to dance at a friend's club. When she first arrives and is trying to find her apartment, her suitcase opens up on the steps to Sacre Coeur and the man who stops to help her ends up being the love of her life, Otto. It's 1937 and the people of France believe that that they are safe from the German armies. Otto is an artist from Austria where life has already changed for the Jewish citizens. In 1940, when the Nazis invade Paris, they both realize that their lives will drastically change. Otto goes into hiding because he's Jewish and both Florence and Otto begin to work for the resistance. Can her work with the Resistance help save Otto's life?
The current time timeline features Sage who is a media influencer until she posts some honest videos and the back lash against her becomes highly negative. As she is trying to find herself and her purpose in life, she meets an uncle that she never knew who had a manuscript written by her grandmother Florence during the war. Will reading the story of her grandmother help to put her current troubles in perspective?
This book has it all - historical information, lots of action and intrigue, friendship and most importantly love. The characters are well written and believable. There are a few holes in the plot - things that happened that would have been impossible but they are easy to overlook once you get caught up in the scope and excitement of this novel. Another great WWII novel about strong women and the roles they played during the war....more
The 1930s were considered the Golden Age in Hollywood. Movie studios were the kings with stars and starlets trying to gain fame and everyone else dreaThe 1930s were considered the Golden Age in Hollywood. Movie studios were the kings with stars and starlets trying to gain fame and everyone else dreaming about how wonderful life must be in Hollywood. Everyone went to the movies and knew all about their favorite stars and envied the lives that they must be leading. A Golden Life takes the readers back to this golden age and the life of one woman who was part of it in her job as a secretary to a major producer.
Frances is looking for a fresh start after some rocky times in her past. Trying to start over takes her to Hollywood where she gets a job as secretary to a major Hollywood producer Lawrence Merrill. As his secretary, she is privy to many Hollywood secrets and sees many of the stars of the day. The main project being worked on at the studio is a movie about Kitty Ridley, a star who was legendary in her day but then disappeared from the public eye in 1895. She was still remembered and there were a lot of rumors about her but no one knew where she was or if she was even alive. A beautiful ingénue is thrilled to be chosen to play Kitty and has great hopes that it will make her be seen as more than the girl next door. However, when the 90 year old Kitty Ridley finds out about the movie, she sends a scathing letter to the studio that they must stop plans to make a movie of her life. Hoping to change her mind, Lawrence Merrilll and his secretary Frances, take a road trip to the Napa Valley to try to change her mind and allow them to make the movie. Will they be successful or will the movie be stopped?
I really enjoyed this look at Hollywood in the 1930s. Frances was a very complex character - she was trying to hide her past but it still affected her present and how she related to people - especially men. She was a very complex character who needed to learn to not only accept her past but to forgive herself and learn to live her life in the present. My absolute favorite character was Kitty Ridley. She was 90 years old and was still sharp with a great memory of her younger days. She spoke her truth and didn't really worry about what other people thought about her.
This was an interesting and well researched novel. If you enjoy well written historical fiction set during the 1930s, you don't want to miss this one. ...more
I'll start this review by telling you that I absolutely loved this book. I have to really like a book to give it a 5 star rating but I would give thisI'll start this review by telling you that I absolutely loved this book. I have to really like a book to give it a 5 star rating but I would give this one ten stars if it was possible. It had everything that a great book needs. It was well researched, had a fantastic dual time line and well written characters. I got totally immersed in it and when it was finished, I couldn't pick up another book for a few days because this book stayed in my thoughts.
The story was well written and the two time lines flowed very well together. When everything came together at the end, it was just perfect. There was a bit of mystery and a bit of romance but the strongest part of this story was the attention to detail on the characters and their connections to each other. I love a book where the research is so well done that I learn things that I didn't know. I had no idea that German subs were lurking in the waters of the Atlantic near the US shoreline and that they managed to destroy several boats. In some of my googling to learn more about this, I found out that in 1941 Germans sank five Allied merchant ships off Georgia shores. Either we never heard about this in school or I wasn't listening that day but I had no idea that German subs were so close to America.
This beautiful book is about bravery and family and an unlikely friendship that bonded three very different men and one woman for years. This is the best book that I've read in a long time and will definitely be one of my best books of the year....more
I love historical fiction set during WWII and I love books about sisters and family so this book was a perfect read for me. It was apparent throughoutI love historical fiction set during WWII and I love books about sisters and family so this book was a perfect read for me. It was apparent throughout the book that the author had researched this time in history very well. Her characters were fantastic and the story was a real page turner.
Sylvia was the oldest sister and Izzie was 5 years younger. Their mother owned a dress shop in London and both girls were raised helping out in the shop The difference is that Sylvia couldn't wait to get away from life at the dress shop. Izzie loved the safety and the work at the dress shop and was content with her life. Once Sylvia married a doctor who was part of the upper crust of London and well respected, she didn't have much to do with her mother and sister and Izzie resented her for thinking she was better than her family. Izzie loved running the dress shop and knew that she would be the owner when her mother died. She was very upset after her mother died and the will was read leaving the shop equally to the two sisters. Sylvia is willing to give her sister her half of the shop but Izzie refuses and decides to buy out her sister. The only problem is that she doesn't have enough money and due to her mother's haphazard way of keeping records, she has no idea how much the shop is worth. When Izzie is conscripted into the WAAF's, she asks her sister for help. She wants her sister to do the minimal amount of work to keep the business running and to ask her questions by mail. Sylvia is having issues with her husband and starts to devote herself to the shop. Her first task is to clean up the accounting mess but then she starts helping with customers. Izzie is not at all happy with the way that her sister is running the shop but there's nothing she can do about it. Plus Izzie is enjoying life in the WAAFs. For the first time she outside the walls of the dress shop and is making friends and spending time dancing with the men on base. Will the two sisters be able to find common ground to keep the dress shop open during a difficult time when clothing is rationed? Will they ever be close again?
This book was well written and the characters were very realistic. I was hoping that the sisters could find the love for each other that they used to share.
Be sure to read the author's notes at the end to learn more about clothing rations during the war -- something that I knew nothing about until I read this book.
This is a great historical fiction book about family and love and forgiveness during war time in London. If you enjoy historical fiction, add this book to your to-read shelf - you don't want to miss it! ...more
Three wars, three love stories all connected by one perfect wedding dress. The authors are all popular authors in the Christian historical fiction genThree wars, three love stories all connected by one perfect wedding dress. The authors are all popular authors in the Christian historical fiction genre.
Each of the authors did an excellent job with their novellas. I am familiar with Susie Finkbeiner's work but the other two authors are new to me and I always enjoy finding new authors. Their premise for the book was very interesting -- each wrote about a different war and a wedding dress that connected all three stories. These stories were Christian romance at its best. They all showed that love will always win even when the world is in the turmoil of war. ...more
The second book in The Paris Sisters series is about saving books from being destroyed when the Germans invaded Paris. The main character, Madeline, iThe second book in The Paris Sisters series is about saving books from being destroyed when the Germans invaded Paris. The main character, Madeline, is based on Adele Kibre who smuggled over 3,000 reels of microfilm and other written material across enemy lines and risked her life on a daily basis to accomplish her goal.
Madeline Valette is the owner of a small bookstore in Paris. Her beloved husband has recently died and the bookstore that they owned helps get her through the long days without him. When the Germans invade Paris, life changes dramatically. She's given a list of banned books to remove from her store. When she's asked to join the Resistance to smuggle banned books from Berlin, she accepts, desperate to defy the Nazis. Because she still has an American passport, she can travel to Germany with no problems. Not only is she desperate to get books out of Germany but she has a personal goal as well. She received a letter from a woman claiming to be her husband's first wife and the mother of his only child. She never knew that her husband had a child but she vows to get him out of Germany to a safe place. She places her life in danger during every trip she makes to Germany and as the war continues, her trips become even more difficult. Will she find her husband's son and get him to safety?
Olivia is the main character in the present day time line. She works with old books and when she's at an auction, she finds a book with pictures of her grandmother in the back of the book. She feels a strong need to find out why her grandmother's pictures are there, despite her mother telling her not to look into it. Her grandfather is estranged from the rest of the family but she contacts him to find out more information which he is very reluctant to disclose. As in the first book, the World War II timeline is much more interesting and exciting than the present day timeline but they both work well together to show the effect that the past has on the future. This is another well written and well researched novel and I am looking forward to the next book in the series. ...more
This is the first book in a new series about sisters in Paris during World War II. This book concentrates on art and the way many worked to save the aThis is the first book in a new series about sisters in Paris during World War II. This book concentrates on art and the way many worked to save the art at the Louvre in Paris and the art that was confiscated from Jewish homes before the Nazis either sent some of it back to Germany or destroyed it because they considered it immoral and degenerate. The main character in this book Isabelle Valette is based on Rose Valland who secretly documented thousands of stolen art works so that they could be reunited with their real owners after the war and was a key person in transporting art from the Louvre to secret hiding places
Isabelle worked at the Louvre and when the staff found out that the Germans would be invading Paris, they worked hard to get many paintings and sculptures out of the museum and into hiding places. Once Paris was being controlled by the Germans, Isabelle was moved to another museum. This was where the Nazis would store art that had been taken from the family homes when people were sent to camps. She devised a way to code all of the pictures to help facilitate the art being returned to the rightful owners after the war. She knew that if her secret book was discovered, she would face death. The other important person is Brigitte whose husband had been killed early in the war. He was an artist and she wanted to get back his most famous painting for their daughter, Sophie, to own after the war. She worked with Isabelle and her work also put her life in jeopardy.
The present day time line is about Esther. She is recently divorced and working hard to raise two young boys. She gets a call from an art historian in Paris who asks her to come to Paris to claim a painting that had just been discovered behind a wall in an apartment that had been owned by her grandmother. Her mother, Sophie, has Alzheimer's and is unable to give any additional detail about the painting so she goes to Paris and is amazed at the painting that has been found. The painting helps her learn more about her family history and shows the effect of the past on the present. As with many dual time lines novels, one time is more interesting than the other. In this book, the WWII time line was definitely more interesting and exciting than the present day which was pretty unbelievable in parts. Overall it was a well written and well researched book that showed the strength and bravery of the women who were working to save Parisian art no matter how much danger it put them in. ...more
I love historical fiction and it's a real plus that the setting is my home state of Michigan. The novel starts in 1918 in a small rural town. The townI love historical fiction and it's a real plus that the setting is my home state of Michigan. The novel starts in 1918 in a small rural town. The town is mostly made up of Irish immigrants and they don't mix with the few Polish families who live there. This character driven, beautifully written novel takes the readers into the reactions of the town to the Spanish Flu.
Cecilia is an 8 year old Polish girl who lives with her parents and her brother. Her older brother returns from being in the hospital after WWI and is dead of Spanish Flu within a day. Soon her parents and other brother succumb to the disease and Cecilia is alone. The townspeople including the doctor don't want to go near her in fear of catching the disease and leave baskets of food for her in front of the house. She misses her family and doesn't like being alone but has no choices. Until the 26 year old school teacher finds out about her. She decides to bring Cecilia into the home she shares with her mother. They decide to quarantine until they are sure that Cecilia can't transmit the disease to them. Molly's brothers and the town doctor are appalled that she would expose their mother to possibly catching the disease. Molly is a strong and resilient woman who fights the town on keeping the young girl and wanting to open the school back up. She is surrounded by men - brothers, the doctor and the priest - who want her to do things their way but she resists and follows her own path. They feel since she's not married, she should follow the lead of the men in town but she is feisty enough to resist them.
I loved the characters in this novel. After meeting Molly's mother, it's easy to understand why Molly is so strong. And poor Cecilia, left with no family and living with a family that is completely different from what she has lived with for her whole life, works to remain true to her mother and family while she is being immersed in the Irish family. Like Family is a book about family love and people caring for other people no matter the circumstances. It reminds us that family isn't just created by blood but can also be created with the people who love and care for you.
I loved this book and enjoyed getting to know the characters. I also enjoyed the setting in rural Michigan and it was described so well that I felt like I was there. This is a book that I won't soon forget. ...more
This well written novel has an intriguing main character and a page turning plot. It's dual time line with one time line in 1943 and the other in 1968This well written novel has an intriguing main character and a page turning plot. It's dual time line with one time line in 1943 and the other in 1968. Most of the action takes place in 1968 with the 1943 time mainly used for background to the story. The book also had several similar mysteries going on at the same time as the main character traced several missing girls - both in 1943 and 1968.
Liz is an obituary writer at a London newspaper. It's certainly not the job she wanted but after she made a big mistake with a story she'd written, she was assigned the job of writing death notices. Her best friend and roommate Marisa is a police officer. When Marisa tells Liz that she's going to Dorset to follow up on a clue about a missing girl in London, Liz sees this as a chance of getting a scoop on the story of the missing girl. They don't find the missing girl from London but they do find out about 3 young girls who went missing in 1943 when children from London were sent to the country for safety to get away from the bombing of London. One girl had been found murdered but the other two cases had never been solved. Liz begins to wonder if there is a connection between the 1943 missing girls and the girl currently missing from London. Liz and the police get permission to enter a village that the Army requisitioned in 1943 in hopes of finding clues. Strangely, Liz feels like she's been there before but how is that possible since she was only 2 years old when all of the people were told that they had to leave the town? The more Liz digs into the mysteries of the missing girls, the more familiar the small town becomes to her. Is there a connection between the missing girls and is there a reason that Liz is having flashback memories when she's in the town? The questions don't all get answered until near the end but it's a real page turner until all of the answers are uncovered.
I really liked Liz and her friendship with Marisa. Liz wanted to be a news reporter and she kept reaching for the goal despite her bosses feelings. She and Marisa both fight the prejudice against women that is rampant in both of their jobs. Liz was tenacious in trying to solve the mysteries of the missing girls and never gave up. This book had mystery, a bit of romance and lots of secrets. I look forward to reading other books by this author. ...more
This historical fiction novel is based on 5 female mystery authors in 1930. Led by Dorothy L. Sayers, the group includes Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh,This historical fiction novel is based on 5 female mystery authors in 1930. Led by Dorothy L. Sayers, the group includes Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczy. It's also inspired by a true story in Sayers’ own life. I was familiar with only two of these mystery authors when I started the book but I learned a lot about all of them by their actions and conversations during this book. All five were strong women who wanted to be treated equally with the male mystery writers of the time.
A group of mystery writers form a club called the Detection Club whose goal was to give them a place to discuss their books, their ideas and mystery writing. Only two women were invited to join the club despite the fact that there were many popular women mystery writers at the time. Dorothy Sayers and Agatha Christie were both in the original group and realized that there needed to be more woman accepted into the Detection Club. So Dorothy and Agatha started their own group with three other women writers and they called themselves the Queens of Crime. They realize right away that there is very little chance that they'll be accepted by the male group who have little regard for women writers and decide that if they solve a real crime, the men will be more open to allow all 5 of them into the group. The crime they work to solve is the unsolved murder of an English nurse who disappeared in France. When her body was found, she had been strangled but there was a large amount of blood beneath her body. The French police don't seem to be real worried about solving this crime -- after all it was just a woman - so the Queens of Crime use the tools of their mystery novels to try to solve the crime. Their work is noticed by someone and Dorothy Sayers is targeted by a person who wants her to stay quiet and quit investigating. Will these five female authors be able to solve a crime that the police could not solve? And if so, will it help them become members of the male dominated Detection Club?
I really enjoyed this book about five strong and intelligent female writers who wanted to be accepted by their male counterparts at a time that women were not highly regarded. I enjoyed their relationships with each other and how they fed off of each other's ideas to work on the mystery. Even though they were all popular writers of their day, they seemed to be very little competition between them and they worked well together on their quest. If you enjoy books with strong women characters, this one is a must read for you. ...more
I'll say right at the beginning that I loved this book and if possible I would give it more than 5 stars. It's one of my favorite books of 2024. This I'll say right at the beginning that I loved this book and if possible I would give it more than 5 stars. It's one of my favorite books of 2024. This book gave me a 'book hangover' and I couldn't start a new book for a few days because the characters stayed lodged in my mind long after the last page. It's a book about mothers and daughters and how working to make the world a better place can cause upheavals that exist for generations
This book takes place over a 40 year time span from 1964 through Covid in 2020. It was interesting to see the growth of both Annabel and Ivy over the years as they struggled to find their places in the ever-changing world. Both women were well written and felt like good friends by the end of the book. Annabel especially reminded me of women I knew in college in the 60s and I felt like we could sit down and have lunch together.
This book was a beautiful and well written look at mothers and daughters and the way that the world affects their relationship with each other but ultimately their love for each other brings them together. I find myself still thinking about the characters and events in the book long after I finished it. For me, who usually can't remember the name of the book that I'm currently reading, this shows what a great book this is. This is a book that you don't want to miss.
Into the Starlight takes readers back to Sweetwater Crossing to learn more about the middle sister Joanna plus we get to catch up with the other two sInto the Starlight takes readers back to Sweetwater Crossing to learn more about the middle sister Joanna plus we get to catch up with the other two sisters featured in the previous two books of this series. This is a fantastic ending to this series and its going to be sad to leave all of the people that we read about in Sweetwater Crossing.
Joanna returns from Europe and her family home feels very different than what she left behind. She feels more like a visitor than someone who grew up in Finley House. She has been in Europe with her grandmother learning from some of the great teachers how to become a concert pianist. But scarlet fever and pneumonia have ended those dreams. Plus her grandmother has died and her new husband also died. Due to her poor health and her grief, she decided to return to her hometown and try to regain her health while staying with her sisters. The day she arrives, two other people show up at the home. One is Della who has come to see the house that her fiancé built for her before he died in the war. She is accompanied by her nephew Burke, a doctor who is looking for a life change. As the family tries to help Della find out what happened to her fiancé, secrets are revealed that she may have been misled -- but by who? Joanna and Burke are both lost in their lives and need to find happiness. The more time they spend together, the more they believe that they may be able to find happiness with each other -- at least until another health issue occurs. Will Joanna and Burke get their happily ever after?
I have really enjoyed this series. It's full of love both within the family and with the husbands and potential husbands of the sisters. It's about secrets and redemption and it all takes place in a wonderful little town that sounds like a great place to visit. It's an emotional tale of family, friendship, and the kind of love that overcomes every obstacle. ...more
I read a lot of historical fiction but rarely about the Civil War. This well written and well researched book is based on a true event when 400 mill wI read a lot of historical fiction but rarely about the Civil War. This well written and well researched book is based on a true event when 400 mill workers were arrested and sent north from Roswell Georgia when General Sherman burned his way through Georgia near the end of the Civil War.
Clara and Kitty sisters are sisters who worked in a cotton mill. Their parents were dead and Clara promised her mom on her deathbed that she would always take care of her little sister. Kitty had respiratory problems due to the lint in the air and Clara was trying to get her moved to a safer part of the mill. Even though the work is hard and the days are long, both sisters are happy to have food to eat and a roof over their heads. The in 1864, the Federal troops show up in Roswell and burned down the cotton mill. They rounded up all of the people who worked at the mill, arrested them and sent them north to Marietta and after they signed a loyalty oath to the North, they moved to Cincinnati. Clara tried to find work but was often rejected due to prejudice against them for being from the South. Can Clara and Kitty find work and make a home in a northern city where there is so much discrimination against Southerners? Can they find happiness in their new lives.
This coming of age book is a beautiful story about two sisters. Clara wants to totally take care of her sister while Kitty wants to test her own independence and live the life that she wants. Both girls have to grow up and find the happiness that they desire. This book is a story of family, love between sisters and finding happiness in life no matter what circumstances you are in.
I learned a lot while reading this book. I never knew that civilians were arrested and sent away from their homes. There was also a lot of information about making hats that I found very interesting. If you enjoy books with strong and resilient women characters, this is the book for you.
I enjoy books with older main characters and this book really met that goal. It's 1907 and Katharine Prescott Wormeley takes a road trip by herself toI enjoy books with older main characters and this book really met that goal. It's 1907 and Katharine Prescott Wormeley takes a road trip by herself to drive from her old home in Rhode Island to her new home in New Hampshire. It's only 300 miles but the roads are poor and Katharine is 77 years old - too old in some people's opinion to be undertaking such a long drive. But Katherine had lived an extraordinary life -- she was a nurse during the Civil War and opened a school after the war. She never married and had a lot of friends who cared about her. She planned an uneventful 8 day drive but her road trip was full of adventure and new people.
During her trip, Katherine received a marriage proposal from the widowed husband of her best friend, she helped save a man who had been hurt in a farm accident and she made new friends wherever she stopped. As she drove, she thought a lot about her past because she knew that her new home in New Hampshire would be her last home. She had led an exciting life and her experiences on the trip made it possible for her to help other people -- both physically and spiritually. She definitely had enjoyed her life and was open to new experiences and really enjoyed helping other people. Her descriptions of the beautiful scenery of New England at times made me feel like I was riding in the car with her. This book is a short but fun look at woman who didn't follow the normal path and was proud of her accomplishments,
The main characters Katherine Wormeley was a real person (1830-1908) who is still remembered as a philanthropist and a woman ahead of her time. Be sure to read the Biographical Notes at the beginning of the book that gives more information about the real woman and her accomplishments. The Author's Notes at the end go into more detail about Katherine's life and the author shares what characters in the book were real people and which characters were from her imagination. This book was a fantastic look at a brave woman who believed in helping other people and was definitely ahead of her time with her accomplishments and her abilities to live the life that she wanted to live. ...more
I read a lot of historical fiction but very little of it has been about settlers moving to the Western United States. This time period was very intereI read a lot of historical fiction but very little of it has been about settlers moving to the Western United States. This time period was very interesting and I want to read more books set in the mid 1800s as wagon trains moved west and ran into problems with the weather and the American Indians who had owned the land for centuries.
Emily was young and naïve. She was 19 years old and worked at her parents shop in a small town in Michigan but she longed for adventure. She married a man that she barely knew and because of the way he treated her. she grew up real fast and regretted her decision to marry him. She finds out quickly that he is an angry controlling man. He keeps her away from her family and really gets possessive when Emily gets pregnant. She takes a big chance and escapes to head West to the Black Hills on the Oregon Trail to live with her aunt and uncle. Daily life on the wagon train is tough - especially for a pregnant woman. When she gives birth, she is helped by Caleb who had helped deliver other babies when he lived at home. As she and Caleb spend more time together, they find out that they are beginning to develop feelings for each other. When Emily finds out that her husband is tracking her, she knows that he will kill her and take the baby. She has support from other people on the wagon train - especially Caleb and his sister - but will it be enough to keep her and her baby safe?
Laura Kemp has written an outstanding book. Her descriptions about life for the people heading west are very well done and make you wonder how they ever survived. Her characters are well written -- Emily especially as she grows from a young naïve girl to a woman willing to do what she can to keep her baby and her new love safe from harm. The plot is outstanding and there are parts that were so tense that I had to keep turning pages quickly to find out what was going to happen. As Emily's husband gets closer to the wagon train with his wife and baby, the story line gains more tension as I hoped for Emily's safety from the evilness of her husband.
This book is a well written story of good and evil, of love and forgiveness and of friendship as people head west to new lives and leave their old lives and problems behind. This book had it all -- good guys, bad guys, gunfights and a mystery plus female friendships and a great love story. I highly recommend it ...more
This dual time line book takes place in 1940 in the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria and the nearby town. The modern time line takes place in This dual time line book takes place in 1940 in the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria and the nearby town. The modern time line takes place in Australia. The World War II timeline is based on a true story of a WWII European album of pictures from the camp that brought down war criminals and travelled through history and was found in an Australian country shed in 2019.
In Mauthausen concentration camp, a young Spanish prisoner is ordered to process images of the camp and inmates for a handful of photo books being made for presentation to top Nazi figures. Just five books in total, or so the officials think ...In reality, he makes a sixth book so that when the war is over, the world can see the truth of what went on at the camp. With the help of a local woman, the pictures are hidden until the end of the war. Lena and her family live near the camp and see the prisoners walking to work every day. Her family is very worried because Lena's younger sister has seizures and the Nazi's are notorious for putting people who are not mentally healthy into the camps. Even though she is working to protect her sister, she agrees to help hide the pictures. At the end of the war, she is told who to give the pictures to and they were ultimately used at the Nuremberg war trials to help convict some of the camp leaders.
In Australia, Hannah lives with her mother. When her grandfather visits from Yugoslavia, he brings the book to Hannah's mother for safekeeping. Hannah wants to see the book but her mother forbids her from seeing it and keeps it hidden. Over the years, Hannah repeatedly asks her mother for the book and her mother continues to refuse. Hannah ends up planning to do her PhD thesis on the concentration camps but then she meets someone and falls in love. But the book and her beloved Grandfather's life in the concentration are never too far from her mind.
This is a beautifully written and well researched book. Once again, I enjoyed reading the world war two time line in the book more than I did the present day. Hannah was a difficult character to like. Even though she was extremely focused on her grandfather and his life, I thought that she treated her mother terribly. The World War II time line showed the bravery not just of Lena but also the photographer and his helpers who managed to smuggle the pictures out of the camp. With all of the books that I've read during this era, I never read about the pictures and their use at the war trials after the war. If you enjoy historical fiction from this era, you don't want to miss this book. ...more
This World War II story was based on a real person so all of the horrific pain that was part of the book really happened. It's still difficult to beliThis World War II story was based on a real person so all of the horrific pain that was part of the book really happened. It's still difficult to believe that a group of people could be so cruel and heartless to people that they believed were 'less than'. Not just Jewish people but their cruelty also extended to sick people, homosexuals and any people who didn't fit into their narrow description of what a perfect Aryan person was. One person was a beacon of hope and it's his sacrifices that leave the reader with feelings of love and compassion.
In 1939, when the Nazis invaded his small Polish town, Mirek Kozlowski was running an orphanage. He was also a popular writer of children's books. The orphanage took care of almost 100 children of all ages. It was apparent early on that Mirek would do whatever he could to keep 'his' children safe. But no matter how hard he tries, the cruelty of the Nazi officials in his town kept dragging him and the children closer to danger. The SS captain who is in charge of the town is beyond cruel but at first it looks as if he may like Mirek as a person and Mirek even goes so far as to read and critique the novel that he has written. But as time goes on, he turns on Mirek and on the children. He removes the Jewish children and then he removes many of the young girls to work in a brothel for the soldiers. Finally it appears that the Resistance may have found a way to save Mirek and the children and he puts his life on the line to try to save 'his' children. Will their plan succeed?
Mirek is a compassionate and loving person who wants to protect other people even if he is harmed in the process. His love brought a beacon of hope for the future. I read a lot of WWII fiction but this one really touched me. I think it was because there was so much senseless cruelty toward children and it hurt to see them facing so much evil. This novel brought tears to my eyes several times with a major tears at the end. This is a book that I won't forget because of the love and compassion of one man who tried to save those he loved. ...more
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