The Forest of Vanishing Stars by Kristin Harmel

  

*Disclosure of material connection- I received the book in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book- 

After being stolen from her wealthy German parents and raised in the unforgiving wilderness of eastern Europe, a young woman finds herself alone in 1941 after her kidnapper dies. Her solitary existence is interrupted, however, when she happens upon a group of Jews fleeing the Nazi terror. Stunned to learn what’s happening in the outside world, she vows to teach the group all she can about surviving in the forest—and in turn, they teach her some surprising lessons about opening her heart after years of isolation. But when she is betrayed and escapes into a German-occupied village, her past and present come together in a shocking collision that could change everything.

My thoughts-

Kristin Harmel might be my favorite author so I always look forward to her new releases. I have been a reader since The Sweetness of Forgiving, and I haven't missed a single book of hers since then. I absolute loved the last book she wrote before this, The Book of Lost Names, anad I wasn't sure another book set in the same WWII era could surprise me or add a new subject matter that I haven't previously read (since WWII historical fiction is my favorite genre), but Kristin Harmel surprised me with this one. I don't know how I never knew that there were Jewish people hiding in the forest during the holocaust, but it was interesting reading this fictionalized version of the people who did. Even though The Forest of Vanishing Stars belongs to the WWII historical fiction genre that Harmel has been writing in for years, there were some elements to this story that were different that I really enjoyed. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction. 

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

*Disclosure of material connection- I received the book in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book-

Texas, 1934. Millions are out of work and a drought has broken the Great Plains. Farmers are fighting to keep their land and their livelihoods as the crops are failing, the water is drying up, and dust threatens to bury them all. One of the darkest periods of the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl era, has arrived with a vengeance.

In this uncertain and dangerous time, Elsa Martinelli—like so many of her neighbors—must make an agonizing choice: fight for the land she loves or go west, to California, in search of a better life. The Four Winds is an indelible portrait of America and the American Dream, as seen through the eyes of one indomitable woman whose courage and sacrifice will come to define a generation.

My thoughts-

I love historical fiction, but I tend to stick to my favorite go-to time period which is the WWII. Sometimes I may veer out of this era to something interesting that grabs my attention but I will admit the last time I remember reading a book set durng the Dust Bowl/Great Depression era was in high school for my senior research paper when I very begrudgingly read The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. I haaaaaated it. I don't think I even finished it and because it was such a long project it turned me off of books set in that same era. I figured if anyone could write a book about it that would hold my attention it was Kristin Hannah and I was right. I couldn't put it down. The book was interesting from start to finish. It was set in Texas (which may have been more interesting to me than Steinbeck's novel set in Oklahoma, because I am a Texan) and California and deals with not only a family's particular struggles but also protests about unfair wages and living conditions. I found it to be such a great book that all these many years later it made me feel like maybe I should give The Grapes of Wrath another chance.  Kristin Hannah's historical fiction is always excellent. I recommend it to anyone who loves history. 

The Paris Library by Jane Skeslien Charles

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book-

Paris, 1939: Young and ambitious Odile Souchet has it all: her handsome police officer beau and a dream job at the American Library in Paris. When the Nazis march into Paris, Odile stands to lose everything she holds dear, including her beloved library. Together with her fellow librarians, Odile joins the Resistance with the best weapons she has: books. But when the war finally ends, instead of freedom, Odile tastes the bitter sting of unspeakable betrayal.

Montana, 1983: Lily is a lonely teenager looking for adventure in small-town Montana. Her interest is piqued by her solitary, elderly neighbor. As Lily uncovers more about her neighbor’s mysterious past, she finds that they share a love of language, the same longings, and the same intense jealousy, never suspecting that a dark secret from the past connects them.

My thoughts-

I read a lot of historical fiction set during this war torn era. I like when there is a story in a different time period to help us better understand the character and to maybe add a little mystery. I loved the way this story was set up, introducing us to Lily and her lonely neighbor Odile in 1980's Montana. We see Odile as an adult and wonder what has brought her into this isolation and away from all of her family. The part of the story set in Paris in the late 1930's and early 1940's is heartbreaking as all WWII stories are, but I love that the theme of this story is Odile working at the American library and sharing these books even when she isn't supposed to. I also got quite a kick out of all of the fantastic books that were name dropped in this one. It would be a fun challenge to read all of the books mentioned in a year. At the end of the novel, the author talks about how some of these characters are based on real people, which makes the story even more compelling. I recmomend this book if you enjoy historical fiction, are a lover of classic books, or are a Francophile. 

The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book-

Eva Traube Abrams, a semi-retired librarian in Florida, is shelving books one morning when her eyes lock on a photograph in a magazine lying open nearby. She freezes; it’s an image of a book she hasn’t seen in sixty-five years—a book she recognizes as The Book of Lost Names.

The accompanying article discusses the looting of libraries by the Nazis across Europe during World War II—an experience Eva remembers well—and the search to reunite people with the texts taken from them so long ago. The book in the photograph, an eighteenth-century religious text thought to have been taken from France in the waning days of the war, is one of the most fascinating cases. Now housed in Berlin’s Zentral- und Landesbibliothek library, it appears to contain some sort of code, but researchers don’t know where it came from—or what the code means. Only Eva holds the answer—but will she have the strength to revisit old memories and help reunite those lost during the war?

As a graduate student in 1942, Eva was forced to flee Paris after the arrest of her father, a Polish Jew. Finding refuge in a small mountain town in the Free Zone, she begins forging identity documents for Jewish children fleeing to neutral Switzerland. But erasing people comes with a price, and along with a mysterious, handsome forger named Rémy, Eva decides she must find a way to preserve the real names of the children who are too young to remember who they really are. The records they keep in The Book of Lost Names will become even more vital when the resistance cell they work for is betrayed and Rémy disappears.

My thoughts-

Historical fiction will always be my favorite genre, particularly novels set during WWII. Just when I think there isn't a new angle to take for one of these stories, along comes The Book of Lost Names, a story about the resistance, and not just the resistance but the forgers making the documents for the resistance. I have read stories about couriers but never about the actual forgers. I can not imagine having to make the decision to help people you know are being wronged and putting your life on the line day after day to help them, but there were actual real life people who did that and I love reading stories like these because they always help me to remember that ordinary people did extraordinary things during a time when there were such abhorrent things going down every minute of every day. I loved this particular story for bringing to light the things the forgers had to do, and of course for the beautiful loved story of Remy and Eva. The Book of Lost Names is my absolute favorite WWII novel I have read probably since The Nightingale. I will be recommended it to everyone I know. 

The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill by Julie Klassen (Book Review)

Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book-

First Series from Bestselling Author Julie Klassen!
The lifeblood of the Wiltshire village of Ivy Hill is its coaching inn, The Bell. But when the innkeeper dies suddenly, his genteel wife, Jane Bell, becomes the reluctant owner. Jane has no notion of how to run a business. However, with the town's livelihood at stake and a large loan due, she must find a way to bring new life to the inn. 

Despite their strained relationship, Jane turns to her resentful mother-in-law, Thora, for help. Formerly mistress of The Bell, Thora is struggling to find her place in the world. As she and Jane work together, they form a measure of trust, and Thora's wounded heart begins to heal. When she encounters two men from her past, she sees them--and her future--in a different light.

With pressure mounting from the bank, Jane employs innovative methods to turn the inn around, and puzzles over the intentions of several men who seem to have a vested interest in the place. Will her efforts be enough to save The Bell? And will Thora embrace the possibility of a second chance at love?

My thoughts-

I am a huge fan of Mrs. Klassen, she has written some of my favorite books. The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill isn't her usual fare. It's still historical fiction, but not the regency era stuff I typically clamor after. Maybe because of that, I had a hard time getting interested in the characters in this novel or the over all story. The writing was still great, it just didn't resonate with me personally. I still can't wait to see what is next in this series, and I am so excited that Julie Klassen even decided to write a series because she is wonderful at character development and I think that will really shine in this format of work. I recommend the Inn Keeper of Ivy Hill to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

Amour Provence by Constance Leisure (Book Review)

Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

My thoughts-

A lush, evocative, debut novel set in Provence about the people who grow up and live and remain in two tiny neighboring villages—from the Nazi occupation to the present day—in particular, one man and one woman who have yet to find love.

In the south of France farm life unfolds with the rhythm of the seasons. But the lives of these villagers in Amour Provence reflect the reality that themidi is a place of extremes, the summers of unbearable heat and the winters that are often rude and harsh. Like the climate, the characters find themselves swept away by storms of unannounced and devastating intensity. A vintner’s adolescent son has a passionate romance with his schoolmate’s mother and they suffer different and enduring consequences. A young Arab woman forced into an arranged marriage, learns that life in the land of Liberté and Egalité can be just as confining as in her own country. A French woman who has lived abroad for many years returns home and discovers that certain members of her family are not pleased to have her back. An unexpected encounter with his past brings new sparks of life to a man who believed he had lost everything, including the only woman he ever loved.

In these two small adjacent villages in the South of France, characters lead lives that overlap and intertwine. Many are close neighbors who have known each other from childhood, linked by ancestors who clung for centuries to their patrimony, the land, which had always been poor, but is now a source of wealth drawn from wine, olives, and tourists. They know a great deal about each other’s hidden passions and weaknesses. Age-old resentments and closely guarded secrets retain their hold but are never to be discussed. Amour Provence is a portrait of lives deeply lived, shadowed by the past, against the backdrop of a region and a nation gripped by change.

My thoughts-

If anything French is involved, it is pretty much a given that I will be attracted to it. Lately I have been particularly drawn to Provence, so even the title of this novel alone drew me in. This book was part romantic (the descriptions of the beautiful vineyards and the thought of living in a small village in France) and many parts drama and tragedy. There were times were it was difficult to follow along because there is no clear indication of era changes or points of view changing until you read the new chapter and realize that each new chapter is a different time or person narrating. Once I got the flow of the way the book was written, I couldn't put it down. I found Didier, Bertie, and Euphemie particularly interesting and definitely got through the parts of the book about them much faster than the rest. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a challenging, yet poignant book to read. 

Amour Provence will be available for purchase July 5, 2016. You can pre-order your copy on Amazon.com. 

When We Meet Again by Kristin Harmel (Book Review)

Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book-

Emily thinks she’s lost everything…until a mysterious painting leads her to what she wants most in the world. The new novel from the author of international bestsellers The Sweetness of Forgetting and The Life Intended shows why her books are hailed as “engaging” (People), “absorbing” (Kirkus Reviews) and “enthralling” (Fresh Fiction).
Emily Emerson is used to being alone; her dad ran out on the family when she was a just a kid, her mom died when she was seventeen, and her beloved grandmother has just passed away as well. But when she’s laid off from her reporting job, she finds herself completely at sea…until the day she receives a beautiful, haunting painting of a young woman standing at the edge of a sugarcane field under a violet sky. That woman is recognizable as her grandmother—and the painting arrived with no identification other than a handwritten note saying, “He always loved her.”

My thoughts-

I fell in love with Kristin Harmel's writing style when I read The Sweetness of Forgetting when it first came out. Since then, I am always on the look out for a new novel from her and as soon as one is available I have to read it immediately. I was so excited to see that her newest book is in my favorite historical fiction sub-genre, set in WWII. The book goes back and forth between that sad era in history and the present day. The main character Emily receives a package in the mail that she believes to be a painting of her grandmother which sets her off on a journey to find some answers. I always enjoy novels set in two different time periods because I think it adds more to the story and helps bring together the ending in a bigger way. Emily was abandoned by her dad and before that, her dad and his own mother were abandoned by Emily's grandfather. This painting leads Emily to answers about who her grandfather was ,what happened between him and her grandmother and gives her the opportunity to get to know her own father better. I read When We Meet Again in a two day span. It is a page turner. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

When We Meet Again will be available for purchase June 7, 2016. You can pre-order your copy today on Amazon.com

The Painter's Daughter by Julie Klassen (Book Review)

Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions are 100% my own. 

About the book-

Sophie Dupont assists her father in his studio, keeping her own artwork out of sight. In private, she paints the picturesque north Devon coast, popular with artists--including handsome Wesley Overtree, who seems more interested in Sophie than the landscape.

Captain Stephen Overtree is accustomed to taking on his brother Wesley's responsibilities. Near the end of his leave, he is sent to find his brother and bring him home. Upon reaching Devonshire, however, Stephen is stunned to learn that Wesley has sailed for Italy and left his host's daughter in serious trouble.

Stephen feels duty-bound to act, and strangely protective of the young lady, who somehow seems familiar. Wanting to make some recompense for his own past failings as well as his brother's, Stephen proposes to Miss Dupont. He does not offer love, but marriage "in name only" to save her from scandal. If he dies in battle, as he fears, she will at least be a respectable widow.

Desperate for a way to escape her predicament, Sophie finds herself torn between her first love and this brooding man she barely knows. Dare she wait for Wesley to return? Or should she elope with the captain and pray she doesn't come to regret it?

My thoughts-

I don't even know where to begin with this story. I loved every single second of every single page, just as I have become accustomed to with each new Julie Klassen novel that comes out. This one is still her usual regency era fare, and it still has a very Jane Austen-esque feel which I love, but this book had the added element of scandal which was new and I quite enjoyed. Life isn't usually cookie cutter clean, even back in the day, so I appreciated a look into what might have happened in a scandalous situation in that time period.  I was immediately sympathetic for Sophie's character and enthralled with Stephen Overtree from their first meeting. He had a little bit of Mr. Darcy's brood going on, but right away we are shown he has a soft and caring heart, regardless of how it seems on the outside. I am glad that there was an opportunity to get to know Stephen as he and Sophie get to know each other before he went off to war. I enjoyed the entire cast of characters that live at or visit Overtree Hall. Klassen does a wonderful job of really making you feel like you understand the characters and the descriptions of the settings are amazing too. I absolutely recommend The Painter's Daughter (and all of Julie Klassen's novels) to anyone who enjoys regency era romances. She is, in my eyes, our current day Jane Austen and for that I am grateful.

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In Good Company by Jen Turano (Book Review)

Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book-

After spending her childhood in an orphanage, Millie Longfellow is determined to become the best nanny the East Coast has ever seen. Unfortunately, her enthusiasm for her job tends to bring about situations that have employers looking askance at her methods. After her most recent dismissal, Millie is forced to return yet again to an employment agency.

Everett Mulberry has suddenly and quite unexpectedly found himself responsible for three children he barely knows. Attempting fatherhood while also pacifying the less-than-thrilled socialite he intends to marry is made even more complicated when the children scare off every nanny he hires. About to depart for Newport, Rhode Island, for the summer, he’s desperate for competent childcare.

At wit’s end with both Millie and Everett, the employment agency gives them one last chance—with each other. Everett is wary of Millie’s penchant for disaster, and she’s not entirely keen on another snobby, grumpy employer, but they’re both out of options. As Millie falls in love with her mischievous charges and tries to stay one step ahead of them, Everett is more focused on achieving the coveted status of society’s upper echelons. As he investigates the suspicious circumstances surrounding the children’s parents’ death, will it take the loss of those he loves to learn whose company he truly wants for the rest of his life?

My thoughts-

I love a good Cinderella story and the above description of In Good Company sounded like just that so I really wanted to see where the story went. As I started reading the book I realized it was something totally different. This is a book full of great shenanigans, usually with Millie right in the thick of things. I love her fun personality and how stubborn she can be. I also loved how her relationship with Everett started off pretty tense and enjoyed watching it evolve the further into the book I got. There is a character that you will love to hate, Caroline, she may well be the worst person every written into the pages of a book, but she absolutely adds an interesting dimension to the story. In Good Company is a great mix of romance, society life, and mystery. I laughed out loud so many times and couldn't stop turning the pages at the end when things become quite tense and crazy! This was my first Jen Turano book, but definitely won't be my last. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, especially of the historical romance persuasion. You will laugh, you will cringe, you'll be swept off of your feet. You will not want to put the book down until you have reached the last page.

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Remember the Lilies by Liz Tolsma Blog Tour & Book Review + Giveaway

Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy  of the book from the publisher via Litfuse Group in exchange for my honest thoughts.  i was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book-

Irene and Rand come from very different walks of life. Will they find common ground in their fight to survive? 

Irene has grown up in the jungle as a missionary with her Aunt Anita, but now she and countless others are imprisoned by Japanese soldiers at the Santo Tomas Internment Camp in the Philippines. Irene and her aunt are safe there, and she keeps busy with her duty of delivering censored messages to the camp’s prisoners, but like everyone else, she prays for the war to end and for her freedom. Rand is a wealthy, womanizing American, whose attempted escape from the internment camp has put himself and others in danger. When Rand and Irene’s Aunt Anita meet one another in the hospital, Irene learns more of his story and her heart is determined to save his family. But the danger outside the walls of the hospital worsens every day, and life in this exotic place is anything but luxurious. Can Irene find Rand’s family before they disappear forever? And can a humble missionary woman and an arrogant man find common ground in the face of their biggest fears?

My thoughts-

Remember the Lilies is set in an internment camp in the Philippines where many people are being held prisoner by the Japanese during the war. I have read a lot of historical fiction, I would even venture to say it is my go-to genre, but it isn't often that I have come across a novel that is set in a prison camp. The beginning of the story introduces us to Rand and lays out his womanizing, money loving character right away. Soon after we meet Irene, who is quite different from Rand but there is just something about her that holds his attention. The book focuses on the time they both spend in the camp and many of the situations they may have been in as prisoners. Tolsma does a good job of giving us an idea what an internment camp might have been like without being overly descriptive of some of the more horrible things written about. I thought the story unfolding between Irene and Rand was as lovely as it could be in such a stressful environment and I also enjoyed the voice of reason in Anita. There are a few really tense situations throughout the book, but this could not be an accurate portrayal of war or prison camp without them. This is the 3rd book my Tolsma that I have read and I plan to read the next as soon as it comes out! I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in history or enjoys historical fiction.

About the author-

New York Times best-selling author Liz Tolsma is the author ofDaisies are Forever, Snow on the Tulips, and the contributing author of A Log Cabin Christmas. When not busy putting words to paper, Liz enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband and children, all adopted internationally.

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liztolsma.com/ This gripping new tale from Liz Tolsma, Remember the Lilies, is a must-read for fans of WWII-era fiction. When Irene is attacked by a sinister Japanese guard and their secrets are exposed, she and Rand must learn the true meaning of forgiveness—if they can stave off starvation until the American troops bring freedom.

Help Liz celebrate the release of Remember the Lilies with a Kindle Fire giveaway!

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• One copy of Remember the Lilies

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on 2/19. Winner will be announced at Liz's Remember the Lilies Facebook author chat party. RSVP for a chance to connect with Liz and WWII fiction fans, as well as for a chance to win some great prizes!   

Vanessa and Her Sister by Priya Parmar (Book Review)

Disclosure- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book-

London, 1905: The city is alight with change, and the Stephen siblings are at the forefront. Vanessa, Virginia, Thoby, and Adrian are leaving behind their childhood home and taking a house in the leafy heart of avant-garde Bloomsbury. There they bring together a glittering circle of bright, outrageous artistic friends who will grow into legend and come to be known as the Bloomsbury Group. And at the center of this charmed circle are the devoted, gifted sisters: Vanessa, the painter, and Virginia, the writer.

Each member of the group will go on to earn fame and success, but so far Vanessa Bell has never sold a painting. Virginia Woolf’s book review has just been turned down by The Times. Lytton Strachey has not published anything. E. M. Forster has finished his first novel but does not like the title. Leonard Woolf is still a civil servant in Ceylon, and John Maynard Keynes is looking for a job. Together, this sparkling coterie of artists and intellectuals throw away convention and embrace the wild freedom of being young, single bohemians in London.

But the landscape shifts when Vanessa unexpectedly falls in love and her sister feels dangerously abandoned. Eerily possessive, charismatic, manipulative, and brilliant, Virginia has always lived in the shelter of Vanessa’s constant attention and encouragement. Without it, she careens toward self-destruction and madness. As tragedy and betrayal threaten to destroy the family, Vanessa must decide if it is finally time to protect her own happiness above all else.

The work of exciting young newcomer Priya Parmar, Vanessa and Her Sister exquisitely captures the champagne-heady days of prewar London and the extraordinary lives of sisters Vanessa Bell and Virginia Woolf.

About the book-

I will admit that while I believe myself to be fairly well read, Virginia Woolf is not an author I have really read much from. However, I find her story interesting and the people  her fascinating and I love reading novels that are inspired from true life people and situations. Vanessa and Her Sister is written to appear as a (fictionalized) journal written by artistic Vanessa, sister of Virginia. I like the idea of the writing style, but for some reason it just wasn't holding my attention the way would like it to and it took me a while to get through the book. I found the dynamic between the sisters and the dependence on one another, especially Virginia's dependence on Virginia, interesting to read. The exploration of mental illness in Virginia was something I won't soon forget. The most interesting thing to me is reading what life was likely like for an extraordinary group of talented artists at the turn of the century in a time where they were yet to be famous but trying to find their own footing. I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in Virginia Woolf or lovers of history. 

Vanessa and Her Sister is available at Amazon.com and other retailers nationwide.

About the author-

Priya Parmar is a former freelance editor. She educated at Oxford College and The University of Edinburgh. Her debut novel was Exit the Actress.

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The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah (Book Review)

Disclosure of material connection- I received an advanced copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book-

In love we find out who we want to be.
In war we find out who we are.

FRANCE, 1939

In the quiet village of Carriveau, Vianne Mauriac says goodbye to her husband, Antoine, as he heads for the Front. She doesn’t believe that the Nazis will invade France... but invade they do, in droves of marching soldiers, in caravans of trucks and tanks, in planes that fill the skies and drop bombs upon the innocent. When a German captain requisitions Vianne’s home, she and her daughter must live with the enemy or lose everything. Without food or money or hope, as danger escalates all around them, she is forced to make one impossible choice after another to keep her family alive.

Vianne’s sister, Isabelle, is a rebellious eighteen-year-old girl, searching for purpose with all the reckless passion of youth. While thousands of Parisians march into the unknown terrors of war, she meets Gäetan, a partisan who believes the French can fight the Nazis from within France, and she falls in love as only the young can... completely. But when he betrays her, Isabelle joins the Resistance and never looks back, risking her life time and again to save others.

With courage, grace and powerful insight, bestselling author Kristin Hannah captures the epic panorama of WWII and illuminates an intimate part of history seldom seen: the women’s war. The Nightingale tells the stories of two sisters, separated by years and experience, by ideals, passion and circumstance, each embarking on her own dangerous path toward survival, love, and freedom in German-occupied, war-torn France--a heartbreakingly beautiful novel that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the durability of women. It is a novel for everyone, a novel for a lifetime.

My thoughts-

About a year ago I saw a book on clearance at Barnes & Noble called Fly Away by Kristin Hannah. I picked it up and read the back and for whatever reason (likely that I had already met the quota for amount of books I could buy that day I set it back down. I had every intention of buying it the next time it was there and it was gone. I have been interested in reading something by Kristin Hannah ever since. I am so glad that The Nightingale was her first book that I was able to read. It seems like it is a little different from her other work, but I feel like it will be my absolute favorite (although after reading The Nightingale I checked out Night Road at the library and that was a pretty close second. It was a very fabulous book in it's own right). Back to The Nightingale- I was hooked from the very first pages. I have read pretty much every kind of book that there is about WWII. Fiction, non-fiction, different angles of different types of people during the war, and I have definitely read other books about some of the women that helped during the war, but I have never felt like I good as good of a feel of the constant terror they must have went through while doing what they felt was right during the war until this one. Isabelle is young and fearless. She may start off as a little immature, but her role in the war causes her to grow up quickly. Her sister Vianne has children and a husband in the war so she is a little more cautious about her actions. By the end of this novel, I was in a pool of tears. To me, that is always a great way to end a novel. Any type of strong emotion, smiling from ear to ear, full out rage at how things went or sadness so profound it brings you to tears, to me these are all signs of great writing. I recommend The Nightingale to anyone who is interested in WWII or enjoys historical fiction or dramas. 

The Nightingale will be available February 3. You can pre-order it on Amazon.com.

About the author-

Kristin Hannah is the New York Times bestselling author of twenty-one novels, including the blockbuster Firefly Lane and #1 bestsellers Night Road and Home Front. She is a former lawyer turned writer and is the mother of one son. She lives in the Pacific Northwest and Hawaii with her husband.

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The Secrets of Life and Death by Rebecca Alexander (Book Review)

Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Blogging for Books. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book-

In modern day England, Professor Felix Guichard is called in to identify occult symbols found on the corpse of a young girl. His investigation brings him in contact with a mysterious woman, Jackdaw Hammond, who guards a monumental secret--She's Dead. Or she would be, were it not for magic which has artificially extended her life. But someone else knows her secret. Someone very old and very powerful, who won't rest until they've taken the magic that keeps her alive....

In Krakow in 1585, Dr John Dee, the Elizabethan Alchemist and Occultist, and his assistant Edward Kelley have been summoned by the King of Poland to save the life of his niece, the infamous Countess Elisabeth Bathory. But they soon realize that the only thing worse than the Countess' malady, is the magic that might be able to save her...
As Jackdaw and Felix race to uncover the truth about the person hunting her, it becomes clear that the answers they seek can only be found in the ancient diary of John Dee's assistant, Edward Kelley. Together they must solve a mystery centuries in the making, or die trying.

My thoughts- 

I love books that are rooted in history and this book definitely had some historical aspects. In fact, I was unfamiliar with John Dee, Edward Kelley and Elisabeth Bathory so through reading this, I was introduced to a whole side of history I was unaware of and I love that. I definitely did some research after I was done to learn more about each of them. Besides the historical aspect of the book, there is also a modern day story interwoven which is another thing that makes me love this novel. I like having a novel having both a present day story and a story set in the passed and threaded together. It is like getting a two for one deal and it is always really cool to see how everything comes together in the end. It has been a while since I have read a story with supernatural elements so I was due for a nice fantasy like novel and this one didn't disappoint. For me, The Secrets of Life and Death was a page turner. Since I was unaware of the true to life magic and witchcraft stories (although the novel is loosely based on the acutal events in history) I was hooked on finding out exactly what happened to John Dee and Edward Kelley. The present day story about Jack and Felix and the girl that Jack is trying to save is also very intriguing. I spent the entire book wondering what would become of all of the present day players because it really could have went several ways. This is a quick and very interesting read. I would recommend it to anyone interested in historically based fiction or stories about witchcraft. 

You can get your copy of The Secrets of Life and Death on Amazon.com. 

About the author-

Rebecca Alexander is a novelist and poet that lives in North Devon, England. The Secrets of Life and Death was her dissertation novel and was a runner up in the Mslexia 2011 novel writing competition. It is the first part in a trilogy!

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The Secret of Pembrooke Park by Julie Klassen (Book Review)

Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review. All opinions stated are 100% my own.


About the book-

Abigail Foster is the practical daughter. She fears she will end up a spinster, especially as she has little dowry, and the one man she thought might marry her seems to have fallen for her younger, prettier sister.

Facing financial ruin, Abigail and her father search for more affordable lodgings, until a strange solicitor arrives with an astounding offer: the use of a distant manor house abandoned for eighteen years. The Fosters journey to imposing Pembrooke Park and are startled to find it entombed as it was abruptly left: tea cups encrusted with dry tea, moth-eaten clothes in wardrobes, a doll's house left mid-play . . .

The handsome local curate welcomes them, but though he and his family seem acquainted with the manor's past, the only information they offer is a stern warning: Beware trespassers drawn by rumors that Pembrooke Park contains a secret room filled with treasure.

This catches Abigail's attention. Hoping to restore her family's finances—and her dowry—Abigail looks for this supposed treasure. But eerie sounds at night and footprints in the dust reveal she isn't the only one secretly searching the house.

As old friends and new foes come calling at Pembrooke Park, secrets come to light. Will Abigail find the treasure and love she seeks . . . or very real danger? 

My thoughts-

I have never met a Julie Klassen book that I haven't liked. Several years ago I joined an online book club. For whatever reason, it didn't last long, but I will forever be grateful for a book I discovered for the little while it was going called The Apothecary's Daughter. It started my love of all things Julie Klassen and several books later, I still feel the same way. I can not wait as each new book is being written and promoted and finally when it comes out, I will devour it in a short sitting, love it and then wait patiently (or not so much) for the next book to come out. So of course, I was stoked for The Secret of Pembrooke Park to come out. I have been waiting for months to read it. I loved that the plot sounded like there was a nice twist to the typical historical romance with  a bit of a mystery. It was a lot of fun reading about Abigail and her father moving into the big house and following along as Abigail tries to figure out why the house was abandoned and who is writing her letters about it. As always, I enjoyed the romantic aspect of things, and Abigail has no shortage of admirers. There is a terrific cast of characters that live on the grounds of the house that add a great deal to the story, especially Mac, Leah and William. This is really an action packed book full of great twists and turns. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading Regency era historical fiction. 

The Secret of Pembrooke Park is available now at Amazon.com and other retailers nationwide.

About the author-

Julie Klassen loves all things Jane—Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Julie worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes full time. Three of her books, The Silent Governess, The Girl in the Gatehouse, and The Maid of Fairbourne Hall, have won the Christy Award for Historical Romance. She has also won the Midwest Book Award, Christian Retailing’s BEST Award, and has been a finalist in the Romance Writers of America’s RITA Awards, Minnesota Book Awards, and ACFW’s Carol Awards. She blogs athttp://www.inspiredbylifeandfiction.com.
Julie and her husband have two sons and live in a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota. 

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The Nightingale Nurses by Donna Douglas (Book Review)

Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book-

'Pay attention please, nurses. The next six months will be the most important of your lives'

It's the final year of training for three young nurses at The Nightingale Hospital.

Helen is at a crossroads in her life as she battles with her domineering mother over both her love life and her future career.

Dora can't stop loving Nick, who is married to her best friend, Ruby. But Ruby is hiding a dark secret with the potential to destroy Ruby's marriage.

Millie is anxious about her fiance, sent to Spain to cover the Civil War, and things only get worse when she encounters a fortune teller who gives her a sinister warning.

With war looming in Europe, and the East End of London squaring up to the threat of Oswald Mosley's blackshirts, the women of the Nightingale have to face their own challenges, at work and in love.

My thoughts-

I am breezing through this book series. I am going to be so sad when I finish the fourth one and have to wait until November for the next one! Read my book reviews of the two previous books Nightingale Girls and Nightingale Sisters before you read my review of the third book here.

The further I get into the Nightingale Girls series, the more invested I am in knowing what is going on in the lives of Helen, Millie, Dora and friends. My heart breaks for both Helen and Dora as they each try to navigate their own respective love lives with road blocks standing in their way. I am used to Dora's relationship with Nick not working out because of the trauma she has suffered that she suffered and her own friend standing in the way, but it is Helen's  tenacity to finally stand up to her mother and the situation that unfolds with Charlie that really captured my attention and emotions in this book. Millie is also grappling with her fiance being overseas where they are just on the brink of a full out war. There is plenty or romance and drama to keep you interested in what is happening with these final year nursing students. Speaking of it being the final year of nurse training at the Nightingale, all of the girls trying to study as well as trying to remember everything they have learned over the last few years makes for some very interesting dialogue as well. I love that with each new book in the series we get to know Helen, Millie and Dora a little bit better and that we are often introduced to more characters to get to know as well. As we get closer to the next book and the one that follows that, it is almost to a place in time where WWII is set to begin, so in each book there is gradually a little more about the war happening as well. I can not put these books down. I recommend this series to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or a little bit of romance.  Have the tissues handy for this one. 

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The Butterfly and the Violin by Kristi Cambron Blog Tour & Book Review + Win a Kindle Fire

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book-

A mysterious painting breathes hope and beauty into the darkest corners of Auschwitz—and the loneliest hearts of Manhattan.

Manhattan art dealer Sera James watched her world crumble at the altar two years ago, and her heart is still fragile. Her desire for distraction reignites a passion for a mysterious portrait she first saw as a young girl—a painting of a young violinist with piercing blue eyes.

In her search for the painting, Sera crosses paths with William Hanover, the grandson of a wealthy California real estate mogul, who may be the key to uncovering the hidden masterpiece. Together, Sera and William slowly unravel the story behind the painting's subject: Austrian violinist Adele Von Bron.

A darling of the Austrian aristocracy, talented violinist, and daughter to a high-ranking member of the Third Reich, Adele risks everything when she begins smuggling Jews out of Vienna. In a heartbeat, her life of prosperity and privilege dissolves into a world of starvation and barbed wire.

As Sera untangles the secrets behind the painting, she finds beauty in the most unlikely of places: in the grim camps of Auschwitz and in the inner recesses of her own troubled heart.

My thoughts- the first thing I thought when I saw this book was how beautiful the cover was and that the title was even quite beautiful. When I read the plot synopsis and found out that it was a historical fiction novel set during WWII, I knew I would have to read it. I love novels that are set in more than one time period, I like going through the old story with the present day character as they discover what they are searching for. I was absolutely enthralled by this book. I read it in one sitting. I had been in a place where I was getting burnt out on reading. The novels I was reading were good, but it had been a while since I had read a book that I absolutely could not put down. So for that day, no matter what my boys and I were doing, I was reading this book. They were playing in the mud, I was reading. They were watching a movie, I was reading. After I put them in bed for the night, I finished up this absolute page turner. I know I have said on this blog at least once, if not several times that I have a fascination with WWII. I just do not understand that events that took place and I think that is why I am so drawn to it. That and I think it is our duty to remember the tragedy that occurred. We owe it to those who lost their lives and those who went through the horrors of the holocaust and survived. I have read a ton of books set in this time period, but I have never heard of the hidden paintings, so this was an interesting new fact to me, that these people being held prisoner, watching people all around them die, were still trying to hold on to things that were of beauty, things that gave them hope and I was glad for it. I turned page after page hoping to see if Sera could find the painting she was looking for and hoping that William is the person he seems to be. I shed tears as I thought of what Adele must have gone through having to play her violin for the revolting people that were holding her prisoner during the events in which she would least want to play her violin. It was interesting to ponder how that would affect how she would feel about music, something she once loved. When the story concluded, I was satisfied with the ending, but sad it was over. It was such a compelling story. This was an excellent debut novel from Kristy Cambron and I look forward to seeing what her next novel holds. I recommend this novel to anyone who is interested in romance, suspense or historical fiction. You will not want to put it down.

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Purchase The Butterfly and the Violin on Amazon.com

THE BUTTERFLY AND THE VIOLIN – Kindle Fire Giveaway & RSVP for 8/7 Facebook Party!

 Welcome to the launch campaign for debut novelist Kristy Cambron's The Butterfly and the Violin. Romantic Times had this to say: "Alternating points of view skillfully blend contemporary and historical fiction in this debut novel that is almost impossible to put down. Well-researched yet heartbreaking. . . ."

Kristy is celebrating the release of the first book in her series, A Hidden Masterpiece, with a fun Kindle Fire giveaway and meeting her readers during an August 7th Facebook author chat party.

 One winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• The Butterfly and the Violin by Kristy Cambron

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on August 7th. Winner will be announced at The Butterfly and the Violin Author Chat Party. Kristy will be connecting with readers and answering questions, sharing some of the fascinating research behind the book, hosting a fun book chat, and giving away some GREAT prizes. She will also be giving an exclusive look at the next book in the series, A Sparrow in Terezin!

So grab your copy of The Butterfly and the Violin and join Kristy on the evening of August 7th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 7th!

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