Mrs. Lincoln's Sisters by Jennifer Chiaverini

  

While Mrs. Lincoln's Sisters is a work of fiction inspired by history, every incident that I fact checked, and there were many, did indeed occur much in the way they were presented in the book. I found learning about Mrs. Mary Todd Lincoln's life both interesting and saddening. I was unaware of her mental health struggles both before and after her husband's death. Jennifer Chiaverini did a wonderful job of portraying Mrs. Lincoln and her relationships with her sisters, her husband, and her children. I look forward to continuing to make my way through her oeuvre.

A Bookseller in Madrid by Mario Escobar - A Book Review

  

While the prologue and epilogue are set in the 2020s, the story of A Bookseller in Madrid is set from 1933 to 1946, including the Spanish Revolution of 1934, the Spanish Civil War, the Spanish Republican Insurgency, and the impact Germany had on the Spanish political scene. Mario Escobar uses his fiction set during some of history's most difficult and cruel times to examine and learn from those who perpetuated the horrors and those who survived them, building empathy for the latter. Based on the lives of two real booksellers of the times, Escobar's fictional bookseller, Barbara Spiel faces adversity with bravery, using books and her bookstore to provide a safe haven for souls and minds amongst the deprivation, chaos, and inhumanity, even while striving to keep her own family together. Escobar brings commonalities to the surface between social concerns of current times and those of the past as his characters seek stability and hope.

While creating a story that evokes compassion and empathy, Escobar also emphasizes the importance of books in reminding society of what it means to embrace humanity as well as the importance of the Christian church in truly embracing and demonstrating sacrificial love. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of A Bookseller in Madrid from Harper Muse via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel - A Book Review

  

Kristen Harmel evokes a wide variety of emotions from the sorrows and suffering of war; the pain of loss and betrayal; the weight of grief and regret; to the delight and relief of finding forgiveness, love, and personal connection. Almost ninety looks very good on Colette Marceau, with her family lost to her in the war, and only two close friends, Colette still dabbles in the family business as a jewel thief and, as a descendant of Robin Hood, stealing from the rich to give to the poor. She does not, however, target anyone who has not done something to, in her opinion, deserve being relieved of their jewels. Even the best intentions can become tangled up leading to unintended and undeserved circumstances. Colette must come to terms with the people and years that were stolen from her, as well as the moments and opportunities she relinquished on her own.

This book is itself a jewel with its sparkling moments and valuable insights. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau from Simon & Schuster via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

The Naturalist's Daughter by Tea Cooper - A Book Review

   

While the main characters in this book are all fictional, I enjoyed being immersed in a tale that placed me in a historical Australian scientific controversy, one that revolved around the acceptance of facts regarding the ornithorhynchus platypus. The story also addresses to a smaller degree England's sending prisoners to colonize Australia. Both stories in this dual-timeline novel work to solve the mystery surrounding former prisoner Rose Winter's heritage. It was very interesting to see how the culture of the day impacted the reasons for secrecy around Rose's family history.

I always keep an eye out for Tea Cooper's books being released in the United State. They are always very enjoyable reads with interesting themes and lots to learn about Australian history. I highly recommend The Naturalist's Daughter and am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Harper Muse via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

The Paris Housekeeper by Renee Ryan - A Book Review

   

I read a lot of WWII fiction, and find this novel by Renee Ryan to be truly inspired and original. It is a story of the intertwined lives of three women living in Paris from 1940 to 1942. One is a beautiful, wealthy American widow, another a young French chambermaid working at the Hotel Ritz, and the last a young Jewish woman also employed at the Ritz. The French chambermaid, Camille Lacroix, orchestrates events, however unintentionally, which tie these three lives together. While historic events such as the June, 1942 Vel d'Hiv roundup are mentioned, with the author relying on the reader's historical knowledge, the story remains focused on these women, their relationships, the choices they make, and the impact they have on one another.

This novel is very well-written. Readers can not help but become emotionally involved with the three leading characters. This investment may cost the reader heartache and tears along the way. The ending will not be happy for all of the characters, but good can come out of even the saddest of events.

I highly recommend The Paris Housekeeper, and am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Harlequin via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

The Butterfly Collector by Tea Cooper - A Book Review

  

I truly enjoy learning something of Australia's history through Tea Cooper's historical fiction. Of course I appreciate her historical notes at the end which help me to separate fact from fiction. The Butterfly Collector is a dual timeline story that centers around the horrible but lucrative baby farming business in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. As Verity Binks, a fledgling journalist, researches a well known charity that assists unwed, expectant mothers, she stumbles across the long running existence of a baby farming operation originating in the town of Morpeth. Further exploration revealed her own family's connections, both past and present.

The Butterfly Collector is a clean work of fiction that deals with a difficult reality. I believe this well-written, sensitive story will appeal to readers of Christian and secular historical fiction. Even though it does not include a Christian element, it but does have a strong theme of social justice. Cooper skillfully unfolds the story of Verity's family maximizing reader engagement with the story and encouraging bonding with the story's characters.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Butterfly Collector from Harper Muse via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.  

To Free the Stars by J'Nell Ciesielski - A Book Review

  

To Free the Stars is the second of J'Nell Ciesielski's Jack and Ivy novels. To be enjoyed and understood, having read The Brilliance of Stars is essential. The series denies categorization. There are historical storylines, secret agents, intense action, sizzling romance, betrayal, world travel, secret organizations (both good and evil), and antagonists who border on fantasy style villains, but definitely not the Disney kind. There is also forgiveness, redemption, and restoration among characters that readers are not likely to ever forget. If you have found yourself in a reading rut, reading the same type of stories over and over, the Jack and Ivy novels will jump start you on a whole new path, one filled with extremes of many varieties. I highly recommend these novels and am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of To Free the Stars from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

The Paris Daughter by Kristin Harmel - A Book Review

  

Elise LeClair had no idea how different her life would be from the one she anticipated as she left New York to take up residence with her new husband in Paris. Juliette Foulon had no idea how entangled their lives would become when she came to Elise's aid as Elise experienced false labor in the park near Juliette's bookshop. Of course, war makes lives totally unpredictable. It also forces people to make impossible decisions that will forever change the course of their lives.

Kristin Harmel has once again blessed her readers with a work of great depth. While she explores the horrors of war, Harmel highlights the resilience of the human spirit, the ability to continue living one day at a time during the toughest of times, and the huge capacity people have to love and to forgive. She also recognizes brokenness resulting in the absence of any forward momentum. Readers explore these things right alongside her as they too become entangled in both Elise and Juliette's lives, extricating themselves only after the last page has been turned leaving them grateful for this latest offering from Kristin Harmel. I am also grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Paris Daughter from Simon & Schuster via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

The Brilliance of Stars by J'nell Ciesielski - A Book Review

  

The writing in this story, the elements of plot, dialogue, pacing,and the like are top notch. The story is original, the characters endearing, and the suspense captivating. However, there is one personal preference that dampens my enthusiasm for The Brilliance of Stars. I love series that have a thread of mystery that carries the reader from one book to the next, but that also has a mystery that is particular to each book and that is brought to a satisfying conclusion in that book. I wish that books that end in a total cliffhanger requiring one to wait until the release of the next book, and maybe the one after that, before reaching any satisfying conclusion came with a warning label allowing readers to make a choice before investing hours of reading time. That said, at least I know I can count on good quality writing when the next book in Ciesielski's Jack and Ivy series is released.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Brilliance of Stars from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

The Fossil Hunter by Tea Cooper - A Book Review

  

Tea Cooper is one of the few current day foreign authors whose work I follow. She is an established Australian author of clean, historical fiction. I have truly enjoyed each of her books that I have read, and I was happy to receive a complimentary copy of The Fossil Hunter from Harper Muse via NetGalley without obligation. It is a pleasure to share my opinions with other fans of historical fiction.

While I am not a fan of Darwin, The Fossil Hunter did not delve deeply enough into his work to tarnish my enjoyment of the book. The unanswered questions about the fossils found as well as those possibly still hidden in Bow Wow Gorge were compelling, but even more so were the questions regarding the fate of the fictional Anthea Winstanley and her adopted daughter Mellie Vale. The role of Providence in the story was also something to mull over. Tea Cooper's writing style is relaxed, yet builds the tension required for full engagement with a story. As an American, I love the glimpses into Australian culture and vocabulary. Cooper has done a wonderful job balancing and connecting the two timelines separated by about seventy years. I highly recommend The Fossil Hunter. 

The Book Woman's Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson - A Book Review

  

This wonderful sequel to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek will work as a stand alone read, but please don't deprive yourself of reading both books in order which will increase your emotional attachment to the characters in The Book Woman's Daughter. Honey Lovett is left to fend for herself after her parents are imprisoned for violating Kentucky's miscegenation laws, her father being white and her mother a Blue. The Blue people of Kentucky first arrived around 1820 when a French orphan who carried the gene for the rare blood disorder that causes a blue skin hue claimed a land grant there. The Blues suffered prejudices and unfair treatment for many years. It was not much different for our fictional Honey in the 1950s who was noted as being one of the last of the dwindling number of Blues. Fortunately there were those who embraced Honey and her mother before her as friends and contributing community members as they worked to provide books to those living in hard-to-reach areas of Appalachia.

This story of courage, sisterhood, survival, and respect for others is heart touching. While I usually read and review Christian fiction, and this book is not that, I am pleased that the author carefully handled scenes that others may have described in a more graphic manner. In my mind it is a thoughtful author that knows when to allow readers the opportunity to restrict or give rein to their mental images by providing just enough information to get the point across. Kim Michele Richardson is such an author. I highly recommend this book and its predecessor, and am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Sourcebooks Landmark via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

The Widows of Champagne by Renee Ryan - A Book Review

   

Renee Ryan is a new-to-me author, and I am so glad that I took a chance on selecting her new book, The Widows of Champagne. The story is fresh, the prose quite beautiful, the protagonists strong and committed, the antagonists ire-evoking, and the plot well-paced. Fans of historical fiction, especially those who like World War II stories, will be delighted with this novel. Fans of Christian and secular fiction will be equally pleased with the time they devote to reading The Widows of Champagne.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of this novel from Harlequin's Love Inspired collection without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

The Ice Swan by J'nell Ciesielski - A Book Review

   

The Ice Swan has numerous elements which sets it apart from the historical fiction I have read of late. It is set during the Great War, and includes a story line based around the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, neither of which have been prevalent in my reading. Ciesielski does a wonderful job of creating empathy for those displaced by the Revolution while drawing a clear line between the elite who learned to cope and improve themselves in their new circumstances and those who relied on their sense of entitlement. Her wordsmithing is lovely in her description of the beauty and grace of Princess Svetlana Dalsky's dance and demeanor. Through the character of Doctor Wynn MacCallan, Ciesielski informs readers of the difficulties associated with improvements in medical procedures in the early twentieth century. A criminal element known as the Black Claw adds an edge of suspense to the story as one of their leaders seeks revenge on the elegant Svetlana.

I found it truly difficult to do this book justice in this review, and hope that you will experience The Ice Swan for yourself. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Beauty Among Ruins by J'Nell Ciesielski - A Book Review

 

I always love when a book by a new-to-me author feels like discovering a treasure. I will definitely be on the lookout for more of J'Nell Ciesielski's books in the future. This one is set mostly in Laggan,Scotland from April 1915 to April 1916. Lily Durham, whose family were members of New York society, had been sent off to stay with relatives in England until she learned the proper way to conduct herself. Having joined her cousin in traveling to Scotland in order to help wounded soldiers staying at Kinclavoch Castle to convalesce, Lily embraced the freedom she found there in spite of the strict rules imposed on the nurses and aides by Matron Strom. Alec MacGregor, also known as Lord Stratham, may have been the owner of the castle and laird of the estate, but he too needed to find a sense of freedom, a freedom Lily's lightheartedness and caring ways offered. The question remained as to whether Lily could hold onto that freedom, and whether Alec could ever embrace it. While this book does not contain Christian references, there are many parallels to be drawn between its themes and biblical truths. Freedom is often found within boundaries and in service to others.

I am very grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Beauty Among Ruins from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Things We Didn't Say by Amy Lynn Green - A Book Review

    

When the first few chapters of Things We Didn't Say consisted of letters and newspaper clippings, I flipped through the book and discovered that the entire book was structured that way. Initially I felt that would cause the book to drag on, but I could not have been more wrong. I was totally sucked into this story, and totally amazed at how the author's unique story structure allowed the tale to unfold. Johanna Berglund,at first a fairly unlikable but brilliant linguistics student, evolves into a caring, compassionate young woman as she is forced into working as a translator and censor in a German POW camp in her hometown of Ironside Lake, Minnesota. There is so much more I want to reveal, but truly want to avoid even the smallest of spoilers that would cause other readers not to get the benefit of the author's true gift of feeding the reader information at just the right spot in the story. This is truly a five star read, and I am more than grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Remember Me by Mario Escobar - A Book Review

 

I had very little background knowledge about the Spanish Civil War, and found this book intriguing as it expanded that knowledge. The book's dedication demonstrates the depth of the author's connection to the children and families impacted by this war. He writes with a strong first person voice that connected me as well. Children living in exile and removed from their parents; brothers and sisters struggling to remain together; adults who should be protectors being negligent, abusive, or both: these are the things that tug hard at the reader's heartstrings.

Mario Escobar is a very talented writer whose books I seek out. I highly recommend them to all who appreciate well-written, well-researched historical fiction built on themes that matter. I am grateful to have received a complementary copy of Remember Me from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

A Deception at Thornecrest by Ashley Weaver - A Book Review

     

Ashley Weaver was a new-to-me author, and I am so glad to have discovered her. I believe fans of Julianna Deering would quickly become fans of Ashley Weaver, and vice versa. A Deception at Thornecrest was a great clean mystery set in a 1934 English village with the requisite vicar, village gossip, inn, festival, manor house, and murder. I read the book in about twenty-four hours as I truly couldn't put it down. I give this book five stars and am very grateful to have received a copy from Minotaur Books via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

The Haunting At Bonaventure Circus by Jaime Jo Wright - A Book Review

   

I am giving The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus five stars, but I will say that if I had not been familiar with Jaime Jo Wright's books, and had not trusted that she would be true to Christian values, there were places I would have closed the book and moved on. My trust was not misplaced, and I am very glad that I read on. The book takes place in Bluff River, Wisconsin, home of the Bonaventure Circus and the Watchman. Pippa Ripley is the protagonist in 1928, as Chandler Faulk is in the present day. In 1928 the circus was still in its hey day, but animal rights activists were already bringing attention to the circus. The Bonaventure Circus and the Ripley family were being plagued with unsettling events and circumstances. In present day, Chandler Faulk, as a representative of her uncle's company, is stirring up the past as she seeks to renovate and repurpose Bluff River's old train depot, one that was home to the circus train, and the circus owner's office. Her attention is divided between her career and parenting her son, Peter, while trying her best to reflect confidence and bravery.

Jaime Jo Wright is a wonderful author. Her plots are unique and edgy. I am grateful to have received a copy of this book from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

The Shipbuilder's Wife by Jennifer Moore - A Book Review

   

I have read lots of Revolutionary War and civil War stories, but to my best recollection this is the first story I've read that takes place during the War of 1812. At the end of chapter three I had to take a little detour on-line to reacquaint myself with the basics of that war. I was glad that I did because it aided my understanding of the rest of the story.

While I typically read and review Christian fiction, I thoroughly enjoyed this clean historical romance. Jennifer Moore's research, character development, well-paced story line, and sometimes humorous story drew me in and kept me entranced, allowing me to complete it in one day. I will be on the lookout for other books by this new-to-me author and from this new-to-me publisher in the days to come.

In The Shipbuilder's Wife, Lydia Prescott, a southern debutante, is released from her engagement following an explosion that left her face scarred. Believing no one will ever want her, Lydia is surprised and bewildered when her father arranges her marriage to Jacob Steele, a shipbuilder from Annapolis. As far as she can remember Lydia has only met the gentleman once before, and they didn't exactly take to one another. As Lydia and Jacob learn to live in the same house they consistently misread both circumstances and one another, causing the reader great angst, and a desire to read on.

I thank NetGalley and Covenant Communications for providing me with a copy of The Shipbuilder's Wife in exchange for my honest opinion. I was under not obligation to provide a positive review and received no monetary compensation.