REVIEW: A Woman of War by Mandy Robotham

A Woman of War
by Mandy Robotham

Publisher: Avon
Page Count: 352
Release Date: December 7, 2018
Format: Netgalley ARC

How got: Free from publisher via NetGalley

First attention getter: setting

Synopsis:

From GoodReads:

Germany, 1944. 

Taken from the camps to serve the Führer himself, Anke Hoff is assigned as midwife to one of Hitler’s inner circle. If she refuses, her family will die.

Torn between her duty as a caregiver and her hatred for the Nazi regime, Anke is swept into a life unlike anything she’s ever known – and she discovers that many of those at the Berghof are just as trapped as she is. And soon, she’s falling for a man who will make her world more complicated still…

Before long, the couple is faced with an impossible choice – and the consequences could be deadly. Can their forbidden love survive the horrors of war? And, more importantly, will they?

My Thoughts:

Star Rating - 3.5

Note: Book received for free from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What would have happened if Hitler had a kid? I’m sure that phrase pings a lot of interest for a lot of folks, myself included. So consider me intrigued when I got offered the opportunity to read/review this title. We follow Anke as she’s plucked from the horrors of the Holocaust to help care for and deliver Eva Braun’s child, all the while dealing with certain personages of Hitler’s inner circle and the politics of her odd situation.

As the book went along, it developed some issues I had a hard time with, but they never detracted from my enjoyment of Anke’s journey. She’s an incredible character with enormous strength of character and will, willing to take large risks to ease the burden of those under her care. I enjoyed her unwillingness to be cowed by Nazi officials, even those with the power to send her back to the hell she was pulled from or even kill her outright.

Her romantic connection to ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Dieter made for a sweet subplot. An SS officer with certain reservations about government policies and acting in small ways to counteract them was a nice gel with Anke. I pictured a Kurt Gerstein sort of figure, a man caught in a horrible scenario with few ways out and limited room to move.

I also found the history and midwife tidbits the author included interesting. Though they could be graphic in places and made me squirm, the details of childbirth and all involved really made me picture Anke, her character, and profession better. I also loved getting a window into the precarious life of Hitler’s inner sanctum home. Staff members, guards, and inner circle heavy weights played their parts in the scheming for places on top or just for survival.

Now for those issues I mentioned. I know the last few paragraphs extol the many virtues of this title and deservedly so. However, there are some problems that either irritated me, made me raise my eyebrow in disbelief, or just plain sour me.

The first problem is the premise of the book. The idea of a gal being stuck in the world of Nazi politics while trying to deliver the child of the Fuhrer was intriguing. However, my issue arises from where they pulled her from. I guess I have a hard time believing, no matter who wanted the child or not, that a random midwife from a concentration camp would be pulled to take care of this very politically charged scenario. While Anke is a good midwife, no where does it give an explanation why she was the one picked rather than another random midwife or even a sanctified Nazi midwife. This is especially given Anke’s personal and family history of anti-Nazi activity. The whole situation was my main issue with the premise.

Then there’s also the ending. I don’t want to go too far into things and give anything away. Yet, let’s just say that things are wrapped up, warp-speed! A ton of story threads are wrapped up in an epilogue that consists mainly of “this happened, then this happened, then this…”. I never really felt like I got to say goodbye to any of these people or situations properly. To me, it felt like there was at 2 or more chapters of story to tell to gather all the threads up to a satisfying conclusion.

However despite those two issues I had, ultimately I enjoyed this look into Nazi inner politics and seeing Anke grow as a woman and professional. As I’ve mentioned, I loved her journey and felt very connected to her as she went through these trying times. If those two issues hadn’t arisen, I’d feel very comfortable giving this a firm 5 stars. However, they do, so it’s a 3.5 rounded up to a 4 for me. Definitely give this a look, though, it’s a great journey despite the flaws.

REVIEW: The Trust by Ronald H. Balson

The Trust
by Ronald H. Balson

Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Page Count: 368
Release Date: September 19, 2017
Format: E-Book ARC Via NetGalley

How got: ARC from publisher via NetGalley

First attention getter: dealing with N Ireland drama

Synopsis:

From GoodReads:

When his uncle dies, Liam Taggart reluctantly returns to his childhood home in Northern Ireland for the funeral—a home he left years ago after a bitter confrontation with his family, never to look back. But when he arrives, Liam learns that not only was his uncle shot to death, but that he’d anticipated his own murder: In an astonishing last will and testament, Uncle Fergus has left his entire estate to a secret trust, directing that no distributions be made to any person until the killer is found. 

Did Fergus know, but refuse to name, his killer? Was this a crime of revenge, a vendetta leftover from Northern Ireland’s bloody sectarian war? After all, the Taggarts were deeply involved in the IRA. Or is it possible that the killer is a family member seeking Fergus’s estate? Otherwise, why postpone distributions to the heirs? Most menacingly, does the killer now have his sights on other family members?

As his investigation draws Liam farther and farther into the past he has abandoned, he realizes he is forced to reopen doors long ago shut and locked. Now, accepting the appointment as sole trustee of the Fergus Taggart Trust, Liam realizes he has stepped into the center of a firestorm.

My Thoughts:

Star Rating - 4

When I found out this book was the fourth in a series I’d previously had bad luck with, I was regretting my agreement to read/review. That previous encounter had to be dropped due to a massive info dump in the beginning that made continuing further impossible for me. Once my discovery was made, I braced myself for a similar experience. However, I was very pleasantly surprised. This particular work was written organically and well, giving us a fleshing out of one of our leads and some fascinating modern history of the Northern Ireland dilemma.

I think the problem with my first try with this series was the info dump plus being thrust into the story with characters I didn’t know. A common problem with trying to start a series mid-point, this volume, however, didn’t suffer from that. The central mystery has to do with Liam’s family history in Ireland so serves as an “introduction” to him as a character.

I felt like I got to know Liam very well. His loyalty to family, iron sense of right vs wrong, and dedication to his crime-solving craft shine through strongly. He’s a main character I could get behind and believe in. And though Catherine only played a peripheral part in this volume, being an ocean away for most of it, I still got a sense for her practical approach to problems and perfect common sense. She was a great foil to Liam’s passion for family, crime-solving, and protecting others.

I felt the crime-solving aspects were pretty well done. The story is chock full of red herrings and twisty turns that make any mystery a joy to read. The final whodunit was a surprise to me with a nail-biting journey to that final reveal. I liked that the author didn’t shy away from giving us some tragedy and emotion as well along the way. They gave the voyage to justice a perfect weight to the dry aspects of crime-solving.

There were times where the author felt repetitive in various aspects of storytelling. The constant amount of times that Liam went jogging, I’m surprised he’s not built like a quarterback on steroids. It also felt like some characters kept falling back to the same character traits again and again, Connor and his repetitive tries to oust Liam come to mind. Maybe the author was just making a point that Connor was a douche and putting him forward as a likely suspect, making his attempts as proof of his trying to kill Liam and company. However, it felt to me like he was just pounding this point too much with the proverbial two by four.

Despite that one flaw, and admittedly that one is a very personal quibble, I felt this was a solid book. Great character work and a mystery plot that wasn’t predictable nor stale make this a very enjoyable read. It even served as a great introduction to Liam and Catherine, in lieu of book one. I think I might need to look into books 1 and 3 now as well as re-thinking book 2. Highly recommended for mystery lovers everywhere.

Note: Book received for free from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: A Secret History of Witches by Louisa Morgan

A Secret History of Witches
by Louisa Morgan

Publisher: Orbit Books - Redhook
Page Count: 496
Publish Date: September 5, 2017
Format: E-Book ARC

How Got: free copy from NetGalley

First Attention Getter: subject matter

Synopsis:

From GoodReads:

An ancient and dangerous power is being handed down from mother to daughter through some of the most consequential historic events of the last two centuries.
After Grandmére Ursule gives her life to save her tribe, her magic seems to die with her. Even so, her family keeps the Old Faith, practicing the spells and rites that have been handed from mother to daughter for generations. Until one day, Ursule’s young granddaughter steps into the circle, and magic flows anew.

From early 19th century Brittany to London during the Second World War, five generations of witches fight the battles of their time, deciding how far they are willing to go to protect their family, their heritage, and ultimately, all of our futures.

My Thoughts:

Star Rating - 3.5

Exploration of multiple family generations and witch-craft is what drew my attention to this book. I adore a good family exploration and after a couple years ago, I’ve been fascinated by witch history and the persecution thereof. Given some of the lukewarm reviews I’ve read for this work, my expectations weren’t as high as they might have been. Yet, I was pleasantly surprised. So despite a few glitches, the mixture of fantastic characterization and suspenseful storytelling kept me spellbound.

I adore what the author did with her characters. She made each woman stand out so well, from personality quirks to how they utilized their magic to how that same magic influenced them. Some used their power for personal gain with personalities to match that outlook. Others were the true definition of self sacrifice to carry on the family line. Each woman stood out as distinct in each decade as we explore the Orchiere line.

I loved how the author handled the witchcraft throughout history, though this was one of the areas that felt a bit off for me as well. Starting in the beginning of the 19th century through to WWII, the author explores this family of witches facing the various dangers of their calling. Literal witch hunts to the danger of losing hearth & home or marriages all make an appearance. And how these ladies face these dangers further illustrate their different personalities and life outlooks.

The one area I felt where things got a bit unrealistic was the fervor of those literal witch hunts in the early 19th century. Now I’ve never experienced back water small country town life, especially in an era such as the early 1800s, so I can’t speak on how realistic these reactions to witchcraft were. However, I felt like the pastor led mobs in Parts 1 and 3 came off as hard to believe in the day and age of scientific thought and reasoning. They felt like they should have been in the witch crazy times of the 1500s or 1600s.

The story flowed pretty well, keeping the audience engaged from one gal to another. I enjoyed each woman’s life journey as she dealt with the issue of continuing her line for herself, and building her power. Alternately with murdered companions or cliff edge dangers, the exciting parts gelled well with the slower story aspects.

Yet, there were times when the story felt rushed in places, too. This was especially evident to me in the last part, Veronica’s story. Her involvement in the war effort with her coven felt rushed, one moment the war was just starting and the next we’re at D-Day. The focus on her discovering her powers/heritage and seeing how that impacted her life was interesting. Yet, I felt like something was missing with the glossing over of other areas. The other parts didn’t seem to have this so much as Veronica’s story, but it stood out hard here.

Overall, this was a well done work of generational historical fiction, exploring the lives of women through the last two centuries, their families, and how witchcraft affects all. Despite some flaws on story rushing or a few examples of unrealistic story aspects, this is still highly recommended for anyone who enjoys a side of fantasy to their historical fiction, the study of witches/witchcraft through the ages, or the story of women in history and their struggles.

Note: Book received for free from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Alice and the Assassin by R. J. Koreto

Alice and the Assassin
by R. J. Koreto

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Page Count: 280
Release Date: April 11, 2017
Format: E-Book ARC

How got: digital ARC via NetGalley

First attention getter: main character and her historically established personality

Synopsis:

From GoodReads:

In 1902 New York, Alice Roosevelt, the bright, passionate, and wildly unconventional daughter of newly sworn-in President Theodore Roosevelt, is placed under the supervision of Secret Service Agent Joseph St. Clair, ex-cowboy and veteran of the Rough Riders. St. Clair quickly learns that half his job is helping Alice roll cigarettes and escorting her to bookies, but matters grow even more difficult when Alice takes it upon herself to investigate a recent political killing--the assassination of former president William McKinley.

Concerned for her father's safety, Alice seeks explanations for the many unanswered questions about the avowed anarchist responsible for McKinley's death. In her quest, Alice drags St. Clair from grim Bowery bars to the elegant parlors of New York's ruling class, from the haunts of the Chinese secret societies to the magnificent new University Club, all while embarking on a tentative romance with a family friend, the son of a prominent local household.

And while Alice, forced to challenge those who would stop at nothing in their greed for money and power, considers her uncertain future, St. Clair must come to terms with his own past.

My Thoughts:

Star Rating - 2

The concept behind this book looks good in theory. Alice Roosevelt was known as a trend setter, a boundary breaker. Her historically known iron will and disregard for convention make for admirable qualities in a female lead to a historical mystery series. However, I feel like the author made some grievous errors in execution. The resulting work comes out, in the end, as very middle of the road, immediately forgettable after the reading is done. Not the impression you want to leave when starting a mystery series...

I did enjoy St. Clair to a point. His portrayal of a strong western lawman transplanted to urban New York comes across well. He’s a caring older brother and a protective Secret Service operative. Yet, I felt like there was a dearth of characterization for him beyond those few points and stereotypes. Most inner thought tracks we got from him fell into these small categories; so in the end, I never really thought that I knew him that well. At least the scenes where he had action flowed well.

The latter half of the book was far better than the first, though the problems with the book still persisted there. I feel the author did herself a disservice by starting Alice and St. Clair in the settings that she used in the first half.

Being introduced to Alice within a high society setting would have served her character far better. The meal with the van Schuyler family is a prime example. In that setting, Alice’s intelligence and political maneuvering skills really shine. I personally feel she would have been established as a stronger character, a real first daughter with weight behind her name and use of that position.

However, the author introduced Alice by trolling through New York slums talking to anarchists, police chiefs, and lawyers. Yes, she’s the president‘s daughter but good god!! The way everyone opens up to her, falling over themselves to sing like canaries, just because she’s a Roosevelt, felt EXTREMELY unrealistic. I mean, come on, the anarchist alone would’ve had nothing to do with her given that position! In the latter half, at least the folks that Alice and St. Clair end up talking to show some hesitation in breaking laws, showing a bit more realism then just spilling their guts to a teenager because she squeaks, “I’m the President’s daughter”.

The way the author uses Alice in the beginning feels very unrealistic and so highly unreadable. The whole situation at the lawyer’s office was just the icing on the cake. It was at that point where I stopped taking Alice seriously. She’s a 17-year-old teenager who is given the power and personality of an adult; all of which the author expect us to just swallow and relate to. While she gets a bit better in the latter half, by that point in the story, I was already too out of step with her to really care.

The mystery portion itself was a tossup. Like the bits I’ve mentioned already with Alice, the investigation stuff seems like it flowed way to simply. Sources and such seem to fall all over themselves to spill their guts to this paragon of a first daughter. Clues fell into their laps like snow. As such, their power faded just as quickly. By the time we got the big reveal at the end, I just really didn’t care. Whatever power the ending might have had was killed by how easy the steps to it were handled in the narrative.

I felt the author took some serious missteps with this one. I shallow mystery and irrationally-characterized female lead pretty much killed this one in the water for me. Some light at the end of the tunnel was there with St. Claire and some better writing in the second half. Maybe the author will get much better in future volumes, especially as Alice has been firmly established at least by this point. Yet, Koreto has some serious work ahead to pull this mystery series out of the depths. This book seems to have worked for other reviewer’s; with an average of 3.5 stars on GoodReads, somebody liked this. So maybe this book will work for others where it didn’t for me. But for me personally, I don’t recommend reaching for this book, and I won’t be looking for book two.

Note: Book received for free via NetGalley from publisher in exchange for an honest review (and boy was I honest!!).

REVIEW: To the Farthest Shores by Elizabeth Camden

To the Farthest Shores
by Elizabeth Camden

Publisher: Bethany House
Page Count: 330
Release Date: April 4, 2017
Format: E-Book

How got: ARC via NetGalley

First attention getter: already followed author and pretty cover

Synopsis:

From GoodReads:

The unpredictability of her upbringing prepared army nurse Jenny Bennett to face any challenger at the Presidio Army base, but the sudden reappearance in her life of the dashing naval officer who broke her heart six years ago is enough to rattle even her.

Lieutenant Ryan Gallagher is one of the few men in the world qualified to carry out a daring government mission overseas--an assignment that destroyed his reputation and broke the heart of the only woman he ever loved. Honor-bound never to reveal where he was during those years, he can't tell Jenny the truth, or it will endanger an ongoing mission and put thousands of lives at risk.

Ryan thinks he may have finally found a solution to his impossible situation, but he needs Jenny's help. While her loyalty to her country compels her to agree, she was too badly hurt to fall for Ryan again despite his determination to win her back. When an unknown threat from Ryan's past puts everything at risk--including his life--can they overcome the seemingly insurmountable odds stacked against them in time?

My Thoughts:

Star Rating - 2

Unfortunately, this volume of Camden‘s was not my cup of tea. In fact, I think it stands as my least favorite of hers. She still has that special touch in finding the obscure in history and weaving an intricate historical background and story. It’s her lead characters and their chemistry together I’ve got an issue with.

Intriguing and not well known, the early spy scene pre-World War I was a fascinating choice as background for her story. She does a fantastic job in exploring the early methods of spy training and of the requirements for such a position. The motivations for an individual to choose such a shadowy career path, given the preoccupation with honor and reputation in society at the time, also added a unique depth to the story and the reasons the characters did what they did.

Her Christian values component was handled OK to a point, being very important themes to promote. The themes of forgiveness and compromise made themselves known with no problems. Yet, that’s where this part faltered a bit also. There were times where I felt the forgiveness theme was pushed too hard. They felt pushed down my throat, definitely not how Camden‘s themes have been handled in the past. Her subtlety in this area were sorely lacking in this newest novel.

When it comes to the lead’s personalities, Camden didn’t do too badly. They’re not outstanding but their workable. I like Jenny’s gritty determination to make something of herself and her courage to face the problems of her past to build a future. I also liked Ryan’s gentle nature and caring heart. If ever there was an individual not suited for spy work, I think it be him. He’s too honest and sweet; yet somehow he pulled it off for years so there must be some hidden depths there.

Individually these two people stand out; together, they are a mess. They don’t work at all. There’s no chemistry there. I felt Jenny was too strong a personality for Ryan; she’d run right over him domestically. The will and determination I admired in her would subsume Ryan’s gentleness with a vengeance. I just don’t see them working together, and the narrative shows that. I got extremely bored with their interactions, wishing like crazy that Jenny we just move onto another man who fit her better. In fact, I felt Finn was a far better fit for her personality wise, even though he wasn’t in the running.

While I’ve admired Camden‘s works in the past for their subtle interweaving of Christian themes (especially important for her non-Christian readers like me), her obscure historical backgrounds, and strong yet human characters, this newest addition to her body of work doesn’t stand up. Her leads have absolutely no chemistry together, and the subtleness of her themes isn’t there. If ever you’re going to give Camden a try, skip this one. I’d skip it anyway, even if you’re a fan. I’ll still look for her works in the future; I’m thinking this one might’ve been just a bad fluke. Time will tell.

Note: Book received for free from publisher via NetGalley and exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The Samurai of Seville by John Healey

The Samurai of Seville
by John Healey

Publisher: Arcade Publishing
Page Count: 256
Release Date: June 13, 2017
Format: EBook ARC

How got: ARC from NetGalley

First attention getter: the sheer idea!!

Synopsis:

From GoodReads:

A sumptuous novel inspired by one of history’s most intriguing forgotten chapters—the arrival of Japanese Samurai on the shores of Europe.

In 1614, forty Samurai warriors and a group of tradesmen from Japan sailed to Spain, where they initiated one of the most intriguing cultural exchanges in history. They were received with pomp and circumstance, first by King Philip III and later by Pope Paul V. They were the first Japanese to visit Europe and they caused a sensation. They remained for two years and then most of the party returned to Japan; however, six of the Samurai stayed behind, settling in a small fishing village close to Sanlúcar de Barrameda, where their descendants live to this day.

Healey imbues this tale of the meeting of East and West with uncommon emotional and intellectual intensity and a rich sense of place. He explores the dueling mentalities of two cultures through a singular romance; the sophisticated, restrained warrior culture of Japan and the baroque sensibilities of Renaissance Spain, dark and obsessed with ethnic cleansing. What one culture lives with absolute normality is experienced as exotic from the outsider’s eye. Everyone is seen as strange at first and then—with growing familiarity—is revealed as being more similar than originally perceived, but with the added value of enduring idiosyncrasies.

The story told in this novel is an essential and timeless one about the discoveries and conflicts that arise from the forging of relationships across borders, both geographical and cultural.

My Thoughts:

Star Rating - 3

The sheer idea behind this book is what drew me. I knew of diplomatic and trade missions from Europe to Japan, but Japan to Europe?? Nope. And to find out that these events truly happened, there really was a diplomatic mission from Japan that travel through New Spain in the New World to Spain proper and onto Rome to meet the Pope just blew my mind. It's little nuggets of obscure history like this that make me love the historical fiction genre so much.

For the most part, the author pulls things off well. He obviously knows his subject matter and locations well; the book shines in these areas. Yet, there are times where the author falls behind in his characters and book pacing.

I'm not sure if the author has physically been to the Iberian Peninsula, Japan, or Central America, but his writings surely read like he has. His depth of knowledge when it comes to cultures from those areas and physical landscapes defies expectations. He conveys these images in his readers’ heads in such a way that we experience the setting rather than just reading it. He has a gift for description and cultural understanding that stands out above your standard fictional writer.

The real meat of the story was examination of cultural interactions between two such a divergent societies, through the eyes of a Japanese samurai new to Spanish shores and various Spanish individuals. The author’s cultural knowledge, understanding, and respect come through excellently as he tells the story. As Shiro grows on his journey, the reader can't help but be drawn into his story, going from staunch samurai warrior who decried interaction with outsiders to a confidante of Spanish nobles and royalty and a prized member of that society.

Our main lead of Shrio is a great example of a vibrant, intriguing lead. Yet at times, there are too many characters being explored, some having no bearing on the story at all beyond being a famous name to throw in there for extra punch. This is especially evident in the beginning of the story where we have Cervantes introduced as a character for one scene in a bar just to give exposition; then we don't see him again until the very end where he dies. I mean, did we really need him to add anything to the story besides his name??

In the beginning, we also have way too many people introduced in a very short timeframe. I'd say for about the first three or four chapters, I was lost in a deluge of names and places. That's why I had such a hard time starting this work and getting into it. Thankfully, once things got flowing as the Japanese expedition had finally left their stores, I got into the flow enough to tell characters apart and could follow the action. Yet, even throughout the rest of the work, there would be times I’d lose track of people as the story progressed.

There were also some issues with the pacing of our story. Like I mentioned with the characters in the beginning, the novel starts with a bang and rush as we hit the ground running. Exploring the beginning of the Japanese delegation and Spanish shores readying to receive them, the reader is sucked into a maelstrom of movement and political maneuvering. Then we come to a slow section exploring either characters or just slow sequences, like sailing on the ship or exploring Spain. While having different paces in the story is a good thing, and in this particular one they were nicely done as well. It's the transitions from one pace to the other that jarred me, personally.

This work seems to be lesser-known given the small amount of reviews and comments I've noticed across the Internet. For all that, I felt it was an admirable attempt. The sheer idea is enough to give the author props. I enjoyed exploring this obscure corner of the historical record, through the eyes of a character that is both vibrant and well rounded. While there are hiccups along the way, this novel still comes over as enjoyable. Not the best out there, it certainly isn't the worst. I'd still recommend it, even if only for the extremely unique story it holds and how well the author handles the various cultures.

Note: Book received for free via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The Girls of Ennismore by Patricia Falvey

The Girls of Ennismore
by Patricia Falvey

Publisher: Kensington
Page Count: 448
Release Date: March 28, 2017
Format: E-Book ARC

How got: ARC via NetGalley

First attention getter: time period/location and pretty cover

Synopsis:

From GoodReads:

Set in Ireland during the turbulent early 20th century, Patricia Falvey's sweeping novel explores an unlikely friendship between two girls of vastly different backgrounds, as each tries to overcome the barriers set by class and birthright... 

On a June morning in 1900, Rosie Killeen crosses the road that divides her family's County Mayo farm from the estate of Lord and Lady Ennis, and makes her way to the "big house" for the first time. Barely eight years old, Rosie joins the throng of servants preparing for the arrival of Queen Victoria. But while the royal visit is a coup for Ennismore, a chance meeting on the grounds proves even more momentous for Rosie. 

Victoria Bell, Lord and Lady Ennis's young daughter, is desperately lonely. Though the children of the gentry seldom fraternize with locals, Lord Ennis arranges for Rosie to join in Victoria's school lessons. For Rosie, the opportunity is exhilarating yet isolating. Victoria's governess and aunt, Lady Louisa, objects to teaching a peasant girl. The other servants resent Rosie's escape from the drudgery of life below stairs. Bright, strong-willed Rosie finds herself caught between her own people and the rarefied air of Ennismore--especially as she grows closer to Victoria's older brother, Valentine.

As they near womanhood, the girls' friendship is interrupted. Victoria is bound for a coming out season in Dublin, and Rosie must find a way to support her family. But Ireland is changing too. The country's struggle for Home Rule, the outbreak of the Great War, and a looming Easter rebellion in Dublin all herald a new era. Not even Ennismore can escape unscathed. And for Rosie, family loyalty, love, friendship and patriotism will collide in life-changing ways, leading her through heartbreak and loss in search of her own triumphant independence.

My Thoughts:

Star Rating - 4

I was drawn to this book due to my recent obsession with Irish history and reading fiction set during it; I'm glad I picked the title up yet have some reservations. While the author excels in some key areas, I had an issue with some characterization and our primary relationship. Still, this stands as a beautiful depiction of an Ireland on the brink of change and two women caught up in it.

Descriptions of the timeframe and situation of our two heroines are lovingly described. I got a real sense for the differences between classes, the gentle splendor of a pastoral estate, and a capital city on the revolutionary brink. The author takes her time in presenting a setting the reader can experience and feel with the senses. The stark differences between the peaceful years before the Rising and the turbulent scenes of urban street fighting and death that followed make for an eye-opening difference in scenes. I can't credit the author enough for her fantastic use of the descriptors, making her readers really live the action and feel the emotions

Both leads also had distinct personalities all their own. The reader gets the real feeling for the strengths and weaknesses of both girls. They face their changing world and circumstances with courage and maturity. Both learn to think for themselves in a world that would keep them subjugated, especially Victoria. The most change is visible in her as she pursues a career, political belief, and relationship inappropriate to her old world.

I did have an issue with Rosie at times. She displays a strong courageous streak and incredible willpower to create a life on her terms, despite society’s expectations of a girl from her class. She works hard to find jobs to support herself and her family, finding a career and new life in politics and revolution. However, when it comes to her emotions and emotional maturity, I have to say there are times she felt like a dud. So many times she’d be faced with an emotional crisis and instead of dealing with it, she'd flounder and do nothing. Other times she face it with irrational anger and grudges, resulting in lashing out. This made her hard to empathize with.

I also took issue with Valentine. I had to admire his love for the land and wish to do the right thing. Yet, I also felt he went along with life too much, not striving for what he truly wished for. He let life happen to him rather than make his own way. This lack of ambition, both professionally and emotionally, led him to miss out on many opportunities to create a better life for himself and to achieve the relationships he desired.

Thankfully, as we approached the end of the book, Rosie and Valentine improved. Revolution and danger sparked something in them to finally act. Yet, this didn't translate into the relationship at any time. If you could call it a relationship… Not even at the very end, did I ever feel these two have any chemistry. All interactions, even emotional ones like confrontations or love confessions, felt flat and boring. Even being on opposite sides of a rebellion didn't add that extra spark of forbidden love. These two together are just boring, hands down.

The other relationships in the book at least save this title from relationship purgatory for me. Brandon and Victoria are just sweet together. Two people from different sides of the class barrier, their relationship has the element of the forbidden that Valentine's and Rosie's lacked. My heart couldn't help but soar as they strove to be together, despite war and societal expectations. I also adored Rosie's relationship with Cathal. Now there is a relationship with incredible chemistry and emotional turbulence from the past that the pair do a great job in overcoming, even despite Rosie's emotional issues. The issues and consequences in that relationship felt real. Why oh why couldn't that relationship have worked out and made it to the end?!

At least this book had a suspenseful tale of rebellion and character growth to carry it. Both Rosie and Victoria's maturation were a joy to partake in. Relationships with Brendan and Cathal also added spice and emotional depth to their characters. Even though Rosie fell flat emotionally for a large part of the book, at least by the end I felt some connection to her. However it's in the area of her relationship with Valentine and how long it took Rosie to develop that brought this work out. So in the end, this is a upper-to-middle of the road book for me. I'd be open to other works by this author in future, though, since she displays promise as a writer and suspenseful storyteller.

Note: Book received for free from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Two Empresses by Brandy Purdy

Two Empresses
by Brandy Purdy

Publisher: Kensington
Page Count: 384
Release Date: January 31, 2017
Format: Kindle ARC

How got: ARC from NetGalley

First attention getter: synopsis

Synopsis:

From GoodReads:

1779, France. On the island paradise of Martinique, two beautiful, well-bred cousins have reached marriageable age. Sixteen-year-old Rose must sail to France to marry Alexander, the dashing Vicomte de Beauharnais. Golden-haired Aimee will finish her education at a French convent in hopes of making a worthy match.

Once in Paris, Rose’s illusions are shattered by her new husband, who casts her off when his mistress bears him a son. Yet revolution is tearing through the land, changing fortunes—and fates—in an instant, leaving Rose free to reinvent herself. Soon she is pursued by a young general, Napoleon Bonaparte, who prefers to call her by another name: Josephine.

Presumed dead after her ship is attacked by pirates, Aimee survives and is taken to the Sultan of Turkey’s harem. Among hundreds at his beck and call, Aimee’s loveliness and intelligence make her a favorite not only of the Sultan, but of his gentle, reserved nephew. Like Josephine, the newly crowned Empress of France, Aimee will ascend to a position of unimagined power. But for both cousins, passion and ambition carry their own burden.

From the war-torn streets of Paris to the bejeweled golden bars of a Turkish palace, Brandy Purdy weaves some of history’s most compelling figures into a vivid, captivating account of two remarkable women and their extraordinary destinies.

My Thoughts:

Star Rating - 2

My introduction to this author, this book stood out as hard to finish and left a bad taste in my mouth. The only thing the author got right, for the most part, was the scene setting and a bit on one characterization. Beyond that, I hope this book isn't an example of what I can expect from other works by this writer. If so, I think I'll skip those.

One area the author excelled, again for the most part, was the scene setting and historical details. Tropical Martinique, revolutionary Paris, and exotic Istanbul all stand out as unique settings. Lush with details and vivid descriptions, I could easily see the scenes portrayed and enjoy the background at least.

However, even here the author has an issue. There were times where her settings came off as almost comical and caricatures of the real thing. Maybe she was trying too hard at description, but it backfired on her. Revolutionary Paris, at times, seemed way too sexualized. Some of the descriptions of Josephine's experiences between marrying Napoleon and losing her first husband are comical to say the least, though I don't think the author meant it to be. Maybe her portrayals have some basis in historical fact; I’m not a historian for the time. However, her portrayals didn't come over as fact.

The author also has a problem with the Sultans court and his harem in Istanbul. Again, the scenes come off as caricatures and stereotypes of the real thing. I mean, Aimee's story comes right out of Arabian nights! The way the harem women dressed/acted, the details of daily life, and just the overall atmosphere seemed unreal. Again, I am not a scholar for this time or locale, so maybe the author had some basis for her portrayals. But if so, that didn't come across on the page.

And then there are the characterizations. I'm sorry to say that Josephine is shallow, vapid, has no common sense, and is a slut, not a descriptor that I like to use but fits the bill here. Every action Josephine takes is motivated for her own self-preservation or to make her life easier. Her portrayal makes her unsympathetic in the extreme. While maybe realistic to a degree, Josephine made me hate her more than empathize with her.

Aimee is kinda the opposite. Showing at least some intelligence, her character is far more sympathetic than Josephine’s. However, there's only a slight improvement. Aimee, unfortunately, goes to the other extreme of the character spectrum. She's too perfect! And until the very end, she's a freaking doormat. She doesn't actually do anything, the events of the story happened to her. She just sits there and either observes or just reacts. However, at least at the end, she did something proactive. That saved her storyline for me.

And then, to add one more stick to this fire pile of horror, the author completely screwed up her story balance. One of the things that first drew me to this title was the tale of two women caught up in the flow of history and how they made their way to places of power in different societies.

Well, this book isn’t about that. This book is about Josephine with a few side chapters about Aimee. A shame as, of the two, Aimee is easily the more enjoyable of a character. So much time is spent on Josephine’s story that Aimee is left on the wayside. I feel that if more time had been spent on Aimee’s tale, she might not have been as much of a doormat as she was; she might've had more time to actually do something. We would have gotten a fascinating tale of survival and harem politics rather than the sexcapades of Josephine. Missed opportunity there, author.

As you can see, my ultimate emotion with this title was disappointment. I had high hopes of a tale rife with excitement and exploring two women, one of whom have been lost to history. What I got was a messy soup of over-the-top historical scenes, extreme and unenjoyable characterizations, and a story balance that was a disservice to both women. If this is an example of the author’s usual writing, I don't think I'll be hunting out her other books immediately. There are better offers out there. Maybe this is just a low point; I'll let you be the judge. Yet, I wouldn't recommend this author off this book alone.

Note: Book was received for free from the publisher via Netgallery in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Windy City Blues by Renee Rosen

Windy City Blues
by Renee Rosen

Publisher: Berkley Books
Page Count: 448
Release Date: February 28, 2017
Format: Kindle ARC

How got: ARC copy via NetGalley

First attention getter: already fan of author

Synopsis:

From GoodReads:.

The bestselling author of "White Collar Girl" and "What the Lady Wants" explores one woman's journey of self-discovery set against the backdrop of a musical and social revolution. 

In the middle of the twentieth century, the music of the Mississippi Delta arrived in Chicago, drawing the attention of entrepreneurs like the Chess brothers. Their label, Chess Records, helped shape that music into the Chicago Blues, the soundtrack for a transformative era in American History.
But, for Leeba Groski, Chess Records was just where she worked... 

Leeba doesn't exactly fit in, but her passion for music and her talented piano playing captures the attention of her neighbor, Leonard Chess, who offers her a job at his new record company. What begins as answering phones and filing becomes much more as Leeba comes into her own as a songwriter and befriends performers like Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, Chuck Berry, and Etta James. But she also finds love with a black blues guitarist named Red Dupree. 

With their relationship unwelcome in segregated Chicago and shunned by Leeba's Orthodox Jewish family, she and Red soon find themselves in the middle of the Civil Rights Movement and they discover that, in times of struggle, music can bring people together.

My Thoughts:

Star Rating - 5

Renee Rosen does it again! This time, she explores the turbulent emerging Civil Rights movement and the passionate early blues/rock ‘n roll scenes.This author has few peers when it comes to taking obscure history and making it into a gripping story fleshed out with amazing characters and relationship ties. There were aspects to the story that took me awhile to get used to and like; yet in the end, I enjoyed the book immensely.

The beginning decades of the blues and the early rumblings of the Civil Rights movement make for an incredible story. The author is able to incorporate so many details about the different personalities and events involved, both minor and major, that I felt I was living the tale along with them. One can tell the amount of research that went into this work, not only from the extensive listing of sources the author provides but how many such details were incorporated into the narrative.

I like how relevant this book stands to current events today. It gives us a historical context, a snapshot in history, of race relations and the early stages of our modern music industry. I appreciate how the author shows multiple sides of each scenario, giving us a rounded view of racism in mid-20th century America and the evils of it.

Then of course, there are our leads: Leeba, Red, and Leonard. All three have such distinct personalities that when a POV change happens, the reader has no problem following along, even if the author had not divided each change with a name heading. I grew to love all three for their differences and the love and friendship they felt for each other and of those they considered family. They faced racism and prejudice with dignity, calm, and bravery. I especially grew to love Leonard's approach to it and his special catchphrase.

In the beginning I wasn't in love with the multiple POV's; yet I grew to appreciate them and accept what they added to the story. In previous tales, the single POV of the lead led to an intimate look at the situation’s facing the different women the author wrote about. However in this one, I still felt like I got to know Leeba in-depth and as intimately, even though she shared POV sections with Red and Leonard. I feel like the author is upping her game and developing her writing style into a more well-rounded one.

I can safely say this book has only cemented my love for the author and her works. She knows how to tell a fantastic story with well-rounded characters that I grow to love. Especially in this book, she explores some harsh themes and history that only make it stand out all the more. I feel very comfortable recommending this book to any lover of historical fiction, especially if you enjoy obscure history and the impact it still has on today’s world.

Note: Book received for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The Witchfinder's Sister by Beth Underdown

The Witchfinder's Sister
by Beth Underdown

Publisher: Viking
Page Count: 400
Release Date: March 2, 2017
Format: Kindle ARC

How got: ARC via NetGalley

First attention getter: subject matter

Synopsis:

From GoodReads:

The number of women my brother Matthew killed, so far as I can reckon it, is one hundred and six...

1645. When Alice Hopkins' husband dies in a tragic accident, she has no choice but to return to the small Essex town of Manningtree, where her brother Matthew still lives.

But home is no longer a place of safety. Matthew has changed, and there are rumours spreading through the town: whispers of witches, and of a great book, in which her brother is gathering women's names.

To what lengths will her brother's obsession drive him?
And what choice will Alice make, when she finds herself at the very heart of his plan?

My Thoughts:

Star Rating - 4

Given my recent reading trends, I dove into this book with a certain amount of anticipation. The writer does a fantastic job in setting the scene and creating a suspenseful tale. Characterizations for the most part were done well; I found myself drawn into the journeys of most everyone. The one person I had a hard time connecting with initially, Alice, I still could understand her motivations and actions, though. This was a promising start for this debut author.

The historical tale explored in this book grips the reader hard. A tension-filled countryside at war is a lush background for the swamp of accusations, interrogations, trials, and executions of women falsely accused. The author knows how to create an enthralling scene in which the reader finds themselves turning page after page to find out what happens next. She portrays the fear-filled atmosphere of 1640s England held under the sway of a Civil War and witch trials fantastically.

One of the main draws for me in this title was the person of Matthew Hopkins. Most casual history lovers nowadays won't know his name or his impact on history. So to see him brought so vividly to life was a pleasure. He's given motivations for why he hunted down women so ruthlessly, and his background creates a window into his soul. The author does a great job at making him such a slime ball that you want to kill him; yet, at the same time, you understand why he acts the way he does and you kinda empathize with him, ass-munch though he is. That's characterization done well.

Alice, for the most part, I enjoyed, especially in the latter half of the book. In the beginning though, I found her to be too passive. She seemed to let others dictate her life with little argument. I also found her hesitation to tell Matthew of her condition to be exasperating. In the end though, given how he sees women I don't think he would've acted differently if she had. Still, I wished she would've had more gumption and spunk in the beginning.

As the poop hit the proverbial fan though, Alice started to grow a spine. As accusations started to fly and danger grew fast, Alice looked for ways to help, especially those she cared about or grew to care for. By the time the book's climax hit, I admired Alice. While her actions may not have been the smartest choices, she still acted from her heart and with courage.

This book is a journey through hard times, exploring tragedy, misogyny, and of the perils of being a woman in 1600s England. The author explored new ground for me in the form of Michael Hopkins and his characterization. I enjoyed seeing him and the fictional Alice brought to life. The author used these two, their relationship, and their society to explore some harsh themes. Despite some issues with characterization in the books first half, I feel this is a strong introduction for the author. I look forward to more.

Note: Book was received for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Love Across the Ocean by Ellynore Seybold

Love Across the Ocean
by Ellynore Seybold

Publisher: Wild Rose Press
Page Count: 158
Release Date: August 3, 2016
Format: Kindle ARC

How got: ARC copy from NetGalley for free

First attention getter: the pretty cover

Synopsis:

From GoodReads:

Charlotte Mesinger is willing to do almost anything to escape the beatings in the home where she grew up. When she spies an advertisement for a wife to help care for three children, she sees it as an answer to her prayers, even though it means going to America and forgetting the young man she's been seeing.

When Friedrich Haupt's wife dies giving birth to their third child and her parents insist he must hand over the children to them, he is frantic. A customer in his jewelry shop suggests going to America, and another offers to buy the establishment. But convention forbids a woman living in his household without marriage, for whatever reason, and he places the ad, ready to give the woman her freedom after a year.

With these desperate situations resolved, Charlotte and Friedrich still have many secrets...

My Thoughts:

Star Rating - none as DNF-ed @ 30% (put 2 on Amazon as had to put something)

I really tried to like this book; my expectations were high as it involved a trope that is a favorite of mine. I am also partial to immigration stories. However, and this is a big however, this book has so many issues that it has reached the point of not being enjoyable. After 30%, I have to declare this book a DNF.

The premise of this romance is strong initially. An arranged marriage to protect a family and build a new life makes for intriguing reading. I also grew to like Friedrich. He's a caring, considerate man whose main focus in life is to protect his children and build a new life for them after a tragic circumstance.

With a great starting premise and relatable main hero, one would think this romance had a strong foundation. However, these two points were the only good ones in all of the part that I read.

The first offender was Charlotte, our main heroine. She is far, far too perfect. She is innocent, beautiful, angelic, and good. I grew to hate her, even though I only read 30% of this book. I can only imagine the depth my hate would have reached if I had tried to force myself to finish.

Next is the premise. What started out as an intriguing idea quickly moved into absurd territory. The background with Friedrich’s in-laws and the intricacies of family law in Germany seems silly to me; nothing about that seemed real. I'm not an expert on 19th century German law so maybe the author had some grounding in fact. Yet, it wasn't portrayed on the page well enough to be believable to this reader.

The writing style didn't work for me as well. The author did have some good descriptive passages. I got a clear picture in my head of the scene the author was trying to set. Yet, the way she chose to frame the writing seemed simplistic. Choppy dialogue paragraphs and short sentence structure made this a hard read, grammar-wise.

My next point of contention is probably a small one for other readers. It just bugs me more, because I like things to have a strong historical background, even my historical romances. The author was very ambiguous about her historical setting. I got the vague impression it was the 19th century with the immigration to America storyline and some of the background details. However, the author chose to leave the reader guessing on a more specific time frame. Whether this was in the 1830s, 1850s, or the 1870s, the reader could only guess. But like I said, this is a personal bone of contention. It may not bug another reader, so take this paragraph with a grain of salt.

What started out as a highly anticipated historical romance turned into a big disappointment for this reader. Good bones seemed to be in the offering in the beginning. Yet, bad characterizations, an absurd premise, a flaky writing style, and vague historical details quickly killed this bird for me. I'm not sure I could recommend this book to anyone. I feel it could do with a good edit and a good going over by the author.

Note: Book received for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Saving the Marquise's Granddaughter by Carrie Fancett Pagels

Saving the Marquise's Granddaughter
by Carrie Fancett Pagels

Publisher: White Rose / Harbourlight Books
Page Count: 272
Release Date: June 1, 2016
Format: Kindle ARC

How got: free ARC from NetGalley

First attention getter: pretty cover

Synopsis:

From GoodReads:

In a land fraught with religious strife, they must break the barriers between status and faith to forge a fresh future in a new world… 

After her Huguenot father is arrested, aristocrat Suzanne Richelieu escapes Versailles. Handsome German peasant, Johan Rousch, risks his life to bring her to the safety of his family’s farm in the Palatinate duchy, but when Suzanne’s brother and the French army arrive with a warning that they plan to burn the area, she and Johan are forced to flee. 

With no money or options, both become indentured servants in exchange for safe passage to Philadelphia. Suzanne falls gravely ill aboard ship and marries Johan, only to survive with no memory of the wedding—a reality made worse when Johan spots the “priest” who married them working as a surveyor and later in Quaker cleric garb. 

Are their wedding vows valid? When Suzanne's former fiancé arrives in port, planning to abduct her, Johan must save her again—but can he do so before Suzanne is lost to him forever?

My Thoughts:

Star Rating - 2.5

I started out with high hopes for this book; the premise and history behind it sounded intriguing. As we went further into the story, however, things got more and more muddled with leaps of logic, scenes that went nowhere, and a main character I had no empathy for. I finished for one character and the history behind the story. Otherwise, I’d have dropped this book like a hot potato.

The plight of the Huguenots, their flight path through Germany to the new world, and the world of indentured servants all are vividly explored. My personal family history has Huguenot and Palatinate German roots on two different branches. I was fascinated to explore how brutal it could be for the French Protestants as they fled the persecution of Louis XIV and his Catholic state. The author doesn’t skimp on the harsh details of their lives and dangers. I’m curious now to see if my two family branches might have crossed on similar paths as explored here.

I loved Johan. He was sweet and supportive, loving Suzanne for whom she was even if she didn’t initially share his faith and protecting her the best he could in a powerless situation. He was guided by his ardent faith and never wavered. Also who doesn’t love a burly, strong guy who’s devoted to protecting and providing for a gal?

Suzanne, though, I had no empathy for. I found her shallow and out of touch with reality. She couldn’t face her new circumstances, always harking back to the grand marriage she was going to make and getting back to Versailles and her aristocratic background, only changing her tune towards the end. I felt like she never returned the depth of emotion and love that Johan directed towards her. This made the relationship and eventual marriage one-sided for me. I can’t see a happy future for them together, even with God’s help.

The Christian elements are about what I expected for a themed work of this type. They weren’t in your face nor preachy. God was called on often for strength, as to be expected from the events these characters faced, and they constantly harkened back to God’s teachings as they grew. As a non-Christian reading this work, I found them well incorporated into the overall storyline.

The writing style and devices used throughout, though, are this book’s greatest downfall. For one thing, the writing doesn’t flow. Sentences are either choppy or massive run-ons held together by commas, sometimes four or five to a sentence. This also applies to the paragraphs. I felt, at times, I was reading the work of a child or very young writer.

There would also be leaps of logic with no explanation: characters would have information with no explanation of how they got them, information would be conveniently written down somewhere for reading and assumption making, and characters would act without motivation being divulged. More times than not I was confused and irritated, trying to figure out this book.

The history and Johan are why I kept reading and finished. Suzanne, I could give two figs about. The writing style is wacky and just out there. I think this book could benefit with more editing and reworking. I don’t see myself searching out this author again or reading this particular book a second time.

Note: Book received for free from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Karolina's Twins by Ronald H Balson

Karolina's Twins
by Ronald H. Balson

Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Page Count: 320
Release Date: September 6, 2016
Format: ARC Kindle copy

How got: free ARC from NetGalley

First attention getter: setting and synopsis

Synopsis:

From GoodReads:

From the author of Once We Were Brothers comes a saga inspired by true events of a Holocaust survivor’s quest to fulfill a promise, return to Poland and find two sisters lost during World War II.

Lena Woodward, an elderly woman, enlists the help of both lawyer Catherine Lockhart and private investigator Liam Taggart to appraise the story of her harrowing past in Nazi occupied Poland. At the same time, Lena’s son Arthur presents her with a hefty lawsuit under the pretense of garnering her estate—and independence—for his own purposes. Where these stories intersect is through Lena’s dubious account of her life in war-torn Poland, and her sisterhood with a childhood friend named Karolina. Lena and Karolina struggled to live through the atrocity of the Holocaust, and at the same time harbored a courageous, yet mysterious secret of maternity that has troubled Lena throughout her adult life. In telling her story to Catherine and Liam, Lena not only exposes the realities of overcoming the horrors of the Holocaust, she also comes to terms with her own connection to her dark past.

Karolina’s Twins is a tale of survival, love, and resilience in more ways than one. As Lena recounts her story, Catherine herself also recognizes the unwavering importance of family as she prepares herself for the arrival of her unborn child. Through this association and many more, both Lena and Catherine begin to cherish the dogged ties that bind not only families and children, but the entirety of mankind.

My Thoughts:

Star Rating - none given since DNF-ed @ 20%

I must be in the severe minority when it came to this book and author. Maybe it was trying to get into characters and story while starting with book three; don’t know. Yet, I found myself disappointed, DNF-ing at 20% because I just couldn’t take it anymore.

Given the hype this author has garnered, there’s got to be something to his writing. I heard his first book was on book club reading lists, a bestseller, and the rights have recently been optioned for a movie. So obviously something good is going on here.

Apparently I’m not like most folks. Maybe books one and two were better. However, this one was a chore to get through, even up to the point of the 20% where I dropped it. Except for a few scenes between Catherine and Liam, the entire first 20% was one huge information dump in the form of a lawyer interview, conveying Lena’s story of Holocaust survival.

While the information and story doesn’t lend itself to boredom, I found myself slogging through one endless conversation. I couldn’t immerse myself into Lena’s story as we were just told everything. The sights, sounds, and emotions of that suspenseful tale were lost in the format in which they were told. I never thought I’d come across a book that would make the Holocaust boring, but this book accomplished that.

Sad to say I wasn’t thrilled with this one, especially since I dropped it so quickly. The endless slog of a lawyer interview/conversation that lasted chapters killed it quickly. Maybe if the author had chosen a different layout or format to tell the story. Who knows? I might give books one and two a look; maybe I’ll get the author’s writing style and Catherine’s and Liam’s characters better then. Sad I started with this one, though.

Note: Book received for free from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The Translation of Love by Lynne Kutsukake

The Translation of Love
by Lynne Kutsukake

Publisher: Doubleday
Page Count: 336
Release Date: April 5, 2016
Format: Kindle ARC

How got: ARC copy from NetGalley

First attention getter: synopsis and gorgeous cover

Synopsis:

From GoodReads:

Set against the pulsing backdrop of post-war Tokyo, The Translation of Love tells the gripping and heartfelt story of a newly repatriated Japanese-Canadian girl who must help a classmate find her missing sister. A dazzling New Face of Fiction for 2016 that will appeal to readers of All the Light We Cannot See and Anita Shreve.

Thirteen-year-old Aya Shimamura is released from a Canadian internment camp in 1946, still grieving the recent death of her mother, and repatriated to Japan with her embittered father. They arrive in a devastated Tokyo occupied by the Americans under the command of General Douglas MacArthur. Aya's English-language abilities are prized by the principal of her new school, but her status as the "repat girl" makes her a social pariah--until her seatmate, a fierce, willful girl named Fumi Tanaka, decides that Aya might be able to help her find her missing older sister. Beautiful Sumiko has disappeared into the seedy back alleys of the Ginza. Fumi has heard that General MacArthur sometimes assists Japanese citizens in need, and she enlists Aya to compose a letter in English asking him for help.

Corporal Matt Matsumoto is a Japanese-American working for the Occupation forces, and it's his overwhelming job to translate thousands of letters for the General. He is entrusted with the safe delivery of Fumi's letter; but Fumi, desperate for answers, takes matters into her own hands, venturing into the Ginza with Aya in tow.

Told through rich, interlocking storylines, The Translation of Lovemines a turbulent period to show how war irrevocably shapes the lives of both the occupied and the occupiers, and how the poignant spark of resilience, friendship and love transcends cultures and borders to stunning effect.

My Thoughts:

Star Rating - 4

An amazing examination of life in Occupied Japan, this book keeps readers enthralled with an intimate look at a society in flux and the people who inhabit that world. The author does a fantastic job in making her characters very real; yet, she struggles with one main issue that ultimately make is so this book doesn’t shine as well as it could.

The author chose a fascinating subject and setting to explore. I’ve not read anything before on how life was in post WWII Japan, how a people who prided themselves on victory were in defeat or how it affected daily life in such a war-torn landscape. I’ve seen Germany explored before but not Japan.

Kutsukake also explores so many POVs that our look into Occupied Japan life is even more three-dimensional. Usually, for me, this would be a weakness as multiple POVs can dilute a story and its emotional resonance very easily. Yet, the author balances everything by making her different characters have such unique voices and coming from such different backgrounds that I never got lost at whom I was reading about. They actually proved a strength for this work.

As mentioned, the characterization for this book is something else. Every character/POV has its own unique voice: word usage, phrasing, skills, way of looking at things, ect. From the determined Fumi to the tired Kondo to the determined-to-survive Sumiko, everybody stood out as individuals. I fell in love with each and every person, rooting for each struggle to survive in a brutal new world and to build a life again.

The one area this work lacked in was the ending. It’s momentum throughout the story was going strong and then just seemed to sputter, then fail. Only a few of the story threads and POVs were resolved. I found myself thirsting for resolution on most of the threads. There are clues provided about possible ultimate fates for many of the characters, but the reader is left guessing on how many people’s future life situations worked out.

Still, overall, this is an engaging look at post-WWII Japan, a world full of change, despair, and ultimately hope for the future. The characters sing with life, and the story itself is the novel’s strongest feature. Even though there are a ton of loose threads at the end, I still feel this is a strong example of historical fiction done well. Recommended for sure!

Note: Book received for free from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for honest review.

REVIEW: Sawbones by Melissa Lenhardt

Sawbones
by Melissa Lenhardt

Publisher: Redhook
Page Count: 304
Release Date: March 29, 2016
Format: Kindle ARC

How got: ARC copy from NetGalley

First attention getter: description

Synopsis:

From GoodReads:

Outlander meets post-Civil War unrest in this fast-paced historical debut.
When Dr. Catherine Bennett is wrongfully accused of murder, she knows her fate likely lies with a noose unless she can disappear.

Fleeing with a bounty on her head, she escapes with her maid to the uncharted territories of Colorado to build a new life with a new name.

Although the story of the murderess in New York is common gossip, Catherine's false identity serves her well as she fills in as a temporary army doctor. But in a land unknown, so large and yet so small, a female doctor can only hide for so long.

My Thoughts:

Star Rating - 4

Sawbones definitely went some places unexpected for me. It’s got a visceral, immediate story with some stunning settings, vivid characters, and harsh lessons. I was expecting maybe a somewhat grittier version of Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman. What I actually got was so much more….

First off, I have to talk about some of the harsh topics the author wasn’t afraid to explore. Prejudice, murder, massacres, attacks…. You name it and it probably happened. The author doesn’t hold back in her descriptions and some truly horrific happenings to her characters. To some, this might turn people off. Yet, I admired her guts for going there and giving us a more realistic vision of the West than most fiction does.

Our main character was both a blessing and a curse. Catherine is one of those characters that you can’t help but love and root for. Her strength of character and will get her through some trying circumstances that would crush another personality. She faces everything with a grace and perseverance that I admired. She grows throughout the book in very visible ways, changing with the circumstances and events that come her way.

Yet, in the beginning and even somewhat throughout the whole book, Catherine also seems to have a blindspot when it comes to situations that call from common sense. For a gal on the run, she doesn’t seem to be trying very hard to hide her origins and from the law. Her hubris when it comes to her training and doctoring also was a negative. Thankfully, her common sense seemed to develop as the story got going so wasn’t as bit a problem as in the beginning. But boy, it took a while to get that far…

I also have to commend on the author’s scene setting skills. Having personally been to part of the area this takes place in, I felt like I was right where the action was happening. The wind, red soil, and wide open spaces all sounded familiar; I could picture everything perfectly. The author does a great job in balancing her scene description with the dialogue and action sequences perfectly to create a vivid world.

Great world-building, a sympathetic main character, and gut-wrenching, emotional story all make this a great way to pass the time. Though at times the actions of Catherine drove me up a wall, I empathized with her enough for my heart to go out to her when the poop hit the fan on her. Thank goodness that the author mentioned a sequel in the questions in the back. Otherwise, I would have been ticked at the where the story leaves off; I got so caught up in the story. Here’s looking forward to the next book in the series! I eagerly await it.

Note: Book received for free via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Flight of Dreams by Ariel Lawhon

Flight of Dreams
by Ariel Lawhon

Publisher: Doubleday
Page Count: 336
Release Date: February 23, 2016
Format: Kindle

How got: ARC from NetGalley

First attention getter: exploration of little known history

Synopsis:

From GoodReads:

With everyone onboard harboring dark secrets and at least one person determined to make sure the airship doesn't make the return trip, Flight of Dreams gives an utterly suspenseful, heart-wrenching explanation for one of the most enduring mysteries of the twentieth century.

On the evening of May 3, 1937, Emilie Imhof boards the Hindenburg. As the only female crew member, Emilie has access to the entire airship, from the lavish dining rooms and passenger suites to the gritty engine cars and control room. She hears everything, but with rumors circulating about bomb threats, Emilie's focus is on maintaining a professional air . . . and keeping her own plans under wraps.

What Emilie can't see is that everyone—from the dynamic vaudeville acrobat to the high-standing German officer—seems to be hiding something.

 
Giving free rein to countless theories of sabotage, charade, and mishap, Flight of Dreams takes us on the thrilling three-day transatlantic flight through the alternating perspectives of Emilie; Max, the ship's navigator who is sweet on her; Gertrud, a bold female journalist who's been blacklisted in her native Germany; Werner, a thirteen-year-old cabin boy with a bad habit of sneaking up on people; and a brash American who's never without a drink in his hand. Everyone knows more than they initially let on, and as the novel moves inexorably toward its tragic climax, the question of which of the passengers will survive the trip infuses every scene with a deliciously unbearable tension.

With enthralling atmospheric details that immediately transport and spellbinding plotting that would make Agatha Christie proud, Flight of Dreams will keep you guessing till the last page. And, as The New York Times Book Review said of her last novel, "This book is more meticulously choreographed than a chorus line. It all pays off."

My Thoughts:

Star Rating - 5

It took me awhile to get into this book; we’re talking days to weeks to really get drawn in. I think it was the multitude of POVs. That took some getting used to. There also aspects of some of the relationships that seemed very sudden and overly melodramatic. Nothing will turn me off faster than melodrama. So why the five star rating you ask?

Let’s just say that after I finished, I had to take a moment to ponder the wonder I had just finished. The author is able to pull all those POVs into a cohesive whole, bringing to life one of the biggest unknown tragedies in history. I’ve met people today who have never heard of the Hindenburg; long less explored all its implications and human drama. I’m glad the author decided to explore this story.

I have to give kudos to the research that went into this book. The author brings the ship to life mechanically, to start with. Through various crew member POVs, we get to see how the ship was built, how it operated, the involved command structure, and how the very nature of the ship itself led to its doom.

She also pays as much attention to the personalities of the people involved. As the author’s notes mention, there aren’t any big biographies or works devoted to the people involved in the Hindenburg. She had to rely on sketchy background details and hints to personalities. I also really enjoyed the fact that Lawhon didn’t alter any fates; everyone who died, died or everyone who survived, survived in the book. Every character is a real person who was really there.

Lawhon takes the little known tidbits and creates characters as grand and vivid as the ship they flew in. Every single POV was rich with motivations, aspirations, dreams, and thoughts. I actually grew to love and enjoy the various POVS, making it an asset by book’s end rather than a liability that it was in the beginning.

All that melodrama and relationship stuff that was originally a burden actually turned into quite an asset. As the tension grew and grew closer to ship’s destruction, all those relationship woes turned into painful, tragic yet beautiful reminders of human life and existence as fire rained from the heavens. I think I got drawn into the lives of these characters more than I originally anticipated as by book’s end, I was actually crying.

The author has created a true gem of historical fiction in this work. She takes a dramatic story and makes it very human. By breathing life into little known people she does what historical fiction should do, bringing the past to life and making it very relatable to a modern audience. I loved her attention to detail; it paid off immensely in the emotional impact at book’s end. So I can’t recommend this book highly enough. It’s a true treasure of historical fiction and I look forward to exploring more by this author.

Note: Book received for free from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for honest review.

REVIEW: Eleanor and the Iron King by Julie Daines

Eleanor and the Iron King
by Julie Daines

Publisher: Covenant Communications
Page Count: 224
Release Date: August 1, 2015
Format: Kindle

How got: ARC copy from NetGalley

First attention getter: pretty cover and setting

Synopsis:

From GoodReads:

Eleanor de Lacy has been bartered: her hand in marriage in exchange for a truce with her father’s sworn enemy.

Now the headstrong beauty must leave her ancestral home and the man she secretly loves to become the wife of the infamous Welsh king, Brach Goch. Tales of this cruel leader paint a chilling picture of a ruthless warrior, and all Eleanor knows for certain is that he is the villain responsible for the vicious attacks on her people and the death of her beloved brother.

Though she must marry against her will, she vows Brach Goch will never possess her heart. Her arrival at the inhospitable castle Bryn Du confirms her worst fears—a ghost walks the halls of the castle, and Eleanor receives an ominous warning from the uneasy spirit: Brach is not to be trusted.

Though resigned to a life of misery, Eleanor soon realizes all is not as it seems, for Brach is not the monster she dreaded but is a handsome and charming man whose gentle ways soon undermine her resolve to lock her heart. Clinging desperately to her pride, Eleanor finds herself trapped in a web of murder and deceit. And as the lines between good and evil become blurred, Eleanor must decide for herself who is to be trusted—and loved.

My Thoughts:

Star Rating - 1.5

Oh this book….. So much promise with so much flat return. I had high hopes with an intriguing setting and a potentially lovely romance (the arranged marriage gimmick is a new love for me). With an added supernatural flair, I was expecting a great book. Yet sadly, this book failed to deliver on almost everything.

I did like the Welsh, medieval setting. It was nicely pulled off with green, misty hills and forests. There was a certain air of mystical potential that I liked. There were also moments in the romance that I liked too. When Eleanor could actually deem to trust Brach and have an actual conversation/interaction, I liked how they played off each other. They had the potential to be a great romantic duo.

Where things started to go wrong quickly was the main character. She started out OK with some nice spunk to her. Unfortunately, she turned into the worst sort of shallow, stupid, and teenage YA heroine. She rushes into situations without the slightest pretense to planning. Stubbornly refuses to change her opinions or viewpoints after presented with evidence. She constantly jumps to conclusions on the flimsiest of information. And she doesn’t have the sense of a dodo bird in whom she trusts or how she acts.

Brach was much better, probably because he’s older and more mature. Yet, we’re given such little time with him that the reader isn’t given much of a chance to get to know him deeper. I found this very odd for a historical romance as it takes two to have such a relationship. So much time is given to Eleanor and her bungling antics that Brach is left in the dark most of the time.

The supernatural flairs to this book were promising before they started but quickly lost their luster. What I got was a grouping of campy bloody messages, eye rolling wailing women specters, and killer ghosts in the dungeon. I mean, really?! I got scarier stuff out of R L Stine’s series for kids back in the day. Every time the supernatural elements reared their head I had to sigh in frustration, what started out as potentially unique story element quickly turned into a drag on the book.

Hokey supernatural elements, a main heroine I’d rather shoot than cheer for, and not enough page time for the hero made for a drag of a read. The romantic bits and setting weren’t enough to save this puppy. I don’t think I’ll be hunting this author down again. I only gave the 1.5 since I finished the book and enjoyed a few things. Look elsewhere for reading material, folks! This one isn’t worth the time spent.

Note: Book received for free from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.