Tag: historical

Book Review: The Berlin Letters, by Katherine Reay

Image belongs to Harper Muse.

Title:  The Berlin Letters   
Author: Katherine Reay     
Genre:  Historical fiction  
Rating:  4.2 out of 5

From the time she was a young girl, Luisa Voekler has loved solving puzzles and cracking codes. Brilliant and logical, she’s expected to quickly climb the career ladder at the CIA. But while her coworkers have moved on to thrilling Cold War assignments—especially in the exhilarating era of the late 1980s—Luisa’s work remains stuck in the past decoding messages from World War II.

Journalist Haris Voekler grew up a proud East Berliner. But as his eyes open to the realities of postwar East Germany, he realizes that the Soviet promises of a better future are not coming to fruition. After the Berlin Wall goes up, Haris finds himself separated from his young daughter and all alone after his wife dies. There’s only one way to reach his family—by sending coded letters to his father-in-law who lives on the other side of the Iron Curtain.

When Luisa Voekler discovers a secret cache of letters written by the father she has long presumed dead, she learns the truth about her grandfather’s work, her father’s identity, and why she has never progressed in her career. With little more than a rudimentary plan and hope, she journeys to Berlin and risks everything to free her father and get him out of East Berlin alive.

As Luisa and Haris take turns telling their stories, events speed toward one of the twentieth century’s most dramatic moments—the fall of the Berlin Wall and that night’s promise of freedom, truth, and reconciliation for those who lived, for twenty-eight years, behind the bleak shadow of the Iron Curtain’s most iconic symbol.

This is a time period I’m not sure I’ve read anything in, but I enjoyed this! I can’t imagine what it would have been like, watching the Berlin Wall go up overnight and being separated from your family and life. Reay did such a fantastic job of placing the reader in that scene in history, and I really felt the characters’ emotions. This was an emotional but well-written novel set in a bleak time and place, but showing the hope that existed even in that dark time.

Katherine Reay is a bestselling author. The Berlin Letters is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harper Muse in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: The Warm Hands of Ghosts, by Katherine Arden

Image belongs to Random House Ballantine/Del Rey.

Title: The Warm Hands of Ghosts
Author:  Katherine Arden    
Genre: Historical fiction, fantasy     
Rating:  4 out of 5

January 1918. Laura Iven was a revered field nurse until she was wounded and discharged from the medical corps, leaving behind a brother still fighting in Flanders. Now home in Halifax, Canada, she receives word of Freddie’s death in combat, along with his personal effects—but something doesn’t make sense. Determined to uncover the truth, Laura returns to Belgium as a volunteer at a private hospital. Soon after arriving, she hears whispers about haunted trenches, and a strange hotelier whose wine gives soldiers the gift of oblivion. Could Freddie have escaped the battlefield, only to fall prey to something—or someone—else?

November 1917. Freddie Iven awakens after an explosion to find himself trapped in an overturned pillbox with a wounded enemy soldier, a German by the name of Hans Winter. Against all odds, the two men form an alliance and succeed in clawing their way out. Unable to bear the thought of returning to the killing fields, especially on opposite sides, they take refuge with a mysterious man who seems to have the power to make the hellscape of the trenches disappear.

As shells rain down on Flanders, and ghosts move among those yet living, Laura’s and Freddie’s deepest traumas are reawakened. Now they must decide whether their world is worth salvaging—or better left behind entirely.

I wanted to read this based solely on the author, as her The Winternight trilogy was phenomenal! The writing in this one was superb, but I found the book to be a bit odd. It felt sort of like a fever dream:  vivid yet hazy. I loved Laura and her storyline kept me riveted (second time recently I’ve come across the Halifax explosion tragedy in my reading). Freddie’s story was also interesting, but it felt very hazy and out-of-focus to me. That being said, I do recommend this one—if you’re okay with not getting an explanation for everything in a story/

Katherine Arden is a bestselling author. The Warm Hands of Ghosts is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Random House Ballantine/Del Rey in exchange for an honest review.)

Sundays are for Writing #266

This was another great writing week! I wrote two book reviews, The Lost Dresses of Italy, by M. A. Mclaughlin and A Step Past Darkness, by Vera Kurian. Spoiler alert: I DNFed A Step Past Darkness because I found it and the characters boring, but I really enjoyed The Lost Dresses of Italy. It was a great historical fiction read!

I also got in five fiction-writing sessions! This will prove more difficult next week, as I’ll be traveling a bit for work, but we’ll see how it goes.

Happy writing!

Book Review: The Lost Dresses of Italy, by M. A. Mclaughlin

Image belongs to Alcove Press.

Title: The Lost Dresses of Italy
Author: M. A. Mclaughlin    
Genre: Historical fiction     
Rating:  4.5 out of 5

Verona, 1947. Textile historian Marianne Baxter comes to post-war Italy with one thing on her mind: three pristine Victorian dresses, once owned by the famous poet Christina Rossetti. Hidden away in a trunk for nearly a century, they were recently discovered at the Fondazione Museo Menigatti and Marianne’s expertise is needed before they go on exhibit. Still grieving the loss of her husband, the trip is also a reason for Marianne to start over. But when she arrives, she discovers an unsupportive but handsome museum owner, a superstitious local community, and a mysterious letter with a scribbled warning hidden among the dresses.

Verona, 1864. Christina Rossetti returns to her family’s homeland in hopes of leaving her unfulfilled personal life and poetry career in England and beginning a new chapter. After a chance encounter with an old family friend, she finds a gift her father once gave a small ornate box with the three Muses carved into the lid. When she stumbles across a secret compartment, Christina finds a letter from her father with an urgent and personal request.

The letter, speaking of a pendant and stolen book that must be returned, connects Marianne and Christina—and leaves them both with more questions than answers. Inspired by the real-life mysteries surrounding poet Christina Rossetti, A Forsaken Vow transports readers to Verona with the enchantment and intrigue of Italian art and fashion.

I was way too engrossed in both timelines of this book! I’d read Goblin Market by Christina Rossett years ago, but knew absolutely nothing about her, so this was a fascinating story to me. So evocative, and so absolutely tragic.

Marianne’s story also enthralled me from the beginning, as she arrived in Italy and then saw the dresses. I loved all the historical details and had trouble putting this book down!

M. A. Mclaughlin is from St. Louis. The Lost Dresses of Italy is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Alcove Press in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review and Blog Tour: The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West, by Sara Ackerman

Image belongs to Harlequin/MIRA.

Title: The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West    
Author: Sara Ackerman     
Genre: Historical fiction     
Rating:  4.5 out of 5

1927. Olivia “Livy” West is a fearless young pilot with a love of adventure. She yearns to cross oceans and travel the skies. When she learns of the Dole Air Race––a high-stakes contest to be the first to make the 2,400 mile Pacific crossing from the West Coast to Hawai’i—she sets her sights on qualifying. But it soon becomes clear that only men will make the cut. In a last-ditch effort to take part, Livy manages to be picked as a navigator for one of the pilots, before setting out on a harrowing journey that some will not survive.

1987. Wren Summers is down to her last dime when she learns she has inherited a remote piece of land on the Big Island with nothing on it but a dilapidated barn and an overgrown mac nut grove. She plans on selling it and using the money to live on, but she is drawn in by the mysterious objects kept in the barn by her late great-uncle––clues to a tragic piece of aviation history lost to time. Determined to find out what really happened all those years ago, Wren enlists the help of residents at a nearby retirement home to uncover Olivia’s story piece by piece. What she discovers is more earth-shattering, and closer to home, than she could have ever imagined.

I enjoyed this so much! The air race itself was terrifying to me—I’m claustrophobic and afraid of heights—but the story was fantastic. I loved Olivia’s sheer determination and guts, and I loved Wren’s adventurous spirit. The two of them were woven together so well, and I was eager to get to each chapter and find out what was going to happen. Loved the adventures, the secondary characters, and the romances, too. Highly recommend this read!

Sara Ackerman is a bestselling author. The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/MIRA in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review:   The Paris Housekeeper, by Renee Ryan

Image belongs to Harlequin.

Title:  The Paris Housekeeper
Author: Renee Ryan    
Genre: Historical fiction     
Rating:  4.2 out of 5

Paris, 1940

German tanks rumble through the streets of Paris, forcing frightened citizens to flee. But not everyone has the luxury to leave. Camille Lacroix, a chambermaid at the world-famous Hôtel Ritz, must stay to support her family back home in Brittany. Desperate to earn money, Camille also acts as a lady’s maid for longtime guest Vivian Miller, a glamorous American widow—and a Nazi sympathizer.

Despite her distrust of the woman, Camille turns to Vivian when her friend and fellow hotel maid Rachel Berman needs help getting out of Paris. It’s then that Camille discovers that Vivian is not what she seems… The American has been using her wealth and connections to secretly obtain travel papers for Jewish refugees.

While hiding Rachel in an underground bunker under a Nazi’s nose, a daring escape plan is hatched. But as the net grows tighter, and the Germans more ruthless, Camille’s courage will be tested to the extreme…

I love WWII historical fiction, and this was a great read. Vivian’s situation absolutely horrified me, and I felt so sorry for her. I enjoyed Camille’s story, and Rachel’s as well. This was a really good story, and I loved how the three women’s stories intertwined. This was a really solid historical fiction read!

Renee Ryan is an award-winning author. The Paris Housekeeper is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review and Blog Tour: The Roaring Days of Zora Lily, by Noelle Salazar

Image belongs to Harlequin/MIRA.

Title: The Roaring Days of Zora Lily     
Author: Noelle Salazar    
Genre: historical fiction   
Rating:  5 out of 5

2023, The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History: A costume conservator is preparing an exhibition featuring movie costumes from the 1920s to present day. As she gingerly places a gown once worn by Greta Garbo on a mannequin, she discovers another name hidden beneath the designer’s label, leaving her to wonder—who is Zora Lily?

1924, Seattle: Poverty-stricken Zora Hough spends her days looking after her younger siblings while sewing up holes and fixing hems for clients to bring in extra money, working her fingers to the bone just to survive. But at night, as she lies in the bed she shares with one of her three sisters, she secretly dreams of becoming a designer like Coco Chanel and Jeanne Lanvin.

When her best friend gets a job dancing in a club downtown, Zora is lured in by her stories of music, glittering dresses and boys. She follows her friend to the underground speakeasies that are at once exciting and frightening—with smoke hanging in the air, alcohol flowing despite Prohibition, couples dancing in a way that makes Zora blush and a handsome businessman named Harley. It’s a world she has only ever imagined, and one with connections that could lead her to the life she’s always dreamed of. But as Zora’s ambition is challenged by tragedy and duty to her family, she’ll learn that dreams come with a cost.

This was a fantastic read! Granted, the 1920s are one of my favorite time periods to read about, but Zora captivated me from the very first page. She is so determined to move past her present and make a life that she loves for herself, but she also remains loyal to her family and those who helped her. It’s a testament to the writing and story that the fashion details fascinated me instead of boring me, but Zora herself is truly the reason I couldn’t put the book down. This is so well done, and I would recommend it to everyone!

Noelle Salazar lives in Washington. The Roaring Days of Zora Lilly is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/MIRA in exchange for an honest review.)

Sundays Are for Writing #244

I’m happy with this writing week: a review for The Roaring Days of Zora Lily, by Noelle Salaza, which was a fantastic historical fiction read, and I actually did some fiction-writing. Five hundred words is better than no words!

Happy writing!

Book Review: The Spy’s Daughter, by Bianca M. Schwarz

Image belongs to Central Avenue Publishing.

Title:  The Spy’s Daughter   
Author:  Bianca M. Schwarz   
Genre: Historical fiction, mystery, romance    
Rating: 4 out of 5

Emily March, the illegitimate daughter of Sir Henry March, has all she needs: bountiful wealth, ample beauty, and abundant talent. But will this be enough to secure the one thing she truly a loving marriage and her own family? However, it’s not her illegitimacy that stands in her way, but a mystery her father—an agent of the crown—has never been able to solve.

Max Warthon has twice rescued Emily from the machinations of his sinister grandfather, the Earl of Warthon, enemy of Sir Henry. Max knows that getting too close to his daughter will lead to certain peril, but he cannot resist her. Played out in front of London’s high society, their whirlwind romance attracts everyone’s attention — and raises the ire of the Earl.

With old secrets standing in their way, will Emily and Max be able to unravel the mystery of an ancient hatred and unmask the true enemy? Their happiness and their lives depend on it.

I’ve read all of The Gentleman Spy Mystery series and enjoyed this one. This was a solid read and a nice wrap-up to the series. I thought Max and Emily’s romance was a bit too easy—I expected more obstacles—but it was about what I expected from this series. I don’t really have any problems with the novel. It is what it promises to be: a romance in a historical setting, and I never felt like the characters were in any danger. I expected the HEA ending, and that’s what I got.

Bianca M. Schwarz was born in Germany but now lives in L.A. The Spy’s Daughter is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Central Avenue Publishing in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Letters from My Sister, by Valerie Fraser Luesse  

Image belongs to Revell.

Title:  Letters from My Sister      
Author:  Valerie Fraser Luesse  
Genre: Historical fiction    
Rating:  4.5 out of 5

At the turn of the twentieth century, sisters Emmy and Callie Bullock are living a privileged life as the only daughters of a wealthy Alabama cotton farmer when their well-ordered household gets turned upside down by the arrival of Lily McGee. Arrestingly beautiful, Lily quickly–and innocently–draws the wrong kind of attention. Meanwhile, Callie meets a man who offers her the freedom to abandon social constraints and discover her truest self.

After Lily has a baby, Callie witnesses something she was never meant to see–or did she? Her memory is a haze, just an image in her mind of Emmy standing on a darkened riverbank and cradling Lily’s missing baby girl. Only when the sisters are separated does the truth slowly come to light through their letters–including a revelation that will shape the rest of Callie’s life.

This was a tiny bit slow to start off, but Callie was such a great character that I kept reading, and I’m so glad I did! The Bullock family was so fascinating to read about. I enjoyed every one of them! This book made me laugh out loud several times—and cry. I was immersed in the lives of the characters and the dreams of the sisters, and I ended up enjoying this very much.

Valerie Fraser Luesse lives in Birmingham. Letters From My Sister is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Revell in exchange for an honest review.)