Tag: history

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: 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.)

Book Review and Blog Tour: The Keeper of Hidden Books, by Madeline Martin

Image belongs to Harlequin/Hanover Square Press.

Title: The Keeper of Hidden Books        
Author:  Madeline Martin   
Genre: Historical fiction    
Rating:  5 out of 5

All her life, Zofia has found comfort in two things during times of hardship: books and her best friend, Janina. But no one could have imagined the horrors of the Nazi occupation in Warsaw. As the bombs rain down and Hitler’s forces loot and destroy the city, Zofia finds that now books are also in need of saving.

With the death count rising and persecution intensifying, Zofia jumps to action to save her friend and salvage whatever books she can from the wreckage, hiding them away, and even starting a clandestine book club. She and her dearest friend never surrender their love of reading, even when Janina is forced into the newly formed ghetto.

But the closer Warsaw creeps toward liberation, the more dangerous life becomes for the women and their families – and escape may not be possible for everyone. As the destruction rages around them, Zofia must fight to save her friend and preserve her culture and community using the only weapon they have left – literature.

This was such a good read! I loved how the author focused on a microcosm of the war and the struggles of less than a handful of people, with only occasional mentions of the larger struggle going on. This made it seem so personal and relatable. What Zofia—and Janina—went through was horrible, but it was inspiring to see their determination and faith as they struggled to save parts of their heritage from the Nazis and preserve the past for the future.

Madeline Martin is a bestselling author. The Keeper of Hidden Books is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/Hanover Square Press in exchange for an honest review.)

Sundays Are for Writing #235

I feel like every week lately has been crazy at work—and this week was no exception—but I managed to get two book reviews written this week: Thief Liar Lady, by D. L. Soria and Ladies of the Lake, by Cathy Gohlke. Thief Liar Lady was a retelling of Cinderella that I’m…ambivalent about. And Ladies of the Lake was an excellent historical fiction that I listened to on audio.

Happy writingF!

Book Review: Ladies of the Lake, by Cathy Gohlke  

Image belongs to Dreamscape Media.

Title:  Ladies of the Lake (audio)    
Author:  Cathy Gohlke   
Genre: Historical fiction, Christian    
Rating:  5 out of 5

When she is forced to leave her beloved Prince Edward Island to attend Lakeside Ladies Academy after the death of her parents, the last thing Adelaide Rose MacNeill expects to find is three kindred spirits. The “Ladies of the Lake,” as the four girls call themselves, quickly bond like sisters, vowing that wherever life takes them, they will always be there for each other. But that is before: Before love and jealousy come between Adelaide and Dorothy, the closest of the friends. Before the dawn of World War I upends their world and casts baseless suspicion onto the German American man they both love. Before a terrible explosion in Halifax Harbor rips the sisterhood irrevocably apart.

Seventeen years later, Rosaline Murray receives an unsuspecting telephone call from Dorothy, now headmistress of Lakeside, inviting her to attend the graduation of a new generation of girls, including Rosaline’s beloved daughter. With that call, Rosaline is drawn into a past she’d determined to put behind her. To memories of a man she once loved . . . of a sisterhood she abandoned . . . and of the day she stopped being Adelaide MacNeill.

I enjoyed this so much! Addie was such a wonderful character, and the friendship between the ladies was wonderful to see. I did not care for Dorothy, though. She was so selfish, and she grated on my nerves. Even the adult Dorothy struggled with this, although she was better than her younger self.

I truly felt the pain Addie experienced, the fear, the hurt. Her emotions were so vividly embodied on the page, and I enjoyed reading her story. I’d never heard of the Halifax explosion—this must have been such a horrific experience. This is a wonderful read, that I highly recommend.

Cathy Gohlke is a bestselling author. Ladies of the Lake is her newest novel.

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

Book Review: Hotel Laguna, by Nicola Harrison   

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title:  Hotel Laguna   
Author:   Nicola Harrison  
Genre:  Historical fiction   
Rating:  4.5 out of 5

In 1942, Hazel Francis left Wichita, Kansas for California, determined to do her part for the war effort. At Douglas Aircraft, she became one of many “Rosie the Riveters,” helping construct bombers for the U. S. military. But now the war is over, men have returned to their factory jobs, and women like Hazel have been dismissed, expected to return home to become wives and mothers.

Unwilling to be forced into a traditional woman’s role in the Midwest, Hazel remains on the west coast, and finds herself in the bohemian town of Laguna Beach. Desperate for work, she accepts a job as an assistant to famous artist Hanson Radcliff. Beloved by the locals for his contributions to the art scene and respected by the critics, Radcliff lives under the shadow of a decades old scandal that haunts him.

Working hard to stay on her cantankerous employer’s good side, Hazel becomes a valued member of the community. She never expected to fall in love with the rhythms of life in Laguna, nor did she expect to find a kindred spirit in Jimmy, the hotel bartender whose friendship promises something more. But Hazel still wants to work with airplanes—maybe even learn to fly one someday. Torn between pursuing her dream and the dream life she has been granted, she is unsure if giving herself over to Laguna is what her heart truly wants.

I enjoyed this read! Hazel was a fascinating character to read:  she went from a small-town girl who went along with what everyone around her wanted (namely men) to making a live that she wanted and impacting those around her. I enjoyed her relationship with Radcliff and how it shaped her, and I loved seeing who she became.

Nicola Harrison is from England and grew up in California. Hotel Laguna is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: A Shadow in Moscow, by Katherine Reay   

Image belongs to Harper Muse.

Title:   A Shadow in Moscow     
Author: Katherine Reay    
Genre:  Historical fiction   
Rating:  4.5 out of 5

Vienna, 1954

After losing everyone she loves in the final days of World War II, Ingrid Bauer agrees to a hasty marriage with a gentle Soviet embassy worker and follows him home to Moscow. But nothing deep within the Soviet Union’s totalitarian regime is what it seems, including her new husband, whom Ingrid suspects works for the KGB. Upon her daughter’s birth, Ingrid risks everything and reaches out in hope to the one country she understands and trusts–Britain, the country of her mother’s birth–and starts passing along intelligence to MI6, navigating a world of secrets and lies, light and shadow.

Washington, DC, 1980

Part of the Foreign Studies Initiative, Anya Kadinova finishes her degree at Georgetown University and boards her flight home to Moscow, leaving behind the man she loves and a country she’s grown to respect. Though raised by dedicated and loyal Soviet parents, Anya soon questions an increasingly oppressive and paranoid Soviet regime at the height of the Cold War. When the KGB murders her best friend, Anya picks sides and contacts the CIA. Working in a military research lab, Anya passes along Soviet military plans and schematics in an effort to end the 1980s arms race.

Alternating points of view keep readers on their toes as the past catches up to the present when an unprecedented act of treachery in 1985 threatens all undercover agents operating within the Soviet Union, and both Ingrid and Anya find themselves in a race for their lives against time and the KGB.

I didn’t thin it would be possible to read this straight through in one sitting, but I was wrong. The first part felt a little bit slow, but then I grew engrossed. I usually have a favorite when a book is told in dual POVs, but this time I didn’t. I loved Ingrid’s story, and I loved Anya’s, too. The Cold War setting was absolutely chilling, and I found myself on the edge of my seat through the whole last third of the book. An excellent read!

Katherine Reay is a bestselling author. A Shadow in Moscow is her newest novel.

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

Book Review: The Secret Book of Flora Lea, by Patti Callahan Henry

Image belongs to Atria Books.

Title:    The Secret Book of Flora Lea   
Author:  Patti Callahan Henry
Genre:  Historical fiction   
Rating:  5 out of 5

In the war-torn London of 1939, fourteen-year-old Hazel and five-year-old Flora are evacuated to a rural village to escape the horrors of the Second World War. Living with the kind Bridie Aberdeen and her teenage son, Harry, in a charming stone cottage along the River Thames, Hazel fills their days with walks and games to distract her young sister, including one that she creates for her sister and her sister alone—a fairy tale about a magical land, a secret place they can escape to that is all their own.

But the unthinkable happens when young Flora suddenly vanishes while playing near the banks of the river. Shattered, Hazel blames herself for her sister’s disappearance, and she carries that guilt into adulthood as a private burden she feels she deserves.

Twenty years later, Hazel is in London, ready to move on from her job at a cozy rare bookstore to a career at Sotheby’s. With a charming boyfriend and her elegantly timeworn Bloomsbury flat, Hazel’s future seems determined. But her tidy life is turned upside down when she unwraps a package containing an illustrated book called Whisperwood and the River of Stars . Hazel never told a soul about the imaginary world she created just for Flora. Could this book hold the secrets to Flora’s disappearance? Could it be a sign that her beloved sister is still alive after all these years?

As Hazel embarks on a feverish quest, revisiting long-dormant relationships and bravely opening wounds from her past, her career and future hang in the balance. An astonishing twist ultimately reveals the truth in this transporting and refreshingly original novel about the bond between sisters, the complications of conflicted love, and the enduring magic of storytelling.

I really enjoyed this read! I do love WWII fiction, but this isn’t a typical one—and it isn’t only WWII fiction. I really loved all of it, and I thought the relationship between the young sisters was so well-done and believable. Hazel is a great character, despite all her thorns and trust issues, and I loved watching the storyline of their childhood meet up with Hazel’s adult life. I highly recommend this!

Patti Callahan Henry is an award-winning and bestselling author. The Secret Book of Flora Lea is her newest novel.

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

Book Review and Blog Tour: Code Name Sapphire, by Pam Jenoff  

Image belongs to Harlequin/Park Row.

Title:  Code Name Sapphire     
Author:  Pam Jenoff   
Genre:   historical fiction  
Rating:  4.0 out of 5

1942. Hannah Martel has narrowly escaped Nazi Germany after her fiancé was killed in a pogrom. When her ship bound for America is turned away at port, she has nowhere to go but to her cousin Lily, who lives with her family in Brussels. Fearful for her life, Hannah is desperate to get out of occupied Europe. But with no safe way to leave, she must return to the dangerous underground work she thought she had left behind.

Seeking help, Hannah joins the Sapphire Line, a secret resistance network led by a mysterious woman named Micheline and her enigmatic brother Matteo. But when a grave mistake causes Lily’s family to be arrested and slated for deportation to Auschwitz, Hannah finds herself torn between her loyalties. How much is Hannah willing to sacrifice to save the people she loves? Inspired by incredible true stories of courage and sacrifice, Code Name Sapphire is a powerful novel about love, family and the unshakable resilience of women in even the hardest of times.

I enjoyed this WWII fiction—one of my favorite reading genres—but I did find bits of it pretty sad (not surprising, considering). I liked Hannah, but found her frustrating at times, too. I would have liked to have seen more of her paintings in the novel. Lily annoyed me about half the time, so she wasn’t my favorite, but I enjoyed the relationship between the cousins.

Pam Jenoff is a bestselling author. Code Name Sapphire is her newest novel.

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