The Longest Echo by Eoin Dempsey

 

The Longest Echo is set in Monte Sole, Italy in 1944. This is a small village during the time of the occupation. The Nicoletti family consists of Liliana, her parents, two sisters, her grandparents, an aunt and an uncle plus cousins. The family became divided when the invasion happened. The men to the hills the women and children to the church, each sure they would be safe. An SS man, Werner Brack, ordered all the people in the church to be killed. All but one died. 

There was also a man, a POW, James Foley, who escaped from a camp and was important to the survival of Liliana. Together, they found their way, through the perilous area of the enemy lines. They finally joined the Allies.

Liliana and James met again twelve years later. James had become a journalist and Liliana was widowed. Both were driven to find answers to questions they had had since the war.

This was a book that reached to my soul. Eoin Dempsey is a powerful writer who knows how to weave words to have the reader feel the heartbreak and drive each of the characters feel. This book was based on true events. I highly recommend this book 

Confessions of a Curious Bookseller by Elizabeth Green

 

I enjoyed this book. Confessions of a Curious Bookseller tells the story of a daughter who tries to live up to her father's expectations for her. Fern is a nerdy by engaging bookstore owner who is facing changes all around herself. She considers her store to be a part of her home and her employees are more friends and family than workers. So when a bigger store comes not only to her town but to her block Fern has to find a way to survive. 

The story is told in a series of emails between Fern and her employees, family, the owner of the new store and all she deals with. You find out about her through these emails, her pen pal and diary entries. 

Elizabeth Green wrote a cute, easy-to-read story.

I was given this book by NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Sorry I Missed You by Suzy Krause

This is a humorous book which meant that it was a quick read. I love how Suzy Krause was able to combine romance, humor, and mystery together in a book which had me chuckling out loud, at times.
The story is told through different perspectives with each character sharing their unique view. Three women meet when they rent from the same property. Each of them are dealing with things from their pasts and possible ghosts in the house. It was interesting watching how their relationship evolves into a friendship.
If I were to name a theme through this book I would have to say it is ghosts. There are ghosts in the women's, plus one man's, pasts plus the ghosts that may be in the house. Plus each must face letting go so they can move forward.
This was such a fun read during the time when we are trapped in our homes, trying to stay safe. I recommend this book to anyone looking at a fun, book that is hard to put down. It was great.
I was given this book by NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

The Last Bathing Beauty Amy Sue Nathan

This is such a heartwarming book. It takes place in 1951 at South Haven, Michigan. At this time there were Jewish summer camps in the Catskills of the Midwest. Girls looked forward to this time every year. This would be a time of change for Betty Stern.
Amy Sue Nathan writes with such feeling and her descriptions were such that I felt like I was there with the characters. By using the past and the present, switching back and forth I felt like it helped add depth to the story. It is filled with summertime, family, friends, secrets, love and more.
I enjoyed this book as a book of second chances which shows the impact people can have on our lives.
I was given this book by NetGalley and Lake Untion Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: The House by the Lake

This book was given to me by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
The House by the Lake takes the reader from the 1930s to today as the main character, Anna has her world disrupted. Her grandfather, Max, shares a secret with Anna. She is a member of an aristocratic family. During World War II they lost everything and Max left behind something that was very precious to him. Now he tasks Anna with finding it.
Anna is filled with questions. What could be so important and why was it hidden. As she is on her quest she finds Wil. Wil is someone that may be able to help her solve this mystery. Together they discover that the secrets are more than they thought.
I found myself torn throughout this book. At times I wondered, along with Anna, why her grandfather would give this mission to her. Then I would turn around and praise Anna bravery and tenacity.
This is a fascinating book and shows a side of the war that it helps to read about.
I highly recommend this book.

Book Review: The Rejected Writers' Book Club Suzanne Kelman

 I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Janet Johnson is a librarian who, reluctantly, went to a meeting of the Rejected Writers' Book Club. This group of women love looking at each others manuscripts while having tea and lemon cake. None of them actually seem truly interested in publishing their books. This group gave Janet just what she needed after moving to Southlea Bay, Washington, a nice group of friends. At one of the meetings, the ladies were preparing to celebrate the five hundredth rejection letter in the group, when they received bad news. They all decide to travel to San Francisco to look for a secret. They come across many different dangers along the way.
If you have been reading this blog for a while you know that if a book mentions books, libraries or other such deliciousness I will request to review it.
I found this charming book to be so much fun to read. It was a little slow to start but soon the craziness comes along. I know that I will pick up this book again and again when I need some zaniness in my life.


situational-humor, verbal-humor, bad-puns, family-dynamics, friendship, women-s-fiction, whispersync
This is the very book you need on a bad day or after a really lousy shift! The characters certainly are and the interactions will have you laughing in spite of yourself. The publisher's blurb gives hints but doesn't begin to prepare you for all of the fun!
situational-humor, verbal-humor, bad-puns, family-dynamics, friendship, women-s-fiction, whispersync
This is the very book you need on a bad day or after a really lousy shift! The characters certainly are and the interactions will have you laughing in spite of yourself. The publisher's blurb gives hints but doesn't begin to prepare you for all of the fun!

Book Review: Our Own Country

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
This book is the second in the series The Midwife Book.
Eliza Boylston, a merchant's daughter was forced to leave her home in the 1770s when war came near. This war, the Revolutionary War, divided her family in many ways. Eliza finds herself attracted to John Watkins, her uncle's slave. This led her to Braintree, Massachusetts where radicals such as John and Abigail Adams lived.The life she is forced into leaves many questions and uncertainties about her and John's lives.
I am a history buff, so I was naturally drawn to this book. It was a good book which included historically correct details. I like it when authors take the time to research the time period and setting of a book. I had not read the first book but I was able to immerse into the book with little difficulty. It was a well-written book that I recommend for other history buffs.

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Book Review: Where We Fall

I found Where We Fall to be the kind of book that I do not want to put down once I start. It is so beautifully written and insightful into depression. As a past sufferer of this infliction I felt she was able to cover the subject very well. Abby has depression and all that it entails. I felt like Abby's character was describing me at times. In addition to Abby's depression, there is so much more to this book. Each character was developed so well and the idea of the promise of salvation is felt throughout as well.

I very highly recommend this book. I was given this book by NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: The Saturday Evening girls Club

The Saturday Evening Girls Club is a historical fiction set in Boston in the early 20th century. The women are young immigrants, based on actual people, who are working together to help build a new life in America.

The Saturday Evening Girls Club blends real historical figures of early 20th century Boston with an engaging story of young women from immigrant families trying to find their place in the new world. The characters struggle with respecting the “old ways” of their immigrant parents, and pursuing opportunities of work, education and autonomy that were beginning to be available to women. This is the best book I’ve read this year!

These women are from Italian and Jewish families and they all live in Boston's North End. Their names are Caprice, Maria, Ada and Thea. They are considered to be second class citizens due to their gender and being immigrants, but they do not look at themselves as victims. Caprice is aiming towards her own hat shop. Ada takes college classes, secretly, while trying to keep her aim true and not to fall  for a boy of different ethnicity. Maria is trying to escape from her father's alcoholism. Thea admires the possibilities in being a modern girl but she also admires the traditional ways. Each of these girls come together through The Saturday Evening girls Club and find the support they need in this group of women. 

This book was interesting to read. I could see the amount of research Jane Healey placed in her work, through her writing about this group of women, Boston's North End and two of the founders. I felt like I was in the lives of these women as they went about their lives, including the troubles and the good times. 

Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, so when I came across this one, I had a feeling I would want to jump in and I did. 

I was given this book by NetGalley and Lake Union Books in exchange for my honest review. 

Book Review: Lift and Separate

Marcy was married to Harvey for over 30 years. He was the owner of Bountiful Bosom Lingerie Company. She was happy and so in love with her hubby until he announces that he is leaving her. Unsure what to do now, she decides to ignore it all. Soon she finds the reason why he wanted to leave, an affair with a model.

During this time, her mother was in an accident and the doctors find she also has cancer. Now Marcy has even more to deal with but also discovers that she has strength that she didn't know about.

This book is a fast read. I found the author was realistic in the way she had Marcy deal with all that was thrown at her. It could have been a difficult book to read but the way the characters and the details are faced are believable and amusing.

I was given this book by NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: Very Like a Queen

I love books about royalty, so this book had my heart at the title.

Alice Petherton is the main character in this book. And she knows how to survive in King Henry VIII's court. She is his favorite however, she knows that this does not always mean she is safe, after seeing what happened to three of his wives. She decides that she will be his mistress but not marry him. Thomas Cromwell becomes her protector. That is until she fall for another and then Cromwell is executed.

This is the first book that I have read by Martin Lake and I truly loved it. I will now be looking for more works by Lake. In Very Like a Queen. I felt he was able to transport me to court life. I felt the thrill and the danger that his main character felt. The connections that I felt to Henry VIII and Thomas Cromwell was also remarkable.

I highly recommend this book.

I was given this book by NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

Can be found HERE!

Book Review: Smart Girl

Well, I did it again. I picked a book from a series that I have not read. However, that did not keep me from enjoying this light-hearted, fun romance.

Miko Jin seems to like falling in love, however, the men are from books. Then she sees and falls for Liam Ashton. Liam could not be farther from Miko, in every way. Patience is the key for Miko, so she turns to her books and friends to find the way to get Liam to fall for her

Brilliant designer Miko Jin is a hopeless romantic. She’s spent most of her life falling in love over and over again…with the men she finds in the pages of her favorite novels.

For a fun, easy book to read, I recommend this, even if you haven't read the others in the series!

I received this book from NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing in exchange for an honest review. 

Book Review: The Daughters of Palatine Hill

The Daughters of Palatine Hill, by Phyllis T. Smith, is a historical fiction which takes place during the time of Caesar Augustus. Smith brought this time to life. I generally have a difficult time embracing this time period but not with the pictures that Smith was able to place in my mind.

The story's main characters include the emperor's last wife, the woman he loves, and his only daughter, and the daughter of Cleopatra and Mark Antony. The last one was held in Rome.

The setting was so vivid as was the culture of the time.

I had a difficult time picking it up, because of the previous mentioned bias, but once I picked it up, the author whetted my appetite so much I had a difficult time putting it back down. This is a great book for any love of historical fiction or of this time period.

I was given this book by NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: The Light of Hidden Flowers

The Light of Hidden Flowers tells the story of one girl's journey to find her voice. In this story, Melissa Fletcher moves from being someone who does what is expected of her to someone that takes a risk. When her father is told that he has Alzheimer's Melissa becomes his caregiver. when he passes, she finds a letter from him that sends her off to Italy. While there she finds someone new and before she knows it she is in India, giving her inheritance away and going after a past love.

I loved this book. I felt like I was with Missy the entire time. I look forward to reading more by this author and I would recommend this book to anyone.

I was given this book by NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: Christmas at the Vicarage

This book, Christmas at the Vicarage, is such a quaint book. Boxall is able to take the reader back to years past yet intertwine present time throughout.

Rosamund Pemberton has not been home to Potter's Cover for fifteen years, until now. This book fills the reader in on the events that have lead her to this time. There is a glowing love and loss as the reader enjoys this book.

This time of year I love to read this type of book. It makes me feel like I did as a child when I came downstairs and experienced the magic of Christmas. Opening this book is like unwrapping those presents.

I was given this book by NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: Whistling Women

This book is set during the 1935 San Diego World's Fair. Included at this fair is a nudist colony. I don't think that I was aware of this at the time I requested it, but this book lets the reader know what it is like, especially in 1935.

Even though nudity is part of the story the people in the book are what make it beautiful. There is one character which wants to re-connect with her sister and nieces. The characters are very well developed and the reading was smooth and easy to read.

I felt for each of the characters, which to me, makes a book worth reading.

I was given this book by NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing in exchange for my honest review.