Magnar by Mary Morgan

November 9, 2020 By 20 Comments


Magnar by Mary Morgan
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Historical, Paranormal, Romance
Rated: 5 stars
Review by Dryas

Known as the Barbarian, Magnar MacAlpin is a fierce ruler for those under his command. As leader of the Wolves of Clan Sutherland, his loyalty and obedience lies with Scotland. However, the king’s last demand is not something Magnar will tolerate.

After Elspeth Gunn’s brother the Chieftain of Castle Steinn is murdered, she flees with her nephew, and finds safety amongst a band of men who are rumored to be part wolf. When the king forces her to wed a heathen Northman, she fears losing her heart and soul not only to the man, but the beast as well.

In order to restore peace to a shattered clan, Magnar and Elspeth travel a treacherous path that challenges their beliefs. When evil seeks to destroy ancient traditions, will Magnar be compelled to restrain his wolf or allow him free to protect those he loves?

This is a novel that drew me in from the first page. The characters, plot, and the culture with its beautiful scenery makes it hard to stop reading. Each character is so well fleshed out that they feel like a part of your family and I couldn’t help laughing, crying, and cheering them on.

The plot starts out with an idea that I have not seen before. This novel deals with the gods of Norway and Scotland: Oden, Freya, Jiroh, and Loki to name a few, along with druids and seers.

A long time past, there had been a huge war between Norway and Scotland and the people cried desperately to their gods for vengeance. The druids and seers prayed to the gods and the gods gave the ability for volunteers of man to be able to turn into wolves and their human forms to be stronger than before.

During the reign of King William of Scotland, the leader of the wolves, Magnar, finds out his mother has passed and has held a secret. He has a twin brother.  This is supposed to be impossible as the magic is supposed to allow only one child in the family to be able to change. Otherwise there would be fighting for dominance and one could be killed. This situation causes his heart to ache as he thought his brother should have stayed with him instead of being sent away and Magnar didn’t know what had happened to him. He had made up his mind that he would ask his brother to join the Southerland wolves. His brother’s story weaves in with Magnar’s along the way.

Then things get really interesting when we are brought to castle Steinn in Scotland where a Lady Elspeth, the sister of the Lord of the Castle and her nephew Erik were attacked by Bandits who killed the Lord. After escaping they were lucky enough to run into some of Magnars men who escorted them to King William. As Erik is now the Lord of Steinn castle, the King sends Magnar and his men to reclaim the castle. There is one catch, the bandit leader Halvard has declared that Elspeth is his wife and thus he is the legal lord. To solve the issue, the King orders Magnar and Elspeth to wed.

I love the character of Magnar. He is driven to protect those under his care and is extremely loyal especially to one man, King William, The Lion of Scotland. He has ties to two countries as most of his men do, both Scotland and Norway. He is a man who holds his emotions under control, and he is confused by how strong his feelings for Elspeth are. I enjoyed the way the author had him interact with the wolf, although the man is alpha he is in touch with what his wolf needs and makes sure that he gets it. It’s enjoyable watching him fighting his feelings and his lust of Elspeth. He is a man of honor as is shown by the vow he gave her, saying he would not take her in the marriage bed until she allows it. It’s also sweet watching him with Erik, taking him as a ward and showing Erik how to become a leader. It melted my heart.

Elspeth is another wonderfully developed character. She is a strong woman who takes everything that life throws at her with strength and forbearance. She follows the new religion of today and this causes some friction between her and Magnar as she feels uncomfortable about his religion. An example of her strength is how she protected Erik on their journey south. I enjoyed watching her fight her feelings for Magnar as they journey onwards towards Stienn to regain the castle. She even inspired loyalty in his men. Her stubbornness is legendary, not allowing anything keep her from completing any task.

Then there was the adorable Erik, who is only about 6 years-old and now holds the burden of learning to become a lord. It twisted my heart knowing that his childhood was lost to him forever, and increased my hatred for the barbarians who attacked the castle and killed his father. Watching him grow is impressive and Magnar’s men recognize a great lord waiting inside him. It’s also sweet watching Magnar take a great interest in his education and they develop a bond that is strong as iron.

Another great part of this story is the language the author uses. It’s just like hearing the old language yet it is still understandable. The scenery is beautifully described, with its mountains and wonderful forests with clear streams.

The love between these two people is sweet but hot at the same time. There are some wonderfully described love scenes. Loyalty runs throughout the whole story and keeps the wolves a tightly knit community who will give their lives for each other. The author does a wonderful job of capturing the culture of the time. I highly recommend this book not only for the romance, but for so many other reasons that are too long to list. Just make sure you have plenty of time before picking this up, as you won’t be able to put it down.


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Sophie’s Choice by A.M.Westerling

November 4, 2020 By 11 Comments


Sophie’s Choice by A.M.Westerling
The Ladies of Harrington House Book 1
Publisher: BWL Publishing Inc.
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

Lady Sophie Harrington is not one to abide by society’s strictures. If there’s one thing she knows, it’s that she will not be paraded on the London marriage market in hopes of finding a suitable husband. When a handsome bachelor moves into the neighbouring country estate, she thinks her wedding prospects are solved – all she must do is make the man fall in love with her and convince her parents he would be a good match.

Successful barrister Lord Bryce Langdon escapes London to begin a new legal practice in the rugged county of Cornwall. However, being the object of desire for two beautiful sisters disrupts his life and distracts him from his true purpose for being there – infiltrating a local smuggler’s ring.

Can Sophie win Bryce’s love? What will she do when she discovers Bryce is not the honourable man he appears to be? Sometimes temptation cannot be resisted…

2020 has been a challenging year for me to read. I picked three books to review months ago and they just sat unopened. I chose this particular book because I recognized the author as one I’ve read before and had enjoyed. I wasn’t sure if the timing to start a book yesterday was the best. However, once I started I was unable to put it down. Sophie’s Choice was the perfect distraction I needed.

I was especially excited to learn that this book is the first in The Ladies of Harrington House series. The cast of characters were relatable and well developed which made me anticipate the next book in the series. There are three sisters that will each get their own love story, Sophie, Catherine and Leah. Sophie’s Choice can easily be read as a standalone.

Sophie was my ideal heroine. I love witty, smart, independent woman with a touch of vulnerability. I equally love a hero who counteracts that. It makes for a fun entertaining read. Kudos to the couple when their bantering makes me laugh. I love a sparing couple who clearly is sensually attracted to each other with a web of other plot elements that keep the plot flowing and twisting.

Lord Bryce made my book boyfriend list. He had it all going on, between flirting with Sophie and infiltrating a local smuggler’s ring. I was in love.

I have to be transparent. I do want to read the rest of the books in the series especially Catherine’s story but I could see myself possibly passing on Leah’s story. She was the other sister who desired Bryce besides Sophia. It was clear as day that Bryce and Sophia were destined. Leah made for some awkward moments that added to my love of the story but to read a story of her own, I don’t know about that. Leah would seriously have to mature. It will be hard for me to forget that annoying little sister impression that I have of her.

Any hoot, I loved Sophie’s Choice and I recommend you give this series a chance.

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The Winter Companion by Mimi Matthews

November 2, 2020 By Leave a Comment


The Winter Companion by Mimi Matthews
Parish Orphans of Devon Book 4
Publisher: Perfectly Proper Press
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

She Needed to be Seen…

As a lady’s companion, Clara Hartwright never receives much attention from anyone. And that’s precisely how she likes it. With a stormy past, and an unconventional plan for her future, it’s far safer to remain invisible. But when her new employer is invited to a month-long holiday at a remote coastal abbey, Clara discovers that she may not be as invisible as she’d hoped. At least, not as far as one gentleman is concerned.

He Wanted to be Heard…

Neville Cross has always been more comfortable with animals than people. An accident in his youth has left him with a brain injury that affects his speech. Forming the words to speak to his childhood friends is difficult enough. Finding the right things to say to a lovely young lady’s companion seems downright impossible. But Miss Hartwright is no ordinary companion. In fact, there may not be anything ordinary about her at all.

During a bleak Devon winter, two sensitive souls forge an unexpected friendship. But when Clara needs him most, will Neville find the courage to face his fears? Or is saying goodbye to her the most heroic thing he can do?

I know I’m getting older and don’t remember things like I used to, like every book I’ve ever read. I would like to think I’d never forget that Mimi Matthews was one of my favorite authors. While I was reading The Winter Companion, I had a vague feeling that I was familiar with the cast of characters and the setting. That sense of ‘knowing’ grew stronger as I continued turning the pages. I was enjoying the story too much to stop and look the book up on the internet. When I finished, I looked it up and sure enough, I was correct; I had read the first one in this series, The Matrimonial Advertisement. It all came back to me and now I’m sad that I hadn’t read the second and third books. The two that I have read can be read as standalone stories but I much prefer to go back and read the others.

This particular book was a very sweet romance with the bedroom door firmly closed. The heroine, Clara, was innocent and precious. I also found her to be intelligent but gullible yet maintained a strong independent mindset. Those conflicting set of characteristics somehow made her charming and a perfect match for the hero, Neville. Neville’s honesty and childlike mannerisms stole my heart. Together Neville and Clara built each other up. They both had issues from their past to overcome and I appreciated how they didn’t play mind games. They shared their past with each other and their dreams. It was entertaining to see them find their happily ever after.

One bone of contention I have is with Clara’s brother and her mother. Without spoiling anything, I’m not happy with how there is no mention of them afterwards. No apology or closure. I’m left with a few questions. Does Clara just never write or see them again? They were a significant part of the plot. They were the reason that Clara was a companion in the first place and ended up at Devon. I’m a picky reviewer when it comes to those kinds of loose threads.

I enjoyed the epilogue and found The Winter Companion to be an entertaining read. I’m just going to assume that Clara never spoke to her mother or her brother again as long as she lived. They didn’t deserve to have Clara in their lives anyway. What they did to her was unforgivable in my opinion. Neville’s love for Clara more than made up for this minor hiccup in the plot. Their happily ever after made for a satisfying read.

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The Killer Wore Cranberry: A Sixth Scandalous Serving by J. Alan Hartman (editor)

October 30, 2020 By Leave a Comment


The Killer Wore Cranberry: A Sixth Scandalous Serving by J. Alan Hartman (editor)
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Suspense/Mystery/Thriller, Paranormal, Contemporary, Historical
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Everyone’s favorite Thanksgiving-themed mystery anthology is back for a sixth outing, celebrating not just the best in murder-most-fowl short stories (not a turkey among them), but also ten years of Untreed Reads Publishing!

In addition to enjoying the holiday magic that is bumping off family members we don’t like, this year’s Killer also honors the dedication to the writing world by the late TKWC contributor Earl Staggs.

Serving up a sixth season of stories are the following dinner guests: Bobbi A. Chukran, Bert Paul, C.C. Guthrie, Catina Williams, Herschel Cozine, J.B. Toner, Joseph S. Walker, Kari Wainwright, Lesley A. Diehl, Steve Liskow, Steve Shrott and Trey Dowell. Lisa Wagner returns with all-new recipes, helping you to fill your stomach and tickle your funny bone at the same time.

So have a seat, grab a plate of food (we wouldn’t try the stuffing if we were you), and get ready to laugh until you’re cranberry in the face!

No matter how much you plan ahead, no one can foresee every possible outcome of Thanksgiving dinner.

Stan reluctantly attended turkey day festivities at a house filled with gangsters in “Some More Good Times.” What surprised me the most about this story was how funny it was. The author took every opportunity he could to bring out the humor in his scenes, including the ones about an unexpected death and other topics that would normally be written about in serious terms. It was always done respectfully, but the juxtaposition between the sometimes dark subject matter and the jokes the narrator made about them grabbed my attention and didn’t let go.

The family matriarch of “A Very Darwin Family Thanksgiving” had been ranking her loved ones by how much she loved them for many years before this get-together happened. Naturally, this caused a great deal of competition among her heirs, the details of which I’ll leave up to other readers to discover for themselves. The only thing more interesting than reading about those family dynamics was figuring out the plot twist in this one. It was as unexpected as it was perfect for everything I’d already learned about theses folks.

In “A Ghost, Turkeys, and a Pretty Holiday Sweater,” a thirty-something clubber named Vonda was hounded by the ghost of a murdered college friend to do something completely out of character and technically illegal for the holiday season. That sentence only captured some of the unusual plot twists to be found here! I loved every story in this collection but ending it all on such a mischievous note only made me enjoy the whole thing even more. Vonda was one of the least likely heroes I’ve read about recently, so seeing how she reacted to her dead friend’s orders was almost as much fun as finding out what happened next.

This anthology is part of a series that can be read in any order.

I’d heartily recommend The Killer Wore Cranberry: A Sixth Scandalous Serving to anyone who has strong feelings about Thanksgiving regardless of what sort of feelings those are. There’s something for everyone here, from folks who adore this holiday to the ones who can’t wait for it to be finished!

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler

October 28, 2020 By Leave a Comment


The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler
Samurai Detective #1
Publisher: Puffin Books
Genre: Historical, Suspense/Mystery/Thriller, Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.)
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

While attempting to solve the mystery of a stolen jewel, Seikei, a merchant’s son who longs to be a samurai, joins a group of kabuki actors in eighteenth-century Japan.

One night in the Tokaido Inn will change Seikei’s life forever.

I recommend this book for the young adult age group if they are reading this tale on their own for a couple of reasons. First, there is quite a bit of discussion about seppuku. This is when a samurai commits suicide rather than suffer dishonor. This is significant and essential to understanding Japanese culture, but it is a heavy topic. I believe the book can be read aloud to younger children, but again I would recommend plenty of discussion on what seppuku is and why it was viewed positively in Japanese culture during this period in history. Second, there is also some gore surrounding a death near the conclusion of the book. It isn’t overdone, but there is enough detail that younger readers might be sensitive to that material.

Seikei is a very likable boy. He’s smart, curious, and honest. He tries to live his life according to the samurai ideals. In fact, he dreams of being a samurai, but as the son of a merchant he knows he can never be one. His future is already laid out for him, or so it seems. Everything changes when Seikei witnesses the crime at the inn. Seikei soon finds himself working side by side with the samurai magistrate, Judge Ooka. Not only will Seikei help solve the crime, but he’ll also have the opportunity to learn more about the ways of the samurai. For Seikei it is the experience of a lifetime. His excitement is palpable, and I admired his fierce determination to do his best. However, can Seikei ever go back to the life of a merchant after tasting the life of a samurai?

It becomes apparent about midway through the book who the thief is, but the motive remains a mystery. It soon becomes clear that there is much more to the thief’s plan than the theft of a jewel. As Seikei digs for the truth, he uncovers a plot that has been years in the making. As I raced through the pages, I found myself asking if the thief was indeed the true villain!

There is a lot of historic detail packed into this exciting mystery! Japanese customs, etiquette, class structure, religious views, etc are all explained within the context of the story. As a result, the pacing never suffers. It is all simply part of Seikei’s life. This is can spur some great discussion on Japanese class structure in the 1700’s under the rule of the shoguns, and dare I say, make learning about history fun!

I had a lot of fun reading The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn. Seikei is a likable character, the mystery is compelling, and the conclusion is gripping. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a mystery with a good dose of historic detail!

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Highlander’s Excellent Adventure by Shana Galen

October 26, 2020 By Leave a Comment


The Highlander’s Excellent Adventure by Shana Galen
The Survivors Book 8
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Just because they’ve run away…
Ines Neves and Emmeline Wellesley have both run away. Ines hid in a carriage from a tedious suitor, only to find, too late, the carriage had traveled out of London, not just around the block. To make matters worse, the carriage is that of a stranger: a handsome Highlander. Or perhaps a big, strapping Highlander makes matters better? Emmeline Wellesley has had four Seasons and cannot tolerate another. To force her mother to listen to her, she’s run away. But things haven’t gone well. She’s been locked in a closet, had all her money stolen, and somehow adopted a dog. When an old family friend shows up to save her, she doesn’t exactly welcome his help.

Doesn’t mean they don’t want to be found.
Duncan Murray doesn’t know what to make of the Portuguese-speaking woman in his carriage. She refuses to return to London, so he takes her to meet Nash Pope, a so-called friend who speaks Portuguese. On the way, he meets up with former soldier Stratford Fortescue, and Stratford’s opinionated distant cousin, Miss Wellesley. The four travel together to Nash’s estate, and that’s when everything goes really wrong. On the run to Scotland, Duncan finds himself increasingly attracted to Ines, even though he knows he can never marry her. Stratford has always wanted Emmeline, but his family secret means he doesn’t deserve her. This excellent adventure might bring the couples together, but only if they manage to elude gun shots, a murderous brother-in-law, a vicious dog, and outlaws.

For readers looking for a fun romance filled with delightful characters, hilarious escapades and adventures with a wonderful HEA, I heartily recommend reading The Highlander’s Excellent Adventure.

I think the title is so appropriate considering that Hollywood recently launched Bill & Ted Face the Music. This tongue in cheek nod to comic genius is no accident. Ms. Galen had me in stitches and highly entertained throughout the whole novel.

For Innes, a desperate dash to buy herself some time from a suitor she did not want ended up taking her far out of her comfort zone, and her country. Imagine the shock! And for readers, the fun comes from her decision to act like she ‘didn’t speak English”. The poor hero, Duncan, was beside himself. What is he going to do with a lass he can’t communicate with?

Then there is Stratford, one of the other heroes in the story. He’s had his eye on someone for quite some time but she never gave him serious thought as a suitor. I think this romance plot falls into the category of friends to lovers. I enjoyed watching the transition between him and Emmeline. Her determination to strike out on her own brings unintended consequences and a renewed friendship from her past. I hope readers smile and laugh as much as I did while watching Emmeline navigate her inadvertent adventure.

That’s why I enjoyed this novel so much. There was double the fun because there were two couples whose paths cross in unexpected ways. The complications that ensued kept me flipping the pages at a furious pace. This story is incredibly rich in details, dialogue, descriptions not to mention the intricate way the author wove their budding relationships throughout the book. The writing was flawless and well done. Then again, every romance story I’ve ever read by Ms. Galen has that same high quality.

The addition of the dog was super sweet. I mean, how the Spaniel came on stage was surprising to say the least. It was a brief snapshot, but like they say, you can tell a lot about people by how they treat their furry companions, and both Emmeline and Stratford get an A+ from me.

One of the strong elements in this novel is the sense of family, with all its wonders and warts. No family is perfect but for all four protagonists, it’s a driving force behind many of their decisions, and contributes to the ultimate happy ever after for both couples.

There are actually a ton of snippets and scenes I could share because the author wrote her characters with such depth and substance, there’s an overabundance to choose from. I could mention the effective internal conflicts; one of them being the touching way a child’s old hurt inside the man is finally soothed. That’s another mark of an awesome book, the ease and enthusiasm to share what I liked is easy. It’s stopping myself from sneaking in spoilers that is the problem. So much awesomeness!!!

I’ll stop here. If you are in need of a happy and fun escape that can make you forget life’s stresses, then please read The Highlander’s Excellent Adventure. The story’s HEAs are an upbeat cure for the blues and blahs of your day. This book is a winner.

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The Girl Behind the Wall by Bruce Wetterau

October 16, 2020 By Leave a Comment


The Girl Behind the Wall – Edgar Allen Poe, the Girl, and the Mysterious Raven Murders by Bruce Wetterau
A Clay Cantrell Mystery
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Suspense/Mystery/Thriller, Paranormal, Historical, Contemporary
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Did Edgar Allan Poe know more about murder than he revealed in his bizarre stories of murder and mayhem? Was he in fact guilty of killing a girlfriend in a fit of rage many years before he became famous?

Bruce Wetterau’s taut thriller weaves a murder mystery worthy of Poe himself as it follows Poe through actual events in the last months of his life. The year 1849 saw the real-life Poe dealing with his alcoholism, failing health, poverty, and painful memories of his recently deceased child-bride wife. His life had become a psychological pressure cooker, with severe anxiety attacks and bouts of strange hallucinations.

The Girl Behind the Wall opens in early 1849. Poe is being tormented by frightening visions about murdering Annabel Lee while he was a student at the University of Virginia. Afraid of the hangman’s noose, Poe knows he can never tell anyone about the repressed memories haunting him. But a newspaper reporter named Sam Reynolds has overheard him talking erratically about Annabel while in a drunken stupor. That a man as famous as Poe could be a murderer would be the scoop of a lifetime and Reynolds will do anything to get it.

Flash forward nearly two hundred years to the present. The book’s hero, Clay Cantrell, accidentally uncovers damning evidence–Annabel’s skeleton and a locket from Poe–behind an old brick wall at the university. While the mystery of Annabel’s murder and Poe’s strange visions unfolds in flashbacks, Cantrell and friends launch a search of their own for the truth about Annabel’s death. But another murder mystery much closer to home overtakes them when a cold-blooded serial killer named the Raven claims his first victim, a UVA coed.

Obsessed with Poe, the Raven stages his murders with clever ties to Poe’s works. Clay tries to stop the murders and soon winds up in the Raven’s cross hairs. Though this isn’t the first vicious killer Clay–an ex-Army Ranger–has fought, he doesn’t know the Raven has a diabolical plan to execute him.

Will Poe finally reveal the truth about Annabel, or will he take the secret to his grave? Can Clay escape the Raven’s plot, find what drives the Raven’s murderous obsession with Poe, and at last answer the question, who killed Annabel Lee?

The truth can’t be buried forever.

This was a beautifully complex tale, from the ample cast of characters to the interlocking subplots. The author built in precisely the right amount of reminders in later scenes to jog the reader’s mind about characters or clues that were becoming more relevant to the plot than they’d been the first time they were mentioned. I read methodically in general, but it was definitely nice to have these reminders as everything began to gel together.

There were times when the plot moved so slowly that I had some trouble remaining as interested in it as I was in the beginning. The narrator needed to keep track of a lot of information simultaneously while also letting the audience knowing how all of the subplots were developing or, in some cases, not developing at the moment. I really wanted to give this a higher rating, but the pacing issues were distracting enough that I couldn’t personally go any higher than three and a half stars.

I liked the way the historical and contemporary timelines were linked to each other. There were excellent reasons for all of those parallels. Nothing happened by chance even when I didn’t yet understand why events in the late 1840s were lining up so closely to what was going on in present day. This is a topic I’d love to go into more detail about, but it really needs to be left for future readers to discover for themselves. All I can say is that it was well written and clever.

Anyone who is a fan of Edgar Allen Poe should give The Girl Behind the Wall a try.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly

October 15, 2020 By Leave a Comment


Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Genre: Historical, Women’s Fiction
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

New York socialite Caroline Ferriday has her hands full with her post at the French consulate and a new love on the horizon. But Caroline’s world is forever changed when Hitler’s army invades Poland in September 1939—and then sets its sights on France.

An ocean away from Caroline, Kasia Kuzmerick, a Polish teenager, senses her carefree youth disappearing as she is drawn deeper into her role as courier for the underground resistance movement. In a tense atmosphere of watchful eyes and suspecting neighbors, one false move can have dire consequences.

For the ambitious young German doctor, Herta Oberheuser, an ad for a government medical position seems her ticket out of a desolate life. Once hired, though, she finds herself trapped in a male-dominated realm of Nazi secrets and power.

The lives of these three women are set on a collision course when the unthinkable happens and Kasia is sent to Ravensbrück, the notorious Nazi concentration camp for women. Their stories cross continents—from New York to Paris, Germany, and Poland—as Caroline and Kasia strive to bring justice to those whom history has forgotten.

A mission, lives and righting wrongs…

I picked up this book because I liked other books set around the same time and thought I might like this one. The premise caught my attention and I wanted to know more. I’m glad I did. The plot is interesting and the writing was good. This story has promise.

Caroline and Paul’s storyline was interesting and rooted for them to get a happy ending. That said, the characters were a bit flat. I liked Kasia enough, but Herta… it was hard to read her plot because it was hard to buy into what she stood for. There are mentions of rape, which might be a trigger to some. I wasn’t sure how to feel about her. I didn’t like Herta’s actions, even if she thought she had a purpose. Caroline’s character came across a bit snobby. She’s a socialite, but the descriptions were a bit much. This could be a light read at times and bogged down in details in others.

Still, this is an interesting take on the subject of three women from WWII. Herta and Caroline are based on real people, so once I got to the author’s note, it was neat to find out they were real.

If you’re looking for a book that’s a different take on the time period, then give this one a try.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

No More Secrets by Joanne Guidoccio

September 30, 2020 By 1 Comment


No More Secrets by Joanne Guidoccio
Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Historical
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Angelica Delfino takes a special interest in the lives of her three nieces, whom she affectionately calls the daughters of her heart. Sensing that each woman is harboring a troubling—possibly even a toxic— secret, Angelica decides to share her secrets, secrets she had planned to take to the grave.

Spellbound, her nieces listen to an incredulous tale of forbidden love, tragic loss, and reinvention that spans six decades across two continents. It is the classic immigrant story upended: an Italian widow’s transformative journey amid the most unlikely of circumstances.

Inspired by Angelica’s example, the younger women share their “First World” problems and, in the process, revisit their relationships and set themselves free.

But one heart-breaking secret remains untold …

There’s more than one way to live a good life.

The character development was well done. Not only was Angelica a well-rounded and interesting person, all of the people in her life were written the same way. Everyone’s flaws were as realistic as they were important to how the plot played out. This is something I enjoy discovering in stories even more than I do learning about characters’ strengths. Any character who endears me to them while they’re doing something I’d normally find irritating is someone I’d like to get to know better, and there were plenty of opportunities for that here.

It would have been nice to see more attention paid to the problems Angelica’s nieces were facing in the present day. All three of them were dealing with serious issues that couldn’t be solved in a single meal or even a whole weekend. As much as i enjoyed discovering the protagonist’s secret, I was just as interested in seeing how her nieces were going to resolve their own issues. This became even more true as I moved further into the story and realized just how important these conflicts were not only for them but for their beloved Zia Angelica.

My favorite sections were the ones that described Angelica’s many different emotions and sometimes conflicting as she prepared to emigrate to America and then later went there. As someone who was also an immigrant, I identified with so many of the things she thought and felt before, during, and after her journey. Starting a new life in another country takes courage, and I loved seeing how positively but honestly the author portrayed this chapter in the protagonist’s life.

No More Secrets was a heartwarming tale that I’d recommend to anyone who wishes they could get advice from a wise family elder.

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What Grew in Larry’s Garden by Laura Alary

September 30, 2020 By Leave a Comment


What Grew in Larry’s Garden by Laura Alary
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Historical
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Grace thinks Larry’s garden is one of the wonders of the world. In his tiny backyard next door to hers, Larry grows the most extraordinary vegetables. Grace loves helping him – watering and weeding, planting and pruning, hoeing and harvesting. And whenever there’s a problem – like bugs burrowing into the carrots or slugs chewing the lettuce – Grace and Larry solve it together. Grace soon learns that Larry has big plans for the vegetables in his special garden. And when that garden faces its biggest problem yet, Grace follows Larry’s example to find the perfect solution.

It takes more than soil and sunlight to make a garden grow.

The friendship between Larry and Grace was lovely. I always enjoy reading children’s books about adults who are kind, patient, and helpful, especially when those adults are senior citizens. There’s something so wholesome about seeing two people in such different stages of life pursue the same goal and have a great deal of fun while doing it.

It would have been nice to see more time spent on solving the biggest problem that Grace and Larry had faced with their garden. The other problems they had with it earlier were solved with straightforward solutions. The fuzzier ending to their final conflict left me with more questions than I had answers. I liked the fact that they included something that couldn’t be fixed as easily, but I do wish it had been given more time to develop.

On that note, I did appreciate the example this story set of how to handle conflict and set-backs. Like any other hobby, gardening can be frustrating at times for novices and experts alike. There’s only so much control someone can have over how their plants develop, so it was lovely to see Larry and Grace keep persevering even when everything didn’t always turn out the way they hoped it would. That’s exactly the attitude that anyone should have when learning a new skill or practicing an old one.

Gardeners of all ages should give What Grew in Larry’s Garden a try.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , ,
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