Review: Surviving Savannah by Patti Callahan

It was called "The Titanic of the South." The luxury steamship sank in 1838 with Savannah's elite on board; through time, their fates were forgotten--until the wreck was found, and now their story is finally being told in this breathtaking novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis.

When Savannah history professor Everly Winthrop is asked to guest-curate a new museum collection focusing on artifacts recovered from the steamship Pulaski, she's shocked. The ship sank after a boiler explosion in 1838, and the wreckage was just discovered, 180 years later. Everly can't resist the opportunity to try to solve some of the mysteries and myths surrounding the devastating night of its sinking.

Everly's research leads her to the astounding history of a family of eleven who boarded the Pulaski together, and the extraordinary stories of two women from this family: a known survivor, Augusta Longstreet, and her niece, Lilly Forsyth, who was never found, along with her child. These aristocratic women were part of Savannah's society, but when the ship exploded, each was faced with difficult and heartbreaking decisions.

This is a moving and powerful exploration of what women will do to endure in the face of tragedy, the role fate plays, and the myriad ways we survive the surviving. 

Hardcover, 432 pages

Published March 9th 2021 

by Berkley

4.5/5 stars

Surviving Savannah was one of my highly anticipated books of 2021.  I can't really explain other then between the author, THAT cover and the historical story this was a preorder for me.  My instincts were correct.

Even though this was a slower paced story I found it captivating.  I love reading pieces of history that I'm unfamiliar with, which was the case with the Pulaski sinking.  One might think being only 30 miles off the coast isn't that far but it's 1838 with no way to call for help.  Told between Lilly and Augusta a vivid picture was painted of what could have happened along with the physical and emotional trauma that went with it.  There were times I questioned the pace but in the end I understood and appreciated looking at the whole picture when I finished the book.

Present day is the story of Everly, and while the blurb doesn't give much of the story away (thank you publisher) she under takes a journey during her research.  I loved the historical part, learning more about Savannah in both the past and present day.  Its a place that has been bumped up higher on my bucket list. Suffice to say I really enjoyed reading this book.  It wasn't one I rushed through but savored the writing and getting to know some wonderful characters and places to visit.

"You know," he said finally, "not everyone who survives trauma becomes a better person.  The idea that surviving brings everyone to a new and better place is a lie told by people who need the world to make sense."

The book ended with some wonderful author notes and a chapter on resources and facts which I found informative and sent me off to google on a quest for pictures.

This book was part of my 2021 Reading off my Shelf Challenge.

Review: Letters Across the Sea by Genevieve Graham

Inspired by a little-known chapter of World War II history, a young Protestant girl and her Jewish neighbour are caught up in the terrible wave of hate sweeping the globe on the eve of war in this powerful love story from the #1 bestselling author of The Forgotten Home Child.

I’m writing to say goodbye…
With all my love,
M

Summer 1933

At eighteen, Molly Ryan feels as though she is always looking for work to help her family through the Great Depression crippling her city. The one bright spot in her life is playing baseball with her best friend, Hannah Dreyfus, and sneaking glances at Hannah’s handsome older brother, Max. Molly knows that her Irish Protestant parents disapprove of her spending so much time with their Jewish neighbours, and she also sees the signs that say “No Jews Allowed” outside Toronto’s stores and parks. But unlike many of the city’s residents, Molly doesn’t blame Hannah and Max for the mass unemployment and unrest—they’re her beloved childhood friends.

As more of Hitler’s hateful ideas cross the sea, tensions between the two families and their communities rise, spilling over one smouldering day in August when a local “Swastika Club” unfurls a huge white banner bearing the Nazi symbol at a baseball game. A riot erupts, throwing Molly and Max together and sparking a secret they must keep from everyone they love.

When Max enlists to fight overseas, their love is put to the ultimate test, the letters between them a tenuous bond. By war’s end, both of their families will be scarred by painful betrayal as devastating truths come to light.

Perfect for readers of The Daughter’s Tale and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Letters Across the Sea is a poignant novel about the enduring power of love to cross dangerous divides even in the darkest of times. 

Kindle Edition

Expected publication: April 27th 2021

by Simon & Schuster Canada

4.5/5 stars

One of the things I love about reading a Genevieve Graham book is that her love of history shines through, especially when it deals with Canadian history.  She was raised in Toronto and chose to bring to life some unflattering pieces of its past.  I knew nothing of Christie Pit and the anti Semitic behaviour during the Great Depression was just so sad to read about.

Most WW2 books don't talk much about the involvement of Canadian troops but here I learned about the Battle of Hong Kong and it wasn't a pretty picture. How is that not taught in Canadian schools?

With two time periods we watch Molly Ryan grow up during tumultuous times, especially as friends and family take a stand, sadly at times against each other. As war breaks out there are parts of Canada's involvement  that I learned about - it's great that Molly is a journalist. 

Letters Across the Sea is a well researched and written story, it's emotional, the characters are genuine and the plot kept my attention.  There is heartache and guilt but a midst that is also kindness and compassion.  Definitely an author and book I highly recommend. 

My thanks to Simon & Schuster Ca (via Netgalley) for a digital arc in exchange for a honest review.

 

Review: When the Stars Go Dark: A Novel by Paula McLain

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Wife comes an atmospheric novel of intertwined destinies and heart-wrenching suspense: A detective hiding away from the world. A series of disappearances that reach into her past. Can solving them help her heal?

Anna Hart is a seasoned missing persons detective in San Francisco with far too much knowledge of the darkest side of human nature. When tragedy strikes her personal life, Anna, desperate and numb, flees to the Northern California village of Mendocino to grieve. She lived there as a child with her beloved foster parents, and now she believes it might be the only place left for her. Yet the day she arrives, she learns that a local teenage girl has gone missing.

The crime feels frighteningly reminiscent of the most crucial time in Anna’s childhood, when the unsolved murder of a young girl touched Mendocino and changed the community forever. As past and present collide, Anna realizes that she has been led to this moment. The most difficult lessons of her life have given her insight into how victims come into contact with violent predators. As Anna becomes obsessed with saving the missing girl, she must accept that true courage means getting out of her own way and learning to let others in.

Weaving together actual cases of missing persons, trauma theory, and a hint of the metaphysical, this propulsive and deeply affecting novel tells a story of fate, necessary redemption, and what it takes, when the worst happens, to reclaim our lives—and our faith in one another. 

Kindle Edition, 384 pages

Expected publication: April 13th 2021

 by Ballantine Books

4/5 stars

I've read Paula McLain's The Paris Wife and Circle the Sun and I knew right away that this would be a book totally different from her norm in terms of cadence and subject. Knowing how personal this story is to the author made it all the more compelling.  McLain draws on her own past and bears her soul making for an emotional read.

This is a slow paced, character driven story, dark with a theme that draws on the historical past of the northwest. It's during a horrible time in 1993 surrounding the disappearance of young girls.  At the same time, Anna Hart is reeling from her own tragic past and lands in the middle of a missing person case.

This is a complex story with a  large cast of characters (yea I had to pay attention). Anna is well developed in terms of her emotional journey, she faces her past a midst these missing girl cases.  Though it lagged a little in the middle the ending was fast paced and while I would have liked it to go on for another chapter or two I get what the author did there.  It was still a good ending.

When the Stars Go Dark releases April 13th.  My thanks to the publisher (via Netgalley) for a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

Review: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

'Between life and death there is a library, and within that library, the shelves go on forever. Every book provides a chance to try another life you could have lived. To see how things would be if you had made other choices... Would you have done anything different, if you had the chance to undo your regrets?'

A dazzling novel about all the choices that go into a life well lived, from the internationally bestselling author of Reasons to Stay Alive and How To Stop Time.

Somewhere out beyond the edge of the universe there is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life. While we all wonder how our lives might have been, what if you had the chance to go to the library and see for yourself? Would any of these other lives truly be better?

In The Midnight Library, Matt Haig's enchanting novel, Nora Seed finds herself faced with this decision. Faced with the possibility of changing her life for a new one, following a different career, undoing old breakups, realizing her dreams of becoming a glaciologist; she must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place.

Paperback, 288 pages

Published August 20th 2020

 by Canongate Books Ltd.

3.5/5 stars

"She learned that undoing regrets was really a way of making wishes come true."

I am feeling somewhat apprehensive about sharing my thoughts on The Midnight Library. Maybe that's why its taken so long, I read this back in January.  With so so many of my peeps giving this book 5 stars and for some more it they could. I'm here with my 3 1/2 stars, which means in the middle between 'I liked' to 'really liked' and that's still good, right?

This book started off great, I connected with Nora right away as she has one bad day after another until she can't take it anymore.  The concept for the book was unique and I loved the midnight library and what it represented.  How timing, the choices we make and even a change in routine can lead to different outcomes.  Maybe my expectation level was elevated but this book went on and on and on some more. I think that's what got me was the length, even though its really not that long.  I just felt it was repetitive after a while and could have been shorter.

The Midnight Library is a book about regrets and what if's.  For those with depression/suicidal thoughts this could be a trigger.

This book was part of my 2021 Reading off My Shelf Challenge.

Audio Review: Final Girls by Riley Sager

"The Final Girls need you. . . . The Final Girls are tough, everything survivors should be. But the new threat is clever, ominous, even closer than you suspect. You are about to gasp. You might drop the book. You may have to look over your shoulder. But you must keep reading. This is the best book of 2017."—Lisa Gardner, New York Times bestselling author of Find Her

Ten years ago, college student Quincy Carpenter went on vacation with five friends and came back alone, the only survivor of a horror movie–scale massacre. In an instant, she became a member of a club no one wants to belong to—a group of similar survivors known in the press as the Final Girls. Lisa, who lost nine sorority sisters to a college dropout's knife; Sam, who went up against the Sack Man during her shift at the Nightlight Inn; and now Quincy, who ran bleeding through the woods to escape Pine Cottage and the man she refers to only as Him. The three girls are all attempting to put their nightmares behind them, and, with that, one another. Despite the media's attempts, they never meet.

Now, Quincy is doing well—maybe even great, thanks to her Xanax prescription. She has a caring almost-fiancé, Jeff; a popular baking blog; a beautiful apartment; and a therapeutic presence in Coop, the police officer who saved her life all those years ago. Her memory won’t even allow her to recall the events of that night; the past is in the past.

That is, until Lisa, the first Final Girl, is found dead in her bathtub, wrists slit, and Sam, the second, appears on Quincy's doorstep. Blowing through Quincy's life like a whirlwind, Sam seems intent on making Quincy relive the past, with increasingly dire consequences, all of which makes Quincy question why Sam is really seeking her out. And when new details about Lisa's death come to light, Quincy's life becomes a race against time as she tries to unravel Sam's truths from her lies, evade the police and hungry reporters, and, most crucially, remember what really happened at Pine Cottage, before what was started ten years ago is finished.

Audiobook, eAudiobook/Unabridged, 

12 hours, 24 minutes

narrators - Erin Bennett and Hillary Huber

Published July 11th 2017 by Penguin Audio

3/5 stars

This is the last Sager book to get me up to date as I eagerly await his new one, Survive the Night (releases in June).  I'll say that reading The Last Time I Lied and Home Before Dark before reading this one was a good thing.  Those two are favourite reads and ones I recommend.  With Final Girls I'm kinda going against the majority by not giving it 5 stars.  To be honest if it wasn't for the audio book I'm not sure I would have continued reading.

I get unlikable characters and all that but in this case it didn't jive for me. I don't know if I was suppose to like these characters or not but I really didn't. Though Sam felt authentic and her actions fit her personality, it was Quincy that just confused me.  She came across as the careful one, mature, guarded and fiercely protective - her actions and thoughts just didn't make sense for me there, which in turn affected my enjoyment. 

This was a slow paced book that was told with flashbacks as Quincy started to remember what happened.  While I thought it was predictable, it really wasn't. As for the ending, there were some twists that I didn't see coming and it was satisfying.

This might not be my favourite Riley Sager book, I'm still a fan and looking forward to his June release.

Review: Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay

In one of the year's most anticipated debut psychological thrillers, a family made infamous by a true crime documentary is found dead, leaving their surviving son to uncover the truth about their final days.

"They found the bodies on a Tuesday." So begins this twisty and breathtaking novel that traces the fate of the Pine family, a thriller that will both leave you on the edge of your seat and move you to tears.

After a late night of partying, NYU student Matt Pine returns to his dorm room to devastating news: nearly his entire family--his mom, his dad, his little brother and sister--have been found dead from an apparent gas leak while vacationing in Mexico. The local police claim it was an accident, but the FBI and State Department seem far less certain--and they won't tell Matt why.

The tragedy makes headlines everywhere because this isn't the first time the Pine family has been thrust into the media spotlight. Matt's older brother, Danny--currently serving a life sentence for the murder of his teenage girlfriend Charlotte--was the subject of a viral true crime documentary suggesting that Danny was wrongfully convicted. Though the country has rallied behind Danny, Matt holds a secret about his brother that he's never told anyone: the night Charlotte was killed Matt saw something that makes him believe his brother is guilty of the crime.

When Matt returns to his small hometown to bury his parents and siblings, he's faced with a hostile community that was villainized by the documentary, a frenzied media, and memories he'd hoped to leave behind forever. Now, as the deaths in Mexico appear increasingly suspicious and connected to Danny's case, Matt must unearth the truth behind the crime that sent his brother to prison--putting his own life in peril--and forcing him to confront his every last fear.

Told through multiple points-of-view and alternating between past and present, Alex Finlay's Every Last Fear is not only a page-turning thriller, it's also a poignant story about a family managing heartbreak and tragedy, and living through a fame they never wanted.

Paperback, 416 pages

Expected publication: November 30th 2021 

by Minotaur Books

4.5/5 stars

Every Last Fear by new-to-me author Alex Finlay was part of my Thriller Book Box by the fine folks at SweetReadsBookBox.  It's been on my radar for awhile and I dug in shortly after it arrived 

The blurb pretty much summaries what goes on here, I found it to be rather addicting. It is told with multiple points of view with a before/after story-line.  It might sound like a lot is going on (well there is) but the author did a great job of differentiating the chapters and letting the reader know who and when he is telling the story, it flowed nicely.  With the shorter chapters it was perfect for JustOneMoreChapter reading.

Dawning my sleuth cap I kept my eyes open for clues and tried to solve the mystery myself, but alas the author kept me on my toes the whole way through.  

Every Last Fear is a story that is heartbreaking at its core, it is a well written story with twists and turns, flawed characters and unique plot.  This is the author's debut which has me looking forward to whats next.  That being said the author is also writing under a pseudonym which just adds more to the mystery.

This was part of my 2021 Reading Off My Shelf Challenge.

Review: The Last Bookshop in London: A Novel of World War II by Madeline Martin

Inspired by the true World War II history of the few bookshops to survive the Blitz, The Last Bookshop in London is a timeless story of wartime loss, love and the enduring power of literature.

August 1939: London is dismal under the weight of impending war with Germany as Hitler’s forces continue to sweep across Europe. Into this uncertain maelstrom steps Grace Bennett, young and ready for a fresh start in the bustling city streets she’s always dreamed of—and miles away from her troubled past in the countryside.

With aspirations of working at a department store, Grace never imagined she’d wind up employed at Primrose Hill, an offbeat bookshop nestled in the heart of the city—after all, she’s never been much of a reader. Overwhelmed with organizing the cluttered store, she doesn’t have time to read the books she sells. But when one is gifted to her, what starts as an obligation becomes a passion that draws her into the incredible world of literature.

As the Blitz rains down bombs on the city night after night, a devastating attack leaves the libraries and shops of London’s literary center in ruins. Miraculously, Grace’s bookshop survives the firestorm. Through blackouts and air raids, Grace continues running the shop, discovering a newfound comfort in the power of words and storytelling that unites her community in ways she never imagined—a force that triumphs over even the darkest nights of war-torn London.

Kindle Edition, 320 pages

Expected publication: April 6th 2021

 by Hanover Square Press

4/5 stars

The Last Bookshop in London is a fictional account of a few surviving bookshops of WW2. It has that coming of age feel that begins on the eve of the war in London.  Friends Grace and Eve arrive as the world is changing drastically and what follows is a journey of self discovery that is filled with heartache, grief and personal growth.  It isn't just Grace's friendship with Viv but developing relationships and how books comfort during a horrible time. I love bookish themed books

This was an enjoyable read with authentic characters that showed a side of the war I don't often read about.  From the air raid sirens, the men fighting and women doing their part I liked getting to know Grace, Mrs. Weatherford and even cranky Mr. Evans.  The author did the research and it showed. The historical part put me there as I witnessed bombings from a street level.

This is my first time reading a Madeline Martin book, I liked her writing style, her attention to detail and drawing me into a story that kept me entertained. Definitely a book and author I recommend, especially to those that love historical fiction.

My thanks to Hanover Square Press (via Netgalley) for a digitial arc in 

exchange for a honest review.

 

Review: Rescue at Lake Wild by Terry Lynn Johnson

In this funny and moving animals-in-peril adventure, a twelve-year-old girl and her two best friends determine to rescue two orphaned beaver kits—and soon find themselves trying to solve a local environmental crisis. Perfect for fans of Pax and A Boy Called Bat.

Everyone knows that twelve-year-old Madison “Madi” Lewis is not allowed to bring home any more animals. After she's saved hairless mice, two birds, a rabbit, and a stray tom cat that ended up destroying the front porch, Madi’s parents decide that if they find one more stray animal in the house, she won’t be allowed to meet Jane Goodall at an upcoming gala event.

But when Madi and her two best friends, Aaron and Jack, rescue beaver kits whose mother was killed, they find themselves at the center of a local conspiracy that’s putting the beavers and their habitats in danger. As Madi and her friends race to uncover the threat targeting the beavers, Madi must put her animal whisperer skills to the test in both raising the orphaned beaver kits and staying out of trouble long enough.

Kindle, 208 pages

Published April 27th 2021 

by HMH Books for Young Readers

4/5 stars

Rescue at Lake Wild was a fun read! Terry Lynn Johnson is no stranger to me, I've read a number of her books and love her love of the great outdoors.  Ice Dogs and Dogsled Dreams are my favourites.

This book is the story of 3 friends and a dog named Lid, they find themselves on an adventure over the summer break. Madi isn't a stranger when it comes to rescuing wild animals and sometimes she gets more than she bargained for. She is determined, smart and up for the challenge, anger flairs when injustices are done in the wild.  Her friends Aaron and Jack added that extra comic relief to this story.

Again the writing was spot on.  It was descriptive, informative and I read it in a couple sittings. While its perfect for young readers I quite enjoyed myself. The author's knowledge of baby beavers was evident, it felt natural as Madi used knowledge and instinct to care for them.  It didn't feel like an info dump getting to know the habits and traits of these beaver kits. The ending might have been a tad rushed but still a fitting conclusion.

Rescue at Lake Wild releases on April 27th and available for preorder now.  

My thanks to the publisher (via Netgalley) for an advanced copy in exchange for a honest review.

Review: The Moonlight School by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Haunted by her sister's mysterious disappearance, Lucy Wilson arrives in Rowan County, Kentucky, in the spring of 1911 to work for Cora Wilson Stewart, superintendent of education. When Cora sends Lucy into the hills to act as scribe for the mountain people, she is repelled by the primitive conditions and intellectual poverty she encounters. Few adults can read and write.

Born in those hills, Cora knows the plague of illiteracy. So does Brother Wyatt, a singing schoolmaster who travels through the hills. Involving Lucy and Wyatt, Cora hatches a plan to open the schoolhouses to adults on moonlit nights. The best way to combat poverty, she believes, is to eliminate illiteracy. But will the people come?

As Lucy emerges from a life in the shadows, she finds purpose; or maybe purpose finds her. With purpose comes answers to her questions, and something else she hadn't expected: love.

Inspired by the true events of the Moonlight Schools, this standalone novel from bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher brings to life the story that shocked the nation into taking adult literacy seriously. You'll finish the last page of this enthralling story with deep gratitude for the gift of reading.

Paperback, 320 pages

Published February 2nd 2021 

by Fleming H. Revell Company

4/5 stars

I have read a number of Suzanne Woods Fisher books and have yet to be disappointed.  Her historical fiction are my favourites, she takes parts of the past I am unfamiliar with and educates me.

The Moonlight School is a rather slow paced story that kept my attention as I got to know the different characters and learn about the people of Kentucky.  I loved the mountain setting, the journey that Lucy went on as she went out of her comfort zone to help those living in conditions different from her own. To help those who could not read or write. What made this book all the more endearing is how it's based on history.  The Moonlight School was a thing and the notes at the end where as enlightening as the book itself.

The Moonlight School is a story of guilt and hope, of being brave enough to take the next step and faith. Told between the narratives of Lucy, Finley and Angie gave this reader a look at the different lifestyles in the community with the struggles and hopes for the future. The story connected me to the characters, getting to know their dreams and situations that made them who they are.  This was a pleasure to read with an ending that fit just nicely.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc."

Review: All That We Carried by Erin Bartels

Ten years ago, sisters Olivia and Melanie Greene were on a backcountry hiking trip when their parents were in a fatal car accident. Over the years, they grew apart, each coping with the loss in her own way. Olivia plunged herself into law school, work, and a materialist view of the world--what you see is what you get, and that's all you get. Melanie dropped out of college and developed an online life-coaching business around her cafeteria-style spirituality--a little of this, a little of that, whatever makes you happy.

Now, at Melanie's insistence (and against Olivia's better judgment), they are embarking on a hike in the Porcupine Mountains of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. In this remote wilderness they'll face their deepest fears, question their most dearly held beliefs, and begin to see that perhaps the best way to move forward is the one way they had never considered.

Michigan Notable Book Award winner Erin Bartels draws from personal experience hiking backcountry trails with her sister to bring you a story about the complexities of grief, faith, and sisterhood.

Paperback, 352 pages

Published January 5th 2021

 by Revell

3.5/5 stars

Erin Bartel's previous, We Hope for Better Things was a favourite of mine in 2019. This, her latest released in January and was high up there on my anticipated books of 2021 - a hiking trip had me visualising it before I even began.

Two sisters, different as night and day. One bossy with a chip on her shoulder, the other quiet and reserved. The first few chapters had me feeling the tension in the air and as I got to know these women I could feel how grief affected each in totally different ways.  Olivia the lawyer goes by facts, who left town rather then deal with the aftermath of their parents death.  Where as Melanie was left behind to deal with what was left behind.  Needless to say things come to a head in this book as each is forced to make tough decisions.

I loved the visuals,  the hiking, the solitude and scenery has me itching to get outdoors again.  The emotional journey on both Olivia and Melanie were interspersed with memories that showed their prior relationship.  The ending was okay for me, I felt something was missing but can't quite put my finger on what.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc."