When the World Fell Silent by Donna Jones Alward

A story of loss, hope and redemption against the most impossible odds. 1917. Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Nora Crowell wants more than her sister’s life as a wife and mother. As WWI rages across the Atlantic, she becomes a lieutenant in the Canadian Army Nursing Corp. But trouble is looming and it won’t be long before the truth comes to light.

Having lost her beloved husband in the trenches and with no-one else to turn to, Charlotte Campbell now lives with his haughty relations who treat her like the help. It is baby Aileen, the joy and light of her life, who spurs her to dream of a better life.

When tragedy strikes in Halifax Harbour, nothing for these two women will ever be the same again. Their paths will cross in the most unexpected way, trailing both heartbreak and joy its wake…

Paperback, 374 pages

Published August 1, 2024

 by One More Chapter

3/5 stars

I grabbed this book because of the Canadian setting, a debut Canadian author and that it revolves around real Canadian history.  It’s 1917 when the Halifax explosion rocks Canada.  Do you see the theme?  Yea I love reading about this great country.

I wanted to love this book.  The social media hype was high so maybe my expectations were way up there.  But for a number of reasons I was left wanting more.

I love that this story highlights an almost forgotten tragedy in our history but I wanted more details, like the how, why and who was responsible.  It almost seems that this was more a background story with Nora and Charlotte's story front and center.

Told from the point of view of these two young women, who I found similar and at times hard to distinguish.  They have both lost so much between the war and the explosion, and now they struggle to carry on afterwards.

This is falling between a 2.5 and a 3 star book for me. While I didn’t love it, I also didn’t hate it. It was a predictable story with a lot of inner dialogue and at times repetitive. 

It was just a so-so read that would have taken me longer to finish if it was not for the audio.

This book was part of my 2024 reading off my shelf challenge.

Miss Morgan's Book Brigade by Janet Skeslien Charles

1918: As the Great War rages, Jessie Carson takes a leave of absence from the New York Public Library to work for the American Committee for Devastated France. Founded by millionaire Anne Morgan, this group of international women help rebuild devastated French communities just miles from the front. Upon arrival, Jessie strives to establish something that the French have never seen—children’s libraries. She turns ambulances into bookmobiles and trains the first French female librarians. Then she disappears.

1987: When NYPL librarian and aspiring writer Wendy Peterson stumbles across a passing reference to Jessie Carson in the archives, she becomes consumed with learning her fate. In her obsessive research, she discovers that she and the elusive librarian have more in common than their work at New York’s famed library, but she has no idea their paths will converge in surprising ways across time.

Kindle, 352 pages

Expected publication April 30, 2024

 by Atria Books

3/5 stars

I loved the author's first book, The Paris Library, a story about forgotten women in history. I anticipated the same thing with Miss Morgan's Book Brigade (yea its a mouthful) and that is what I got. 

It’s near the end of the World War 1 when Jessie Carson, a 40-year-old library employee, is accepted by the daughter of JP Morgan into the CARD program. CARD - American Committee for Devastated France.  I have never heard of this program before and was treated to a glimpse of women helping restore France after the war.

There are things I enjoyed about this book, mostly the lesson in the effort of  American, Canadian and Australian women doing their part to restore France.  The library program was used to connect with those left with nothing, the war took more then just the men. It was great to see the importance of reading and how it affected the women in France, who were left alone as a result of the war.

There were also things I struggled with, mostly this was a tell story with a number of info dumps. I had to remind myself many times that this was a 40-year-old woman while her character did not always feel like it. It was slow paced and the timeline for 1987 was sparse though finally at the end everything fit together.

All in all an informative read that I liked.

My thanks to Atria Books for a digital arc in exchange for a honest review.

The Hidden Letters by Lorna Cook

On the eve of a world war, a forbidden love will blossom in the garden of a stately home and one young woman will make a choice that will change her life forever…

As the storm clouds of war gather, Cordelia seeks refuge in the grounds of her family estate.

Isaac has recently arrived to tend to the gardens, and the connection between him and Cordelia is as immediate as it is forbidden.

Isaac begins to secretly teach her how to cultivate the gardens, so when he and all the young men are called away to war, Cordelia takes over.

From the battlefields of Europe, Isaac sends her letters, that give her hope for a future in peacetime.

But when these messages abruptly cease, Cordelia must face up to the worst and take her future – and the fate of the garden they both loved – into her own hands…

An epic, sweeping tale of love, war and the strength of the human spirit. Fans of Lucinda Riley and Kate Morton will be absolutely gripped by this historical page-turner.

Kindle edition, 400 pages

Expected publication March 2, 2023

by Avon Books UK

2.5/5 stars

This is my first time reading a Lorna Cook book. It’s also the first time in a long time that I have read anything pertaining to WW1.

Taking place in England, The Hidden Letters tells the story of a young woman named Cordelia. Born into privilege her life is filled with expectations and duty. Before the onset of war, she begins a friendship with Isaac, someone who takes care of the gardens at the family home. What follows is a very slow paced story. I really wanted to enjoy this book.  I have heard so much about the author and whether my expectation level was too high because of the buzz on social media or the references to Lucinda Riley and Kate Morton (both favourites of mine), this was not the captivating story that I had hoped for.

I struggle to connect with the characters and to feel the friendship develop, the plot just didn’t work for me until I hit the 75% mark where things picked up remarkably. The story took on some intrigue, which led to a surprising twist and an ending that worked. However, the action came a little too late to make up for the first 3/4 of the book.

I have another of her books on my shelf and will give her another go at some point in time.

My thanks to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for a digitial arc in exchange for a honest review.

The Call of the Wrens by Jenni L. Walsh

Introducing the little-known story of the daring women who rode through war-torn Europe, carrying secrets on their shoulders . . .

1917 England

An orphan coming of age without a penny to her name, Marion joins the Women’s Royal Navy Service (the “Wrens”) as a motorcycle despatch rider on the Western Front, assigned to train and deliver carrier pigeons to the front line. Despite the hardships and constant threat of danger, Marion feels as if she finally belongs and that she has a purpose. Meanwhile, she and her childhood best friend, Eddie, dream of a future after the war—until tragedy strikes.

1936 England

A society girl, Evelyn has overcome a childhood disability and has found her true passion in automobile racing. When England enters WWII, Evelyn sees an opportunity to use her skills as a despatch rider, but her parents threaten to cut her off if she doesn’t start acting like a lady and marry the man they have chosen for her.

Meanwhile, a fellow Wren shows up at Marion’s door with an unwelcome call to return to her service.

Told in alternating narratives that converge in a single life-changing moment, The Call of the Wrens is a vivid, emotional saga of love, war, secrets, and resilience.

Kindle Edition, 400 pages

Published November 15th 2022

by Harper Muse

4/5 stars

The Call of the Wren is a refreshing look at not just WW1 but WW2 through the eyes of 2 young women.  Marion, raised in an orphanage with no idea of her past or what the future holds.  Jumping to 1936 Evelyn is the opposite with parents who lovingly provide and expect much from her.  As England enters the war both do their part, risking much.

Suffice to say The Call of the Wrens is a story of strength & determination, love & loss and family.  It's about how these two time periods connect and the secrets that come to light.  For the history buffs, the Women's Royal Naval Service (aka Wrens) is showcased with the risks they took during both wars.

Jenni L Walsh is not a new author for me.  I thoroughly enjoyed her books Becoming Bonnie (of Bonnie & Clyde fame) and Side by Side.  So I knew to expect a wonderful story again.

My thanks to Harper Muse and Netgalley for a digital arc in exchange for a honest review.

Review: The Women of Chateau Lafayette by Stephanie Dray

An epic saga from New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Dray based on the true story of an extraordinary castle in the heart of France and the remarkable women bound by its legacy in three of humanity's darkest hours

Most castles are protected by powerful men. This one by women...

A founding mother...
1774. Gently-bred noblewoman Adrienne Lafayette becomes her husband's political partner in the fight for American independence. But when their idealism sparks revolution in France and the guillotine threatens everything she holds dear, Adrienne must choose to renounce the complicated man she loves, or risk her life for a legacy that will inspire generations to come.

A daring visionary...
1914. Glittering New York socialite Beatrice Astor Chanler is a force of nature, daunted by nothing--not her humble beginnings, her crumbling marriage, or the outbreak of war. But after witnessing the devastation in France and delivering war-relief over dangerous seas, Beatrice takes on the challenge of a lifetime: convincing America to fight for what's right.

A reluctant resistor...
1940. French school-teacher and aspiring artist Marthe Simone has an orphan's self-reliance and wants nothing to do with war. But as the realities of Nazi occupation transform her life in the isolated castle where she came of age, she makes a discovery that calls into question who she is, and more importantly, who she is willing to become.

Intricately woven and beautifully told, The Women of Chateau Lafayette is a sweeping novel about duty and hope, love and courage, and the strength we find from standing together in honor of those who came before us.

Kindle Edition, 576 pages

Expected publication: March 30th 2021

by Berkley Publishing Group

4.5/5 stars

Stephanie Dray is one of my go-to authors, first introduced to with her Cleopatra's Daughter Series I quickly recognized her to be an author with a great respect for history.

The Women of Chateau Lafayette is an epic saga coming in at 576 pages that tells the story of 3 women set during three different wars with the common thread of a Chateau. Although I found Marthe's story a little slow at the beginning it didn't take long until I was absorbed in each of these narratives.  Each of these women were unique but all were flawed, determined and authentic. They had a story to tell of heartache, compassion and love.

As usual I was drawn to the past (1774) story, mainly because my knowledge of Lafayette is limited to the musical Hamilton, I loved hearing his story through his wife Adrienne - but it was really her story.  Getting to know them made the connecting thread all the more meaningful.

The book concludes with some wonderful author notes that I found just as interesting.  It's evident that author spent a lot of  time researching which showed in her writing.

Stephanie Dray is an author I highly recommend as is The Women of Chateau Lafayette, which hits bookstore March 30th and available for preorder now.

My thanks to  Berkley Publishing (via Netgalley) for this digital ARC 

in exchange for an honest review.

Audio Review: The Wild Rose (The Tea Rose #3) by Jennifer Donnelly

The third book in the sweeping, multi-generational saga that began with The Tea Rose, The Wild Rose is a "lush story of epic proportions" (Romantic Times Book Review).

The Wild Rose is a part of the sweeping, multi-generational saga that began with The Tea Rose and continued with The Winter Rose. It is London, 1914. World War I looms on the horizon, women are fighting for the right to vote, and explorers are pushing the limits of endurance in the most forbidding corners of the earth. Into this volatile time, Jennifer Donnelly places her vivid and memorable characters: Willa Alden, a passionate mountain climber who lost her leg while summiting Kilimanjaro with Seamus Finnegan, and who will never forgive him for saving her life; Seamus Finnegan, a polar explorer who tries to forget Willa as he marries a beautiful young schoolteacher back home in England; Max von Brandt, a handsome German sophisticate who courts high society women, but has a secret agenda in wartime London.

Many other beloved characters from The Winter Rose continue their adventures in The Wild Rose as well. With myriad twists and turns, thrilling cliffhangers, and fabulous period detail and atmosphere, The Wild Rose provides a highly satisfying conclusion to an unforgettable trilogy.

Paperback, 640 pages

Published September 1st 2009 

Audiobook  24 hours, 33 minutes

by Hachette Books

2.5/5 stars

I really enjoyed the first two books in this The Tea Rose Series. They both had plots and characters that grabbed me but sadly The Wild Rose did not invoke those same feelings. 

I am going to go against the grain here because I really struggled to finish this one.  I'm glad I went the audio route because it would have been a DNF otherwise.  It wasn't the writing, Jennifer Donnelly is a favourite of mine.  Her YA historical fiction books - Revolution, A Northern Light and These Shallow Graves are ones I recommend and loan out of my library often.  Even those not daunted by the size The Tea Rose is a great story to get lost in the pages of - its 675 pages long.

So what happened here?  Right from the beginning Willa just got on my nerves with Seamus quickly following suit - that kinda set the tone.  Now I get not liking characters in books, this was different and I can't quite put my finger on why.

The story was long, with somewhat of a soap opera feel and was just way too long (yea I said that twice).  I will say the author hit the time period spot on, her research and historical knowledge shined through.  Some of the characters/actions just didn't do it for me this time around.

Audiobook from my personal library via Audible.

Review: The Spoon Stealer by Lesley Crewe

Born into a basket of clean sheets—ruining a perfectly good load of laundry—Emmeline never quite fit in on her family's rural Nova Scotian farm.

After suffering multiple losses in the First World War, her family became so heavy with grief, toxicity, and mental illness that Emmeline felt their weight smothering her. And so, she fled across the Atlantic and built her life in England. Now she is retired and living in a small coastal town with her best friend, Vera, an excellent conversationalist. Vera is also a small white dog, and so Emmeline is making an effort to talk to more humans. When she joins a memoir-writing course at the library, her classmates don't know what to make of her. Funny, loud, and with a riveting memoir, she charms the lot. As her past unfolds for her audience, friendships form, a bonus in a rather lonely life. She even shares with them her third-biggest secret: she has liberated hundreds of spoons over her lifetime—from the local library, Cary Grant, Winston Churchill. She is a compulsive spoon stealer.

When Emmeline unexpectedly inherits the farm she grew up on, she knows she needs to leave her new friends and go see the farm and what remains of her family one last time. She arrives like a tornado in their lives, an off-kilter Mary Poppins bossing everyone around and getting quite a lot wrong. But with her generosity and hard-earned wisdom, she gets an awful lot right too. A pinball ricocheting between people, offending and inspiring in equal measure, Emmeline, in her final years, believes that a spoonful—perhaps several spoonfuls—of kindness can set to rights the family so broken by loss and secrecy.

The Spoon Stealer is a classic Crewe book: full of humour, family secrets, women's friendship, lovable animals, and immense heart. 

Kindle Edition

Published September 30th 2020 

by Vagrant Press

4/5 stars

This book comes highly recommended from a number of sources and sometimes that’s not always a good thing, expectations are elevated.

The location drew me right in, a Canadian setting by a new-to-me Canadian author, that’s bonus points right off the bat. It wasn’t hard to like Emmeline, the story opens with her attending a memoir writing class. The Spoon Stealer is her story told in dual time periods. Making new friends is a bonus from this class that highlights how important having good friends is.

The year is 1968, it’s a lot of living for someone born in 1896. The author doesn’t hold back in all the challenges Emmeline faced, heartbreaking at times to read. However, the author has a knack for making me smile at some of her antics and dealing with family.

The Spoon Stealer is a story of relationships, good and bad, perseverance and the significance of the simple spoon. Lighthearted with serious undertones that mesh together nicely. Emmeline’s friend Vera stole the show for me, great addition that added that extra sparkle to this book.

The only thing I struggled with was the length especially towards the end, it was just a tad long winded but I totally get the direction the author was going.

My thanks to Nimbus Press, via Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for honest review.

Waiting on Wednesday: Lost Roses by Martha Hall Kelly

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly post to showcase upcoming releases that I am anxious to get my hands on.

Kindle Edition, 448 pages 

Expected publication: April 9th 2019

 by Ballantine Books

The runaway bestseller Lilac Girls introduced the world to the real-life heroine Caroline Ferriday. Now, a generation earlier, this sweeping new novel featuring Caroline's mother, Eliza, follows three equally indomitable women from St. Petersburg to Paris under the shadow of World War I.

It is 1914 and the world has been on the brink of war so many times, many New Yorkers treat the subject with only passing interest. Eliza Ferriday is thrilled to be traveling to St. Petersburg with Sofya Streshnayva, a cousin of the Romanovs. The two met years ago one summer in Paris and became close confidantes. Now Eliza embarks on the trip of a lifetime, home with Sofya to see the splendors of Russia: the church with the interior covered in jeweled mosaics, the Rembrandts at the Tsar's Winter Palace, the famous ballet. But when Austria declares war on Serbia and Russia's Imperial dynasty begins to fall, Eliza escapes back to America, while Sofya and her family flee to their estate outside the city. In need of domestic help, they hire the local fortuneteller's daughter, Varinka, unknowingly bringing intense danger into their home. On the other side of the Atlantic, Eliza is doing her part to help the White Russian families find safety as they escape the revolution. But when Sofya's letters suddenly stop coming she fears the worst for her best friend.

From the turbulent streets of St. Petersburg and aristocratic estates of the countryside to the avenues of Paris and the society of fallen Russian émigrés there to the mansions of Long Island, the lives of Eliza, Sofya, and Varinka will intersect in profound ways, taking readers on a breathtaking ride through a momentous time in history.

What are you waiting for?

Review: Winnie's Great War by Lindsay Mattick, Josh Greenhut, Sophie Blackall (Illustrations)

A wartime adventure unfolds through the eyes of the world’s most beloved Bear. 

The story of the real bear that inspired Winnie-the-Pooh has been capturing readers’ imaginations since the publication of the Caldecott Medal award-winning picture book, Finding Winnie.

But there was so much left to be told – not just about Winnie, but about the great world events she witnessed. Now, the creative team behind the bestselling picture book has reunited to bring you Winnie’s Great War.

In a triumphant blending of deeply researched history and magnificent imagination, we follow our irrepressible Bear on her journey -- from her infancy in the woods of Ontario, to her unlikely friendship with Captain Harry Colebourn and her time as the mascot of the Second Canadian Infantry Brigade, to her experiences in wartime London before she met Christopher Robin Milne.

Told in beautifully crafted language and infused with Sophie Blackall’s irresistible renderings of an endearing bear, the book is also woven through with actual entries from Captain Harry Colebourn’s wartime diaries. The result is a one-of-kind exploration of the realities of war, the meaning of courage, and the indelible power of friendship, all told through the historic adventures of one extraordinary bear.

Hardcover, 244 pages

Published September 18th, 2018

by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

****

Winnie’s Great War is the story of Winnie the Pooh told by the great great grandson of Lt Harry Colebourn, the man who found a lone bear cub.

In the middle of the Woods was a tree, and at the bottom of the tree was a hole, and out of the hole poked a big black pad of a nose, which sniffed the air to see whether anyone was around.

Beginning in Winnipeg, traveling across Canada to England this is an endearing story of the famous bear beloved by many. I’ll confess to not knowing his story - weird right!?

I loved the illustrations throughout this book as well as actual photos and other historical facts. Winnie had a voice here as well as other animals which were a nice touch, though a little confusing as to who was speaking at times, but not enough to ruin my enjoyment of this little gem. 

A great little book, perfect for bedtime storytime for all ages.

My copy from personal library and part of my ‘reading off my shelf challenge’

Waiting on Wednesday: The Victory Garden by Rhys Bowen

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly post to showcase upcoming releases that I am anxious to get my hands on.

Hardcover, 305 pages 

Expected publication: February 12th 2019 

by Lake Union Publishing

From the bestselling author of The Tuscan Child comes a beautiful and heart-rending novel of a woman’s love and sacrifice during the First World War. 

As the Great War continues to take its toll, headstrong twenty-one-year-old Emily Bryce is determined to contribute to the war effort. She is convinced by a cheeky and handsome Australian pilot that she can do more, and it is not long before she falls in love with him and accepts his proposal of marriage.

When he is sent back to the front, Emily volunteers as a “land girl,” tending to the neglected grounds of a large Devonshire estate. It’s here that Emily discovers the long-forgotten journals of a medicine woman who devoted her life to her herbal garden. The journals inspire Emily, and in the wake of devastating news, they are her saving grace. Emily’s lover has not only died a hero but has left her terrified—and with child. Since no one knows that Emily was never married, she adopts the charade of a war widow.

As Emily learns more about the volatile power of healing with herbs, the found journals will bring her to the brink of disaster but may open a path to her destiny.

What are you waiting for?

Review: Girls on the Line: by Aimie K. Runyan

From the celebrated author of Daughters of the Night Sky comes a stirring novel inspired by the courage, dedication, and love of the unsung heroines of the Great War.

 December 1917. As World War I rages in Europe, twenty-four-year-old Ruby Wagner, the jewel in a prominent Philadelphia family, prepares for her upcoming wedding to a society scion. Like her life so far, it’s all been carefully arranged. But when her beloved older brother is killed in combat, Ruby follows her heart and answers the Army Signal Corps’ call for women operators to help overseas.

As one of the trailblazing “Hello Girls” deployed to war-torn France, Ruby must find her place in the military strata, fight for authority and respect among the Allied soldiers, and forge a victory for the cause. But balancing service to country becomes even more complicated by a burgeoning relationship with army medic Andrew Carrigan.

What begins as a friendship forged on the front lines soon blossoms into something more, forcing Ruby to choose between the conventions of a well-ordered life back home, and the risk of an unknown future.

Kindle Edition, 368 pages 

Expected publication: November 6th 2018 

by Lake Union Publishing

****

Aimie K. Runyan has become one of my go-to authors when it comes to historical fiction off the beaten track.  Those women of history that left marks we rarely heard about in history class.  She researches and writes compelling stories that educate me at the same time as keeping me captivated, plus you can feel her passion for the story in her telling.

Girls on the Line takes place in World War 1 and told from the POV of Ruby a young woman wanting to do her part (reasons I won't divulge) and not states side but in France.  Her journey across the ocean is more than just a change of location but an inner journey of self-discovery, of self-worth and discovering who she is.  There is much she must overcome and it isn't an easy trek. 

Girls on the Line is a story of friendship, duty, trust, and family, with some love mixed in. The telling had me right in the action feeling the heartache and struggles taking place.

'...success is usually pretending you're capable of doing something until you are.'

I received an e-arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

 click on the cover to take you my review

Review: The Glass Ocean by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, Karen White

From the New York Times bestselling authors of The Forgotten Room comes a captivating historical mystery, infused with romance, that links the lives of three women across a century—two deep in the past, one in the present—to the doomed passenger liner, RMS Lusitania.

May 2013 Her finances are in dire straits and bestselling author Sarah Blake is struggling to find a big idea for her next book. Desperate, she breaks the one promise she made to her Alzheimer’s-stricken mother and opens an old chest that belonged to her great-grandfather, who died when the RMS Lusitania was sunk by a German U-Boat in 1915. What she discovers there could change history. Sarah embarks on an ambitious journey to England to enlist the help of John Langford, a recently disgraced Member of Parliament whose family archives might contain the only key to the long-ago catastrophe. . . .

April 1915 Southern belle Caroline Telfair Hochstetter’s marriage is in crisis. Her formerly attentive industrialist husband, Gilbert, has become remote, pre-occupied with business . . . and something else that she can’t quite put a finger on. She’s hoping a trip to London in Lusitania’s lavish first-class accommodations will help them reconnect—but she can’t ignore the spark she feels for her old friend, Robert Langford, who turns out to be on the same voyage. Feeling restless and longing for a different existence, Caroline is determined to stop being a bystander, and take charge of her own life. . . .

Tessa Fairweather is traveling second-class on the Lusitania, returning home to Devon. Or at least, that’s her story. Tessa has never left the United States and her English accent is a hasty fake. She’s really Tennessee Schaff, the daughter of a roving con man, and she can steal and forge just about anything. But she’s had enough. Her partner has promised that if they can pull off this one last heist aboard the Lusitania, they’ll finally leave the game behind. Tess desperately wants to believe that, but Tess has the uneasy feeling there’s something about this job that isn’t as it seems. . . .

As the Lusitania steams toward its fate, three women work against time to unravel a plot that will change the course of their own lives . . . and history itself.

Kindle, 416 pages

Expected publication: September 4th, 2018

by William Morrow

*** 1/2

The Glass Ocean is the 2nd collaboration between talented authors Karen White, Beatriz Williams and Lauren Willig. Their first book together, The Forgotten Room was a favorite of mine back in 2016. Needless to say, I was excited when William Morrow provided me with an advanced copy of this their latest.

I didn’t know much about the Lusitania other than it was hit by a German torpedo during World War One and ushered the US into war. With 3 different narrators it wasn’t hard to keep the two time periods straight, two from the past and one present day.

The beginning 1/3 of this book pulled me in with its character building and intriguing plot. The dual time periods are books I usually enjoy, though at times it can be one time period that interests me more. Such was the case here (to some extent). To be honest, I struggled with the past plot, maybe because it dragged on a little longer than I thought necessary or maybe just a slight confusion at times. What saved it for me were the comedic bantering that was needed (pretty sure that was William’s part).

I struggled between giving this book 3 or 4 stars. Frustration grew when a change of direction occurred towards the end of the present day story (yea I felt it out of place and it really bugged me). But as I continued reading I ‘got it’ and thought it a great addition- sometimes you just need to sit back and trust the writer.

So I'm giving this book 3 1/2 stars rounding up to 4.

My thanks to William Morrow for an advanced copy (via Edelweiss).

click on cover for my review

Audio Review: Tides of Honour by Genevieve Graham

A novel of love, loss, and honour amidst the horrors of war and its aftermath.

It’s 1916, and the last thing Nova Scotian soldier Danny Baker expects to find in war-torn France is the love of his life. Audrey Poulin is alone in the world, and struggling to survive the war in the French countryside. When Audrey and Danny meet and fall in love, it seems like the best version of fate.

But love is only the beginning, as Danny loses a leg in the Battle of the Somme, and returns home to Halifax with Audrey, only to discover that he’s unable to leave the war behind. Danny and Audrey struggle with their new life together, and must face not only their own internal demons, but a catastrophe that will soon rip apart everything they think they know about themselves and each other.

Genevieve Graham, author of Under the Same Sky and Sound of the Heart, brings her passion for weaving history and fiction together in a seamless tale that will capture and enthrall the reader.

Paperback, 432 pages

Published April 2015

by Simon & Schuster Canada

Audiobook 12 hours 22 minutes

Reader: Fajer Al-Kaisi
**** 1/2

Last Wednesday marked the 100th anniversary of the Halifax Explosion, which plays central to The Tides of Honour. Having never visited the East coast I know very little of its history and what I do gleam is from my reading, which made me excited to read this one.

I am relatively new to the writings of Genevieve Graham, Promises to Keep opened my eyes to the Acadians and their plight. It also showed me how little I know of this great country's history. With Tides of Honour the trauma of World War I is not just felt in Europe but reaches to Canadian soil as well.  It takes its toll on Private Daniel Baker as he arrives back in Canada with deep physical and mental wounds. As he is adjusting to his new life at home his young bride arrives, though overjoyed it also causes more anxiety.

Now add the explosion and there is a lot to take in, but it works. It works because it’s real, the war is still going strong in 1917 with Canadians playing a part. The characters are authentic, they are flawed, they hurt, they grieve and lash out at those they love. Life isn’t what it used to be nor will it be the same again.

It isn’t often that I come across a story told with a male POV and  it was a refreshing change. There are parts that alternate with Audrey (his bride) but for the majority of the time it was Danny and getting inside his head with its wide range of emotional conflicts.

Tides of Honour is a realistic look at the struggles of war, losing friends, PTSD and new beginnings. It’s an emotional story, drawing on the heartstrings of not just this family but those affected by the explosion, there is a real sense of the devastation that transpired.

Genevieve Graham is a Canadian author who has a love of Canadian history and it shows in her writing.  The amount of research is evident as well as her passion to share this part of our history.

Be sure to check out the her website for a look at her other books.

Though I have a print copy in my personal library I opted for the audio version (via audible). It was great in this format with the reader doing a stellar job.

click on cover to take you to my review

Coming Soon: In Love and War by Liz Trenow

As 2017 is closer to turning into 2018 in the coming weeks I will be sharing some of the books I am looking forward to reading in 2018

"Three women, once enemies. Their secrets will unite them."

July, 1919. The First World War is over. The war-torn area of Flanders near Ypres is no longer home to trenches or troops, but groups of tourists. Controversial battlefield tourism now drives bus-loads of people to witness first-hand where loved ones fell and died.

At the Hotel de la Paix in the small village of Poperinghe, three women have come to the battlefields to find a trace of men they have loved and lost. Ruby is just 21, a shy Englishwoman looking for the grave of her husband. Alice is only a little older but brimming with confidence; she has travelled all the way from America, convinced her brother is in fact still alive and still in France. Then there’s Martha and her son Otto, who are not all they seem to be…

The three women may have very different backgrounds, but they are united in their search for reconciliation: to reconcile themselves to what the war took from them, but also to what life might still promise for the future…"

 Paperback, 400 pages

 Expected publication: January 25th 2018 

by Pan

Review & Giveaway: Last Christmas in Paris: A Novel of World War I by Heather Webb and Hazel Gaynor

New York Times bestselling author Hazel Gaynor has joined with Heather Webb to create this unforgettably romantic novel of the Great War.

August 1914. England is at war.

As Evie Elliott watches her brother, Will, and his best friend, Thomas Harding, depart for the front, she believes—as everyone does—that it will be over by Christmas, when the trio plan to celebrate the holiday among the romantic cafes of Paris.

But as history tells us, it all happened so differently… Evie and Thomas experience a very different war. 

Frustrated by life as a privileged young lady, Evie longs to play a greater part in the conflict—but how?—and as Thomas struggles with the unimaginable realities of war he also faces personal battles back home where War Office regulations on press reporting cause trouble at his father’s newspaper business. 

Through their letters, Evie and Thomas share their greatest hopes and fears—and grow ever fonder from afar. Can love flourish amid the horror of the First World War, or will fate intervene?

Christmas 1968. With failing health, Thomas returns to Paris—a cherished packet of letters in hand—determined to lay to rest the ghosts of his past. But one final letter is waiting for him…

Publication Date: October 3, 2017

William Morrow Paperbacks

Paperback & eBook; 384 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction
****

I have been a fan of both of these authors for a while now and was thrilled when I heard they were working together on a new book. Seems to be a thing these days, to collaborate and I always go in with a bit of hesitation because it doesn't always work. Can they deliver a smooth story without it sounding choppy making the reader aware of two different writing styles? With the Last Christmas in Paris it worked wonderfully and to be honest I couldn't tell which author wrote what. 

This book begins at the dawn of World War 1 with Evie writing letters to her brother Will and his best friend Tom. As the letters continues through the war years the authors were able to give the depth of character needed to deliver a realistic story of heartache and love. It's a brutal time and not always are the wounds visible, worry and depression are common and a sense of uselessness for those left at home, there is the urge to do something but what?

The book is divided into war years with more time spent at the beginning years rather than the last few. I would have loved to have seen more of the last years of the war and (I can't really say too much for fear of giving anything away), but I found it a little rushed there at the end and it was the part I was most looking forward to. But don't get me wrong I still loved the book and highly recommend it. The research involved was evident, it's a wonderfully written book of strength, love & loss and the power of human endurance.

 Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | Chapters | IndieBound | Kobo

HEATHER WEBB is the author of historical novels Becoming Josephine and Rodin's Lover, and the anthology Fall of Poppies, which have been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Cosmopolitan, Elle, France Magazine, and more, as well as received national starred reviews. RODIN’S LOVER was a Goodreads Top Pick in 2015. Up and coming, Last Christmas in Paris, an epistolary love story set during WWI will release October 3, 2017, and The Phantom's Apprentice, a re-imagining of the Gothic classic Phantom of the Opera from Christine Daae's point of view releases February 6, 2018. To date, her novels have sold in ten countries. Heather is also a professional freelance editor, foodie, and travel fiend.


HAZEL GAYNOR is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of A Memory of Violets and The Girl Who Came Home, for which she received the 2015 RNA Historical Novel of the Year award. Her third novel The Girl from the Savoy was an Irish Times and Globe & Mail Canada bestseller, and was shortlisted for the BGE Irish Book Awards Popular Fiction Book of the Year. The Cottingley Secret and Last Christmas in Paris will be published in 2017. Hazel was selected by US Library Journal as one of ‘Ten Big Breakout Authors’ for 2015 and her work has been translated into several languages. Originally from Yorkshire, England, Hazel now lives in Ireland.

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour we will be giving away 2 copies of Last Christmas in Paris!

To enter, please enter via the Gleam form below.
– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on October 20th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to residents in the US & Canada only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

  Last Christmas in Paris

Review: High As the Heavens by Kate Breslin

In 1917, Evelyn Marche is just one of many women who has been widowed by the war. A British nurse trapped in German-occupied Brussels, she spends her days working at a hospital and her nights as a waitress in her aunt and uncle's café. Eve also has a carefully guarded secret keeping her in constant danger: She's a spy working for a Belgian resistance group in league with the British Secret Service.

When a British plane crashes in Brussels Park, Eve is the first to reach the downed plane and is shocked to discover she recognizes the badly injured pilot. British RFC Captain Simon Forrester is now a prisoner of war, and Eve knows he could be shot as a spy at any time. She risks her own life to hide him from the Germans, but as the danger mounts and the secrets between them grow, their chance of survival looks grim. And even if they do make it out alive, the truth of what lies between them may be more than any love can overcome.

 Paperback, 395 pages

 Published June 6th 2017

 by Bethany House

****

I will be honest here and say it was the cover that drew me towards this book. I have a thing for airplanes on covers, it evokes a feeling of intrigue and mystery with a spy element even before I knew what this book was about.

Evelyn Marche is a British Red Cross nurse living in Belgium during World War One. It was after her husband's plane is shot down that she returns to her family from England. The first bit of the book I found a little flat as it gave us her background and relationship with her husband. It was interesting enough and set the stage, it also gave me the chance to get to know Evelyn but it lacked something. Once the pace picked up and events started to unfold in Belgium, I was hooked.

This is my first time reading a book from this location and time period. While the war played out here I feel the book centered more around Evelyn and this mysterious pilot. Now don't get me wrong there was enough that I was able to feel the tension in Belgium and the workings of the resistance group, as well as get a general feel and sense of the danger for those in German occupied Belgium. A small part took place in France as well.

This is my first time reading a book by Kate Breslin and I was impressed. I think I read the last half in a day as the action peaked and I was anxious to find out what would happen. High as the Heavens is the kind of Christian fiction I enjoy reading, it is the story of forgiveness, family and faith. Of overcoming guilt and not having to carry your burdens by yourself. Definitely a book I recommend.

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

Review: The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

In an enthralling new historical novel from national bestselling author Kate Quinn, two women—a female spy recruited to the real-life Alice Network in France during World War I and an unconventional American socialite searching for her cousin in 1947—are brought together in a mesmerizing story of courage and redemption.

1947. In the chaotic aftermath of World War II, American college girl Charlie St. Clair is pregnant, unmarried, and on the verge of being thrown out of her very proper family. She's also nursing a desperate hope that her beloved cousin Rose, who disappeared in Nazi-occupied France during the war, might still be alive. So when Charlie's parents banish her to Europe to have her "little problem" taken care of, Charlie breaks free and heads to London, determined to find out what happened to the cousin she loves like a sister.

1915. A year into the Great War, Eve Gardiner burns to join the fight against the Germans and unexpectedly gets her chance when she's recruited to work as a spy. Sent into enemy-occupied France, she's trained by the mesmerizing Lili, the "Queen of Spies", who manages a vast network of secret agents right under the enemy's nose.

Thirty years later, haunted by the betrayal that ultimately tore apart the Alice Network, Eve spends her days drunk and secluded in her crumbling London house. Until a young American barges in uttering a name Eve hasn't heard in decades, and launches them both on a mission to find the truth...no matter where it leads.

  “Both funny and heartbreaking, this epic journey of two courageous women is an unforgettable tale of little-known wartime glory and sacrifice. Quinn knocks it out of the park with this spectacular book!”—Stephanie Dray, New York Times bestselling author of America's First Daughter

 Paperback: 528 pages 

 Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks

 (June 6, 2017) 

*****

You know what I wanted to do when I finished this book? Turn back to page 1 and start all over again. Then I think I will grab her Rome series and reread those. There were so many things that I loved about this book and it comes with a major gosh alert, consider yourself warned.

If it was possible to give more than a five stars I definitely would, not only did it make my 'best of 2017' but make my list of all time favorites.

The Alice Network is a dual time period story, where one usually involves a current day thread and a past it was a nice change for the focus to be on the past, the two world wars. I have read everything Kate Quinn has written this is her first venture out of Rome and a totally different era. It takes a talented author who can make that jump and hit a grand slam. She has totally done that here. 

I loved the uniqueness of the subject matter, the little know parts of history brought to life in a realistic and believable matter, it had me chomping at the bit to google so much. I was good and waited till I finished not just the book but the author's notes as well. Anyone who knows me knows I love when a book finishes off with these, especially in a historical piece. It's where the author gets to talk about what's real, what's made up giving the reader an inside look at the motivation and what drew the author the write this book - loved it! 

The Alice Network was a compelling story with characters that were real, in a setting full of intrigue, suspense and heartbreak, witty at times to break the tension (as only Kate Quinn can do). Quinn's pose is flawless, she gives depth to her characters and setting making me feel like I am right there, I can feel the emotion pulse through this story giving credence to the author's ability to weave together a great story.

It is always a pleasure reading a Kate Quinn book, thank you to TLC Tours for the opportunity to be part of this tour. Be sure to check out the video below where some of us bloggers are given the opportunity to ask her questions.

 

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Kate Quinn is a native of Southern California. She attended Boston University, where she earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in classical voice.

A lifelong history buff, she has written four novels in the Empress of Rome Saga and two books set in the Italian Renaissance detailing the early years of the infamous Borgia clan. All have been translated into multiple languages.

She and her husband now live in Maryland with two black dogs named Caesar and Calpurnia.

 Find out more about Kate at her website, and connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

BookBlast/Giveaway: After Paris by Renny deGroot

 From Shortlisted Author of the 2015 Kobo Emerging Writer Prize, Renny deGroot comes a new Historical Fiction.

 Liesbeth Zwart forges her identity with courage and aptitude while nursing in France during WW1. As Liesbeth Bos, she feels that identity melting away; the skills she needed as a nurse in Paris are of little use to her as a wife and mother in post-war Netherlands. As she grapples to adjust to her new reality, she is confronted with a shocking discovery that sends her fleeing with her young daughter to start a new life in Canada.

The New World forces Liesbeth to reassess her own life and beliefs, but will it be enough to save her fractured family?

Publication Date: July 8, 2016

 Paperback & eBook; 364 Pages 

 Genre: Historical Fiction

      

Amazon (Kindle) | Amazon (Paperback) | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords

Renny deGroot is a first generation Canadian of Dutch parents.

She is a published poet, song lyricist and novelist. Her debut novel, Family Business, was shortlisted in the Literary Fiction category, for the 2015 Emerging Writer Prize. She studied English Literature at Trent University. Her strong Dutch roots continue to influence her while the love of her Canadian homeland with its beauty and freedom, flavors all that she does. 

Renny lives in rural Ontario, Canada with her Great Pyrenees and Chocolate Lab.

For more information, please visit Renny deGroot's website.

You can also find her on Facebook.

 

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Giveaway

To enter the After Paris Blog Tour Giveaway please enter via the Gleam form below.

- 3 winners will receive a copy of Family Business by Renny deGroot (2015 Kobo Emerging Writer Prize Shortlist)

- 3 winners will receive a copy of the CD Macushla by renown Irish Tenor, Jimmy Carton (features songs from the era in which After Paris takes place)

Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on September 30th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open internationally.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

  After Paris

Review/Giveaway: Time and Regret by M.K. Tod

When Grace Hansen finds a box belonging to her beloved grandfather, she has no idea it holds the key to his past—and to long-buried family secrets. In the box are his World War I diaries and a cryptic note addressed to her. Determined to solve her grandfather’s puzzle, Grace follows his diary entries across towns and battle sites in northern France, where she becomes increasingly drawn to a charming French man—and suddenly aware that someone is following her…

Through her grandfather’s vivid writing and Grace’s own travels, a picture emerges of a man very unlike the one who raised her: one who watched countless friends and loved ones die horrifically in battle; one who lived a life of regret. But her grandfather wasn’t the only one harboring secrets, and the more Grace learns about her family, the less she thinks she can trust them.

Paperback, 353 pages 

Published August 16th 2016

 by Lake Union Publishing

on Amazon Author’s page | Goodreads

I have previously read Lies Told in Silence also written by M.K. Tod and looked forward to reading this new one.  Though I finished this book a month ago it has still stayed with me, there is more to Time and Regret than the actual story.

The cover reflects the story nicely (and is gorgeous) while the title perfectly matches the story.  With the modern day story taking place in 1991, where there is no need for internet and cell phones to distract.
 
The author did a great job with Martin's diaries. Beginning when he first enlisted you can see and feel his emotional struggles as the war, with all it's brutality, gets worse and unbearable. It wasn't hard to feel his emotional state as he loses his best friends and other young men. His feeling of helplessness and the guilt of being the one in charge and knowing those you stand with in battle might very well never go home.

"There's no point in friendship in this mess. You make friends and they die. It's that simple. God knows why I'm still alive." 

Meeting Grace when a recently divorced mother of 2 and watching her journey of self discovery was a great experience.  Traveling as she retraces her grandfathers footsteps through France, visualizing the scenery and culinary experiences showed the authors vast knowledge of the times and locale.

I enjoyed the story, the mystery and Grace's adventure.  Though I anticipated the ending it was a great read.  There was so much about this book that really enjoyed as a reader and also on a personal level. There was more here than the story. It's personal, to go outside your comfort zone, take a risk, grab life and live it on your own terms. It's a reminder about regret and doing the things that you love out of your own desire.

Definitely a book that I highly recommend.  Thank you to Emma at France Book Tours for the invite to be part of this tour and to M.K. Tod for a print copy of Time and Regret.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Time and Regret is M.K. Tod’s third novel. She began writing in 2005 while living as an expat in Hong Kong. What started as an interest in her grandparents’ lives turned into a full-time occupation writing historical fiction. Her novel Unravelled was awarded Indie Editor’s Choice by the Historical Novel Society.

In addition to writing historical novels, she blogs about reading and writing historical fiction at http://www.awriterofhistory.com, reviews books for the Historical Novel Society and the Washington Independent Review of Books, and has conducted three highly respected reader surveys. She lives in Toronto, Canada, with her husband and is the mother of two adult children.

Please visit her website and her blog A Writer of History Subscribe to her mailing list or contact her at mktod@bell.net

Follow her on Facebook and Twitter on Goodreads and Pinterest Buy the book (print, ebook audiobook): Amazon

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You can enter the global giveaway here or on any other book blogs participating in this tour. Be sure to follow each participant on Twitter/Facebook, they are listed in the entry form below.

Enter here

Visit each blogger on the tour: tweeting about the giveaway everyday of the Tour will give you 5 extra entries each time! [just follow the directions on the entry-form]
Global giveaway open internationally: 5 winners will receive a print copy of this book.

***

CLICK ON THE BANNER TO READ REVIEWS, INTERVIEW, AND EXCERPTS

Review/Giveaway: The Secret Language of Stones by M.J. Rose

AS WORLD WAR I RAGES AND THE ROMANOV DYNASTY REACHES ITS SUDDEN, BRUTAL END, A YOUNG JEWELRY MAKER DISCOVERS LOVE, PASSION, AND HER OWN HEALING POWERS IN THIS RICH AND ROMANTIC NOVEL BY NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR M.J. ROSE.

Nestled deep within Paris’s historic Palais Royal, safe inside La Fantasie Russie’s once-bustling workshop, young, ambitious Opaline Duplessi spends her days making trench watches for soldiers at the front and mourning jewelry for the mothers, wives, and lovers of those who have fallen.

Opaline has a rare gift, a form of lithomancy that allows her to translate the energy emanating from stones. Certain gemstones enable her to receive messages from beyond. In her mind, she is no mystic, but merely a messenger giving voice to soldiers who died before they were able to properly express themselves to loved ones. Until one day, one of these fallen soldiers communicates a message—directly to her.

So begins a dangerous journey that will take Opaline into the darkest corners of wartime Paris and across the English Channel, where the exiled Romanov dowager empress is waiting to discover the fate of her family.

Full of romance, seduction, and a love so powerful it reaches beyond the grave,

The Secret Language of Stones is yet another “entrancing read that will long be savored” (Library Journal, starred review).

“Spellbinding.” —Alyson Richman, author of The Lost Wife

(historical fiction)

 Release date: July 19, 2016 

by Atria Books/Simon & Schuster 

 320 pages 

Author’s page | Goodreads  

*****

 
The Secret Language of Stones is Book 2 in the Daughters of La Lune Series with The Witch of Painted Sorrows being the first one.  Though you can read this one first I do recommend starting at the beginning just because it is not only a really good book but these books are connected, making this one easier to understand.

MJ Rose has fast become one of my favorite authors, she has a wonderful way with words.  With a distinct writing style, that sounds poetic at times, I have no problem getting lost in her stories, The Secret Language of Stones was no exception.  While the previous book had more of the supernatural aspect this one had a strong historical element to it, taking me from the trenches of WWI to the Romanov fall and across the English Channel.

Not that it lacks the mystical elements that are the author's trademark because that is still there. I found the plot very unique and interesting.  It's through the talisman that Opaline creates, offering comfort to those grieving, that she falls in love with a ghost.

"You think you can avoid pain by not needing anyone. That if you never love anyone who you can lose, then you'll never feel lose.  But it's not true.  We're made to love.  Even if you think you can stop yourself from feeling, stop yourself from living, your emotions will find a way.  They'll trick you when you least expect it."

They had already, I thought.  My reluctance to form an attachment to a living man had resulted in my forming an attachment to a dead one.

The Secret Language of Stones is a compelling story of  love and lose during wartime.  I was taken to the streets of Paris and could feel the effects this war was having on it's citizens.  It's a story of hope and forgiveness, of healing and carrying on, it's magical in this love story but also heartbreaking during wartime.

I loved the ended, with closure and not huge cliffhangers.  But my interest is peaked to see what happens next. Definitely a series and author I highly recommend.

Thank you to Emma at France Book Tours for the invite to be part of this tour and the publisher (via Netgalley) for a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes.

M.J. Rose grew up in New York City exploring the labyrinthine galleries of the Metropolitan Museum and the dark tunnels and lush gardens of Central Park —and reading her mother’s favorite books before she was allowed. She is the author of more than a dozen novels, the co-president and founding board member of International Thriller Writers, and the founder of the first marketing company for authors, AuthorBuzz.com. She lives in Greenwich, Connecticut.

 Please visit her website, her blog: Museum of Mysteries Subscribe to her mailing list and get information about new releases, free book downloads, contests, excerpts and more. Or send an email to TheFictionofMJRose-subscribe at yahoogroups dot com To send M.J. a message and/or request a signed bookplate, send an email to mjroseauthor at gmail dot com

 Follow her on Facebook and Twitter 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound | Books A Million

You can enter the global giveaway here or on any other book blogs participating in this tour. Be sure to follow each participant on Twitter/Facebook, they are listed in the entry form below.

Enter here

Visit each blogger on the tour: tweeting about the giveaway everyday of the Tour will give you 5 extra entries each time! [just follow the directions on the entry-form] Global giveaway open to US residents only: 9 participants will each win a print copy of this book.

***

CLICK ON THE BANNER TO READ REVIEWS, GUEST-POST AND EXCERPT