Review This Reviews!

Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Historical Fiction. Sort by date Show all posts

Friday, July 19, 2019

The Cowboy's Redeeming Love Historical Fiction Book Reviewed

The Cowboy's Redeeming Love Christian Historical Fiction Book Reviewed

The Cowboy's Redeeming Love by Chloe Carley

My favorite book genre is historical fiction romance. I've read a few books in that genre written by Chloe Carley and love them all. I previously reviewed one of her other books here on Review This, "The Stubborn Sweet Bride". Therefore, I was recently thrilled to discover "The Cowboy's Redeeming Love" while searching for a new book.

I expected The Cowboy's Redeeming Love to be a good book with a somewhat typical "all's well that ends well" story-line. However, it turned out to be a unique and excellent historical romance.

Chloe Carley has once again written a fiction book that tells the story of a young woman who meets evil face to face here on earth and goes to extremes to get away from it.

The Cowboy's Redeeming Love Synopsis

Brianna Tompkins' previously wealthy father decided to move his family to California so he could quickly restore his families worth via a gold mine. Apparently, he believes the gold is just lying around waiting to be claimed and would be an easy way to get rich again quick. Without fully knowing, or considering, the environment he would be taking his privileged wife and daughter into, he loaded a wagon and headed west to stake his claim.

The Cowboy's Redeeming Love:
An Inspirational Historical Romance NovelCheck PriceHaving been raised in affluence, with servants attending to her every whelm and need, Brianna is scarcely prepared for the changes she would be required to endure. Her lifestyle had previously protected her from the harsher elements, work, and vices of the world. She had only known abundance, silks, refinement, ladies and gentlemen.

Neither Brianna nor her mother wanted to go, but Brianna's father assured them all would be well. They would make their fortune quickly and return home, back to the lap of luxury.

Since readers have the benefit of historical knowledge, we already know, the Tompkins family is in for a rude awakening. However, even we wouldn't expect both parents to die, leaving Brianna in the hands of a mercilessly evil man who stakes his claim on her. With her refusal to readily accept Percy Smythe, he has her brutally beaten and held captive, allowing her time to embrace her new reality as his wife.

The Cowboy

The Sutter family is leaving their home in Kentucky and moving to California to help Mr. Sutter's aging brother, Otis, on his ranch. Along with his wife, Cora, Mason Sutter and their 3 grown sons, Morgan, Spenser & Riley, packed up their wagons and headed west. The family stopped along the way to visit Cora's sister and found her sister recently widowed. Cora and Mason decide to stay on in Missouri to help Cora's sister, but send the boys on ahead. After all, Otis Sutter is expecting them to help him through the upcoming winter.

Since it was just the 3 young men now, they were able to move much faster, stopping in small towns along the way for rest and supplies. However, they found some small towns were not "friendly" or "inviting" to outsiders. That was the case in Percy's Crossing. Even though it was only 20 miles from their uncles ranch, they needed to stop for the night, but Percy's Crossing was not an option for them. They rode another mile before they settled in for the night with a warm fire, to sleep under the stars.

When a small figure entered their camp and set down in front of their fire, only one of the sleeping brothers was awakened by this nearly silent intruder. Morgan expected a child when he slipped up on the little intruder. Instead, he discovered a badly beaten woman and she had either fallen asleep or passed out when he reached her. He decided to let her rest and covered her with a blanket. The following morning, as the sun started to rise, the little intruder was terrified when she awoke and found herself surrounded by 3 big men. She had no way of knowing the three brothers would not harm her. All she knew was that she had to get away, and stay away, from Percy Smythe.

Morgan offered to let her travel with them to their uncle's ranch, where she would be offered a safe haven. She reluctantly accepted. After all, Brianna didn't have anyone else to help her and she had no where else to go.

Are You Ready to Read the Book Yet?

I have only given you the set-up for the story. I'm sure you already suspect that Percy Smythe is not going to just let Brianna disappear into the night. The title and book genre will likely also tell you that one of the brothers will fall in love with Brianna. What is not obvious is that they are not allowed to just live happily ever after. Evil continues to dog them in the hopes of possessing it's prey.

The Cowboy's Redeeming Love:
An Inspirational Historical Romance NovelCheck Price

Wednesday, July 1, 2020

Six Historical Fiction Books Set in Canada

Happy Canada Day! This is the day that Canadians from coast to coast to coast don their red and white and head out to celebrate our fabulous country, which was born on this day, July 1, 1867. It is with history in mind that I thought I would share six interesting historical fiction novels that are at least partly set in Canada. If you love historic fiction, I hope you will find a new book to add to your reading list.

Despite the unprecedented virus situation in Canada Day 2020, this list is by no means an indicator that Canadians will be staying home and reading on July 1. I will be wearing red and white, cooking up something special on the grill, eating some ripe red strawberries, having a walk in our neighborhood to see from a safe distance many Canadian flags flying high and our red and white attired neighbors before coming home and toasting Canada. Here's how we're celebrating Canada Day Together, Apart in 2020 but I digress. Here's the promised list of six fabulous historical fiction books set in Canada.

UNDER THIS UNBROKEN SKY

Under This Unbroken Sky by Shandi Mitchell is a close look at the settling of Canada. Read this book and you will wonder how the prairies ever came to be settled. If it was not one thing it was another for this poor Ukrainian family when they took up a homesteading on the Canadian prairies in the 1930s. Truly a look at how tough life was for those immigrant settlers with a story line that will capture your attention. I have not written a full review of this fascinating book yet but you can read more about Under This Unbroken Sky on Amazon here.

ANNE OF GREEN GABLES: A NEW BEGINNING

Anne of Green Gables may be thought of as a children's book but they are totally appropriate for adults, too. They are an interesting look into Lucy Maud Montgomery's Prince Edward Island in the early 1900s.

Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning was written by Kevin Sullivan. Sullivan was the creator of the original Anne of Green Gables movie series. This book is his more recent prequel to the Anne of Green Gables stories. You can read my complete review of Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning here. I have always been a fan of Anne Shirley and I enjoyed this book.

BEFORE OF GREEN GABLES

Before Green Gables was written by Nova Scotia's Budge Wilson and was my preferred version of what Anne Shirley's life might have looked like before she was sent as an orphan to live on Prince Edward Island. Interesting that two prequels with two totally different stories were published and that they were published just a year apart. You can find my complete review of Before Green Gables here.

THE HOME FOR UNWANTED GIRLS

Joanna Goodman's The Home for Unwanted Girls is set in in French Canada in the 1950s and tells the story of a woman forced to give up her daughter and the tale of that daughter in the Canadian system. There is a lot of heartache in this book but that it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me. You will find my complete review of The Home for Unwanted Girls here.

THE PIANO MAKER

The Piano Maker was written by Kurt Palka and tells the tale of a woman's life taking her from France in the era of the First World War to Canada in the 1930s. I enjoyed this book because it was partially set in Canada. It is particularly interesting for anyone who is interested in the piano and who wants a look into war-time fiction set in Canada's maritime provinces. Find my complete review of The Piano Maker here.

THE QUINTLAND SISTERS

I have long been interested in the lives of the Dionne Quintuplets. Pierre Berton's 1978 novel introduced me to the sisters and I have followed the true life story of these mistreated sisters ever since. They were the world's first set of quintuplets to survive infancy. This book, written by Shelley Wood, is an interesting look into their lives in the 1930s when the world was glad to embrace the sisters even if it meant that they were taken from their parents and displayed as a tourist attraction. Find my complete review of The Quintland Sisters here.

There. I hope you have found a novel with a Canadian theme to add to your list!

Happy Canada Day
and Happy Reading!
Brenda
Treasures By Brenda

Quick Links:

Discover how we're celebrating Canada Day, 2020.
Discover a page full of fabulous Anne of Green Gables gift ideas.

Six Historical Fiction Books Set in Canada

FOLLOW US ON:

Tuesday, February 16, 2021

Pam Jenoff's Lost Girls of Paris Book Review

With the novel The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff, I once again reviewed life in Europe during and just after World War II. The book is fictional but based on the true story of Vera Atkins and her female special operations agents.

THE STORY

I struggled at first to settle into the pages of this book but when I did, I was rewarded with the story of a woman named Eleanor Trigg and a group of women she recruited and trained to become secret agents. Those women would eventually be sent from England to occupied France as part of the resistance movement’s effort to disrupt the advance of the German army. The women were employed as couriers and radio operators and were eventually lost.

The book travels from Europe to New York City when a suitcase containing photographs of the missing women is found in Grand Central Station. The story of these female special agents would have been totally abandoned and they themselves left unaccounted for if it were not for the efforts of one woman after the war.

REVIEWS

Reviewers on Amazon peg the book quite correctly as romantic in nature. Some question some of the historical facts and many of the decisions made by characters in the book. Some felt that the book had too many coincidences and that it did not always ring true. However, despite these criticisms, the book received 86 percent four- and five-star ratings, which does not seem too bad to me so I looked further.

U.S.A. Today called this Jenoff work of fiction “a gauzier, more florid and awkwardly romantic account” of the true story of Vera Atkins and her team of spies saying that the book has “all of the tension of a Hallmark card.” I agree. It definitely is romantic and nice version of the story and is not the best historical fiction book from that time period that I have read.

Kirkus calls the book, “a sadly slapdash World War II adventure”, which references, I believe, some of the factual problems readers have with this book. The problems are in errors with the details. Did diners (restaurants) have television sets in the 1940s? Would those TVs have been broadcasting the news while diners ate their meals? How could you have planned a honeymoon aboard the Queen Elizabeth II, which was not built until the 1960s? Was renting a car possible in those days? Were the terms single mother and Ms. in use? Was duct tape available to the public or just the military? How many states were there in the United States in 1946? I have not fact checked any of these questions and some of them I did not jump out at me when I was reading the book. A few of them could have and hopefully have been easily corrected in subsequent printings.

Finally, the readers at Goodreads give The Lost Girls of Paris a score of 3.88. Once again, that score is not too bad in my opinion. On that platform, reviewer Matthew said, “I liked the story, but in the realm of WWII fiction it is not in the upper echelons. Maybe you will enjoy it more than I did and can look past the issues…” Personally, I am inclined to agree with that score on Goodreads and with Matthew’s comments.

I would RECOMMEND but NOT highly recommend the historical work of fiction that is The Lost Girls of Paris.

If you enjoy historical fiction set in World War II, Europe, or if you are looking for a book with interesting female protagonists, you should enjoy this book. That is, if you are willing to accept it as written and not be tripped up by historical inaccuracies like those referenced above.

If you want to learn more, you can find The Lost Girls of Paris on Amazon by clicking right here. If you do read the book, be sure to come back and let us know what you think.

I will end with a question. How important is historical accuracy to you in your historical fiction books? Do mistakes like those mentioned above ruin a book for you or are you happy to discount them as part of an author’s work at crafting a compelling story?

See you
At the book store!
Brenda

More World War II Fiction:

Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale book review.

Andrew Gross The One Man book review.

Across the Winding Water book review.

Heather Morris Cilka's Journey book review.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas movie review.

FOLLOW US ON:

Friday, February 7, 2020

The Liberty Bride Book Reviewed

Daughters of the Mayflower - Book 6 in the Series

I've never found a series of books that I enjoyed more than the Daughters of the Mayflower series.

Every book is based on the life of one of the female descendants of a married couple from the Mayflower ship. Each descendant plays a part in a pivotal moment in American history.

Just as each book has a different main character, each book is written by a different author. Together, these books make a magnificent historical fiction series.

In The Liberty Bride, Emeline Baratt is sailing home to America after the death of her aunt in Brighton. Unfortunately, that voyage is during the War of 1812, which is fought between America and the United Kingdom.

Her allegiance to America is greatly tested when the unthinkable happens.

The Liberty Bride

1814 Baltimore - The War of 1812 (Jun 18, 1812 – Feb 18, 1815)

The Liberty Bride
Daughters of the Mayflower - Book 6Check PriceIn spite of the ongoing war between America and Britain, Emeline's father has sent his best ship, under the command of his most experienced captain, to bring his daughter safely home from the United Kingdom. However, even a privateer ship is vulnerable to capture in wartime. They are simply no competition to a heavily armed warship.

Emeline, the captain and his crew are taken captive when they are attacked by a Royal Navy frigate, the HMS Marauder. Being a prisoner on a warship and being forced to work for the enemy is not something anyone would desire. But, there is obviously an even greater danger for a female.

Realizing her perilous plight, and with the encouragement of her companion, Emeline makes the decision to tell the Captain of the Marauder that she is in fact a British loyalist following her father's demands to return to America. She convinces everyone, including the crew from the American ship, that her loyalties lie with Britain. As such, she is given tremendous freedom onboard the Marauder. She hopes to be able to gain military plans and information that she could somehow pass along to American commanders. What she doesn't realize is that there is already an American spy onboard and she has just make an enemy of a much needed ally.

More about The Daughters of the Mayflower Series

If you have read my previous reviews on books in this series, you already know these books are not only historical fiction, but they all have romance woven throughout the pages. However, in the case of Emeline Baratt, she has no desire to marry, which is the basis of her conflict with her father. She would prefer that men stop pursuing her and her dowry. She wishes to be an artist, not a wife tied to a home and domestic chores. I very much enjoyed the way the author, Mary Lu Tyndall, developed a romantic plot in The Liberty Bride.

Previously Reviewed Book from the Daughters of the Mayflower Series

The Mayflower Bride Book 1 Reviewed

True American History woven into the fabric of fiction! An excellent historical romantic fiction about the Mayflower voyagers: Separatists & Strangers.

The Pirate Bride Book Review

At the innocent age of 12, Maribel Cordoba's life changes forever. Her formative years & education are guided by nuns, but she never truly forgets the pirate who stole her heart.

The Captured Bride Book Review

An unlikely team is assigned a mission that is fraught with danger. It becomes necessary to trust a previously perceived enemy. I highly recommend this historical Christian fiction.

The Patriot Bride Book Reviewed

After enduring several life tragedies, this wealthy young widow finds the strength & needed alliance to serve the patriots as a messenger. Highly recommended!

Check Out More Book Reviews at
ReviewThisBooks.com

The Liberty Bride: Daughters of the Mayflower - Book 6 Reviewed by:

FOLLOW US ON:

Tuesday, September 15, 2020

Catherine Cookson Riley Book Review

Catherine Cookson Riley (1998) Book Review

Many years ago, I parted with most of my Catherine Cookson books, retaining only the few that I had not read, like the one shown here called Riley. It had been decades since I had picked up any of Cookson's books but I remember fondly having loved the stories, which are set in the 19th century in and around what was then at least a heavily industrialized area of northeast England called Tyneside.

With the arrival in 2020 of the virus that would lock down most of the world, I set to reading through some of my old piles of books and hence returned to the works of Catherine Cookson via this novel, Riley.

IS RILEY RECOMMENDED?

Riley was indeed very good and it did not in any way fail my memories of Cookson’s books. It is the story of a young lad with no direction who was surely bound for trouble but was indirectly 'rescued’ by a few heated comments from a caring teacher. The result of those comments was a tumultuous but successful life on the stage and marriage to a woman 20 years his elder.

Riley is Highly Recommended by me for anyone who loves historical fiction.

THE AUTHOR

Author Catherine Cookson, despite being from an extremely poor, working class home in Tyneside, England, went on to become one of the richest women in Britain. More importantly in my mind at least, she also went on to become Britain’s most read author in the mid-1990s and remains on the list of the twenty most read British novelists. She wrote a remarkable two books a year in many years and, when she died in 1998, she left behind 103 novels and a fortune for charity.

ROMANCE OR HISTORICAL FICTION?

Catherine Cookson's novels were often categorized as romance despite the fact that, as Cookson said herself, there was nothing romantic about the times or the situations in her books. Her stories offered up more than historical romance and are extremely well done in terms of depicting a time period in history, which would surely make them qualify as historical fiction today.

I do not want to stop with recommending Riley, however. I want to make my post a call for people to pick up Catherine Cookson’s books whether they knew her before they arrived here on this page or not. It doesn’t matter which book you start with whether it be Riley or another, they are all sure to please. Just be careful if you start with a series like Mary Ann Shaughnessy, Tilly Trotter or the Bailey Chronicles that you pick the first one. You will find Riley on Amazon by clicking right here.

See you
At the bookstore!
Brenda

Quick Links:

Buy Riley on Amazon.

Discover the new, used and vintage books in my eBay store by clicking here but be warned that unfortunately there are no Catherine Cookson novels!
The Alice Network by Kate Quinn reviewed.
Fast Girls by Elise Hooper reviewed.

FOLLOW US ON:

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Reviewing The Anasazi Mysteries Series

Historical Fiction Series

Anasazi Settlement Ruin
Photo courtesy of Charles M. Sauer

As a huge fan of historical fiction, I want to share a series of books that I recently discovered. The Anasazi Mystery Series consists of three very well written books that I highly recommend to anyone who loves this genre of literature.

The series was written by Kathleen O'Neal Gear and her husband W. Michael Gear who are not only gifted with telling a great story but are also both archaeologists. Their knowledge of the science involved in a "dig" adds remarkable depth to the story they unfold in each of the three books.

In each of the three books, we go back and forth between a modern day team of archaeologists who have uncovered bodies of women that have been buried in a most nontraditional manner and the story of the Anasazi peoples who inhabited the area where the bodies were found. The "dig" is taking place in the late 1990's and early 2000's. When we are learning the events that led up to these women being buried we are in the time frame of around 1150 to 1200 AD. The time frame from the past is significant because it is the era that most historians and scientist place the sudden disappearance of the Anasazi peoples.

You will want to start with the first book because the story builds and continues with books two and three.

The Visitant: Book I of the Anasazi Mysteries

Who Were The Anasazi?

They are often referred to by many names. The word Anasazi is loosely based on a Navajo word which means ancient ones or ancient enemies. You might also know them as the cliff dwellers or the peoples who created the cliff dwellings found in the Four Corners area of the US. Modern historians refer to this group of peoples as the Ancestral Puebloans.

There is much debate among the scholars as to when the culture first emerged but the general consensus is that it was around 1200 BC and they seem to have ceased to exist around 1200 AD. That is 2400 years, folks! What happened to them? Where did they go?

I have been fascinated with this ancient group of American Indians for as long as I can remember so when I saw the series, I knew I just had to read it.

The Series Is A Mixture of A Mystery, history and so much more!

What I love about this short series of books that could almost be called a trilogy is that there is a great mystery to solve. Why were these women buried in such a nontraditional manner? Were they tortured and if so; why? Who did this?

The series goes beyond the mystery, though. The authors give us a background in how this culture lived and what the climate was like at the time. We learn about their religious beliefs, the warfare among the peoples in the area at the time and of a sickness that could be a huge part of their demise as a culture. It is a story about good versus evil, about love and loss and how people have not changed a whole lot over the centuries.

There are questions raised in my own mind as I have read through these three books. As the story unfolds we see that there is often a struggle with the scientists. There are the scientific facts that come to light during any excavation of artifacts and skeletal remains but there is also the beliefs of the people involved from an emotional and spiritual level. How does one separate the two or better yet should they even try to keep them separate? Is it possible for the spirits of the past to reach out to us and help us understand what happened? A discussion for another day, but interesting in and of itself.

I highly recommend this set of books: The Anasazi Mystery Series to the fan of historical fiction and those who love a great mystery. The books include:

The Visitant (link above)
The Summoning God: Book II of the Anasazi Mysteries
Bone Walker

FOLLOW US ON:

Tuesday, May 7, 2019

My Real Name Is Hanna Book Review

Historical Fiction Aimed At A Young Adult Audience

Pysanky Eggs play a roll in My Real Name Is Hanna
(image courtesy of pixabay.com)

Let me share a book review with you today for My Real Name Is Hanna. I have always loved to read historical fiction. There is something intriguing about an author taking a specific time in history and envisioning a story of what it might have been like for characters in that era.

When I sat down to begin reading this book, I thought that I would read a chapter or two and then set it aside to continue later or even the next day. That is typically how I read books. So, I read the first couple of chapters and thought, "Well, maybe a few more and then I'll quit for the day." I did take a short break to get some household chores completed but the book was nagging at me to come back. Long story short, I ended up reading the entire book by day's end.

Captivating Story Not easy to put down

The story is about a young girl named Hanna. Her family is Jewish and had fled from Russia after the pogroms and what was referred to as the Hunger War. Her mother and father have settled in an area of Ukraine that was sometimes under Polish rule and sometimes under Russian rule. At the beginning of Hanna's story we learn about a time when the Russians have taken over. Stalin has required that all Polish allegiances be stopped. Flags are changed from the red and white of Poland to the red flag with the crescent moon and star of Russia. School subjects are now taught in the Russian language. News is controlled by Stalin along with the ability to worship or practice local customs. Life is changing and not for the better.

Rumors begin to circulate around the small town where Hanna lives. People begin to disappear. Quiet conversations are heard about a man named Hitler sending his armies to fight with the Russians for control of Poland. Some think this German might be better than Stalin, others aren't so sure. Neighbors begin to turn against neighbors, especially when the German soldiers come.

A Story of Survival: My Real Name is Hanna

The author, Tara Lynn Masih, gives us a story of one family's survival during this horrible time in world history. Her fictional account is based on a real family who found the courage and strength to keep clear of the worst of the Holocaust. Hanna and her family were able to escape being taken to the ghettos and the work camps. They were able to keep from falling into a trench after being shot. What they endured to stay alive is a remarkable story! You need to read the book to find out how and for how long their lives were hanging in an unstable imbalance.

One of the things that I loved about this book is that it is written with the teen and young adult reader in mind. Although, some atrocities are mentioned the very worst are only hinted at. A young person can get the feeling of the awful inhumanity that can be inflicted in a way that is less repulsive than what really occurred in Europe. It might help them to understand history a little better and make them curious to delve into it more.

I want to stress how this is not a depressing book. Certainly, you can't help but feel disgusted and appalled at what happened in WWII. It is a story of hope. A story of love and family; it is a story of people helping people even when it means their own lives are at risk. Read the book to find out what role the Pysanky eggs play in Hanna's life. I thought it was a fascinating addition to the overall story and I learned more about those lovely decorated eggs.

If you enjoy historical fiction, I highly recommend this book to you. I sincerely believe you will be glad you read it.

My Real Name Is Hanna

FOLLOW US ON:

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Reviewing The Secret Healer

Historical Fiction

As many of you know, I love to read and historical fiction is a genre that I enjoy very much. I just recently finished The Secret Healer by Ellin Carsta. I might have missed this delightful book if it hadn't been an editor's choice in the Kindle First subscription that is a part of my Amazon Prime membership. It was one of the choices for reading in April. I was not disappointed!

From 14th Century Germany

The story takes place during the 1300s in the German towns of Heidelberg and Worms. This was a time in our history that women were not valued for much of anything except as maybe the property of their fathers or husbands. I absolutely adored the main protagonist, Madlen who is the daughter of the cabinet maker in Heidelberg. Madlen may come from humble means but she is above average in her intelligence and is taken under the wing of the local midwife Clara at an early age. The young girl learns the benefits of medicinal herbs from the midwife which is something that the physicians of the time did not use. The physicians were strong on the use of bloodletting; a treatment that was not much good for any illness as we know now. During a rather difficult birth, Madlen accidentally discovers a technique of soothing the over anxious woman during the delivery process. She will find this method helps her sooth many of the people she is helping when they become rather hysterical during their illness.

The Secret Healer

An absolutely despicable resident of her hometown accuses Madlen of killing his wife causing her to flee to the town of Worms where she finds her estranged Aunt Agathe. While learning the skills she will need to become a seamstress her Aunt comes down with what is referred to as the coughing sickness. I believe this was the pneumonic plague that did spread across Europe during this time in history. Madlen is able to use her knowledge of medicinal herbs and nurses her Aunt back to health. As the illness spreads around the town she is called upon to help many of the citizens. She saves many lives but there is a problem. She is not a doctor and the church has taken notice of this healer and decides that she is an assistant to the devil. Madlen, who is hiding under an assumed identity from the people of Heidelberg, realizes that she must now hide from the church, too.

There were many things that I loved about this well written and constructed book. Many of the women in the story were strong and intelligent women who had to hide the fact that they were very capable in their skills. Many were good business women but were never given credit for their abilities. At that time in history only a man was given credit for any sort of acumen to business or skills. So, these women worked their fingers to the bone to support their drunken, lazy and often abusive men in secret. Women were not supposed to know how to read or write, they could not own a business, they could not be educated in schools or universities or be heralded for any of their accomplishments. The story does not come off as a strong feminist bashing of men but the oppression of the women of the time is written in a superb way that really resonated with my soul.

There was a wonderful love story incorporated into the pages along with a good representation of life in the 14th century. The suspense of whether dear Madlen would be found out and what would become of her kept me captivated until the very end. I liked the incorporation of early medicine in the story and the superstitions that were strong during that time in history.

All in all, I highly recommend this wonderful book. I think that fans of historical fiction will most assuredly love this book but I also feel that it is one of those books that will appeal to most women. Currently, it can be pre-ordered and will be released on May 1, 2016. It will be available in both digital and paperback forms.

FOLLOW US ON:

Thursday, April 30, 2020

Learning to See - Book Review

Read an Excerpt

You have seen the photos. The Migrant Mother. Desperate families on the move. Children experiencing abject poverty. Desolate internment camps.

Migrant Mother (1936)
Credit: Dorothea Lange/Public Domain

You have heard the photographer's name. Dorothea Lange. But how many of us know the backstory of how Dorothea Margaretta Nutzhorn Lange (1895-1965) became one of the most famous documentary photographers of all time?

Dorothea Lange (1936)
Credit: The Library of Congress/No Restrictions

Learning to See is historical fiction that reads like an organic biography. Elise Hooper used volumes of historical records and interviews to create this compelling memoir-like novel. Like many based-on-true-life stories, the fiction morphs with the nonfiction into a very realistic portrait of the complex life and times of Dorothea Lange.

We are first introduced to the intrepid twenty-two-year-old Nutzhorn as she arrives in the bohemian San Francisco of 1918. Having been the victim of a thief who makes off with her life savings, Dorothea must use her wits to secure housing and a job as a photographic assistant. Before long, the renamed Lange decides to forge her own path as an independent studio photographer.

As things unfold, we discover Dorothea's many evolving iterations: friend, businesswoman, wife, mother, and fearless social activist. There are elements of Lange's life that some will find upsetting (like choosing to foster out her children during the hard economic times of the Great Depression). The sacrifices endured for the sake of Lange's calling will have lifelong ramifications.

This is a book for those who appreciate historical fiction, biographies, defining moments in time, photography, or reflections on the human landscape of America. I couldn't help but see the parallels between the subjects of Lange's Depression Era portraits and those that are beginning to define this current time of economic collapse, migrant oppression, and social injustice.

As a photographer with a connection to our country's unseen and often marginalized individuals, the themes of this book deeply resonate. For me, Lange's unvarnished look at the real America took me to a place deep within myself that wishes to compassionately acknowledge and respond to the pain of those who are struggling mightily. We know there are multitudes experiencing the hardest times of their lives at this very moment in our nation's history.

Woman of the High Plains (1938)
Credit: Dorothea Lange/Public Domain

This is not the time to look away. To peer into the haunting images of Dorothea Lange's America, is to have the opportunity of a lifetime to learn to see and to define who we will become in relationship to, and with, those who are trying to survive, while hoping for a better tomorrow.

I highly recommend this novel and encourage members of book clubs to consider Learning to See as a group selection. It is sure to generate the kinds of conversations that matter.

FOLLOW US ON:

Friday, April 17, 2020

The Rebel Bride Book Review

Daughters of the Mayflower - Book 10 in the Series

When I started this historical fiction series, I knew it included a book that took place during the American Civil War. After all, it would be very difficult to write a series that includes major historical events and omit the civil war. Nevertheless, this was the one book I did not look forward to reading. I put it off for several weeks after I finished reading the 9th book in the series. Only because it has been such a wonderful and well-written series, did I decide to go ahead and chance it.

I get so tired of reading books filled with opinions or propaganda about the American Civil War. Frankly, it is one subject that will cause me to stop in the middle a book, put it down, and never finish reading if the author deems it necessary to spout vitriol. We all know wars are fought for many reasons and that evil criminal acts are overlooked in wartime. Often the real reason one takes up arms against their brother is lost long before the first bloody battle. Justification for invasion and brutality becomes the mantra of the day that reverberates for many generations that follow.

It turns out, I had nothing to fear about reading The Rebel Bride. The author did not denigrate the soldiers. She simply set up a wartime situation where individuals are challenged to be honorable instead of depraved.

Ironically, this book turned out to be one of my favorites in the series. I would like to believe that even in the midst of war, basic human decency and kindness still exist.

Plot of The Rebel Bride by Shannon McNear
1863 Tennessee - American Civil War - April 1961 - April 1965

Rebel Bride (Daughters of the Mayflower)The war had already taken so much from Pearl MacFarlane. Her 3 oldest brothers are casualties of war, lost in the battles of Shiloh, Fishing Creek, and Chickamauga. Her father is mentally broken, with only occasional moments of clarity. Her mother, previously deceased. Her youngest brother, and only remaining sibling, drifts away to places unknown, presumably hunting, as soon as he rises each morning. The work of the farm is left almost completely to Pearl and there is only so much she can do.

When her cousin, a sergeant for the Confederacy, arrives with wounded prisoners of war, Pearl is not at all prepared to be conscripted to duty. She doesn't have food, beds, or even training as a nurse, yet she is required to care for these men. The physical and emotional toll on Pearl is tremendous.

Because her cousin has a soft spot for Pearl, he sends a man to help her tend the prisoners. Fortunately, Portius does know how to treat and bandage the wounds and amputations. He also has the physical strength to help the wounded soldiers move when necessary.

At first, it is difficult for Pearl to aid the very men who could have killed her brothers. At the very least, they represent the army responsible for their deaths. However, as she nurses them, learns their names, their birthplaces, and hears stories about their lives, she sees the individuals as living human beings who need help. In turn, there are a few who try to help her, if in no other way, by being respectful of her father. Unfortunately, as with any group, there are some who would prey on the isolation and her vulnerability.

Not only is Pearl faced with providing food, shelter and medical attention to the enemy, she is further challenged by her romantic feelings for one of the prisoners. In the midst of the American Civil War, a Confederate and a Yankee do not make an ideal couple.

More Factual Background

The story of The Rebel Bride takes place in Tennessee. Every county of Tennessee endured battles. Homes and farmland were destroyed along the way, many were intentionally destroyed as threatened in the book.

During the Civil War, it is a fact that homeowners were required to take in wounded soldiers from both sides depending on which army occupied their area at any given time. One renowned home, turned hospital, still stands and is located not very far from my own home.

Few people realize that Norwegian immigrants fought in the Civil War for the Union. Shannon McNear is a wounded Norwegian soldier in the group of prisoners tended by Pearl.

The only real fictional liberty that McNear might have carried too far in this book, is the marriage between a black woman and a white man (one of Pearl's older brothers). Even McNear admits that it is highly unlikely that could have happened.

Surprisingly, I highly recommend this book.

Previously Reviewed Book from the Daughters of the Mayflower Series

The Mayflower Bride Book 1 Reviewed

True American History woven into the fabric of fiction! An excellent historical romantic fiction about the Mayflower voyagers: Separatists & Strangers.

The Patriot Bride Book Reviewed

After enduring several life tragedies, this wealthy young widow finds the strength & needed alliance to serve the patriots as a messenger. Highly recommended!

The Liberty Bride Book Reviewed

In The Liberty Bride, Emeline Baratt is sailing home to America. Her allegiance to America is greatly tested when the unthinkable happens.

Check Out More Book Reviews at
ReviewThisBooks.com

The Rebel Bride: Daughters of the Mayflower - Book 10 Reviewed by:

FOLLOW US ON:

Thursday, March 30, 2017

The One Man Book Review

Set in Poland in 1944, Andrew Gross’ The One Man tells the story of a man and his family rounded up and sent to a Nazi concentration camp after a failed escape attempt. Alfred Mendl carries with him his important research but that work is promptly burned on his arrival at the camp.

You have likely guessed that Mendl is not just another prisoner. It turns out that his knowledge in the realm of physics is information that only two people in the world know. The other man with this knowledge currently works for the Nazis and the Americans are desperate to gain Mendl’s knowledge so that they can win this war.

Meanwhile, in the United States, Nathan Blum works steadily away at decoding messages from occupied Poland. Previously, he had escaped the Krakow ghetto. Because his entire family was executed after his departure from home, Blum wants to reap revenge for his family and eventually agrees to go back to Poland to break INTO the concentration camp with the end goal of helping Mendl escape and bring back his physics research. Of course, breaking into a concentration camp is unheard of but getting out is really the difficult part.

This book is part historical fiction and part thriller and it is definitely a page turner. It is emotional and it will take you on a horrifying journey. I don’t think it is a spoiler if I say that I finished reading this book with tears running down my face, which is pretty unusual for me. Yes, The One Man comes HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me for anyone who enjoys World War II fiction and a gripping story.

Author Steve Berry says, “Haunting and thrilling…A masterful blend of family and duty laced with heroism and characters that are intriguing and richly drawn...You must read it!" You can read more about The One Man on Amazon here.

Do you enjoy historical fiction? Will you be checking out The One Man?

Brenda
Treasures By Brenda

More Book Reviews:

Steve Berry's Amber Room
John Sandford's Extreme Prey
Tarashea Nesbit's The Wives of Los Alamos

FOLLOW US ON:

Saturday, December 26, 2020

Reviewing A Splendid Ruin by Megan Chance

If you embrace the saying, revenge is a dish best served cold then you will love this historical novel by Megan Chance.

A Splendid Ruin by Megan Chance, a historical fiction

A Recommended Read

Although this author has many titles to her name this is the first novel of hers I have read and I loved it. The novel is divided into 3 parts. The first part introduces us to May Kimble who has been living in Brooklyn, New York until after her mother's death. She receives a letter from her mother's sister of whom she had no idea even existed and is welcomed into the arms of her newfound family in San Francisco in 1904.

She has lots of questions, but receives no answers to them and is unfortunately too naive to realise that she is being manipulated. She suspects things are amiss, but doesn't act on her instincts or her laudanum addled aunt's ravings at her to go home.

Part one culminates in the death of her aunt and the ultimate betrayal from her family and May realises just how she's been played.

Part two is terrifying as May learns how to survive in a place that her mother hadn't even thought to prepare her for. She learns her lessons quickly and uses her knowledge to improve her conditions while thinking of her revenge. Why do I call it terrifying? It's certainly not a scary, horror book, but it's terrifying as to how easy it was in 1904 for this to happen and it's something that I have read about in other historical books and novels alike.

Part Three is called Retribution and begins on April 18th, 1906. For any American history buffs out there you may recall that this is the date of the great San Francisco earthquake. The earthquake gives May a chance to escape where she was and she takes advantage of that.

May proves to be very resourceful and brave. You really see how she has grown since arriving in California. She plots her revenge and also falls in love (well, I believe the seeds for falling in love were planted in part one, but now she is ready).

The ultimate revenge doesn't come in the way that May and her paramour planned, but was the perfect moment and absolutely embodied the saying, revenge is a dish best served cold.

I really enjoyed this historical novel and a little glimpse into San Francisco's turn of the century society and also how the earthquake was dealt with by the people on the ground - the author portrayed the confusion that would have been about really well.

I recommend this read for anyone that enjoys historical fiction with a strong heroine (although she was frustratingly naive in the first part, she certainly grew into a strong heroine). I will certainly be reading other books from this author.

This book was available as part of Amazon Prime - I love Amazon Prime as not only does it have Kindle books, it has a number of television series that I enjoy on it and also gives me free shipping when I purchase anything - find out more about it here.

It is also available as part of Kindle Unlimited which is great if you enjoy reading, I started with a free trial and am now in my second month of it. Definitely worth the free trial, especially over these holidays when there aren't as many get together as usual - more time for reading!

FOLLOW US ON: