Pony Confidential
by Christina Lynch
Fun Easy Read (6/11/2024)
Pony Confidential is a fun light read and is a nice break for those who like mystery stories.
The premise that a pony can clear it's owner of a murder had me intrigued but alas the pony did it! It was a far fetched plot that comes together at the end of the book.
I thought the many adventures of the pony were a bit too numerous and lost my interest at times. I was not expecting so many animals that could communicate with each other and brought to mind Charlotte's Web.
Except for the prison and murder storyline I think it might have been a good book for younger readers.
The House on Biscayne Bay
by Chanel Cleeton
Easy Mystery Read (1/3/2024)
I liked The House on Biscaine Bay very much. It was an easy and quick read during a busy holiday season for me and I found myself making time to find out what happens next - or what was revealed next.
The story was easy to follow despite two time periods and had limited characters to keep tract of. The characters were well developed and believable. The setting of the big house and grounds was well
described and I especially liked the peacocks.
The details of the deaths came in a timely manner and the book held my interest and kept me speculating. The ending had a good twist and was a surprise.
I would recommend this book for mystery lovers who like an easy read and uncomplicated story.
Becoming Madam Secretary
by Stephanie Dray
Good Historical Read (11/12/2023)
Becoming Madame Secretary by Stephanie Day is an excellent example of historical fiction.
It engaged me from the beginning and is an easy read that kept my attention. The little known characters such as Frances Perkins and Charles Wyzanski and well known such as FDR and Sinclair Lewis were well developed and believable. The story moved along without extra verbiage and kept me engaged.
Francis Perkins deserves to have her story told and I'm glad I was able to learn about her.
Above the Salt: A Novel
by Katherine Vaz
Not impressed (9/12/2023)
The summary of Above the Salt states it is an irresistible and sweeping love story that follows two refugees who flee religious persecution and reignite their romance in Civil-War America. It seemed like a good match for the type of story I like.
However I was not impressed with the book. It was slow moving and had too many extraneous details. I found it confusing and cumbersome. I did not relate to the characters or their emotions and situations.
Some of the descriptions of the Civil War were well written and presented some facts I didn't know.
I can truthfully say I was not interested in finding out how John and Mary were able to reunite and I skimmed the last fourth of the book.
Supposedly it was based on true facts but I think the story would have been better told in a shorter format without the extra verbiage.
The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder
by David Grann
True Swashbuckling Tale (3/4/2023)
The Wager is a very well researched and well written story of a little known historical event. The documented events on the HMS Wager were the inspiration for some famous writers but David Grann tells us the entire story of an 18th century maritime disaster. He makes this nonfiction account very readable and in fact come alive. The characters are well developed with much initial background about them. I felt the beginning was a little slow but then realized we needed the details to understand their actions.
This book would appeal to readers interested in British maritime history or those who like a good swashbuckling true tale of the sea.
Jackie & Me
by Louis Bayard
Unlikely Friendship (6/11/2022)
Jackie and Me is the story of an unlikely friendship between JFK and his "fixer" Lem Billings and his relationship with Jackie. It adds some fictional drama to the historical facts that we know about Jack's philandering ways up to and after the wedding to Jackie. In the acknowledgments, Louis Bayard states that the book is a fictional work and an exercise in alternative history.
I wouldn't recommend the book to fans of JFK and the Kennedy's although Jackie is portrayed in a sympathetic manner.
I did not find the book compelling.It was a slow read for me and weighed down with some long passages that lost my attention.
I lived through the Kennedy years and I'd rather read historical fiction about events and people from periods I haven't experienced.
Dirt Creek: A Novel
by Hayley Scrivenor
Kept Me Guessing (3/5/2022)
I don't usually read mysteries but Dirt Creek is an excellent read! I did not want to put it down until I found out what really happened to Esther. I was drawn into the small rural Australian town with descriptive images. The characters were believable even with their quirks and kept me guessing as to their innocence or guilt. The story developed with layer upon layer of new information and secrets revealed. Hayley Scrivenor's first novel is a winner and I hope she keeps writing!
The Paris Bookseller
by Kerri Maher
The Paris Bookseller (10/31/2021)
I was assigned to read James Joyce's ULYSSES for a literary class in college and I was not a fan. After reading THE PARIS BOOKSELLER I now have a better understanding of the controversy surrounding its authorship and publication.
The book is very well researched and true to the facts of the relationship between Sylvia Beach and James Joyce and the eventual publication of the book. A number of famous Lost Generation literary figures such as Ernest Hemingway, Ezra Pound, and F. Scott Fitzgerald are part of the story and it was interesting to find out more about their personal lives.
I found the book too long and wordy for my taste. It did not hold my interest but I persisted and read it to the end.I would think bibliophiles and literary minded readers would find it more interesting.
Sisters of the Great War: A Novel
by Suzanne Feldman
Easy Historical Read (9/3/2021)
Sisters of the Great War is an easy read about the adventures of two American sisters who volunteer their talents - one medical and one mechanical- to serve in the WW1 war effort in Belgium. The sisters quickly find their experiences are very different from their expectations and they question their decision but stick it out in terrible conditions.
The character development was very good and found I could relate to both sisters and cared about what happened to them. Conditions in the camps and at the front were described in detailed and realistic terms. It kept my interest and I wanted to keep reading.
I would recommend the book for a fan of historical fiction and romance. Probably not for true students of WW1.
A Million Things
by Emily Spurr
Emotional Read (5/1/2021)
A Million Things is an account of a ten year old girl being left on her own by a dysfunctional mother. Through her narration we experience what is going on in her head. It is the sad story of survival tactics and independence that is eventually tempered by friendship with a problematic neighbor and young boy in the neighborhood.
It got a little bogged down and wordy in the beginning but then was hard to put down until I learned the outcome. It is not an uplifting book but would be recommended for people interested in psychological adventures.It would make a good book club selection - lots to discuss.
The Personal Librarian
by Marie Benedict, Victoria Christopher Murray
A Very Timely Read (2/11/2021)
The Personal Librarian is a very well researched book that was collaboratively written by two women authors. The story is fascinating and although I didn't know anything about J.P. Morgan and Belle de Costa Greene I was drawn into their story and wanted to keep finding out more. The book is very close to the true facts about their lives and the little known fact that J.P.Morgan's much admired assistant who helped grow his library was a black lady passing as white.
I found the authors' notes at the end very interesting and made the book even more appreciated by me. The perspective of one black and one white author clearly added depth and feeling to the characters. Also the fact that it was written during the pandemic and these troubling racial times made it very timely and offered food for thought.
The book would be a good Book Club choice and offer many topics for discussion.
The Widow Queen: The Bold #1
by Elzbieta Cherezinska
Way Too Long (12/5/2020)
The Widow Queen is not an easy book to get through. I feel it was too long, wordy, and detailed. The story didn't hold my attention and the characters were hard to keep straight as many of the names were similar and strange. It might be easier for someone who is familiar with the history portrayed. I would not recommend this book unless you are interested in tenth-century Polish history. I won't be reading the sequel.
The Woman Before Wallis: A Novel of Windsors, Vanderbilts, and Royal Scandal
by Bryn Turnbull
Story of Little Known Woman (7/24/2020)
Woman Before Wallis is a good account of the relationship between David, future King Edward, and Thelma Morgan, twin sister of Gloria Vanderbilt. We get a glimpse of the lives of the rich and famous and see many of their short comings.
The writing style is easy to read and includes many historical details. Most of the characters are well developed and I learned some background about David and his brother Bertie who becomes king. Fun to imagine the early days of the parents of Queen Elizabeth.
The book was interesting to me because I knew about many of the characters but never heard of Thelma. The story evolves documenting how Thelma and David become involved and eventually are distanced. A short coming was not enough detail about their breakup and Wallis' influence. I would have preferred that over the very detailed account of the Vanderbilt custody trial.
Turnbull's first historical fiction novel is a winner and I look forward to more stories of little known historical women from her.
Daughter of the Reich: A Novel
by Louise Fein
Slow Read (3/26/2020)
Daughter of the Reich is a well researched story based loosely on some details of author Louise Fein's family. While the story was interesting especially because it was written from the perspective of a German youth I found it a slow read. The character development was shallow and I never really felt an emotional attachment to Hetty the main character. I also felt the journal entries were too wordy and especially the middle of the story dragged. The ending was good and kept my interest much better. Perhaps if I had read the note from the author before I started the book it might have made a difference in my perception.
The Prisoner's Wife
by Maggie Brookes
Unbelievable Tale (2/9/2020)
The Prisoner's Wife is quite a story about a Czech farm girl and British POW who fall in love, secretly marry, run away together, are captured and suffer many hardships ... and is based on a true story. The characters are well developed and come alive. The extensive research adds authenticity to the details. I found I wanted to keep reading to find out what the next day would bring for them.I was hoping the end notes would reveal who the characters were but unfortunately they are not known. I join the author in hoping someone comes forward to collaborate the story. This a good fast read for those interested in WW2 POW camps and for anyone longing for a good love story.
I Want You to Know We're Still Here: A Post-Holocaust Memoir
by Esther Safran Foer
Good Personal Family History (12/6/2019)
I Want You to Know We're Still Here is a memoir that makes the terrible aftermath of the Holocaust personal and believable. Esther Foer and her sons question and search for missing details of their family history and find some things not expected. They do much research and visits to the areas that were associated with their family and didn't give up until they found answers and many unknown relatives. What they find puts an exclamation point on how the Nazis wiped out not only whole towns and residents but also their history. Although written from her personal perspective I'm sure many families experienced the same fate and relatives are still trying to piece details together. Although the names were a bit confusing (real names ) her writing was clear and the story progressed to its final conclusions quite smoothly. I would recommend the book to those interested in Jewish history and the Holocaust and think it would make a good book club choice.
The Seine: The River that Made Paris
by Elaine Sciolino
"Everything" Seine (9/30/2019)
The Seine : The River That Made Paris is an excellent compilation of facts about "everything" Seine. It covers many well researched topics such as its source, its history, its geographic features, its cities, its influence on the arts,its people who live on it and along its banks, its iconic place as a symbol of Paris. The writing style is easy to read and makes all the facts flow like a comprehensive story. At times I thought it got bogged down a bit in details. I would recommend it for people who have visited Paris and the cities on the Seine as I have and it rekindled happy memories. It would also be a good read for someone anticipating a trip for ideas of what to look forward to.
The Volunteer: One Man, an Underground Army, and the Secret Mission to Destroy Auschwitz
by Jack Fairweather
Suppressed History (5/6/2019)
The Volunteer is a good nonfiction account of a brave Polish man who volunteers to be arrested and sent to Auschwitz. As part of the Polish underground he journals the atrocities at the camp and has them smuggled out hoping to draw the world's attention. Sadly no one takes notice. Jack Fairweather has done an excellent job of researching and writing a cohesive story of Withold's experiences and making disturbing and complicated history readable. How sad it took so long for the world to acknowledge and react.
Those interested and knowledgeable about this period in history will probably learn some new insights.
Courting Mr. Lincoln
by Louis Bayard
Wife and Friend (2/13/2019)
I had high expectations for this book because I love Abe and have read a lot of fiction and non fiction about him. I was a bit disappointed! I did like the portrayal of him as the country bumpkin that was coached by his friend on how to behave in civilized society but was bogged down in too many details. Likewise I was interested in Mary's portrayal as a self possessed and politically obsessed debutante who needed to find a husband but felt their relationship was too drawn out. I found the book a slow read and it didn't always hold my attention. Perhaps I was distracted by the fact I know how it ends! If you are a Lincoln fan I'd give it a read and see what you think.
The Night Tiger: A Novel
by Yangsze Choo
Fascinating read (12/19/2018)
The Night Tiger would not normally appeal to my historical fiction interests but I'm glad I gave it a chance and liked it a lot. It is a period piece set in the 1930's Colonial Malaysia. It is a great tale with twins, missing fingers, mythological characters, a loyal houseboy, and unique forbidden love story. The chapters are noted by the location and date so made it easy to keep the story in perspective. The mysteries are slowly revealed and solved and everything was tied up at the end with the possibility of a sequel? If so I definitely would read it!
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