I was anticipating an interesting and compelling book about women who were recruited to be taste testers for Hitler. I have read many books about Germany during WW2 but nothing on this topic. I was disappointed in this one.The lack of character development made it hard for me to relate to most of the characters and insignificant details seemed to make the story drag. I was confused with the relationship between Rosa (the main character) and the other women. I was interested in her thoughts and feelings about her lost husband but disappointed in the ending that attempted to tie up the loose ends. I read the biography of Margot Wolk on whom the story was based and even though it is a fictional account I don't think it did her justice.

Fly Girls is an excellent read and I highly recommend it. I knew a little about Amelia Earhart but never heard of any of the other brave and hard working women who also achieved notoriety at the time (1920's and 30's) for their accomplishments.I like Keith O'Brien's style of writing and he makes it a story that kept my attention and at times I couldn't put down. It was well researched and very timely in these days of gaining equality for women.
I think it would be a good book club choice and generate great discussions of women's rights through the years.

C.J. Tudor's first thriller The Chalk Man is a great read and hard to put down. From the first page to the last there are twists and turns and secrets revealed to help unravel unfortunate occurrences and a gruesome murder. The characters are slowly developed both as children and adults to make the outcomes understandable. Just when I thought I had figured things out another detail would be revealed. I would recommend this book to those who like mysteries and thrillers. I would definitely read another book by this author and hope she writes one soon!

I loved The Twelve- Mile Straight and would highly recommend it. The writing is excellent, character development is full, and the plot is intriguing. It is rather long but I found myself constantly picking it up to find out what happened next. When I thought I had it figured out a new detail would be revealed that surprised me. I thought the references to FDR and Jimmy Carter were interesting too. It would make an excellent Book Club choice for discussion but enough time would have to be allowed to finish it because of its length.

Anita Shreve is a good storyteller who develops her characters well. I found myself very sympathetic to Grace and her mother Marjorie.
The story is set in the time frame of my parents and myself as a child so I related to many details. The terrible fire is a documented event so makes the story very believable.The plot is a bit predictable but I was left satisfied with the ending.
I usually read historical fiction and this one was easy to read and did not require remembering a lot of details. It would be a good choice for someone who wants a fast read and a fairly uncomplicated story. Might be a good book club selection.

I very much enjoyed the slow solving of the mystery as to why Placidia Hockaday was accused of a horrendous crime. Little by little details are revealed about the life of the young Southern belle who marries a man she hardly knows and is unprepared for the responsibilities she must assume when he goes off to war. Three generations of her family are included. The characters were well developed through their letters, diaries, and inquest transcripts that slowly unraveled the complicated story. At times I was confused about names and time periods and had to reread some parts but about half way into the book it got easier to keep things straight. I would recommend the book to those interested in history and mysteries and like a good story based on true incidents.

Les Parisiennes is an extremely well researched and detailed nonfiction account of the trials and tribulations of many different women who experienced the Nazi Occupation of Paris during WW2 and the aftermath.

I found it hard to get into because of the large number of characters and details. The book deals with each year and what occurs in many lives instead of following one character at a time. Many were mentioned very briefly and others were followed through their entire experience. I found it confusing and had to keep looking back to remember the details of each person. The cast list at the end was somewhat helpful.

I found the stories of the rich and famous very intriguing and never realized how people like Chanel, Dior, Lanvin, Edith Piaf, Picasso,and even Jacqueline Kennedy and Julia Child were affected or influenced. The most touching were the stories of the ordinary brave women who underwent unspeakable experiences and either lived to write and tell about them or perished.

Anne Sebba did very extensive research and should be applauded for her thoroughness. The book would appeal to serious scholars who are familiar with the history of the time period. It was not an easy read but I'm glad I stuck with it and learned much.

I am sorry to say I cannot give The Six a positive review. Although I did not know much about the Mitford sisters I thought I would enjoy it because I am a big fan of Downton Abbey and according to author Laura Thompson the Mitfords represented " a variant strain of Downton Abbey Syndrome."

I found the book very confusing and had a hard time keeping the sisters straight. It jumped from sister to sister and time frame to time frame and had fictional characters from books the sisters had written that were based on their family members interspersed throughout. I had to google each sister and read their biographies to make my reading of The Six easier.

Although I know the book was thoroughly researched I think too many details were included that just made the book harder to get through. I almost found it a chore to read and finish it. The best part were the notes at the end that related what happened to each sister later in life.

Unless you are knowledgeable about the Mitfords and the historical period I wouldn't recommend this book to the casual reader.

I very much liked this historical mystery. I had read The Devil in the Marshalsea and was anxious to read more adventures of Thomas Hawkins. The book was carefully researched and offers a realistic view of many aspects of life in the days of King George and Queen Caroline. I especially liked "The History Behind" section at the end that explains some of the historical significance.The mystery starts slowly to evolve and had some twists at the end that kept me guessing.I hope Antonia Hodgson continues to write more novels! This book would be good for people who like English history, historical mystery lovers, and might be a good choice for a book club with these interests.

Fallen Land tells of the trials and tribulations of a long journey by two young lovers and their faithful and strong horse. They become victims of circumstances and face many tests of their physical and mental toughness. The story is engaging but I found some parts were rather slow moving and too wordy with descriptions of the surroundings. I became more engaged towards the end and wanted to find out their fate. The character development was good and I felt like I got to know Ava and Callum and especially became fond of Reiver. The book would be a good book club selection for those interested in the final years of the Civil War.

The Shore was a good but bit confusing first novel of a young writer. The interconnected stories tell the tale of the characters and personal lives of those who lived on a small island near Virginia. The time frame is very ambitious covering the 1800's all the way to 2143. I found that just as I was getting involved with a character and story line it ended and new time frame began. It was confusing because the story is not told chronologically and sometimes I couldn't figure out who was talking in the first person narratives. I was glad that the last chapter cleared up a lot of the questions about relationships that I had. I would like to read it again in time order and think I would understand it better. Anyone who likes good character development, clear writing style, and a plot that will keep you guessing would like this book.

I chose to read this book because I like historical fiction of the period. I didn't realize it was about a gay lady struggling with her acceptance of her sexual orientation. It is not the subject matter I would normally read about.The best part was the Author's Afterward where he explained why and how he wrote the book. I give William Klaber kuddos for finding a real person to explore and research with whom he had a connection. The book was slow at times and I didn't identify strongly with any of the characters.

This would be a good read for someone interested in early gay rights and the evolution of women's rights.

Juliet's Nurse is a good commentary on life in Verona during trying times and the development of Angelica, Juliet's wet nurse. The book is well researched and historically accurate. I found myself revisiting the story of Romeo and Juliet to refresh my mind about the details of the lovers' lives. The development of Angelica and Juliet's relationship is believable and more compelling because we know what happens to her beloved Juliet. There could have been a few less bawdy details of her relationship with her husband and at times I got bogged down in her soliloquies about her feelings and thoughts but over all it was a good read. It inspired me to next read Lois Leveen's previous book The Secrets of Mary Bowser.

This is a very well researched depiction of an infamous London debtor's prison in 1727. A lot of intrigue and action is packed into a few days in the life of Tom Hawkins. The story continuously evolves and characters are introduced and then slowly developed. There are some surprises, especially at the end, and the book kept my interest. I don't usually read mysteries so I was intrigued with the way the murder is solved. I liked the historical notes at the beginning and end.

This is an excellent book for those interested in the legend of Dracula. The story is based on the historical record of the Bathory family from the 1600's in Slovakia and brought cleverly to present times. The characters are well developed and memorable. The castle setting is very descriptive and easy to imagine. It is not for the squeamish as descriptions of brutality are rather graphic. The interweaving of the past and present plots is expertly done and keeps you engrossed right to the very end of the book.

I seldom read historical fiction from this place and time period so was looking forward to a good adventure story with interesting details. I was disappointed somewhat. While it certainly tells about a great adventure for Katie, Syawa, and Hector I felt the characters were not wholly believable and the physiological interpretation of their feelings and thoughts was overdone. The story seemed to move rather slowly. The plot was good when the story progressed and there were some good twists and surprises. The book would be good for teenage girls because of the love story. Although the book is well researched anyone interested in details and history of this period would do better to find something else.

I would highly recommend The Scavenger's Daughters as a quick easy read that kept me engaged. The writing is clean and crisp and the glossary at the end with the meaning of the Chinese words is helpful. The descriptions of the girls and the goings on in the town made it easy for me to picture the scenes. I particularly was impressed with the description at the beginning of Benfu's background and it drew me into the story. Anyone who is interested in the Chinese Cultural Revolution would appreciate the the setting. The book is based on fact and offers an uplifting story of true love on many levels. I will look forward to reading Book 2 of the series.

The Sisterhood covers a long time period alternating between present and past. I enjoyed the historical parts and the interesting characters that were developed. Just as I thought it was bogging down a bit a new character or situation would be introduced. I was a little disappointed in the ending and wanted more detail of the main character's connection. Catholics would disagree with the premise of the "new" Gospel.

I chose to read Murder at Rosamund's Gate because I like historical fiction. I don't normally read mysteries but the murder mystery made it all the more intriguing. The descriptions of daily life in 17th Century England, Newgate Prison, the court proceedings, horrendous punishments, and the plague were rich and historically accurate. The characters were well developed and believable. I kept trying to guess who the murderer was but didn't figure it out until almost the end. This book is a good read and I look forward to more adventures of Lucy Campion.