Under a Painted Sky
By: Stacey Lee

Published: 2015

# of pages: 384

Challenge:  Monthly Motif, Full House

Official description: Missouri, 1849: Samantha dreams of moving back to New York to be a professional musician—not an easy thing if you’re a girl, and harder still if you’re Chinese. But a tragic accident dashes any hopes of fulfilling her dream, and instead, leaves her fearing for her life. With the help of a runaway slave named Annamae, Samantha flees town for the unknown frontier. But life on the Oregon Trail is unsafe for two girls, so they disguise themselves as Sammy and Andy, two boys headed for the California gold rush. Sammy and Andy forge a powerful bond as they each search for a link to their past, and struggle to avoid any unwanted attention. But when they cross paths with a band of cowboys, the light-hearted troupe turn out to be unexpected allies. With the law closing in on them and new setbacks coming each day, the girls quickly learn that there are not many places to hide on the open trail. This beautifully written debut is an exciting adventure and heart-wrenching survival tale. But above all else, it’s a story about perseverance and trust that will restore your faith in the power of friendship.

My opinion: I just loved this book!  It's a young adult and it isn't super realistic, but I absolutely loved the characters.  The author is an amazing writer.  I enjoyed the way she described what the characters were thinking as well as the settings.  I also found it refreshing to read a young adult novel that is also a historical fiction that takes place during a time that is not written about so much.

This met the requirement for January in the Monthly Motif Challenge and the "diversity" category of the Full House Challenge.  The main characters are Chinese and black (escaped slave) young women.

Why I gave this book 5/5 stars: Great characters, unique story, beautiful descriptions.  Not entirely realistic or complex, but that's okay for an uplifting young adult novel.

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The Storyteller
By: Jodi Picoult

Published: 2013

# of pages: 460

Official description: Sage Singer befriends an old man who's particularly beloved in her community. Josef Weber is everyone's favorite retired teacher and Little League coach. They strike up a friendship at the bakery where Sage works. One day he asks Sage for a favor: to kill him. Shocked, Sage refuses…and then he confesses his darkest secret - he deserves to die, because he was a Nazi SS guard. Complicating the matter? Sage's grandmother is a Holocaust survivor.
What do you do when evil lives next door? Can someone who's committed a truly heinous act ever atone for it with subsequent good behavior? Should you offer forgiveness to someone if you aren't the party who was wronged? And most of all - if Sage even considers his request - is it murder, or justice?

My opinion:  Someone asked me what I thought about this book and I said "I love it!  I mean, I don't love it.  It's hard to read."  And that sums it up for me.  The novel is so well written and I couldn't wait to see what happened next.  However, it's a Holocaust book so it is very hard to read.  There were a couple of times where I thought I'd just put the book down and not pick it up again.  It's honest, people.  Picoult doesn't sugar coat what the Jews who suffered during the Holocaust went through.

I really liked the character of Sage.  Her scars made her a unique character and I loved how naturally she grew over the course of the book.  I guessed what happened with Josef, but that didn't ruin anything for me.
Overall, I recommend this to adults who enjoy historical fiction, WWII fiction, and who are looking for a serious, well written book to read.


Why I gave this book 4/5 stars:  Well written, great characters, hard read, brutal descriptions.

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City of Women
By: David R. Gillham

Published: 2012

# of pages: 390

Official description:Whom do you trust, whom do you love, and who can be saved?  

It is 1943—the height of the Second World War—and Berlin has essentially become a city of women.Sigrid Schröder is, for all intents and purposes, the model German soldier’s wife: She goes to work every day, does as much with her rations as she can, and dutifully cares for her meddling mother-in-law, all the while ignoring the horrific immoralities of the regime. But behind this façade is an entirely different Sigrid, a woman who dreams of her former lover, now lost in the chaos of the war. Her lover is a Jew.
But Sigrid is not the only one with secrets. 
A high ranking SS officer and his family move down the hall and Sigrid finds herself pulled into their orbit.  A young woman doing her duty-year is out of excuses before Sigrid can even ask her any questions.  And then there’s the blind man selling pencils on the corner, whose eyes Sigrid can feel following her from behind the darkness of his goggles.
Soon Sigrid is embroiled in a world she knew nothing about, and as her eyes open to the reality around her, the carefully constructed fortress of solitude she has built over the years begins to collapse. She must choose to act on what is right and what is wrong, and what falls somewhere in the shadows between the two. In this page-turning novel, David Gillham explores what happens to ordinary people thrust into extraordinary times, and how the choices they make can be the difference between life and death.

My opinion: I liked the concept of the book.  I liked the subject matter, but I didn't like the main character. It's very depressing to read about married women having affairs.  I know not everyone is perfect and I'm not judging them, but it's depressing all the same.  I especially didn't like that the main character has an affair with a man who doesn't show love or respect for her.  He blatantly uses her and treats her rudely.

However, I did like the main character's transition from an average German citizen to someone whose eyes are opened and takes action.  It was also neat how the story ended, with all the characters working together.

I recommend this to those who enjoy historical fiction, WWII fiction, and people who aren't bothered by some crude sexual descriptions.


Why I gave this book 3/5 stars:  Neat setting, good character progression, inspiring in some ways.  Also depressing, with unsatisfying relationships between characters.

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The Postmistress
By: Sarah Blake

Published: 2010

# of pages: 336

Official description: In 1940, Iris James is the postmistress in coastal Franklin, Massachusetts. Iris knows more about the townspeople than she will ever say, and believes her job is to deliver secrets. Yet one day she does the unthinkable: slips a letter into her pocket, reads it, and doesn't deliver it. 
Meanwhile, Frankie Bard broadcasts from overseas with Edward R. Murrow. Her dispatches beg listeners to pay heed as the Nazis bomb London nightly. Most of the townspeople of Franklin think the war can't touch them. But both Iris and Frankie know better...
The Postmistress is a tale of two worlds-one shattered by violence, the other willfully naïve-and of two women whose job is to deliver the news, yet who find themselves unable to do so. Through their eyes, and the eyes of everyday people caught in history's tide, it examines how stories are told, and how the fact of war is borne even through everyday life.

My opinion:  Meh.  The separate characters' stories (Iris, Harry, Emma, Will, Frankie) didn't mesh well at all.  I read review that described it as sort of meandering and then petering out.  That's exactly how this novel is.  I understand that one of the points of the book is not knowing what happens outside the story...what happens on the edges.  Of course, the author claims she is writing this book to describe the edges of WWII, but I wondered if that's one reason she tapers off at the end without fully finishing or allowing the reader to understand all of the characters' thoughts.

I also don't really understand the significance of "The Postmistress."  And the intro really sucks, it makes it sound like the book is about something it's not about at all.


Why I gave this book 3/5 stars:  Not very well written, but it could be worse.  The middle part with the scenes of Jewish refugees traveling is very interesting.  The characters are hard to relate to and the entire book seemed pointless.


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The Light Between Oceans
By:  M.L. Stedman

Published:  2012

# of pages:  343

Quote:  "Isabel was squeezing the girl to her, sobbing at the touch of her, the legs fitting snugly around her waist and the head slotting automatically into the space beneath her chin, like the final piece of a jigsaw puzzle."  -p. 273

Official description:

After four harrowing years on the Western Front, Tom Sherbourne returns to Australia and takes a job as the lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, nearly half a day’s journey from the coast. To this isolated island, where the supply boat comes once a season and shore leaves are granted every other year at best, Tom brings a young, bold, and loving wife, Isabel. Years later, after two miscarriages and one stillbirth, the grieving Isabel hears a baby’s cries on the wind. A boat has washed up onshore carrying a dead man and a living baby. 
Tom, whose records as a lighthouse keeper are meticulous and whose moral principles have withstood a horrific war, wants to report the man and infant immediately. But Isabel has taken the tiny baby to her breast. Against Tom’s judgment, they claim her as their own and name her Lucy. When she is two, Tom and Isabel return to the mainland and are reminded that there are other people in the world. Their choice has devastated one of them. 
M. L. Stedman’s mesmerizing, beautifully written novel seduces us into accommodating Isabel’s decision to keep this “gift from God.” And we are swept into a story about extraordinarily compelling characters seeking to find their North Star in a world where there is no right answer, where justice for one person is another’s tragic loss. 
The Light Between Oceans is exquisite and unforgettable, a deeply moving novel.

My opinion:  "Deeply moving" describes this book perfectly.  I don't even know where to begin.  I don't even know how much I liked this book.  But I can say that I related to it.  I felt what the characters were feeling.  I made friends with Isabel, I was on her side.  I smiled, I cried.

Isabel goes through 2 miscarriages and a stillbirth.  Her first miscarriage occurred on May 31.  2 days after my own miscarriage.  She feels shame for not being able to carry a baby.  How I relate to that...

Years later she finally becomes a mother who can hold a baby in her arms.  But fate is against her, a ticking time bomb, it's a matter of time before it all explodes around her.

I was on Isabel's side, but really, there is definitely no right or wrong side in this story.  It's just like life.  It's not fair.  Someone is going to be hurt, no one deserves it.  I was just rooting for Isabel because she experienced something I've experienced and I understood when she felt betrayed and angry.  At the end, Isabel does have a choice, which is more than many people would receive her in situation.  She doesn't choose the way I would have chosen.  I wanted to scream at her.  I was crying so much at the end of this book, but I respect the ending even if I wasn't happy with it.

I do recommend this book to all adults, but with the warning that it will be a hard read for those who have experienced miscarriage and infant loss.  It will pull at the heartstrings of all mothers and make us all so thankful for our beautiful children.


Why I gave this book 4/5 stars:  Beautifully written, characters with depth, a hard read, one that made me cry and wasn't completely satisfying at the end.


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The Winter Sea
By: Susanna Kearsley
Published: 2008
# of pages: 527

Official description:  It is 2008 and Carrie McClelland can't hit the right note for her next novel, but an unplanned detour in Scotland, and a stop at the castle that inspired Count Dracula, sets her on a different path; a path that took her back in time exactly 300 years, to that same castle, and to a rebellion doomed to failure. Alternating between the contemporary setting and the past, The Winter Sea takes us at every turn into little known worlds; historical footnotes writ large, a history of Scotland and the Jacobite rebellion of 1708 and the possibility of genetic memory. Historical fiction at its best and Susanna Kearsley at hers, The Winter Sea evokes the writing of Thomas Raddall, Daphne Du Maurier, and Mary Stewart.

My opinion:  Wow! I didn't think I'd like this book much when I started it, but I ended up loving it. It's 2 books in one, and I love the way the author wove them together. I especially enjoyed the character of Sophia and the historical story line.  The time period of the historical story was neat.  I haven't read many books set in historic Scotland and although I've heard things about the Stewarts and the Union, I didn't know much, so this book was very educational for me.

Why I gave this book 5/5 stars: Well written, enjoyable characters, "what happens next?", I want to go to Scotland and see Slains Castle!

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One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd
By: Jim Fergus
Published: 1998
# of pages: 320

Official description: One Thousand White Women is the story of May Dodd and a colorful assembly of pioneer women who, under the auspices of the U.S. government, travel to the western prairies in 1875 to intermarry among the Cheyenne Indians. The covert and controversial "Brides for Indians" program, launched by the administration of Ulysses S. Grant, is intended to help assimilate the Indians into the white man's world. Toward that end May and her friends embark upon the adventure of their lifetime. Jim Fergus has so vividly depicted the American West that it is as if these diaries are a capsule in time.

My opinion:  I liked that the author re-wrote history (with an explanation at the beginning).  The "historic event" he chooses is original and interesting.  If only someone else could take the same idea and write a better novel!  I didn't like the main character, May Dodd, at all.  She was hard to relate to, but also didn't seem realistic at all.  It felt like she was a modern day woman, an unfeminine modern day woman, put back in the 1800s.  I'm sure there were liberal, unconventional women in 1875, but not like May Dodd was in this novel.  I can't imagine even a modern day woman reacting the way May reacts when placed in a completely different environment, culture, and people group who don't speak the same language.  She wasn't a realistic woman, and that's what the book is about.  The physical and mental journey of white women whose lives are turned upside down.

She blasts everyone whose viewpoint isn't like her own.  That also includes Christians and I felt like Fergus realized he'd been too harsh and then included a Christian character that May likes at the end.  The reader doesn't get to know that character well, so it was odd when he seemed to be an important character at the very end.  Once again, I just felt like it was an obvious way for Fergus to pacify anyone he may have offended.

Most of all, I felt that it would have been better if there had been a different ending.  Since Fergus was rewriting history, couldn't he have rewritten history?  I think that would have been really neat.


Why I gave this book 2/5 stars:  Original story, interesting (and hopefully accurate!) facts about the Cheyenne history and culture in the late 1800s, unbelievable main character, too many unrealistic viewpoints for that period of history.

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11/22/63


By: Stephen King

Published: 2011

# of pages:  849

Official description:On November 22, 1963, three shots rang out in Dallas, President Kennedy died, and the world changed forever.
If you had the chance to change the course of history, would you?Would the consequences be worth it?
Jake Epping is a thirty-five-year-old high school English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine, who makes extra money teaching adults in the GED program. He receives an essay from one of the students—a gruesome, harrowing first person story about the night 50 years ago when Harry Dunning’s father came home and killed his mother, his sister, and his brother with a hammer. Harry escaped with a smashed leg, as evidenced by his crooked walk.
Not much later, Jake’s friend Al, who runs the local diner, divulges a secret: his storeroom is a portal to 1958. He enlists Jake on an insane—and insanely possible—mission to try to prevent the Kennedy assassination. So begins Jake’s new life as George Amberson and his new world of Elvis and JFK, of big American cars and sock hops, of a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald and a beautiful high school librarian named Sadie Dunhill, who becomes the love of Jake’s life—a life that transgresses all the normal rules of time.

My opinion:  I have to rave for a second -- I love this book!!  Why did I love it?  I love the LOVE STORY.  I was surprised to find that in this book.  I expected it to be more like the other novels by King I've read, which are less personal.  What struck me most about the romance was how real it was.  It was beautiful and pure without being mushy.  I was trying to describe it to my husband.  I said, "If I told you specific things about the romance, it would sound hokey.  But that's the reason I liked it so much, it wasn't hokey."

And I love the setting in the late 50s/early 60s.  It was neat to read about life back then from the point of view of someone traveling there from 2011.  My favorite parts was when Jake described the food and drink.  It's neat to think about the fact that the food did taste better back then because most of it wasn't processed and filled with chemicals.  I was also amused at the descriptions of how predominant smoking was back then.  I can tell King is not a fan of smoking, which is great!  I think smokers reading the story will feel a little bad and hopefully rethink the habit for health reasons and to spare other people having to suffer the grossness.

There was a small part of the novel that referenced King's book, It.  I have never read It, but kinda sorta knew the basic plot and so recognized when the reference became a little more obvious (he talks about some characters from It).  I could tell the characters were significant when they were mentioned in 11/22/63.  I don't know if any of his other novels were referenced since I have only read Cell and Under the Dome before.

There was only one thing I didn't quite like, but it was minor compared to the novel as a whole.  I recommend this to lovers of sci-fi/time travel, fans of King, fans of historical fiction, and anyone who enjoys well written, detailed books. There is some bad language, but it's not overwhelming or used casually.

Why I gave this book 5/5 stars:  Well-written, detailed, touching love story, likeable characters.

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Sarah's Key

By: Tatiana de Rosnay

Published: 2008

# of pages: 293

Official description:

A New York Times bestseller. Paris, July 1942: Sarah, a ten year-old girl, is brutally arrested with her family by the French police in the Vel’ d’Hiv’ roundup, but not before she locks her younger brother in a cupboard in the family's apartment, thinking that she will be back within a few hours.

Paris, May 2002: On Vel’ d’Hiv’s 60th anniversary, journalist Julia Jarmond is asked to write an article about this black day in France's past. Through her contemporary investigation, she stumbles onto a trail of long-hidden family secrets that connect her to Sarah. Julia finds herself compelled to retrace the girl's ordeal, from that terrible term in the Vel d'Hiv', to the camps, and beyond. As she probes into Sarah's past, she begins to question her own place in France, and to reevaluate her marriage and her life.
Tatiana de Rosnay offers us a brilliantly subtle, compelling portrait of France under occupation and reveals the taboos and silence that surround this painful episode.

My opinion: I found this book to be horrifyingly haunting. I had never heard of the events of Vel d'Hiv' and what happened to the children afterwards. It's a shame that people have never heard of those particular events that took place during the Holocaust. It's so important to remember the victims of the Holocaust for multiple reasons. They deserve to be remembered and their deaths should serve as a warning for the future so that hopefully such things will never be repeated.

Why I gave this book 5/5 stars: Great historical fiction setting, unique storytelling, well-written

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The Sandalwood Tree

By: Elle Newmark

Published: 2011

# of pages: 357

Quote: "A few months later, we bathed our new son together. We inhaled his innocence, lathered the peach fuzz on his head, marveled at the perfect whorls of his tiny ears, his starfish hands, the tender flush on his round, wet, baby belly. Martin cupped one wee foot and growled, 'Arrgh-arrgh-arrgh. Oooh, I'm gonna eat him.' He kissed each pink toe. 'Oooh, he's delicious.' Afterward, we lay in bed chuckling at our newborn, who lay snoring like an old man. . . . I watched him sleep and wondered how anything could be so sweet. I thought I might die from insulin shock." -Evie, pg. 40

Official description:

A sweeping novel that brings to life two love stories, ninety years apart, set against the rich backdrop of war-torn India.

In 1947, American historian and veteran of WWII, Martin Mitchell, wins a Fulbright Fellowship to document the end of British rule in India. His wife, Evie, convinces him to take her and their young son along, hoping a shared adventure will mend their marriage, which has been strained by war.

But other places, other wars. Martin and Evie find themselves stranded in a colonial bungalow in the Himalayas due to violence surrounding the partition of India between Hindus and Muslims. In that house, hidden behind a brick wall, Evie discovers a packet of old letters, which tell a strange and compelling story of love and war involving two young Englishwomen who lived in the same house in 1857.

Drawn to their story, Evie embarks on a mission to piece together her Victorian mystery. Her search leads her through the bazaars and temples of India as well as the dying society of the British Raj. Along the way, Martin’s dark secret is exposed, unleashing a new wedge between Evie and him. As India struggles toward Independence, Evie struggles to save her marriage, pursuing her Victorian ghosts for answers.

Bursting with lavish detail and vivid imagery of Calcutta and beyond, The Sandalwood Tree is a powerful story about betrayal, forgiveness, fate, and love.

My opinion: I loved this book! I think Newmark did a great job with her descriptions of both the characters and the setting. I was especially impressed with her descriptions of motherhood from the viewpoint of a biological mother and a mother through adoption. Absolutely beautiful!

I was also intrigued with the story and the setting. It was interesting from an historic standpoint (British/Indian conflicts in both 1856 and 1947) and how the two story lines tie together. I definitely recommend to lovers of historical fiction and anyone looking for a well-written novel.

I can't help but post more of my favorite quotes from the book at the bottom of this post...

Why I gave this book 5/5 stars: Well-written, unique story, good pace, interesting setting.

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More quotes: "I spent most of the hour cajoling the children into letting me hug them. In the end, shy smiles turned into giggling fits, and eight pairs of enormous black eyes crinkled with mirth. They didn't learn Bs that day; it was much better than that." -pg. 189

"I held him under the kissing ball & when I pecked his tender cheek, he grabbed my hair to pull my face to his. It was the finest Christmas gift I have ever received." -pg. 308

Caleb's Crossing

By: Geraldine Brooks

Published: 2011

# of pages: 320

Official description:

Once again, Geraldine Brooks takes a remarkable shard of history and brings it to vivid life. In 1665, a young man from Martha's Vineyard became the first Native American to graduate from Harvard College. Upon this slender factual scaffold, Brooks has created a luminous tale of love and faith, magic and adventure.

The narrator of Caleb's Crossing is Bethia Mayfield, growing up in the tiny settlement of Great Harbor amid a small band of pioneers and Puritans. Restless and curious, she yearns after an education that is closed to her by her sex. As often as she can, she slips away to explore the island's glistening beaches and observe its native Wampanoag inhabitants. At twelve, she encounters Caleb, the young son of a chieftain, and the two forge a tentative secret friendship that draws each into the alien world of the other. Bethia's minister father tries to convert the Wampanoag, awakening the wrath of the tribe's shaman, against whose magic he must test his own beliefs. One of his projects becomes the education of Caleb, and a year later, Caleb is in Cambridge, studying Latin and Greek among the colonial elite. There, Bethia finds herself reluctantly indentured as a housekeeper and can closely observe Caleb's crossing of cultures.

Like Brooks's beloved narrator Anna in Year of Wonders, Bethia proves an emotionally irresistible guide to the wilds of Martha's Vineyard and the intimate spaces of the human heart. Evocative and utterly absorbing, Caleb's Crossing further establishes Brooks's place as one of our most acclaimed novelists.

My opinion: Excellent read! I'm a fan of Brooks, she writes great historical fiction. So I was excited about this book and it didn't disappoint me. I was impressed with the details that went into the setting, dialogue, and the historical facts. She writes an afterward that includes the research she did and what is fact and what is fiction in the book. It's neat that she used real characters, but changed some of their names. Historical fiction is my favorite genre (okay, so it's tied with fantasy!) and I recommend this to other fans of historical fiction.

All that said, this isn't making it to my favorites list. In order to be on my list, this book has to consume my every waking moment. I have to have a really hard time putting it down and after I do, I have to keep daydreaming about it, imagining myself in it, thinking about it, wanting to talk about it. This book wasn't like that for me. It's hard to completely relate to the characters, but it's supposed to be that way.

Why I gave this book 5/5 stars: Well written, interesting characters, emotionally swaying, unique & original story.

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The Oracle of Stamboul

By: Michael David Lukas

Published: 2011

# of pages: 320

Official description:

Ushered into the world by a mysterious pair of Tartar midwives late in the summer of 1877 in the town of Constanta on the Black Sea, Eleonora Cohen proves herself an extraordinarily gifted child—a prodigy—at a very young age. When she is eight years old, she stows away aboard a ship, following her carpet merchant father, Yakob, to the teeming and colorful imperial capital of Stamboul where a new life awaits her.

In the narrow streets of this city at the crossroads of the world, intrigue and gossip are currency, and people are not always what they seem. But it is only when she charms the eccentric Sultan Abdulhamid II—beleaguered by friend and foe as his unwieldy realm crumbles—that Eleonora will change the course of an empire.

My opinion: This is a very well written novel as far as the descriptions and settings go, but I'm not quite sure what to make of it. The whole thing seemed pointless. The characters were hard to relate to, which makes it difficult to become immersed in the book. I kept thinking there would be more, but there wasn't. What was the climax? I don't know. The ending was disappointing. Not the actions of the characters, just that there wasn't more before the ending to satisfy me.

However, as I told my grandmother (who also just finished reading it), it was neat to see the references to other works of literature. I only wish that the main "novel" (The Hourglass) that is quoted in the book was real!

Why I gave this book 3/5 stars: Well written as far as wording and grammar, but not as far as the content and character development.

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Shanghai Girls

By: Lisa See

Series: Shanghai Girls (Sisters Pearl and May), Book 1

Published: 2009

# of pages: 309

Quote: "I focus my eyes on my jade bracelet. . . it is an object that ties me to the past, to people and places that are gone forever. Its continued perfection serves as a physical reminder to keep living, to look to the future, to cherish what I have. It reminds me to endure. I'll live one morning after another, one step after another, because my will to continue is so strong." -Pearl pg. 232

Official description:

In 1937 Shanghai—the Paris of Asia—twenty-one-year-old Pearl Chin and her younger sister, May, are having the time of their lives. Both are beautiful, modern, and carefree—until the day their father tells them that he has gambled away their wealth. To repay his debts, he must sell the girls as wives to suitors who have traveled from Los Angeles to find Chinese brides. As Japanese bombs fall on their beloved city, Pearl and May set out on the journey of a lifetime, from the Chinese countryside to the shores of America. Though inseparable best friends, the sisters also harbor petty jealousies and rivalries. Along the way they make terrible sacrifices, face impossible choices, and confront a devastating, life-changing secret, but through it all the two heroines of this astounding new novel hold fast to who they are—Shanghai girls.

My opinion: This is a tragic book, a lot of terrible things happen to Pearl and May. However, I still enjoyed it and couldn't put it down. I related to Pearl and her thoughts and feelings. All of the tragedies add up to an adventure that is hard for modern Americans to comprehend, but that's part of what makes it so hard to stop reading.

I was impressed with See's storytelling and the obvious research she did for the historic aspects of the novel. I like reading about this time period (WWII and the surrounding years) from another point of view. A few months ago I read Snow Falling on Cedars, a book that is written from the view point of Japanese Americans. I learned so much from that book and now even more from Shanghai Girls, which taught me about how the war and politics affected Chinese immigrants and Chinese Americans.

I also liked how See brings together both Pearl's and May's opinions and ways of interpreting everything that happened to them at the end. I'm glad there's a sequel to the story because otherwise I'd be unhappy with the ending! Dreams of Joy was released in May 2011, I'm on a LONG waiting list for it at the library!

Why I gave this book 4/5 stars: Well written, realistic characters, interesting story & setting. However, very graphic - violence & sex. It may be too much for readers who are sensitive about these subjects or who have been sexually abused.

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Names I loved from the book:
Pearl
Gordon

My Dear I Wanted to Tell You

By: Louisa Young

Published: 2011

# of pages: 336

Official description:
The lives of two very different couples are irrevocably intertwined and forever changed in this stunning World War I epic of love and war.

From the day in 1907 that eleven-year-old Riley Purefoy meets Nadine Waveney, daughter of a well-known orchestral conductor, he takes in the difference between their two families: his, working-class; hers, "posh" and artistic. Just a few years later, romance and these differences erupt simultaneously with the war in Europe. In a fit of fury and boyish pride, Riley enlists in the army and finds himself involved in the transformative nightmare of the twentieth century.

While Riley and his commanding officer, Peter Locke, fight for their country and their survival in the trenches of Flanders, Peter's lovely and naive wife, Julia, and his cousin Rose eagerly await his return. But the sullen, distant man who arrives home on leave is not the Peter they knew. Worried that her husband is slipping away, Julia is left alone with her fears when Rose joins the nursing corps to work with a pioneering plastic surgeon treating wounded and disfigured soldiers.

Only eighteen at the outbreak of the war, Nadine and Riley want to make promises to each other—but how can they when their future is out of their hands? Youthful passion is on their side, but then their loyalty is tested by terrible injury, and even more so by the necessarily imperfect rehabilitation that follows.

Moving among Ypres, London, and Paris, this emotionally rich and evocative novel is both a powerful exploration of the lasting effects of war on those who fight—and those who don't—and a poignant testament to the power of enduring love.

My opinion:
I was a little disturbed during the first part of this novel. I didn't like it until almost halfway through. I considered putting it down, but stuck with it. I'm glad I did! If you can read through the bad language (did people really use the "f-word" that much in casual conversation during the WWI era??), it turns into a thought provoking story.

I didn't like the characters at first, but when tragedy strikes they all either responded admirably or sympathetically...or both. I found myself really involved and caring whether or not the characters could make it through the war.

I found myself comparing this book to The Gargoyle, which is one of my favorite books. I suppose I like books that really make me think about the importance of physical appearance on relationships. I also liked the fact that one of the major things that happens to Riley at the beginning of the book and that haunts him throughout his military career ends up not being a big deal in the face of near death and the trauma he goes through. And he realizes that.

Why I gave this book 4/5 stars:
Well written, thought provoking story, but not the greatest characters and the story was a little disjointed (plus, the bad language didn't seem necessary).

Other reviews:
Bookfoolery and Babble

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The Heretic's Daughter

Peony in Love

Five Quarters of the Orange
by: Joanne Harris

Challenges: What's in a Name?

Published: 2001

# of pages: 307


I randomly chose this from a recommended books list on librarything.com because it has a food in its title and works for the What's in a Name? 3 challenges. It wasn't until I started reading it that I noticed it's by the "New York Times bestselling author of Chocolat." I read Chocolat a couple of years ago and enjoyed it. Once I noticed Five Quarters of the Orange is by the same author, I saw the similarities between this novel and Chocolat. The similarities are very obvious at the beginning (single mother who loves to cook - especially desserts, opens her own cafe in a small French town, is mysterious, befriends an "outcast" man....). However, the story quickly becomes its own and the reader is soon wrapped up in the mystery that the main character, Framboise, tells.

The story is about Framboise, a woman in her 60s who returns to the town of her childhood. The only thing is - no one knows its her. She keeps her identity a secret as she lives in the house she grew up in, restores the farm, and opens her own cafe in town. Framboise tells the story of her childhood and the story of her more recent past after she returns to her childhood home. The reader begins to see how the two time lines connect and exactly why Framboise is keeping her name and personal history a secret.

Framboise grew up with her widowed mother (Framboise's father was killed in WWII), her brother Cassis, and her sister Reine-Claude. Framboise's mother loves cooking. And that may just be the only thing she loves in Framboise's childish eyes. The mother suffers debilitating headaches that are preceded by the smell of oranges. Oranges are the one thing she fears and Framboise picks up on this and uses it against her mother at the age of 9.

The child Framboise is feisty, wild, confused, and bitter. She's starting to grow up and doesn't have any help. She turns to a German man, one of many soldiers occupying the town. She is influenced and guided by him to help spy on the residents of the town. She receives gifts for her work (such as oranges), but the most valuable gift he gives her is what she perceives as friendship.

The woman Framboise is hard working and open minded. She is afraid the past will take over, but is determined to stay in control. Her daughters no longer live with her and she wants more than anything to protect them from the dark secrets of her past. One of the things later in the book that is similar to Chocolat is the threat of her cafe's business being taken away. Not because she is a "heathen," but because someone has found out her secret...

I didn't think I'd enjoy this at first, even though it seemed similar to Chocolat. It actually frustrates me to read books that are really similar. However, this had more "action" in it. More mystery. It's darker than Chocolat. I recommend this to adults who are fans of Harris' other novels, who enjoy "dramatic mysteries," WWII novels, historical fiction.... There's some bad language, so it may not be appropriate for young adults, but it isn't enough to ruin the novel and make it unenjoyable for adults.



Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane
by: Katherine Howe

Published: 2009

# of pages: 384


I have to admit, I was disappointed in this book. I waited on it to become available in the library system for months. I had skimmed through some reviews and seen it on several TBR lists and it was obviously a popular book at the library! However, there were a few things I didn't like about the book in spite of how original the storyline was and the interesting content (Salem Witch Trials).

The book's main character is Connie, a graduate student who spends the summer cleaning out her grandmother's abandoned house while she should be searching for the perfect thesis subject. While in Salem, she discovers clues about a physick book that belonged to a woman named Deliverance Dane. Connie also discovers romance and evil and it all jumbles together and Connie has to sort it all out. Obviously the book becomes the subject of her thesis...she just has to find it first!

The story alternates between Connie in modern Salem and other characters from the past, including the years surrounding the Salem Witch Trials. It's interesting how it all ties together, although it sure takes Connie long enough to connect all the dots!

So the story is neat! However, Connie's character annoyed the heck out of me. Seriously, how is that I know more about the history of colonial America than she does, a grad student studying that period of history!? The girl acts clueless about what I am pretty sure is common knowledge among anyone interested in history. I know about that stuff and I haven't even studied American history in depth. Also, at the end there's a pretty important job she performs and yet she completely neglects a major part of the preparation until it's too late. Then she's like, "oh, whoops. I forgot about that part." I mean, there was a lot at stake, how could you miss such a major part?? You'd think it would have at least crossed her mind at some point. She was pretty ditsy several times throughout the novel as she investigates the clues to the physick book's whereabouts. And a lot of it was common sense.

I suppose the story is very predictable as well. That didn't bother me as much, but Connie's lack of perception made it worse. I did enjoy the historic flashbacks that occurred. I thought those characters and their actions were cleverly written. It's just too bad that the same can't be said for the main character.

So, I recommend this to adults who are interested in historical fiction and/or the Witch Trials. This is a unique view on that event, whether or not you like the character of Connie.


Other reviews:
Bookfoolery and Babble
book-a-rama
Dolce Bellezza

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

The Historian
by: Elizabeth Kostova

Published: 2005

# of pages: 720


I didn't know what to expect from this book, but I was pleased with what I discovered. This is a great classic vampire book. It isn't filled with sexuality and bad language, it's just a good suspense novel that is also a unique historical fiction book.

The story is crazy with the many different characters and how the time line jumps back and forth. However, the main character and narrator is a 16 year old girl who discovers a strange book in her father's library. After that, her life is never the same as she learns about her father's strange past that includes mystery, love, adventure, and vampires.

The book centers around Dracula and includes a lot of historical facts about the man the character Dracula is based on. The book has several settings - including America, Amsterdam, Britain, Istanbul, Romania, and Bulgaria. I wonder how many of the things mentioned in the book are true (like about the search for Dracula's tomb, historical events, etc). I also wonder how many of the places are real. Maybe they are all real, I'll have to do more research to figure it out.

The book refers to the novel Dracula by Bram Stoker regularly, so that may be worth reading before picking up this novel, but isn't necessary to read first. I also thought it was interesting that the novel Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy was briefly referred to, but once again, it isn't necessary to read that to understand the reference.

This is a very long book, but it mostly held my attention. I have to admit, in the 3rd quarter of the book I became a little bogged down. However, it may have been because I only had time to read it in short spurts. Maybe it wouldn't have dragged if I could have devoted longer periods of time to reading it. It was definitely worth continuing to read it though and I highly recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction and/or the vampire genre.


Other reviews:
book-a-rama


Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
by: Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Published: 2008

# of pages: 274

Quote: "I knew that all children were gruesome, but I don't know whether I'm supposed to encourage them in it. I'm afraid to ask Sophie if Dead Bride is too morbid a game for a four-year-old. If she says yes, we'll have to stop playing, and I don't want to stop. I love Dead Bride.
So many questions arise when you are spending your days with a child. For instance, if one likes to cross one's eyes a lot, might they get stuck that way forever - or is that a rumor?" -Juliet to Sidney pg. 175


Great book! It's very well written and interesting, especially for lovers of literature and writing. What stuck out the most to me was how unique this book is. I've never read anything like it. I had never heard of the island of Guernsey and never heard of the Channel Islands and what life was like there during the German occupation during WWII. The entire book was an interesting view of WWII, one that is made even better by the variety of characters and their different experiences.

The book is completely written in the form of letters. Most of the letters are from or to Juliet Ashton. She is a writer in London in the 1940s who receives a letter from a random man on the island of Guernsey. Little does she know, but that is the beginning of multiple correspondences and friendships that she forms with an entire group of people on Guernsey. This group of friends accidentally started a literary society during the German occupation. While most of the members had never read books for pleasure before, they all discovered a love of literature that reflected their personalities. Juliet is intrigued and decides to learn more.

It took me a little while to really get into the book, mainly because I'm not usually fond of the letter format in novels. However, the second half of the book grabbed my attention and I fell in love with the characters. Juliet's letters are full of humor, there were several times where I laughed out loud. The novel has a little of everything - adventure, mystery, romance, humor... I definitely recommend it to all adults, especially if you are interested in the WWII era, literature, or historical fiction in general. Some older young adults may also enjoy this, but it may be a little intense, plus there is some mild bad language.

Let me know what you thought of this book if you've read it! And I can imagine that this may be made into a movie someday...what would you think about that?


Other Reviews:
Booknotes by Lisa
Dolce Bellezza
BookBound

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.