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Published on Leave a comment on Jackie and Maria
Jackie and Maria Book Cover Jackie and Maria
Gill Paul
Historical Fiction
William Morrow
August 18, 2020
Paperback
480
Free from publisher

The President's Wife; a Glamorous Superstar; the rivalry that shook the world...

Jackie Kennedy was beautiful, sophisticated, and contemplating leaving her ambitious young senator husband. Life in the public eye with an overly ambitious--and unfaithful―man who could hardly be coaxed to return from a vacation after the birth of a stillborn child was breaking her spirit. So when she's offered a holiday on the luxurious yacht owned by billionaire Ari Onassis, she says yes...to a meeting that will ultimately change her life.

Maria Callas is at the height of her operatic career and widely considered to be the finest soprano in the world. And then she's introduced to Aristotle Onassis, the world’s richest man and her fellow Greek. Stuck in a childless, sexless marriage, and with pressures on all sides from opera house managers and a hostile press, she finds her life being turned upside down by this hyper-intelligent and impeccably charming man...

Little by little, Maria’s and Jackie’s lives begin to overlap, and they come closer and closer until everything they know about the world changes on a dime.

My review:

Going into this book, I had a rudimentary knowledge of Jackie Kennedy, both before and after her marriage to Aristotle Onassis, but knew little to nothing about the famous opera singer Maria Callas. This book was an enlightening account of both women;  their lives, their rise to fame, and their heartbreak. I definitely learned a lot, even about Jackie, although with this being historical fiction I would take it with a grain of salt (and the authors notes at the end are a must read to understand the factual context). I thought it was also imperative that you keep in mind the era when this book takes place, because if it was today, I would have thrown it across the room if either of these women didn't put that cad Ari in his place (and JFK too while we are at it!). It also sheds an interesting light on Jackie's sister Lee, who spent her whole life feeling second best to her high profile sister, and leaves us to decide how much of what she does can be excused by that? While I knew much of the political parts of Jackie's life, I loved the exploration of Maria's opera life, and all that entails. Of all the characters in the story, I think I felt the most for Maria, although the same could not be said if she was living in today's world (kick that creep to the curb girl, you can do so much better 🙂 ). As far as readability, it was well done, and the historical afterword and what happened next at the end were the perfect finish.

An enjoyable look at two women famous in their own right, who end up involved with the same man (who, did I mention, is a cad?). Their stories are fascinating and make for good reading, especially for historical fiction fans or those with an interest in either of these women.

Published on Leave a comment on The Exiles
The Exiles Book Cover The Exiles
Christina Baker Kline
Fiction
William Morrow
August 25, 2020
Advanced reader copy
384
Free from publisher

Seduced by her employer’s son, Evangeline, a naïve young governess in early nineteenth-century London, is discharged when her pregnancy is discovered and sent to the notorious Newgate Prison. After months in the fetid, overcrowded jail, she learns she is sentenced to “the land beyond the seas,” Van Diemen’s Land, a penal colony in Australia. Though uncertain of what awaits, Evangeline knows one thing: the child she carries will be born on the months-long voyage to this distant land.

During the journey on a repurposed slave ship, the Medea, Evangeline strikes up a friendship with Hazel, a girl little older than her former pupils who was sentenced to seven years transport for stealing a silver spoon. Canny where Evangeline is guileless, Hazel -- a skilled midwife and herbalist – is soon offering home remedies to both prisoners and sailors in return for a variety of favors.

Though Australia has been home to Aboriginal people for more than 50,000 years, the British government in the 1840s considers its fledgling colony uninhabited and unsettled, and views the natives as an unpleasant nuisance. By the time the Medea arrives, many of them have been forcibly relocated, their land seized by white colonists. One of these relocated people is Mathinna, the orphaned daughter of the Chief of the Lowreenne tribe, who has been adopted by the new governor of Van Diemen’s Land.

In this gorgeous novel, Christina Baker Kline brilliantly recreates the beginnings of a new society in a beautiful and challenging land, telling the story of Australia from a fresh perspective, through the experiences of Evangeline, Hazel, and Mathinna. While life in Australia is punishing and often brutally unfair, it is also, for some, an opportunity: for redemption, for a new way of life, for unimagined freedom. Told in exquisite detail and incisive prose, The Exiles is a story of grace born from hardship, the unbreakable bonds of female friendships, and the unfettering of legacy.

My review:

I have really enjoyed this author in the past, so was excited when offered a chance to read an early copy of this one (thank you William Morrow!). I will admit to feeling a bit nervous after reading the synopsis. I'm not a huge fan of books taking place before the early 1900's, and this one is 1840. Knowing that this author has never let me down, I dug in, and am so glad I did! The synopsis above gives a really good rundown on the major plot points of the book, so I won't rehash that part. What jumps off the page is how awful it was to be a woman during this time! Yikes, these women (girls really) were treated horribly, and yet the overall theme of the book is how they persevered despite all odds. So while it's a sad book, it also has many hopeful parts, and such wonderful friendships formed amid turmoil and strife. The characters were so well formed that they leapt off the page, and the setting was detailed and brought you into that space and time. The ending was a bit sappy for my taste, but my readers know that I'm a curmudgeon when it comes to too tidy endings 🙂

A tribute to the power of women and their friendships, I think this one is a must for your to read shelf.

Published on Leave a comment on The Dazzling Truth
The Dazzling Truth Book Cover The Dazzling Truth
Helen Cullen
Fiction
Graydon House Books
August 18, 2020
Advanced reader copy
384
Free from publisher

One Irish family. Three decades. One dazzling story.

In the courtyards of Trinity College, Dublin, in 1978, aspiring actress Maeve meets pottery student Murtagh Moone. As their relationship progresses, marriage and motherhood come in quick succession, but for Maeve, with the joy of children also comes the struggle to hold on to the truest parts of herself.

Decades later, on a small Irish island, the Moone family are poised for celebration but instead are struck by tragedy. Each family member must find solace in their own separate way, until one dazzling truth brings them back together. But as the Moone family confront the past, they also journey toward a future that none of them could have predicted. Except perhaps Maeve herself.

My review:

This book was a bit up and down for me. There were things that I loved, and things that niggled at me. First the good. This story takes place on a remote Irish island, and I found the descriptions of the land and seasons to be beautiful. While I personally would never want to live in such a place, I love to read about them! It's not a very long book, but I felt that in about 300 pages we got a good sense of most of the characters. The main focus of the book is on Maeve, who has mental illness that none of the family really confronts (more on that later). That part of the story definitely tugged on my heartstrings, both for Maeve and for the rest of the family. There was also some lovely descriptions of Murtagh's pottery work which I found delightful to read about.

Here's where things went a bit south for me. This book starts in 1978 when Maeve and Murtagh meet, and progresses through the early 2000's. Seeing that this didn't take place in the early part of the 1900's, I was frustrated that no one in the family insisted that Maeve get treatment for her mental illness. I'm sure that it must have been available at that time. I know that she was resistant, but given the end result, why didn't her family (especially her husband) talk about it more? I guess these are ongoing questions that relate to all of the problems with getting people to accept help today, so maybe that was the author's intent? It did bother me enough to take away from my full engagement with the family. Also, so much is made of the great love story between Maeve and Murtagh (which was believable) that the ending seemed kind of out there (no spoilers, but you'll know what I mean).

Overall this is a story set in a beautiful place, with a family coming to grips with the effects mental illness has on their wife/mother. A solid read despite my personal misgivings on a couple minor points.

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Published on 1 Comment on Little Disasters
Little Disasters Book Cover Little Disasters
Sarah Vaughan
Fiction
Atria
August 18, 2020
Advanced reader copy
432
Free from publisher

A new thought-provoking novel exploring the complexity of motherhood and all that connects and disconnects us.

You think you know her…but look a little closer.

She is a stay-at-home mother-of-three with boundless reserves of patience, energy, and love. After being friends for a decade, this is how Liz sees Jess.

Then one moment changes everything.

Dark thoughts and carefully guarded secrets surface—and Liz is left questioning everything she thought she knew about her friend, and about herself. The truth can’t come soon enough.

My review:

This author is another one of the myriad out there who have switched into writing more thrillers than drama. While both of her thrillers have been very good, I can't help but compare them to the first book of hers that I read, The Art of Baking Blind, which I gave 5 stars to.

So onto this book......an interesting take on the not so bright side of motherhood. Anyone who is a mother can likely relate to those times when your child just won't stop crying, or is a handful in many other ways. How that is handled is at the root of this story. Liz is a pediatrician who is called to the ER when her friend Jess' baby is brought in. Upon discovering that the child has a fractured skull, Liz has no other choice than to call in social services, even though she knows Jess is the perfect mother to her three children. The book progresses from there, with everyone questioning not only the mothering skills of Jess, but their own, and even those of their own mothers. It's a really well constructed story, bringing up topics like post partum depression, anxiety, friendship, mental illness, forgiveness, and guilt. Of course there are secrets that come out as the novel progresses, and revelations about many of the mothers. This was a solid four star read for me until something is revealed at the very end, which annoyed me so much that I had to scale my rating back. I felt that is was so out of left field that it was ridiculous, and totally unnecessary to be included for the conclusion to have worked.

I would categorize this as more of a family drama then a thriller (I think thriller fans will find it a tad slow for their liking). I thought it was an excellent portrayal of how hard being a mother is, and how easy it is to not recognize signs that someone may need help.

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Published on 2 Comments on The Lions of Fifth Avenue
The Lions of Fifth Avenue Book Cover The Lions of Fifth Avenue
Fiona Davis
Fiction
Dutton
August 4, 2020
Hardcover
368
Purchased

It's 1913, and on the surface, Laura Lyons couldn't ask for more out of life--her husband is the superintendent of the New York Public Library, allowing their family to live in an apartment within the grand building, and they are blessed with two children. But headstrong, passionate Laura wants more, and when she takes a leap of faith and applies to the Columbia Journalism School, her world is cracked wide open. As her studies take her all over the city, she finds herself drawn to Greenwich Village's new bohemia, where she discovers the Heterodoxy Club--a radical, all-female group in which women are encouraged to loudly share their opinions on suffrage, birth control, and women's rights. Soon, Laura finds herself questioning her traditional role as wife and mother. But when valuable books are stolen back at the library, threatening the home and institution she loves, she's forced to confront her shifting priorities head on . . . and may just lose everything in the process.

Eighty years later, in 1993, Sadie Donovan struggles with the legacy of her grandmother, the famous essayist Laura Lyons, especially after she's wrangled her dream job as a curator at the New York Public Library. But the job quickly becomes a nightmare when rare manuscripts, notes, and books for the exhibit Sadie's running begin disappearing from the library's famous Berg Collection. Determined to save both the exhibit and her career, the typically risk-adverse Sadie teams up with a private security expert to uncover the culprit. However, things unexpectedly become personal when the investigation leads Sadie to some unwelcome truths about her own family heritage--truths that shed new light on the biggest tragedy in the library's history.

My review:

In typical Fiona Davis fashion, this story follows women in two different time periods. In this case it is 1913 and 1993. Sadie is the modern day protagonist, and Laura (her grandmother) is the woman who lived in the apartment located within the New York public library. What I love about Davis' books is the little known facts you learn about iconic NYC buildings. Who knew there was an apartment  inside the library, and that the famous lion statues out front originally had different names? Along with a fabulous story about missing books, you will glean little tidbits about the library, as well as the Heterodoxy club, a female group with an agenda well before its time. What was most interesting to me about this book is that in previous books I was usually drawn more into the storyline of one time period, but not with this one. I loved Laura and Sadie's stories, and found them both captivating. Laura was certainly a woman before her time, and I loved that she tried so hard to balance her career and homelife back in 1913, a true pioneer of the women's movement! The mystery of the missing books was a fun one to follow, even if the resolution may have been a tad unbelievable.

Definitely recommend this one, especially if you are drawn to famous NYC architecture, priceless manuscripts, bookish places, and mysteries. Not to mention some kick butt women from the early 20th century!

Published on Leave a comment on Behind the Red Door
Behind the Red Door Book Cover Behind the Red Door
Megan Collins
Fiction
Atria Books
August 4, 2020
Hardcover
320
Free from publisher

When Fern Douglas sees the news about Astrid Sullivan, a thirty-four-year-old missing woman from Maine, she is positive that she knows her. Fern’s husband is sure it’s because of Astrid’s famous kidnapping—and equally famous return—twenty years ago, but Fern has no memory of that, even though it happened an hour outside her New Hampshire hometown. And when Astrid appears in Fern’s recurring nightmare, one in which a girl reaches out to her, pleading, Fern fears that it’s not a dream at all, but a memory.

Back home in New Hampshire, Fern purchases a copy of Astrid’s recently published memoir—which may have provoked her original kidnapper to abduct her again—and as she reads through its chapters and visits the people and places within it, she discovers more evidence that she has an unsettling connection to the missing woman. As Fern’s search becomes increasingly desperate, she hopes to remember her past so she can save Astrid in the present…before it’s too late.

My review:

2.5 stars

What an interesting premise this story has! A woman kidnapped and released as a young girl, gets kidnapped again twenty years later when her memoir of her ordeal is published. Is it the same person trying to silence her? That's the obvious answer, and the main protagonist, who thinks she may have insight into the original crime, tries to piece things together. This is a fast read, and it flows well. There are excerpts interspersed from the kidnapped woman's memoir, which are used to move the story along as Astrid makes connections to how she relates to this girl. It also touches on subjects like emotional parental abuse, anxiety, religious indoctrination, and fertility, being among them. I did have some major issues with the book, even as I flew through it to reach the conclusion. I don't consider myself a super sleuth (I almost never figure these thrillers out), but I had this one figured out so early! I also thought Astrid's recall of events was rather sudden, given that we are told she has a therapist. And the one twist I didn't have figured out was disappointing, and gave me a whole different opinion of the characters. I can't give anymore away without ruining the plot, so I'm intentionally being vague 🙂

This was a fast paced thriller that I think would be perfect for readers who don't engage with a lot of this genre. Those who read lots of it may still like it, but certainly will have it figured out, which may or may not effect your enjoyment.

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Published on 1 Comment on The Weekend
The Weekend Book Cover The Weekend
Charlotte Wood
Fiction
Riverhead Books
August 4, 2020
Advanced reader copy
272
Publisher via Edelweiss

Three women in their seventies reunite for one last, life-changing weekend
in the beach house of their late friend.

Four older women have a lifelong friendship of the best kind: loving, practical, frank, and steadfast. But when Sylvie dies, the ground shifts dangerously for the remaining three.

They are Jude, a once-famous restaurateur; Wendy, an acclaimed public intellectual; and Adele, a renowned actress now mostly out of work. Struggling to recall exactly why they've remained close all these years, the grieving women gather at Sylvie's old beach house--not for festivities this time, but to clean it out before it is sold. Can they survive together without her?

Without Sylvie to maintain the group's delicate equilibrium, frustrations build and painful memories press in. Fraying tempers, an elderly dog, unwelcome guests and too much wine collide in a storm that brings long-buried hurts to the surface--and threatens to sweep away their friendship for good.

The Weekend explores growing old and growing up, and what happens when we're forced to uncover the lies we tell ourselves. Sharply observed and excruciatingly funny, this is a jewel of a book: a celebration of tenderness and friendship from an award-winning writer.

My review:

A huge shoutout to the author for writing a book where the protagonists are three women in their 70's, that are not named Eleanor or Britt-Marie (although I did love both of those books as well!). The women gather with their friend at her beach cottage every Christmas (it's set in Australia, hence it is summer there), but this year Sylvie has died, and so the remaining three must clean out her cottage so it can be sold. The book really focuses on what happens when the linchpin of a group is no longer there. It also explores ageism, mortality, strong personalities, and of course a big secret that comes to light. I also have to mention the beloved old dog that one woman brings along. If you are a dog lover, this part of the story will tear at your heartstrings!  While I felt that the women were a bit stereotyped, and could have been developed more, I did enjoy the story which as the title implies takes place over the course of a weekend. A rather quick read that flows well, and has characters in my age range (yay!).

Ultimately this one is a story about the long lasting power of women and friendship, and the effect it can have when one member is taken away. And did I mention there is a lovable old dog?

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Published on 2 Comments on Universe of Two
Universe of Two Book Cover Universe of Two
Stephen P. Kiernan
Fiction
HarperCollins
August 4, 2020
Advanced reader copy
448
Borrowed

Graduating from Harvard at the height of World War II, brilliant mathematician Charlie Fish is assigned to the Manhattan Project. Working with some of the age’s greatest scientific minds, including J. Robert Oppenheimer, Enrico Fermi, and Leo Szilard, Charlie is assigned the task of designing and building the detonator of the atomic bomb.

As he performs that work Charlie suffers a crisis of conscience, which his wife, Brenda—unaware of the true nature of Charlie’s top-secret task—mistakes as self-doubt. She urges him to set aside his qualms and continue. Once the bombs strike Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the feelings of culpability devastate him and Brenda.

At the war’s end, Charlie receives a scholarship to pursue a PhD in physics at Stanford—an opportunity he and Brenda hope will allow them a fresh start. But the past proves inescapable. All any of his new colleagues can talk about is the bomb, and what greater atomic weapons might be on the horizon. Haunted by guilt, Charlie and Brenda leave Stanford and decide to dedicate the rest of their lives to making amends for the evil he helped to birth into the world.

Based on the life of the actual mathematician Charles B. Fisk, Universe of Two combines riveting historical drama with a poignant love story. Stephen Kiernan has conjured a remarkable account of two people struggling to heal their consciences and find peace in a world forever changed.

My review:

3.5 stars

Such an interesting historical fiction account of one man's part in the making of the Atomic bomb. Based on the life of a real mathematician, the book alternates chapters between Charlie's work life, and his eventual wife Brenda. Starting out in Chicago, then moving to Los Alamos, we are given a fascinating look at how each person building the bomb was given a task to complete, all the while none of them was privy to what they were actually creating. Charlie eventually has his theories, and they begin to tear him apart emotionally. Brenda, who starts off as not the most likable person, follows Charlie to New Mexico where she waits patiently for letters and once weekly visits from Charlie. Music has always played an important role in her life, and she continues along this path as she tries to assuage Charlie's fears and misgivings. The writing was fluid, the research impeccable, and the characters relatable. I would have liked to see a faster progression to the bomb detonation, and a bit more time spent on how the couple dealt with the aftermath, but I guess that shows how invested I was in what happened to this couple. Taking it too far out from the end of the war would have made the author have to take way more liberties in not keeping the historical perspective which was likely not his aim. 

A fascinating look at the making of the atomic bomb from one man's perspective, and an unusual love story which is probably way more common in that time period than we think. A different twist on WWII that I think most readers will enjoy. 

Published on Leave a comment on Florence Adler Swims Forever






Florence Adler Swims Forever Book Cover




Florence Adler Swims Forever





Rachel Beanland




Fiction




Simon & Schuster




July 7, 2020




Hardcover




320




Purchased



Over the course of one summer that begins with a shocking tragedy, three generations of the Adler family grapple with heartbreak, romance, and the weight of family secrets in this stunning debut novel. Every summer, Esther and Joseph Adler rent their house out to vacationers escaping to “America’s Playground” and move into the small apartment above their bakery. Despite the cramped quarters, this is the apartment where they raised their two daughters, Fannie and Florence, and it always feels like home. Now Florence has returned from college, determined to spend the summer training to swim the English Channel, and Fannie, pregnant again after recently losing a baby, is on bedrest for the duration of her pregnancy. After Joseph insists they take in a mysterious young woman whom he recently helped emigrate from Nazi Germany, the apartment is bursting at the seams. Esther only wants to keep her daughters close and safe but some matters are beyond her control: there’s Fannie’s risky pregnancy—not to mention her always-scheming husband, Isaac—and the fact that the handsome heir of a hotel notorious for its anti-Semitic policies, seems to be in love with Florence. When tragedy strikes, Esther makes the shocking decision to hide the truth—at least until Fannie’s baby is born—and pulls the family into an elaborate web of secret-keeping and lies, bringing long-buried tensions to the surface that reveal how quickly the act of protecting those we love can turn into betrayal. Based on a true story, Beanland’s family saga is a breathtaking portrait of just how far we will go to in order to protect our loved ones and an uplifting portrayal of how the human spirit can endure—and even thrive—after tragedy.

My review:

I'm a sucker for family dramas, and this story fit the bill perfectly! Taking place in Atlantic City in the summer of 1934, we follow a family with lots of secrets, one of which is a whopper! Florence Adler drowns in the Atlantic Ocean (no spoilers, it happens in the first few pages), and her family keeps her death a secret from her older sister who is on pregnancy bed rest, after a harrowing previous birth led to tragedy! But of course there are many more secrets floating around, particularly surrounding Anna, who has been brought over from Nazi Germany and is spending the summer with the Adler's before attending college. Many other characters float in and out of the story, including an adorable 7 year old, but I never had any trouble keeping track of who was who. I just loved the way the story flowed as it was narrated by several characters in alternating chapters. I only wish that I could have stayed in their world a bit longer to see what happened to them and make sure they were all okay! When reading about this debut author, I discovered that this book is actually based on a real person in her family....“The character of Florence Adler is based on a real girl who grew up in Atlantic City. Her name was Florence Lowenthal and she was my great-great-aunt.”

A great family story with characters you will not want to let go of once the book ends. I highly suggest this one! Here's to wishing that Florence would have had her chance at swimming across the English Channel 🙁

Published on Leave a comment on The Orphan Collector






The Orphan Collector Book Cover




The Orphan Collector





Ellen Marie Wiseman




Fiction




Kensington books




August 4, 2020




Advanced reader copy




304




Publisher via Bookish First



In the fall of 1918, thirteen-year-old German immigrant Pia Lange longs to be far from Philadelphia’s overcrowded streets and slums, and from the anti-German sentiment that compelled her father to enlist in the U.S. Army, hoping to prove his loyalty. But an even more urgent threat has arrived. Spanish influenza is spreading through the city. Soon, dead and dying are everywhere. With no food at home, Pia must venture out in search of supplies, leaving her infant twin brothers alone . Since her baby died days ago, Bernice Groves has been lost in grief and bitterness. If doctors hadn’t been so busy tending to hordes of immigrants, perhaps they could have saved her son. When Bernice sees Pia leaving her tenement across the way, she is buoyed by a shocking, life-altering decision that leads her on a sinister mission: to transform the city’s orphans and immigrant children into what she feels are “true Americans.” As Pia navigates the city’s somber neighborhoods, she cannot know that her brothers won’t be home when she returns. And it will be a long and arduous journey to learn what happened—even as Bernice plots to keep the truth hidden at any cost. Only with persistence, and the courage to face her own shame and fear, will Pia put the pieces together and find the strength to risk everything to see justice at last.

My review:

3.5 stars

Talk about a time warp! This novel about the 1918 Spanish flu was eerily in sync with what is happening with the Covid-19 pandemic. I'm sure that this was already well on its way to publication when our current crisis happened, so I will be anxious to hear if the author has any thoughts on being clairvoyant? Obviously, this story is heavily concentrated on a portion of the disaster that we are not seeing now, with a woman who takes immigrant children and places them in orphanages (I take that back, we ARE seeing this, but not in connection with the pandemic!). What I found fascinating was the reaction to the flu, complete with a newspaper clipping from Philadelphia stating that the news media was over reacting and people should calm down and go about their business (hmmm.....rings a bell). Also, the character of Bernice with her bigotry, could be any number of people who exist right now. I love this author's writing, and found this story compelling and well told. The characters were wonderful (whether you loved them or hated them), and while I was rooting for a happy ending, this is where I had some problems. It was all just too coincidental (and not believable) when certain pieces fell into place at the end. So much so, that it put a pretty big dent into my rating for the book.

I loved this book about the Spanish flu in Philadelphia. A sweet thirteen year old girl pitted against a mean spirited bigot made for a great read right up until the end. The ending left me wanting a more believable scenario, but for many that will be overlooked. Such an interesting parallel between viruses over a century apart.