Posted in Adult Fiction, Book Reviews

The Exiles

By Christina Baker Kline
Historical Fiction – Adult Fiction

My Synopsis
This story follows the journey of three women in the 1840s who are exiled to Australia from three different places and for three very different reasons. Much of this is based on facts, and some characters are based on actual people. It shows the ugly truths and injustices that were a part of Australia’s early days but also the kindness and resilience required of those who were sent there and became a part of its early society.

Continue reading “The Exiles”
Posted in Book Nerd Stuff

Blind Date with a book.

If you’re a book lover, you know having a good book to read on vacation is super important. I had a beach vacation coming up and put several beach-themed books on hold at the local Library. As vacation approached, I misread the Library’s open hours and never had the opportunity to get my books.

I was so upset. Almost depressed. I had a beautiful vacation planned, plenty to do, people I love to spend time with, but no book planned. I had carefully selected the books I wanted to bring and put them on hold weeks ago. I was waiting for them all to be ready for pick up. I stopped by the day before I left only to find the Library was closed for Good Friday. The remorse I felt from this was genuine. Please tell me some of you have felt the same.

Continue reading “Blind Date with a book.”
Posted in TBR list

Goodreads Monday – “The Art Of Dying”

Goodreads Monday is a great way to talk about a book from your TBR list. Originally started by Lauren’s Page Turners, most people do these weekly, (such as Confessions of a YA Reader who partakes in several fun blog themes) I prefer to do mine monthly and this month I choose the second book of a two-part series.

“The Art of Dying” caught my attention simply with the title. As Tyler Durden says in “Fight Club” ;

“In the Tibetan philosophy, Sylvia Plath sense of the word I know we’re all dying.”  

I quite agree and with that, this title took my fancy. 

Rather than being about philosophical principles, this story is a historical crime novel. A historical crime novel that takes place in Edinburg Scotland. So many of my favorite things rolled into one.

I hunted down the first book (“The Way Of All Flesh” ) which I completed over the holiday break.  Without giving a full review on that book, suffice it to say I now want to read its sequel. Here is its blurb from GoodReads: 

art of dying.jpgThe Art of Dying by Ambrose Parry

Edinburgh, 1850. Despite being at the forefront of modern medicine, hordes of patients are dying all across the city, with doctors finding their remedies powerless. But it is not just the deaths that dismay the esteemed Dr. James Simpson – a whispering campaign seeks to blame him for the death of a patient in suspicious circumstances.

Simpson’s protégé Will Raven and former housemaid Sarah Fisher are determined to clear their patron’s name. But with Raven battling against the dark side of his own nature, and Sarah endeavoring to expand her own medical knowledge beyond what society deems acceptable for a woman, the pair struggle to understand the cause of the deaths.

Will and Sarah must unite and plunge into Edinburgh’s deadliest streets to clear Simpson’s name. But soon they discover that the true cause of these deaths has evaded suspicion purely because it is so unthinkable.

 

Posted in TBR list

Goodreads Monday (august)

Goodreads Monday is hosted by Lauren’s Page Turners. It’s a great way to talk about a book from your TBR list and just kind of show it off.  It’s supposed to be every Monday but I tend to do this post just once a month.  My last Goodreads Monday was a picture book I still haven’t read and in fact, most have been children’s books of some kind, however, today is different. Today I am talking about an adult book, historical fiction to be exact.

Back in 2015, I began reading War & Peace by Leo Tolstoy. As expected it’s a tough read and it was easy to put down. I began taking breaks and reading other books. This caused me to really slow down my progress. About two years in I decided to stick with only children’s books between Tolstoy’s “chapters” and this way I wouldn’t get stuck on anything too long. Hence, it has been a long while since I have read a book not for children and not Russian Literature. I am excited to move on.

Not only is this on my TBR list, but it’s actually at my library right now, on hold waiting for me to pick it up. I choose historical fiction because that seems to be one of my favorite genres. Probably why I was able to enjoy more than half of War & Peace; I’m a history nerd and love learning while reading stories.

Without further ado, here is this month’s Goodreads selection:

lilac.jpg

Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly.

Inspired by the life of a real World War II heroine, this debut novel reveals a story of love, redemption, and secrets that were hidden for decades.
 
New York socialite Caroline Ferriday has her hands full with her post at the French consulate and a new love on the horizon. But Caroline’s world is forever changed when Hitler’s army invades Poland in September 1939—and then sets its sights on France.
 
An ocean away from Caroline, Kasia Kuzmerick, a Polish teenager, senses her carefree youth disappearing as she is drawn deeper into her role as courier for the underground resistance movement. In a tense atmosphere of watchful eyes and suspecting neighbors, one false move can have dire consequences.
 
For the ambitious young German doctor, Herta Oberheuser, an ad for a government medical position seems her ticket out of a desolate life. Once hired, though, she finds herself trapped in a male-dominated realm of Nazi secrets and power.
 
The lives of these three women are set on a collision course when the unthinkable happens and Kasia is sent to Ravensbrück, the notorious Nazi concentration camp for women. Their stories cross continents—from New York to Paris, Germany, and Poland—as Caroline and Kasia strive to bring justice to those whom history has forgotten.

I have heard mixed reviews about this book but I am very excited to get my hands on it and start a new adventure.

Posted in Book Reviews, YA Book Reviews

A Million Shades of Gray

By Cynthia Kadohata.

A book review and commentary.

This young adult story takes place in 1975 in the Central Highlands of South Vietnam. I wanted to read it because I have a fascination with history and untold truths and because I highly admire elephants. While I did enjoy the story, I couldn’t help wonder about it being categorized as young adult. The tale is told from a 13-year-old’s perspective, but it is in wartime with unsettling truths and hardships. This book not only tells an interesting story of a young Vietnamese dealing with war in his village but also stirs up other questions about how we educate and broaden the minds of our children. Continue reading “A Million Shades of Gray”