March, 2019

"Wunderland" by Jennifer Cody Epstein         

Ava has been estranged from her mother Ilse for years. When she receives a notice that her mother has died and a stack of letters addressed to Renate Bauer, she is both scared and curious. Alternating with the present is the story of two friends, Ilse and Renate. When Renate tries to join the Hitler Youth, she discovers that her father is Jewish. Ilse tries to stand by her, but ultimately decides that their friendship must be sacrificed for the Reich.         

This was a well written and engaging story. The plot moved at a nice pace, and the interwoven stories worked well together. I did find both Ava and Ilse hard to like. They were not particularly endearing characters. Renate and her families story was the most interesting to me. Overall, well worth picking up.

"The Parisians" by Marius Gabriel         

As an artist, Olivia finds Paris to be a much harder place to make a living than she expected. Forced to find work Olivia joins the staff at the Ritz as a chambermaid. As the Nazi's take over Paris, they also take over the luxurious rooms and spaces of the Ritz. Forced to clean the rooms of top Nazi's, Olivia finds an opportunity to work for the allies, photographing documents left strewn about their rooms.          

This was a very interesting story. The characters were very realistic and dynamic. I particularly loved how real historical figures were woven into the story. I look forward to reading more from this artist. Overall, highly recommended.

"The Dry Grass of August" by Anna Jean Mayhew         

Set during the 1950's, this book follows 13 year old Jubie, her mother, three siblings, and the family's black maid, Mary Luther, as they travel to Florida on vacation. As they travel south, it becomes increasingly hard for Mary to find restrooms and places to sleep. When they are in a car accident, they are forced to stop and wait for repairs. When Jubie, her oldest sister, and Mary are caught outdoors after dark, tragedy awaits for Mary.          

Jubie was a well developed character who seemed older than her 13 years. Her point of view was particularly interesting, as both an observer and a member of the family. Unfortunately, the plot tended to ramble quite a bit, moving back and forth in time, which was a bit off-putting. Despite this criticism, I did enjoy the book and would read more from the author. 4 out of 5 stars.

"The Spitfire Girls" by Soraya M. Lane

This book follows the lives and work of three women pilots during WWII. I hate to say this but I really disliked the book. May, the leader of the women pilots, was weepy and prone to break down. She only seemed comfortable in the arms of her mechanic, who she eventually fell for. Lizzie, the American pilot, was arrogant, over-the-top, and a complete caricature. Ruby had a little bit of promise, but she continually obsessed over her fiance and her relationship with her soon to be mother-in-law. These were not the strong determined women that I expected to read about. Overall, a complete disappointment.

"The Last Collection" by Jeanne Mackin         

When Lily, a young widow and artist, visits her brother in Paris, she is instantly thrust into the fashion world when she must decide if she prefers a Schiaparelli or Chanel dress. While Chanel is classy and feminine, Schiaparelli is imaginative and bold. Lily, drawn to Schiaparelli, finds herself staying in Paris and eventually working with her. Despite her preference for Schiaparelli clothes, she finds a friendship with Chanel.          

This was a well written and interesting book. All of the characters were dynamic and realistic. I loved how the story wove historical figures in with the fictional characters. The book was well paced and well presented. Overall, well worth picking up.

"The Miracle & Tragedy of the Dionne Quintuplets" by Sarah Miller         

This book presents the life and tragedy of the Dionne Quintuplets. The book tells the story of both the quintuplets and the Dionne parents and siblings that were left behind. The author worked hard to present a balanced picture, presenting both sides of the story. Overall, well written and well worth picking up. 

"A Serial Killer's Daughter" by Kerri Rawson         

When an FBI agent showed up at her door, Kerri Rawson immediately thought that they had the wrong apartment. Instead, she was stunned to learn that her father was the BTK serial killer. Looking back at her life, Kerri tries to piece together what she and her family were doing when her father was out killing. After the arrest, Kerri and her family are thrown into a different sort of nightmare. With the press hounding them at every opportunity, Kerri and her family are trying to reconcile the man they thought they knew, with the horrible crimes that he committed.          

This was an intriguing book. Kerri told her story in a poignant manner, without glossing over the horror and brutality of what actually happened. I found the passage about the Grand Canyon trip particularly interesting, as it gave a glimpse into the father-daughter relationship. Kerri relied on her faith heavily at times, which tended to come across as preachy. Despite this criticism, I would recommend this book to people of all faiths and beliefs. Overall, 4 out of 5 stars.

"The Things We Cannot Say" by Kelly Rimmer         

From a young age, Alina knew she was destined to marry her best friend, Tomasz. When Tomasz is away at school, the Nazi's invade Poland, taking hold of her small town. When word comes that the Nazi's have taken Warsaw, Alina is terrified for Tomasz. In the present day, Alice is called to her dying grandmother's bedside. From bed, grandmother uses an program for Alice's' autistic son to ask Alina to go to Poland. Despite her troubled marriage and special needs child, Alice travels to Poland, determined to find whatever it is her grandmother is looking for.          

The book alternates between the present and the past. There was absolutely nothing in the description of the book about the alternating point of view. I found that to be extremely off-putting. I also felt that the present time-line was unnecessary. It added little to the story. Overall, a bust.

"Park Avenue Summer" by Renee Rosen         

Alice, a budding photographer, travels from her small town to New York. Through her connections, she lands a job as a secretary for Helen Gurley Brown, the new Cosmo editor. Helen's ideas to sex-up the magazine are fought at every turn. Editors and writers resign, and the magazine's budget is slashed. Yet, Alice stands by her side, determined to help Helen make a success of the magazine.          

This was a well written and enjoyable book. I liked how the author blended historical figures with fictional characters. Alice felt like a real person, she was multi-dimensional, and full of hopes and dreams. Overall, highly recommended.

"The Daughter's Tale" by Armando Lucas         

This book alternates between WWII Berlin and France and the present day. In the present day, 80 year old Elise receives a phone call, and then a box of letters written from her mother during WWII. In the past, Amanda and her two young daughters are forced to flee Berlin after Amanda's husband is arrested. Amanda makes a heartbreaking decision to send her oldest daughter alone to Cuba, and take her youngest daughter with her to France.          

This book had a surreal/dreamy quality to it that made it seem less than real. There was some problems with the writing style and point of views that took away from the story line. At seemingly random times, the author would switch pov, which took away from the flow of the story. Overall, not a book I would re-read or recommend.