November, 2020

"The Stars We Share" by Rafe Posey        

When Alec's parents die, he moves from India to a small English town. There he meets June, an intelligent girl with a knack for geography and patterns. At the outbreak of WWII, Alec enlists as an RAF pilot and June joins the secret work at Bletchley Park.         

I found this book to be extremely repetitive. It seemed that every chapter was the same. I had a hard time getting into Alec and June as characters. I think with some editing, this could be a much better read. Overall, 2 out of 5 stars.

"Buses Are a Comin'" by Charles Person, Richard Rooker         

Charles Person grew up in Atlanta amidst the Civil Rights movement. As a young college man, he quickly joined those fighting and became one of the youngest of the original Freedom Riders.         

I had a hard time getting into this book. The author continually foreshadowed and broke off in the middle of a story to relate something to the future. I just wanted to hear the stories without the foreshadowing and interruption. With some editing, I think this would be a much more readable book. Overall, 2 out of 5 stars.

"The Barbizon: The Hotel that Set Women Free" by Paulina Bren         

In the 1920's, the Barbizon opened as a women's only hotel in the middle of New York City. These exclusive residents catered to their every need as they sought careers, husbands, or just freedom. This book chronicles the story of the hotel, it's interaction with Mademoiselle magazine, and the famous people who lived within its walls.         

I grew pretty bored with this book about halfway through. The book felt extremely repetitive and went over the same few people over and over. I wanted to hear a variety of stories and felt that the book lacked the variety needed for more than a short story or essay. Overall, 2 out of 5 stars.

"The Chanel Sisters" by Judithe Little         

When the death of their mother, the Chanel sisters, Antoinette and Gabrielle, are sent to live in a convent. There they learn discipline and sewing, and are groomed to become the wives of lower-middle class men. Unhappy with their proposed futures, Gabrielle breaks away, determined to become a performer. Antoinette takes a job in a modest hat shop, learning the trade. When it becomes clear that Gabrielle cannot get a job as a performer, she leave town to become the mistress of a wealthy man. When Gabrielle begins dabbling with hats, they are an instant success leading Gabrielle and Antoinette to open a hat shop.

This was a well written and engaging book. The sister's were dynamic and well rounded characters. The story was well paced, and did a good job of spanning a long time period. Overall, highly recommended.

"Court of Swans" by Melanie Dickerson       

 When Delia's father remarries, she instantly knows that something is wrong about her step-mother. Within a year of the step-mother having a son, the father dies in a mysterious accident. Shortly afterwards, Delia's seven brother's are arrested, accused of murder and treason. Delia immediately runs to London and secures a position as a seamstress in the royal household. There, she does everything she can to secure her brothers release.         

This book was a bit predictable. The characters were pretty stereotypical and not very well developed. The brother's all blended together, and the romance was a bit obvious. Everything was a bit too easy for Delia, with everything just falling into place. Despite these criticisms, I did enjoy the book. Overall, 3 out of 5 stars.