June, 2021

"The Women's March" by Jennifer Chiaverini         

This book follows the lives of three women as they fight for women's suffrage in the US. Alice Paul spent years working in the suffrage movement in the UK. Upon returning to the US, she is determined to spark new interest in the movement. Maud Malone, known as a heckler, is known for interrupting politicians speeches, asking how they feel about women's votes. Ida B. Wells-Barnett, an African American woman, is interested in votes for all women, not just the white women who have to-date been the focus on the movement. Alice, determined to fight for a constitutional amendment, organizes a march scheduled the day before the inauguration of Woodrow Wilson.

        This was a fairly quick and engaging read. The characters were interesting and dynamic. I know relatively little about the topic and found myself googling everyone after reading the book. Overall, highly recommended.

"Sisters of the Resistance" by Christine Wells         

Alternating between 1944 and 1947, this book follows sisters Gabby and Yvette in Paris. During the war, both sisters secretly helped the resistance, until Yvette was forced to flee over the mountains. Riddled with guilt, Yvette reluctantly returns to Paris to testify in the trial of a woman being tried for treason.          

This book caught my attention instantly. It was well written, the characters were dynamic and the story was well paced. The back and forth timelines worked really well and came together beautifully in the end. Overall, highly recommended.

"Songs in Ursa Major" by Emma Brodie          

When superstar Jesse Reid crashes his motorcycle, Jane Quinn and her band step up to play at the annual folk festival. With her amazing vocals and stage presence Jane becomes an instant hit. Jesse remains on the island to recover, and Jane's Aunt becomes his caregiver. Jesse and Jane quickly hit it off, and Jane and her band are invited to tour with Jesse. What follows is a roller coaster of emotion, as Jane is forced to deal with the music industry, and it's extreme demands.          

What a fun read! I was caught almost immediately and found myself reading late into the night. The story featured interesting and dynamic characters, who really put themselves through an emotional ringer. Overall, 5 out of 5 stars.

"The Comfort Bearer" by Cathy L. Patrenos         

Soon Ja, a young Korean girl, is taken from her home to become a comfort woman for the Japanese Army. A sex slave, Soon Ja is forced to service soldier after soldier. When she meets someone working for the resistance, she quickly offers to pass on any information she can learn from her regulars.          

This was an absolutely heartbreaking novel. It was very painful to read at times. What a horrible situation for Soon Ja and the other girls forced into sexual slavery. I think this is a very important book, and would encourage everyone to read it.

"The Red Tent" by Anita Diamant         

This is the retelling of the Biblical story of Dinah and her mother's Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, and Bilhah. The book focuses on the relationship between the women and their daily routines. When Dinah falls in love with prince Shechem he takes her to bed and the bargains for a marriage. After the marriage, Dinah's brothers sneak into the town and kill every male they can find. Dinah curses her family, and travels to Egypt with her mother-in-law.          

This was an engaging, interesting and dynamic book. It was well paced and very interesting. I found the relationship and culture between the women to be fascinating. I would love to read more from this author. Overall, highly recommended.

"The Burning Blue" by Kevin Cook          

When Christa McAuliffe was chosen as the Teacher in Space, school children around the world cheered and watched as the Challenger space shuttle exploded after takeoff. This book tells the story of Christa, the Challenger astronauts, and the aftermath of the explosion.         

 What a heartbreaking story! I found myself instantly drawn to Christa's charisma and charm. The book was well written and engaging and I felt like I knew each of the 7 crew members. This book did not overwhelm with technical jargon, but gave explanations that were easy to understand. Overall, highly recommended.

"Elizabeth and Monty" by Charles Casillo        

 In the 1950's Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift were some of the hottest stars in Hollywood. This book follows their careers, friendships, and deaths. I had a hard time with this book. I found both Elizabeth and Monty to be very unlikable. They were both very spoiled, inconsiderate vain people. I also thought the book was extremely repetitive. Every chapter gave a brief recap of Monty's drug use and accident, which became very monotonous after time. Overall, not a book I would reread or recommend.