Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone by Diana Gabaldon

                                                            

 Author: Diana Gabaldon

Genre: Fiction, SciFi, Historical, Fantasy

Other books I've read by this author: Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, Drums of Autumn, The Fiery Cross, A Breath of Snow and Ashes, An Echo in the Bone, Written in My Heart's Own Blood 

Synopsis: "War leaves nobody alone. Neither the past, the present, nor the future offers true safety, and the only refuge is what you can protect: your family, your friends, your home.

Jamie Fraser and Claire Randall were torn apart by the Jacobite Rising in 1746, and it took them twenty years of loss and heartbreak to find each other again. Now it’s 1779, and Claire and Jamie are finally reunited with their daughter, Brianna, her husband, Roger, and their children, and are rebuilding their home on Fraser’s Ridge—a fortress that may shelter them against the winds of war as well as weather.

But tensions in the Colonies are great: Battles rage from New York to Georgia and, even in the mountains of the backcountry, feelings run hot enough to boil Hell’s teakettle. Jamie knows that loyalties among his tenants are split and it won’t be long before the war is on his doorstep.

Brianna and Roger have their own worry: that the dangers that provoked their escape from the twentieth century might catch up to them. Sometimes they question whether risking the perils of the 1700s—among them disease, starvation, and an impending war—was indeed the safer choice for their family.

Not so far away, young William Ransom is coming to terms with the mysteries of his identity, his future, and the family he’s never known. His erstwhile father, Lord John Grey, has reconciliations to make and dangers to meet on his son’s behalf and on his own, and far to the north, Young Ian Murray fights his own battle between past and future, and the two women he’s loved.

Meanwhile, the Revolutionary War creeps ever closer to Fraser’s Ridge. Jamie sharpens his sword, while Claire whets her surgeon’s blade: It is a time for steel." - Back Cover

My Thoughts

I am always amazed at how many storylines Gabaldon can incorporate into one novel (albeit a 900 pg novel). They are interesting, intertwined perfectly, fully developed, and somehow still easy to follow. I'm delighted every time characters make their reappearance. (Anyone else just LOVE Lord John Grey?)

I find that my favorite novels in this series have the Fraser family all back in the same time period. While this entire story does not take place at Fraser's Ridge, I'm glad that much of it does, making the reader feel enveloped in the nostalgia of a place visited once before. 

All the best things about the previous eight novels can be found in this latest addition to the series. I absolutely cannot wait for book ten, bittersweet knowing it will be the last installment of Claire and Jamie's story

Comment below if you have read this book or have suggestions for others like it!




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An Offer from a Gentleman: A Bridgerton Novel by Julia Quinn

                                                              

 

Title: An Offer From a Gentleman

Author: Julia Quinn

Genre: Historical Romance

Other books I've read by this author: The Duke and I , The Viscount Who Loved Me

Synopsis: Sophie Beckett never dreamed she’d be able to sneak into Lady Bridgerton’s famed masquerade ball—or that “Prince Charming” would be waiting there for her! Though the daughter of an earl, Sophie has been relegated to the role of servant by her disdainful stepmother. But now, spinning in the strong arms of the debonair and devastatingly handsome Benedict Bridgerton, she feels like royalty. Alas, she knows all enchantments must end when the clock strikes midnight.

Ever since that magical night, a radiant vision in silver has blinded Benedict to the attractions of any other—except, perhaps, this alluring and oddly familiar beauty dressed in housemaid’s garb whom he feels compelled to rescue from a most disagreeable situation. He has sworn to find and wed his mystery miss, but this breathtaking maid makes him weak with wanting her. Yet, if he offers her his heart, will Benedict sacrifice his only chance for a fairy-tale love?

My Thoughts

At the beginning of the novel, there is a strong play on the Cinderella story, evil stepmother, 2 step-sisters, and a masquerade ball that Sophie has to leave by midnight. Honestly, I felt a little put off by that, because cases of mistaken identity always make me feel stressed out (I discovered this when reading Shakespeare for the first time in high school, haha). I also worried that it might make the story feel played out and predictable and ultimately, not as good as the first two novels in the series. 

Once past the initial two chapters, where the Cinderella references were the strongest, the story began to take its own turn and feel much more like the Bridgerton series I've come to love. So much so that I finished this one in only 5 days. I looked forward to coming back to it every night. Even if Benedict wasn't already my favorite Bridgerton brother, reading his story would put him at the top of the list. 

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When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

                                                             

 Title: When Women Were Dragons

Author: Kelly Barnhill

Genre: Fantasy

Synopsis: 

"Alex Green is a young girl in a world much like ours, except for its most seminal event: the Mass Dragoning of 1955, when hundreds of thousands of ordinary wives and mothers sprouted wings, scales, and talons; left a trail of fiery destruction in their path; and took to the skies. Was it their choice? What will become of those left behind? Why did Alex’s beloved aunt Marla transform but her mother did not? Alex doesn’t know. It’s taboo to speak of.

Forced into silence, Alex nevertheless must face the consequences of this astonishing event: a mother more protective than ever; an absentee father; the upsetting insistence that her aunt never even existed; and watching her beloved cousin Bea become dangerously obsessed with the forbidden.

In this timely and timeless speculative novel, award-winning author Kelly Barnhill boldly explores rage, memory, and the tyranny of forced limitations. When Women Were Dragons exposes a world that wants to keep women small—their lives and their prospects—and examines what happens when they rise en masse and take up the space they deserve." - Back Cover 

My Thoughts

I won this book from the publisher, Doubleday Books, in an Instagram contest, and it would not have been a title that I would normally have chosen off the shelf myself.  I found it a little slow to start and it took some time for me to grasp where it was going. 

Overall, I liked the idea of repressed 1950s women becoming dragons in order to live their best lives and came to love Alex and Beatrice and their unique relationship as cousins & sisters. It was not my favorite book that I have read recently, but it was interesting to step into a different genre for the first time in a while!

Comment below if you have read this book or have suggestions for others like it!

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Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross

                                                            

 

Title: Pope Joan

Author: Donna Woolfolk Cross

Genre: Historical Fiction 

Synopsis: "For a thousand years her existence has been denied. She is the legend that will not die - Pope Joan, the ninth-century woman who disguised herself as a man and rose to become the only female ever to sit on the throne of St. Peter.

Now in this riveting novel, Donna Woolfolk Cross paints a sweeping portrait of an unforgettable heroine who struggles against restrictions her soul cannot accept.

Brilliant and talented, young Joan rebels against medieval social strictures forbidding women to learn. When her brother is brutally killed during a Viking attack, Joan takes up his cloak - and his identity - and enters the monastery of Fulda. As Brother John Anglicus, Joan distinguishes herself as a great scholar and healer. Eventually, she is drawn to Rome, where she becomes enmeshed in a dangerous web of love, passion, and politics.

Triumphing over appalling odds, she finally attains the highest office in Christendom - wielding a power greater than any woman before or since. But such power always comes at a price...." - back cover 

My Thoughts

I loved this novel so much. I love that the author suggests that Joan was more than just a myth. I love the depiction of Joan's love of learning as a child and her time learning at the schola. I love that Gerold loves her for her intelligence and curiosity. I love that she wants the freedom to learn and speak her mind so much that she is willing to disguise herself as a man for years. I love that her intelligence and spirit garner the trust of so many people that they elect her pope. It is just so well done. It is at turns uplifting and heartbreaking. I could not put it down.

Comment below if you have read this book or have suggestions for others like it!

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The Viscount Who Loved Me: A Bridgerton Novel by Julia Quinn

                                                            

Title: The Viscount Who Loved Me

Author: Julia Quinn

Genre: Historical Romance

Synopsis: 1814 promises to be another eventful season, but not, this author believes, for Anthony Bridgerton, London's most elusive bachelor, who has shown no indication that he plans to marry. And in all truth, why should he? When it comes to playing the consummate rake, nobody does it better... - Lady Whistledown's Society Papers, April 1814

But this time the gossip columnists have it wrong. Anthony Bridgerton hasn't just decided to marry - he's even chosen a wife! The only obstacle is his intended's older sister, Kate Sheffield - the most meddlesome woman ever to grace a London ballroom. The spirited schemer is driving Anthony mad with her determination to stop the betrothal, but when he closes his eyes at night, Kate's the woman haunting his increasingly erotic dreams.

Contrary to popular belief, Kate is quite sure that reformed rakes do not make the best husbands - and Anthony Bridgerton is the most wicked rogue of them all. Kate is determined to protect her sister - but she fears her own heart is vulnerable. And when Anthony's lips touch hers, she's suddenly afraid she might not be able to resist the reprehensible rake herself. - Back Cover

My Thoughts

I loved this book so much that I read it super quickly. Fans of the Neflix series will find a great many differences from season 2 and this novel. While the overarching story is the same; *SPOILER* overprotective older sister wants to shield her more classically beautiful younger half-sister from a bad match and falls in love with the man herself instead *END SPOILER*; the little details of how all happens are quite different.

 For one, Kate, Edwina, and their mother have the surname Sheffield in the book, not Sharma. As with the first novel, the color-conscious casting of the tv series isn't present. Also as with the first novel, I liked the book better. The book gives even more depth to Anthony that just can't quite be conveyed on the screen. Kate is very similar in personality to how she is portrayed on screen but we get some fun scenes with her dog, Newton, and a different reason for why she and Anthony get married. 

What I love best about this series of books is how light and fun they are to read. While there are definitely serious moments and difficulties for the characters they are just so so enjoyable, and as with romance as a genre, you know there will be a happy ending! Plus the version I read included the second epilogue that allows ou to check in on the characters years after the book ends. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series! 

Comment below if you have read this book or have suggestions for others like it!

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The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent

                                                           

Title: The Heretic's Daughter

Author: Kathleen Kent

Genre: Historical Fiction 

Synopsis: Salem, 1752. Sarah Carrier Chapman, weak with infirmity, writes a letter to her granddaughter that reveals the secret she has closely guarded for six decades: how she survived the Salem Witch Trials when her mother did not.

Sarah's story begins more than a year before the trials, when she and her family arrive in a New England community already gripped by superstition and fear. As they witness neighbor pitted against neighbor, friend against friend, the hysteria escalates -- until more than two hundred men, women, and children have been swept into prison. Among them is Sarah's mother, Martha Carrier. In an attempt to protect her children, Martha asks Sarah to commit an act of heresy -- a lie that will most surely condemn Martha even as it will save her daughter.

This is the story of Martha's courageous defiance and ultimate death, as told by the daughter who survived. - Back Cover

My Thoughts

I haven't read about the Salem Witch Trials in a long time. Like many my age in the US, I read The Crucible in high school and went to our school production of it as well. Then I read more about the trials when I was taking US history in college. I have always found it horrifying and yet incredibly intriguing.  

This novel did not disappoint. I love that the author is actually a descendant of Martha Carrier because I think that reminds the reader that while this is a work of fiction, unfortunately, the Salem Witch Trials were devastatingly real. 

I liked that this novel didn't focus on the people of Salem but on a family that lived in a nearby town. It shows how the lunacy and fear spread, and how if you did not fit the social norms or if you weren't friends with the right people, your family could still be accused. 

I also thought that it was a great choice for the story to come from the perspective of Martha's daughter, Sarah. Having a child's view of the events from outside Salem gives a unique twist that doesn't make this novel feel like just another Salem Witch Trials book. Be prepared to cry.

Comment below if you have read this book or have suggestions for others like it!

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                                To see more from the author, visit the website linked above

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

                                                              

 

Title: The Rose Code

Author: Kate Quinn

Genre: Historical Fiction 

Synopsis: 1940. As England prepares to fight the Nazis, three very different women answer the call to mysterious country estate Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break German military codes. Vivacious debutante Osla is the girl who has everything—beauty, wealth, and the dashing Prince Philip of Greece sending her roses—but she burns to prove herself as more than a society girl, and puts her fluent German to use as a translator of decoded enemy secrets. Imperious self-made Mab, product of east-end London poverty, works the legendary codebreaking machines as she conceals old wounds and looks for a socially advantageous husband. Both Osla and Mab are quick to see the potential in local village spinster Beth, whose shyness conceals a brilliant facility with puzzles, and soon Beth spreads her wings as one of the Park’s few female cryptanalysts. But war, loss, and the impossible pressure of secrecy will tear the three apart.

1947. As the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip whips post-war Britain into a fever, three friends-turned-enemies are reunited by a mysterious encrypted letter--the key to which lies buried in the long-ago betrayal that destroyed their friendship and left one of them confined to an asylum. A mysterious traitor has emerged from the shadows of their Bletchley Park past, and now Osla, Mab, and Beth must resurrect their old alliance and crack one last code together. But each petal they remove from the rose code brings danger--and their true enemy--closer.. - Back Cover 

My Thoughts

This novel was a thoughtful Christmas gift from a good friend. I was excited because it was on my TBR list! I have to admit, I came for the mention of Prince Philip but stayed for Francis Gray and Harry Zarb. 

 I love a book with lots of characters, especially when they are all so well done! I am also loving the two time periods but set not so far apart (like I recently enjoyed in Sisters of The Resistance). It keeps the story moving, but also adds suspense and context.  I especially enjoyed how the three main characters' differences highlight the wide range of people needed for the important code-breaking work that was happening at Bletchly Park. It didn't matter where you came from or what you did before the war, if you had a skill they needed you were in. This, of course, includes the great importance of women, as highlighted by the different roles filled by Beth, Osla, and Mab. Their stories also illustrate the particular challenges of women of different classes at that time. Each interesting in her own right, I think my favorite has to be Os.  

This book has a little bit of everything; a coming of age story, family drama, love, mystery, science, war, friendships, falling outs, and redemption. It is really one of the best books I have read in a while, maybe the best I've read so far this year. 

I am really looking forward to reading more from Kate Quinn! 

Comment below if you have read this book or have suggestions for others like it!

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The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner

                                                           

 Title: The Jane Austen Society

Author: Natalie Jenner

Genre: Historical Fiction 

Synopsis: Just after the Second World War, in the small English village of Chawton, an unusual but like-minded group of people band together to attempt something remarkable.

One hundred and fifty years ago, Chawton was the final home of Jane Austen, one of England's finest novelists. Now it's home to a few distant relatives and their diminishing estate. With the last bit of Austen's legacy threatened, a group of disparate individuals come together to preserve both Jane Austen's home and her legacy. These people―a laborer, a young widow, the local doctor, and a movie star, among others―could not be more different and yet they are united in their love for the works and words of Austen. As each of them endures their own quiet struggle with loss and trauma, some from the recent war, others from more distant tragedies, they rally together to create the Jane Austen Society. - Back Cover

My Thoughts

My own love for Jane Austen's novels often draws me to novels about her or her writing (see my review of Jane of Austin). By the same token, I am always worried it won't do her justice or try to imitate her work and end up making me angry. I walk delicately on the tightrope between reading all Austen-related fiction and reading none. I'm really glad that I decided to pick this one up.

The characters come together due to their love of reading Austen. Each of them comes to read her work for different reasons, but they all continue to re-read them finding minutiae to discuss in the relationships Austen creates. In its own right, the novel has complex and compelling relationships, while also following an Austen-like pattern. Those of you who have read Austen know what that means for how the story ends. 

This book was a breath of fresh air from all of the novels set in WWII that I have read lately, and I would recommend it to any Jane Austen fans without hesitation.

Comment below if you have read this book or have suggestions for others like it!

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Sisters of the Resistance by Christine Wells

 Title: Sisters of the Resistance

Author: Christine Wells

Genre: Historical Fiction 

Synopsis: Paris, 1944: The war is nearly over, but for members of the Resistance in occupied France, it is more dangerous than ever before. Twenty-five-year-old Gabby Foucher loathes the Nazis, though as the concierge of 10 rue Royale, she does her best to avoid conflict—unlike her bolder sister Yvette, who finds trouble at every turn. 

Then they are both recruited into the Resistance by Catherine Dior and swept into a treacherous world of spies, fugitives, and intrigue. While Gabby risks everything for the man she is hiding from the Nazis, Yvette must decide whether to trust an enigmatic diplomat who seems to have guessed her secret. As the threat of betrayal draws ever closer, one slip could mean the deaths of many, and both sisters must make choices they might regret. 

Paris, 1947: Yvette returns from New York to reunite with Gabby and begin life anew as a mannequin for Dior, who is revolutionizing fashion with the New Look. But first, she must discover the truth behind Catherine’s terrible fate, while Gabby finds that there are many kinds of courage, and that love is always worth fighting for. - Back Cover

My Thoughts

I was so excited to win this book in a giveaway on Instagram! I had been wanting to read it, so when the author shared that she had some copies to give away I knew I had to comment.

You all know I love a novel with a time jump, and this novel is set in 1944 and 1947. It is refreshing to have two time settings that are not 100 years or 50 years apart, but rather only 3 years apart. There is not a generational mystery or pieces of information that seem 'lost to time,' but rather a highlight of how much and how little can change during, and just a few years following a war. 

I love that little pieces of the story come together as we learn about Yvette and Gabby's lives during and after the war. There are some curves along the way as the author expertly underscores that what the sisters believe to be true can affect them for years.

Comment below if you have read this book or have suggestions for others like it!

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The Duke & I by Julia Quinn

                                                         

 Title: The Duke & I

Author: Julia Quinn

Genre: Historical Romance

Synopsis: In the ballrooms and drawing rooms of Regency London, rules abound. From their earliest days, children of aristocrats learn how to address an earl and curtsey before a prince—while other dictates of the ton are unspoken yet universally understood. A proper duke should be imperious and aloof. A young, marriageable lady should be amiable…but not too amiable.

Daphne Bridgerton has always failed at the latter. The fourth of eight siblings in her close-knit family, she has formed friendships with the most eligible young men in London. Everyone likes Daphne for her kindness and wit. But no one truly desires her. She is simply too deuced honest for that, too unwilling to play the romantic games that captivate gentlemen.

Amiability is not a characteristic shared by Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings. Recently returned to England from abroad, he intends to shun both marriage and society—just as his callous father shunned Simon throughout his painful childhood. Yet an encounter with his best friend’s sister offers another option. If Daphne agrees to a fake courtship, Simon can deter the mamas who parade their daughters before him. Daphne, meanwhile, will see her prospects and her reputation soar.

The plan works like a charm—at first. But amid the glittering, gossipy, cut-throat world of London’s elite, there is only one certainty: love ignores every rule... - Back Cover

My Thoughts

I have to admit that I have judged romance novels in the past. My grandma, lovingly called Nan, LOVED romance novels but I always saw them as cheezy books with Fabio on the cover in a shirt open to his navel. After watching Netflix's Bridgerton and seeing that it was based on a romance novel series, I thought I would give it a chance. Fresh off binging season 2 I picked up a copy of The Duke & I at the library. Part of my hesitation in the past was also that I was afraid that the book would be better than the series and ruin the tv show for me. I have only experienced one case when the book was not as good as the film/tv adaptation (Divergent).

As it turns out, I did like some aspects of the book better than the show. Book Daphne is way better than Netflix Daphne. While the novel follows the book in general, there are specifics in the book that are not the same. I also find that books are better for backstory than film adaptations, you can better understand the characters and their motivations. 

The novel really follows Daphne and Simon and very few of the other storylines from the tv series show up in the book. The queen is not mentioned in the book at all and Lady Whistledown is used at the beginning of each chapter to chronicle the passing of time, and to provide background information about the characters that the reader would not get otherwise. The other Bridgerton siblings are mentioned, but only Anthony gets much development as Simon's best friend. 

It may also be surprising to some readers who are fans of the show when Simon is described to have blue eyes and fair skin. The relationships of the upper class in the novel are historically accurate and non-interracial, unlike the color-conscious casting chosen by Shonda Rhimes. 

I was wrong to judge this genre, I enjoyed reading this book and plan to learn more about each Bridgerton sibling by reading each novel in the series. Then, like I do with Outlander, I can yell at the tv about how "that isn't how it happened in the book" but still love both anyway. 

Since these books were originally published between 2000-and 2006, I wonder if Nan read and enjoyed them too. I hope so!

Comment below if you have read this book or have suggestions for others like it!

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The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis

                                                            

 Title: The Lions of Fifth Avenue

Author: Fiona Davis

Genre: Historical Fiction

Other Books I've Read by This Author: The Address


Synopsis: 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 is 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. And 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-averse 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. - Back Cover

My Thoughts

Any time there is a book about books, libraries, or other book lovers, I'm in. This one has all three AND is a multigenerational dual time period story, so what is not to love? Plus, it all centers around a mystery of stolen rare books from the famous New York Public Library, so it really seems like this book was written with me personally in mind. 

I LOVED this novel. Laura and Sadie share similarities across generations; they fight for their careers and love their families. There were many evenings when I knew I needed to go to sleep but really wanted to keep reading to get to the bottom of the mystery. Then when all was revealed I was not prepared for the culprits. 

 Lately, I am super into historical fiction that is incorporating the more recent past. Like I love the look back at 1993 compared to 1913 instead of setting Sadie in the 2020s or the more ambiguous "Today." The choice of the early 1990s feels intentional and works so well for the comparison of the two women's stories.
I look forward to reading more from this author!


Comment below if you have read this book or have suggestions for others like it!


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Love and Ruin by Paula McLain

                                                            

Title: Love and Ruin

Author: Paula McLain

Genre: Historical Fiction

Other books I've read by this author: Circling the Sun, The Paris Wife

Synopsis: In 1937, twenty-eight-year-old Martha Gellhorn travels alone to Madrid to report on the atrocities of the Spanish Civil War and becomes drawn to the stories of ordinary people caught in the devastating conflict. It’s her chance to prove herself a worthy journalist in a field dominated by men. There she also finds herself unexpectedly—and unwillingly—falling in love with Ernest Hemingway, a man on his way to becoming a legend.

On the eve of World War II, and set against the turbulent backdrops of Madrid and Cuba, Martha and Ernest’s relationship and careers ignite. But when Ernest publishes the biggest literary success of his career, For Whom the Bell Tolls, they are no longer equals, and Martha must forge a path as her own woman and writer. - Back Cover

My Thoughts

This novel took me a little while to get into. At first, I really didn't like Martha 'Marty' Gellhorn, and when I don't connect with the protagonist right away it makes it difficult for me to enjoy a book. I kept reading, and Marty started to grow on me but I really did not enjoy the portion of the book set in Spain. Again, I hoped it would get better, and it did. 

After Marty's first trip to Spain, things really picked up for me. I found her to be more likable and relatable, and I loved learning about Marty's career as a war correspondent and author. Her life with Hemingway in Cuba and her growing relationship with his children was so endearing. I find that my (poor) opinion of Ernest Hemingway has not changed since McLain's depiction of him in The Paris Wife. I love that Martha chose to do what was right for her despite Hemingway's childish and controlling personality. 

If this one starts off slowly for you as well, I implore you to keep reading, it is worth it in the end! 
 
Comment below if you have read this book or have suggestions for others like it!


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Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton

                                                          

 Title: Next Year in Havana

Author: Chanel Cleeton

Genre: Historical Fiction

Synopsis: After the death of her beloved grandmother, a Cuban-American woman travels to Havana, where she discovers the roots of her identity—and unearths a family secret hidden since the revolution...

Havana, 1958. The daughter of a sugar baron, nineteen-year-old Elisa Perez is part of Cuba's high society, where she is largely sheltered from the country's growing political unrest—until she embarks on a clandestine affair with a passionate revolutionary...

Miami, 2017. Freelance writer Marisol Ferrera grew up hearing romantic stories of Cuba from her late grandmother Elisa, who was forced to flee with her family during the revolution. Elisa's last wish was for Marisol to scatter her ashes in the country of her birth.

Arriving in Havana, Marisol comes face-to-face with the contrast of Cuba's tropical, timeless beauty and its perilous political climate. When more family history comes to light and Marisol finds herself attracted to a man with secrets of his own, she'll need the lessons of her grandmother's past to help her understand the true meaning of courage. - Back Cover

My Thoughts

This novel is so good. It is filled with intriguing and eye-opening juxtapositions: The life of wealthy Cubans in positions of favor in 1958 compared to those who were just trying to get by. The 2017 views of Cuban families who left during the revolution vs those who have never left. It is so complex and interesting.

There is a GIANT twist toward the end of the novel that I honestly did NOT see coming at all, but that I absolutely loved. 

The characters are well developed and relatable, and Marisol definitely gets more than she expected from her trip to Havana to write a tourism article and spread her grandmother's ashes. I cannot wait to continue reading more books in this series! 

Comment below if you have read this book or have suggestions for others like it!

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Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult

                                                              

Title: Wish You Were Here

Author: Jodi Picoult

Genre: Fiction

Synopsis: Diana O’Toole is perfectly on track. She will be married by thirty, done having kids by thirty-five, and move out to the New York City suburbs, all while climbing the professional ladder in the cutthroat art auction world. She’s an associate specialist at Sotheby’s now, but her boss has hinted at a promotion if she can close a deal with a high-profile client. She’s not engaged just yet, but she knows her boyfriend, Finn, a surgical resident, is about to propose on their romantic getaway to the Galápagos—days before her thirtieth birthday. Right on time.

But then a virus that felt worlds away has appeared in the city, and on the eve of their departure, Finn breaks the news: It’s all hands on deck at the hospital. He has to stay behind. You should still go, he assures her, since it would be a shame for all of their nonrefundable trip to go to waste. And so, reluctantly, she goes.

Almost immediately, Diana’s dream vacation goes awry. Her luggage is lost, the Wi-Fi is nearly nonexistent, and the hotel they’d booked is shut down due to the pandemic. In fact, the whole island is now under quarantine, and she is stranded until the borders reopen. Completely isolated, she must venture beyond her comfort zone. Slowly, she carves out a connection with a local family when a teenager with a secret opens up to Diana, despite her father’s suspicion of outsiders.

In the Galápagos Islands, where Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection was formed, Diana finds herself examining her relationships, her choices, and herself—and wondering if when she goes home, she too will have evolved into someone completely different. - Back Cover

My Thoughts

My mom and I went to see Jodi Picoult at the Cuyahoga County Public library on her book tour for Wish You Were Here and each received a signed copy of the book when we attended! It was a super fun event and Picoult mentioned that this book had a huge twist during her discussion with the moderator. 

As I was reading I didn't really notice anything that could foreshadow a twist for the majority of part one of the book. Then little things started to make me think, 'hmm maybe this is what is going to happen,' but then the story would go on and I would think, ' no that would be too crazy if that actually happened,' and I was lulled back into complacency. 

Then, BAM, the 'no, that is too crazy' twist ACTUALLY HAPPENED and I was MAD. Not because it didn't make sense, not because it couldn't happen, but because of what it meant for Diana and several other main characters. I was so invested in the novel that I was angry on their behalf. That tells you how good it is. When I continued past and onto the next part of the book (after putting it down for a day to get over my strong reaction) I felt vindicated to find that Diana felt the exact same way that I did about what happened.

I would totally recommend this book to anyone, no matter what genre they typically read, because it was that good. Also, I now want to travel to the Galapagos.

Comment below if you have read this book or have suggestions for others like it!

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The Heir Apparent by Jane Ridley

                                                         

 Title: The Heir Apparent: A life of Edward VII the Playboy Prince

Author: Jane Ridley

Genre: Nonfiction

Synopsis: A complete biography of King Edward VII of England. 

My Thoughts

It has been a while since my last review, so I'm glad to be posting here again in the new year. It actually took me over a month to read this biography of Edward VII. I had been trying to find a novel that featured Edward the VII, or Bertie as he was known by his family and friends, but little is written about him in the fictional world. So much of royal history and fiction is written about his mother, Queen Victoria, and his grandsons, Edward the VIII (who abdicated) and George VI (another Bertie), and of course his great-granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth II. I really wanted to know more about him and was thrilled when I found this biography. 

This is an all-encompassing biography. It starts from the time Queen Victoria discovers she is pregnant with Bertie and ends at his death. It gives insight into his parents' lives, his siblings, his education, his marriage and many affairs, his children, and his relationships with the monarchs of other countries (who he was related to by the many marriages of his siblings). Then the reader learns about his reign as monarch, his policies, his working relationship with prime ministers, his focus on foreign policy, and his shift from 'playboy prince' to dutiful monarch. It is hard to believe how much of his life is chronicled in this work, especially considering that he tried to eliminate anything related to his personal life upon his death. 

I thoroughly enjoyed learning all about Edward VII, and though it took me a while to read, it did not feel difficult to get through. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in British royal history.

Comment below if you have read this book or have suggestions for others like it!

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