I was so happy to spend time with Emma and Penny as the “lady detectives” once again are recruited to help solve the murder mystery. I enjoyed learning about the Royal Observatory Greenwich. (It is definitely worth doing some research about this institution.) There are a lot of twists and turns as Emma and Penny interrogate, question, and interview many suspects while exposing themselves to danger. There are a lot of characters introduced as you discover clues to help expose

I love reading historical fiction books and especially when they take place during WWII. This is also a dual timeline book which added to the pleasure of reading. This is a book that will slowly pull you in and will tug at your heart. This was a new experience from the WWII historical fiction genre. The characters and their lives will keep you invested in the book as you work with Amelia to discover the story of Flavia. What an amazing tale of love, loss, grief, and courage.

I have loved the books in the Emma Langley Victorian series by Emily Organ. I cannot wait for the next book to be released. The primary characters, Emma and Penny, are a great crime solving duo. The fact that the story takes place in the 1880s in Victorian London adds a twist. Their investigation uncovers a lot of suspects, and the lady detectives are determined to solve the case. As typically happens during Emma and Penny’s efforts, they uncover a lot of surprising revelatio

While I really enjoyed reading If the Creek Don’t Rise, this book did not pull me into the story. I did not realize this was considered part of the fantasy/magical realism genre. If I had known that I probably would not have attempted to read it. I appreciate the setting of the Appalachian Mountains and was anticipating more of a folklore focus. However, the book seemed to focus on witches and feminism with very little plot. Sadly, this is one that did not appeal to me. Thank

I love reading historical fiction books and especially if they are set during WWII. It has become increasingly difficult to find a book that brings a new aspect to that time period. But Siobhan Daiko did a fabulous job of pulling me into the story and being invested in the lives of the characters. Being a dual timeline book was a plus for me and it was easy to keep track of whether you are in 1944 or the 2000s. The sense of community that surrounded Robi and Elisa was so hear

I enjoy reading historical fiction books and especially when they are set during WWII. I feel like this genre is inundated with books, so it is difficult for me to find one with an aspect from that time period for which I am not familiar. This particular book was a good read, but it covered the same story I have read multiple times. This is less a “horrors of WWII” book but introduces you to two young women who are affected by the war. This is a emotional read that demonstrat

This eighth book in the Lost Daughters series by Soraya M. Lane was an emotional read. The story is overflowing with love, loss, and a deep sense of hope. I enjoy reading historical fiction books … and especially if they feature a dual timeline. I have loved how each book in the series focuses on a different character and how they are blessed with the box that allows them to discover their true story. This final addition to the series ties the books up with a beautiful bow of

I typically enjoy reading historical fiction books that are set during WWII. And I have enjoyed other books by the author, Shari J. Ryan. I think I am overloaded with books in the WWII historical fiction genre and they have lost the power to impress me or enlighten me about a new aspect of that time period. This book felt disjointed and the storyline did not flow smoothly. It was an effort for me to continue reading and I found myself putting it down to read something differe

I typically enjoy reading historical fiction books and am challenging myself to read outside of my typical books in this genre. I also did not realize this was the 12th book in the series before I began reading it. From looking at other reviews, plenty of them comment on how much they love the primary character, Charles Lenox. So by starting so late in the series, I think I have missed a lot of background and it affected my opinion. I did not feel invested in the characters o

I love reading historical fiction books ... especially when they take place during WWII. I was not familiar with the Nazi occupation of the Channel Islands. So I enjoyed learning about a new aspect of the war. However, other than that, this was just an okay read for me. The Christian theme was a plus for me and I enjoyed learning about the divided loyalties and how people had to compromise in order to survive. The romance was too predictable and became a “Hallmark” version ..

I was mildly disappointed in this book. It was an okay read, but I did not care for the characters because they were not very well developed. I will not leave any spoilers. But if you want to read a book that tells the facts but does not pull you into the story, then you will enjoy it. And by the end, you will at least learn about Katy and the woman who “signed” the Declaration of Independence. Thank you to NetGalley and Mystic Owl Publishing for my advanced review copy. All

I love reading historical fiction books and especially when they are set during WWII. It has become increasingly difficult to find a book in this genre that covers a different as WWII that has not been covered thoroughly by other authors. However, C. K. McAdam has done just that! This book focuses on the lives of the people in Germany. Experiencing the war through the lens of a German family with a variety of perspectives was informative. From being the father of three boys w

I love reading historical fiction books, and especially when they are set WWII time. Period. Period. This second book Survivors of War series by Deborah Swift was interesting because it took place in Shanghai, China. The primary character, Zofia, find herself in a unique situation because she is married to a Japanese man who has been conscripted to fight in their army. The trauma that the citizens of Shanghai experience when the Japanese invade is chilling and gripping. The a

I have typically loved reading historical fiction books that take place during WWII. But I have read so many that I feel like I am oversaturated with that genre as struggle finding one that covers a new aspect of that time. However, Roberta Kagan managed to pull me into the story of Mimi and Nick. It was an emotional journey through the pages. Though their story has them spending the majority of the book apart, their lives were touched in different ways by the Nazi propaganda

I am not sure what I want to say in this review. I LOVE books by the author, Boo Walker. And there were many positive qualities to the book. Plus, just because I dislike one character … a lot!! … does not mean I do not like the book. But Sandy, the owner of the only English bookstore in Bologna, kept me from enjoying it as much as I had hoped I would. There are several other characters that help balance out Sandy's negative influence in the pages. They all end up, coming toge

It has been a while since I had read the first book in The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris series. Luckily the author provides enough detail at the beginning of this book that it refreshed my memory. I enjoy reading historical fiction books, and especially when they take place during WWII. This one took place in a different area of France and you are able to enjoy a present day experience with Juliette and her efforts to discover information about her grandmother WWII. There are

Having just finished reading The Lavender Keeper, the first book in the Luc and Lisette series, I was looking forward to spending more time with them. This book, however, did not appeal to me. Too many descriptive words kept me from being totally immersed in the story. Enjoy the part of the book that took place in Australia, so a little different setting than I typically read about. This book runs the gambit of emotion … from happy to sad. Basically, one I did not enjoy as mu

I enjoy reading historical fiction books, especially when they take place during WWII. The characters are well developed, and the author does a good job of pulling you into the lives of Luc and Lisette. I enjoyed the aspect of spending time in France and the espionage and work of the resistance. An interesting love story but the end kind of fizzled out for me. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own. For more review

This was definitely a failure for me and my attempt to read more historical fiction books that introduce me to a unique aspect of history. One big turn off for me was the amount of crude language. I can handle some when it is imported to the story or the characters, but this was over the top unnecessary. I felt like I was plotting through mud to get through the pages. There are too many wonderful books out there to enjoy for me to spend hours, forcing myself to pick up the bo

I was so looking forward to reading this book. I have enjoyed several books that took place around the Titanic. But I did not find myself engaged in this story. Though I did enjoy the story of Melville. It was very informative. I think the biggest thing that turned me off was the repetitiveness of many things throughout the story parentheses ashes, tires, gripping the pavement, etc.). It definitely took away from my enjoyment of the story. This was an interesting exploration