Review: All the Flowers in Paris: A Novel

All the Flowers in Paris: A Novel by Sarah Jio
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved every page of this book, from the first word of the first sentence to the very last, I love this!

I am not going to spoil a thing, but the characters of Papa, Cecille and Cosi were just wonderful. We meet them during occupied Paris. Where life for many Parisians would be one of uncertainty and terror throughout the occupation. Some residents would choose to "bed" with the Germans in order to save their lives or those of their family, often with dire consequences. Some would hide in fear of the Germans and some would blatantly turn up their noses at the invaders. You are going to meet or learn about all these behaviors while reading this book. There is no sugar coating what the Germans did so be prepared for disgust too.

We also get to fast forward to 2009 to a character that gets her own drama because she has amnesia. This storyline would weave into the characters of the past and would prove equally as thrilling.

I read this book on a Friday night after a long week at work. I kept telling myself, "just one more chapter"....that lead into finishing the book and dreaming about it all night long.

I am not sure if this is my pick book of the year 2019 or the runner-up but I can tell you that it is well worth your time.

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Review: A Dangerous Act of Kindness

A Dangerous Act of Kindness by L.P. Fergusson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I started this book because it was part of the #biglibraryread with Overdrive and it was a WWII historical fiction. I didn't really have any expectations going into the book because I did not read the synopsis, I just jumped in. Well, I lost a lot of sleep over this one because I could not stop until it was finished. The first part is a full love story, love between a German pilot and the British woman who helped him after he crash landed. The second part of the book was how to live after such a dramatic, secret love affair. I won't tell you too much because I hate when people spoil books for me, but if you like WWII historical fiction and if you like to see someone do the right thing even if your country thinks it is wrong...then I think you will like this too.

The ending is exactly what I wanted.

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Review: The Last Year of the War

The Last Year of the War by Susan Meissner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Susan did not disappoint in this book. She gave us a tale that in parts was hard for me to read. I have known for a while that we had camps in America, but it is still hard to read about. Then the way the family left the camp and what they were to experience when they did leave the camp. I won't give you details, but it was very hard.

The book got happier as you find someone who is willing to give so much to be so selfless. Even if they had a motive for doing so, they still saved someone in every way a person can be saved and that was beautiful. I can't tell you what I mean by this statement, you really need to read the book and see what a wonderful act it was and who committed it.

It was a very well written tale that if you let it can give you a little history as to what life was like for a German American or Japanese American living in the USA during WWII.

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Review: Mistress of the Ritz

Mistress of the Ritz by Melanie Benjamin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

For most of this book I was in my usual place of WWII a little romance, survival mode of the characters in the face of the invading Nazi government, and some spy adventures to boot. This one takes place primarily inside the Ritz hotel. Lush decor, plump cushions, white gloved treatment, gourmet meals, an answer to your every whim, I mean who would not want to go there? Not during this time you would not! There was lots of deception going on, rations, spies and lots of folks terrified that the next step would be the last.

In a hotel you know that the cast of characters could be quite large. Coco Chanel was present (I have yet to read anything enduring about her behavior while living at the Ritz), Hemingway makes an appearance as does Marlena Dietrich and plenty of Nazi soldiers. The primary characters would be Claude and Blanche Auzello. I may have heard of them before and did not retain their names or any of their actions. As a matter of a fact, I had to look them up early on to verify they were real people. For the most part they behaved as I expected them to in a Nazi occupied France/hotel...but there was a twist I never saw coming. Well two twists. I am not going to spoil either of them, but I was shocked. With the last third of the book this tale advanced to one of my pick books of the year!!!!



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Review: The Beantown Girls

The Beantown Girls by Jane Healey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I did the audiobook version of the Kindle book (what do I call that?). I was thinking while listening that the book wasn't perfectly written, but it was written perfectly enough for me to get sucked into the storylines and have a hard time NOT finishing it faster. I thought it had nice storylines of the Red Cross girls and their lives. Some were about love, some death, some promise and all of the girls had hope. We fall the Red Cross Clubmobile girls from their training to their post-war lives. I adored how these girls that met in carefree college find themselves in the middle of the fighting in WWII.

The narrator was easy to understand, she had a soothing voice and I loved how she read the men parts as a man, in a deep voice.

Very nice.

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Review: The Wartime Sisters

The Wartime Sisters by Lynda Cohen Loigman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In looking at the cover and the title and then reading the text, I was very surprised at this read (I rarely read the synopsis). Right out of the gate I expected it to be as I had envisioned, not that there was anything wrong with that, but I LOVED how it became something else indeed. You could almost feel the jealousy coming from Ruth. Millie seemed so sweet and cute and pretty like Baby Jane was in Whatever happened to Baby Jane. Ok, she didn't end that way, but I like the analogy at the start. I admit that I didn't like the Millie character at first, but then when that pivot happens in the action, I liked her a lot. There were a few sub characters that I wasn't sure added anything to the plot, but they ended up adding a lot to the plot and they added an aspect that I thought was very unique.

I ended up giving this 5 stars because of the surprise factor. I also liked how things twisted around. It wasn't my typical WWII read, it was a bit more....and I liked that.

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Review: The Girl They Left Behind

The Girl They Left Behind by Roxanne Veletzos
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book started out fantastic! I was sucked right into the story with the hope of no release. Then I got some questions (some of which I never had answered) and thought that I didn't really like the book. I kept reading and fell madly in love with the last little bit. I was just a big ball of emotion by the end.

I hate to give away to much of the plot, but what happens is Natalia's parents have to go into hiding because they are Jewish and they cannot take their little girl. They leave her and she is adopted by a wealthy family. Then the tables turn and communism takes over and the family loses their wealth and standing. We will meet many character that weave in and out (very quickly at times) of the family's life. The family will experience many different situations in our quick journey with them, but the theme is there "FAMILY". Being together is what they all long for, what they all need to keep going no matter what happens to their social status or the diminishing amount of food on the table...none of that matters as long as they are together.

Natalia has no control over her life in any way at any time in this book. I am not sure I like that part, but I very much like how the book ended.

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Review: The Age of Light

The Age of Light by Whitney Scharer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I only knew a little about Lee by reading a book on Picasso once. I then Googled her to see who she was. The photo in Hitler's tub was really cool. Once I started this book I was very invested in the novel. It was not a perfect read for me, but I found it good. I liked that Lee was a woman that was trying to break barriers, but then she regressed a little (while I can't say it was perfect) and didn't break the rest of the way through those barriers. I was hoping she didn't use Man Ray to define her. I can see that she did indeed do things that at that time women did not do and she did them well. I am very glad that I got to read this almost perfect book.





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Review: The Light Over London

The Light Over London by Julia Kelly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book intrigued me. A modern-day lady finds a diary and searches to find out who wrote it and what happened to her. Our WWII heroine...falls for a man...joins the war effort and goes through things that no woman should go through.

I really enjoyed my time spent with Louise (WWII) and Cara. There is a lot of beautiful exchanges between lovers and diary entries.

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Review: The Lost Girls of Paris

The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book took me on a roller coaster of emotions. I hated a character, then I loved them and then I wanted to hug them. While some of the book's text is reminiscent of other WWII stories I have read, this one was very unique in its circumstances. I found myself caught up in the middle of the same emotions that the characters were feeling. There is one part that I was TERRIFIED!! (you will see what I mean).

I thought it was worthy of my time and enjoyed the ending. It wasn't a perfect read for me, but very good.

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Review: The Only Woman in the Room: A Novel

The Only Woman in the Room: A Novel by Marie Benedict
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hedy has always fascinated me. Toted by the film studios as "the most beautiful woman in the world". Just look at her in Ziegfield Girl and you have to believe that statement is true. Then when I started studying old movies I discovered she was very smart too. NO FAIR! Brains and Beauty.

This story will show you both of the brains and beauty. We see Hedy trying to first please her family and then we see her try to save their lives and then she works on the lives of all Americans.

I knew she had been married many times, but never knew of the first one. I knew the first one came before she was a big star. This whole thing was very interesting and really may have gone down in the way depicted here.

This was a short read and you will get a nice story on The Most Beautiful Woman in the World.

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Review: The Paris Seamstress

The Paris Seamstress by Natasha Lester
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book made it onto the list of best books that I read in 2018. The story takes place in two time periods, WWII and modern day. The modern day character is a relative of the past character. The past character is a famous fashion designer, but here you get her beginnings. How she got started and what she risked to get there. The modern day character is dealing with her own issues, but she also uncovers a past she knew nothing about. It is simply marvelous the way the two time periods weave together to form a wonderful ending.

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Review: The Tattooist of Auschwitz

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a beautiful story of love in the most horrific conditions. I was madly in love with Lale and Gita myself. The things they endured were the most gruesome thing I have ever read about. To find out that Lale and Gita were real people and this story is based on their lives touched me deeply. The love they had, the bond to make it out alive and together, their sheer devotion to one another was touching. Lale didn't come off as a sympathizer, but I can see his concern that he would be. I saw in him a man that did what it took to serve his fellow prisoners and in the end, they took care of him for taking care of him all those years.

There were many spots in the book that I could not stand it for fear that something happened to Lale, Gita or their friends. The constant worry that this could be their last moment was terrifying to me.

I will forever question how these activities could go unnoticed and always say a little prayer for those that went through these dreadful conditions.



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Review: The German Girl

The German Girl by Armando Lucas Correa
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My friend made me read this and I am so glad that she did! This book travels from 2014 with Anna to 1939 with Hannah and follows the lives of the Rosenthal's/Rosen's. The story traveled to Havana, which I loved. Having just gotten back from Havana and visited many of the places from the book....everything was so visible in my mind. The story was sad, so sad, but such an important tale to tell. I had never heard about the ship St. Louis and had no idea what happened to those people. It's another story from (pre) WWII that people should know. Thank you sir for telling this history along with adding some characters that we would want to know more about and enjoy spending time with (we would also be sad right alongside them).

A wonderful book.

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Review: Goodnight From London

Goodnight From London by Jennifer Robson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

WOW!! I have been waiting to read this because I needed the ebook since I didn't want to mess up my autographed copy. It was well worth the wait. Once I opened the ebook I devoured the text. It was a wonderful journey. We met Ruby who seems like an incredible girl that has some deep secrets. Her secrets will be revealed and she will fall for a man that also has deep secrets. Ms. Robson writes the most perfect books for me, there is some romance, but not trashy and the books are FULL of history from the early 20th century wars. This one will focus on WWII, you will actually be right in the middle of the blitz in London.

I simply adore this book.

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Review: Fireball: Carole Lombard and the Mystery of Flight 3

Fireball: Carole Lombard and the Mystery of Flight 3 by Robert Matzen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Vivid, nerve racking, unreal , sorrow.....I felt all of this. I knew the story, but I didn't know the story. The wreckage is unreal and a bit morbid, but you need this detailed account to see just what Flight 3 did to so many families. I very much enjoyed the mini bio about Carole in between the horrific story of her passing. It was the good in all that bad.

I knew of Clark's sorrow, how it changed him....but I teared up reading just how miserable he was.

I have had this book on my to read book list for a long time and now I said "why did you wait so long?" Excellent!

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Review: Mademoiselle Chanel

Mademoiselle Chanel by C.W. Gortner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have never been a fan of Coco, just of her designs. I thought I would give this a try because it is set in the period that I like to read about. Even though it did not change my mind about Chanel the person, it was a very enjoyable read. It read like a bio even though it was fiction. It did not portray Andre as Coco's child, as I have often read, but as her nephew; which was how he was presented to the world. Only Coco would know the real story there.

If you like the 20's-40's and fashion, you would like this book. If you are reading because you think you like Chanel....well, maybe you should rethink that and read it for some other reason. She is not an easy person to like because of her beliefs and this book does not change them to make her more likeable, and I liked that it stayed true to how CC was.

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Review: Flight of Dreams

Flight of Dreams by Ariel Lawhon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I have waited so long for this one. I have been wanting to read historical fiction on the Hindenburg because it is something I have never really read about. I don't know if I have too much going on or what, but I could not get into the characters or the story. Really I didn't even care. I didn't really want to finish the book.

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Review: Salt to the Sea

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was not at all what I expected. It took a while to grab my attention, but once it did, I could not stop. This book will break your heart, but it will also give you some hope. Set in WWII and based on a true story of the William Gustloff. The thing is, you've probably never heard of the William Gustloff...I know I had not; but for a small time while reading this book I felt I was right there.

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Review: Lilac Girls

Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was one of those books that at first I was hesitant to read. Then I started and had trouble putting down, especially once the story got to the concentration camp. The ending was wonderful in so many ways as well. I am often scared to put too much in a review because I am one of those folks that will pick up a book because of what it looks like....I rarely ever read the synopsis. I hate to give away too much just in case you are like I am and just like to jump inside the covers of the book.

What I will tell you is that this book follows three women. One is a young lady, one a doctor, and a socialite. All three women will be connected by a redirection camp/concentration camp. No matter what they call it, it was horrible and one person will strive to make it better for those held at the camp.

I thought it was well written and I admit I cried a little.

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