Yesterday’s Tides - by Roseanna M. White: Book Review

Title: Yesterday's Tides
Author: Roseanna M. White
Pages: 432
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Publishing Date: January 24th 2023
Genre: Historical Fiction
Themes: WWI, WWII, Christian, Romance
Format: Kindle
Rating: 4

 

GoodReads Synopsis:

In 1942, Evie Farrow is used to life on Ocracoke Island, where every day is the same--until the German U-boats haunting their waters begin to wreak havoc. And when special agent Sterling Bertrand is washed ashore at Evie's inn, her life is turned upside down. While Sterling's injuries keep him inn-bound for weeks, making him even more anxious about the man he's tracking, he becomes increasingly intrigued by Evie, who seems to be hiding secrets of her own.

Decades earlier, in 1914, Englishman Remington Culbreth arrives at the Ocracoke Inn for the summer, but he doesn't count on falling in love with Louisa Adair, the innkeeper's daughter. When war breaks out in Europe, and their relationship is put in jeopardy, will their love survive?

As Evie and Sterling work to track down an elusive German agent, they unravel mysteries that go back a generation. The ripples from the Great War are still rocking their lives, and it seems yesterday's tides may sweep them all into danger again today.

Bestselling and award-winning author Roseanna M. White whisks you away to two periods fraught with peril in this sweeping and romantic dual-time tale. 

My review of Yesterday's Tides:

This dual timeline novel follows two women during the First World War (in 1912) and the Second World War (in 1942). I enjoyed following both stories, but especially the one during the year 1942.

Ignoring the very large number of characters, so large that I had to create a list of them to keep track, the novel flows smoothly. As you read more of the stories, you get familiar with all the characters. It's more a plot driven novel, but you do get to see the characters' development throughout. The mystery aspect of the novel, not knowing for sure whom to trust, the intrigue with the war spies and war intelligence made me turn the pages faster.

Besides the romantic plot line, where we learn about Evie Farrow's and Louisa Adair's love stories, the novel deals with themes of racism, class divisions, multiple generations, and war intelligence. The best thing was reading to see how the two story lines converge and how the characters connect with one another. It was a wonderful reading experience. I admit starting this hoping for an easy read during a weekend, but there is substance to the story, and a couple of weeks later, I still think about this story sometimes. 

For fans of historical novels, especially set during either of the two world wars, this is a good choice of reading material. In the note at the end of the novel, the author does mention how these characters are in fact characters from her previous works. I haven't read anything by her before, but I didn't feel like there was a lack of depth to the way the characters were constructed. However, those familiar with her other novels will probably get an extra level of enjoyment recognizing other characters.

I received a free e-book copy of this book from the publisher, Bethany House Publishers, via Net Galley. However, all thoughts expressed in this review are my own.

Bloomsbury Girls - by Natalie Jenner: Book Review

Title: Bloomsbury Girls
Author: Natalie Jenner
Pages: 370
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publishing Date: May 17th 2022
Genre: Historical Fiction
Themes:
Format: Kindle
Rating: 4*

Bloomsbury Girls introduces us into the world of a London bookstore, five years after the end of World War Two. The novel mainly focuses on three women, all employees of Bloomsbury Books: Vivien Lowry, Grace Perkins, and Evelyn (Evie) Stone. They come from different walks of life, but become friends, and in the end they are tied by a common goal they'll see to fruition.

Readers who've enjoyed The Jane Austen Society, the author's first book, will enjoy this one, too. Characters from the first book make appearances in Bloomsbury Girls. One aspect I really liked is how the author managed to make the novel sound as if you're reading something written in the mid-20th century. I sometimes had the feeling I'm reading a classic. Yes, some choice of words did sound precious, but I loved this aspect. No bland writing here!

Another thing I enjoyed tremendously was using real life people as characters. Samuel Beckett, Peggy Guggenheim, Sonia Mary Brownell Orwell, Daphne du Maurier - all these become people of great impact in the novel. Besides there, there are a lot of characters in this book. The list at the beginning of the novel comes in handy, but for those reading an e-book version, keep a list, it'll be helpful. However, they all tie in well together, and no one is an unnecessary character. Each character, no matter how disliking they might seem in the beginning, is given enough background to help the reader understand them as a human. Looking back, I can't say there's a character I ended up not being interested in.

This is a historical novel, but we are not told a lot about the political, social, or economic state London is in 1950. The focus is more on the library's history and on its employees' personal histories. This is clearly what we call an inclusive novel, also one with lots of feminist tendencies. The desire to push the limits and go beyond the pre-prescribed norms of the past is reflected even in how each chapter begins: with one of the 51 rules of the store's general manager, Mr. Dutton. The chapters then go to show how they are, subtly or less subtly, broken. I thought that was a nice touch.

I also liked the observations sprinkled throughout the novel, via the characters' thoughts. The observations are mainly on a person's purpose and ambitions, the norms and regulations society imposes that constrain and never liberate. It's something that reminded me of her first novel, where the author would go into "a lecture" on various things. It's not something bothersome, especially since you get to understand the characters more. I must confess that at some point I was rather not in the right spirit to read, but upon further reflection, I realised this is not the kind of book to rush through. Nothing major happens, although the action takes place over a few months. It's more of what people would call a character driven book. I am glad I read it, though. I am sure I'll read anything else Natalie Jenner writers: she has a way of making a time period come alive and transport you in that setting.

I received a free copy of the e-book of this novel from the publisher via Net Galley. All thoughts expressed here are my own.
 

The Christie Affair - by Nina de Gramont: Book Review

Title: The Christie Affair. A Novel

Author: Nina de Gramont

Pages: 320

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Publishing Date: 1st February 2022

Genre: Historical Fiction

Format: ebook

Rating: 5*

 

 

The story is told from Nan O'Shea's point of view, who was Archie Christie's mistress. He was Agatha Christie's first husband. O'Shea tells the story of the time when Agatha went missing for eleven days. Peppered throughout the novel is her story before she met Archie, when she lived in Ireland with her father's brother's family during summers, and in England with her family in the rest of the year. 

I liked the memories of her life before she became involved with Archie. That plot was the most interesting to me, especially as I like learning about characters through memories or flashbacks. The two plots overlap as the story progresses, and we learn how she came to be Christie's mistress and what prompted all her decisions. As a reader, you're offered more and more information as you read, until you can't help but let yourself be reeled in. The story is gripping and it kept me interested to the end. However, I didn't like the ending, specifically the tone at the end. It was as if she brushed everything under the rug, and it didn't match the Agatha throughout the novel with the Agatha she portrayed at the end. Nor, does it match the narrator with the Nan O'Shea in the end. I also didn't like when the author addressed the reader directly; it didn't suit the story.

I liked the author's style. I can tell she studied her sentences, and worked over and polished. There are quotable sentences, some of them good and smart, some slightly cliche, but we know how cliches are actually just truth plainly stated. I did like the narrative voice - Nan is a good story teller. Offering bit of the future early and thoughout the novel made me see it a rather sad novel, but not so as to stop me from reading and enjoying the novel.

Although I learned through my Wikipedia search (just call me scholar!) that most of the characters don't have the names of the real-life people, nor is what happened in the novel true for the most part, there is the lingering question of "what if...?" I like stories that exploit the mystery, no matter how far-fetched it seems. From a story point of view, it's a good story, starting from little bits known for sure, and spinning a tale. I got to learn more about Ireland*, about young women taken to nunneries to have their illicit babies, all thanks to Nan's story. As I read an advanced copy of the novel, there wasn't any note from the author saying how she came to write this particular story, about this particular happening in history. I do hope in the final version some explanation is included, as it'd be very interesting for history and historical fiction lovers.

Now I really want to read Agatha Christie's Autobiography, in which, by the way, she says nothing about her 11-days disappearance. So intriguing! 

* Fun fact: A few days ago I finished The Missing Sister and the plot is heavily set in Ireland during the Independence War with England. It was cool to learn more about it.

I received a free ebook copy of the novel from the publisher via Net Galley. All thoughts expressed here are my own.

Yours Cheerfully - by A. J. Pearce: Book Review

 

 

Title: Yours Cheerfully. A novel
Series: The Emmy Lake Chronicles
Author: A. J. Pearce
Pages: 304
Publisher: Scribner
Publishing Date: August 20th 2021
Genre: Historical Fiction
Format: Kindle
Rating: 3*

 

Yours Cheerfully is the sequel to the Dear Mrs. Bird novel, the first in the The Emmy Lake Chronicles by A. J. Pearce. I read these two one after the other and it was the right way to read them, without losing the atmosphere.

What I like about this series is that it doesn't seem to rush things: the action is still happening in the early years of World War Two.

Dear Mrs. Bird focuses more on Emmy Lake becoming more sure of herself and her career as a journalist, as well as her love story with Charles. The second novel in the series, Yours Cheerfully, focuses more on the social issues - fair wages for the women war workers, and childcare for their children. Woman's Friend, the magazine Emmy works for, is aiming to be relevant and indeed a friend to its readers. I liked the themes of female friendship, and working women during the War time.

I enjoyed reading this novel, both novels in the series, actually. Because the action of the novel took place slowly, without quickly glossing over the War, it made it easier to focus on the story and see things from the characters' perspectives.

I am curious where Emmy's story will go next!

I received a copy of the e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts expressed here are my own.

Things We Didn't Say - by Amy Lynn Green: Book Review

Title: Things We Didn't Say
Author: Amy Lynn Green
Pages: 416
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Publishing Date: 3rd November
Genre: Christian Historical Fiction, WWII, Epistolary Novel
Format: Kindle
Rating: 4*

 This novel helped me get out of the reading slump I'd found myself for a few weeks, uncharacteristically avoiding fiction.

Things We Didn't Say is written in epistolary form, my favourite style, and it focuses on a year in Johanna Berglund's life, a linguist student turned US army translator. I liked the unknown (to me) perspective on World War II. It's always interesting to look at that time period from a different angle. I don't think I've read a WWII novel set in US before.

There is a lot of depth in this apparently easy to read novel. I admit this was my reasoning going in: something light to make me want to read fiction. I liked how different mysteries were hinted at and scattered thoughout the novel, but it was done without it being overbearing or just for the sake of creating something to keep the reader interested. The characters have depth and personality, so the novel was full of relatable moments for me. Getting to distinguish a character's voice solely through letters is not something easily achieved, but the author did it.

It was also fascinating to learn about the US Prisoner of War camps in the Midwest and the attitude the locals had towards these prisoners. I found the topic of the other, the foreigner, the one of a different race very relevant to the history of US, and especially relevant these days. However, it is applicable to anyone, not just Americans. The struggle with one's faith and how we can accept God's plan was another theme the novel dealt with.

There is a delicately presented love story unfolding, but I especially appreciated it not being the focal point. It was cheeky how the angle of the false romance was added in. Since romance is not the main point of the novel at all, it made the novel even better for me. What it focused on were the relationships in a small community, the power of the written word, the value prayers have for the one who prays, the importance of holding strong to what you believe in, and the willingness to give up something good for something even better. Funny how a story of the mid -1940s has echo in the 2020s.

It's the sort of novel you speed through towards the end because you want to learn how it all ties together, but at the same time you don't want it to end. I enjoyed reading Things We Didn't Say a lot and I look forward to reading more from Amy Lynn Green, an original voice on the Christian Historical Fiction scene.

I received a free e-book copy from the publisher via Net Galley. All thoughts expressed here are my own. 

The Sun Sister - by Lucinda Riley: Book Review

Title: The Sun Sister. A novel
Author: Lucinda Riley
Pages: 528
Publisher: Atria Books
Release Date: 19th May 2020
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance
Format: Kindle

The Sun Sister by Lucinda Riley is the sixth novel in the The Seven Sisters series. It focuses on the story of Electra d’Apliese, one of the six daughters adopted by Pa Salt.

At this point I’m so invested in this series, and although I can see that the writing is not perfect and there are plenty of shortcomings, the story is too captivating to stop reading. Alas, this was about 100-200 pages too long.

There was much focus on Cecily’s story, which is mostly set in Kenya, Africa, but not much is revealed about that culture, except the bare minimum necessary to help the story make sense. Of course her part is crucial, but I wish more were told about Stella or Rosa. The pattern of every book in the series is that we learn more about the great-grandparents or a great-relative, rather than the closer family members. And yet, in a novel focused on a character of African descent, a lot of time is spent talking about the world of the white people.

An aspect that was distracting was the brackets used. This could have been better handled by the editor. The information put between brackets was a natural part of the story and I don’t understand the function of these brackets. Actually, I don’t understand brackets in novels, period. The writing, as I said, is not much, the characters have little depth and the romance between Electra and her new love interest is silly, added almost as an afterthought to have that box ticked. Also, why do characters use the addressed person’s name so much in dialogues? It just makes all the dialogues even more unnatural. It’s also cute to keep hearing about how smart a character is only to see them lacking common general knowledge. Good thing they have a pretty face, huh?

There were important issues approached in this novel, two biggest being racism and drug addiction. It is a relevant topic for our time, and it fit with the main character’s lifestyle and background. I was afraid it’ll be turned into a pathetic plea against drugs, which is usually badly handled, but it was nicely addressed.

What irks me is why we’re repeatedly told that every female interest in every romantic relationship in every book in the series has to be skinny or voluptuous, and beautiful – so the focus is on the outward appearance. This is the case both in the past and the present day stories. Speaking of relationships, it’s curious that most? all? romantic relationships have an older-by-at-least-ten-years male partner and a young in-her-early-to-mid-twenties female. I’m so curious if this is a coincidence or a thing the author has, or a nod to something in her life, or a simple preference. I’ve been thinking about this since the second book! 

I was worried for a second that the series would end abruptly. I shouldn’t have feared because this novel ends with a reference to the seventh unknown sister. There are also some mysteries at Atlantis that need uncovering, I believe. I can’t wait for the seventh book in the series, but only due to the entertainment it provides, not the depth of the novels.

I received a free e-book copy of the novel from the publisher via Net Galley. All thoughts expressed here are my own.

The Paris Hours - by Alex George: Book Review

Title: The Paris Hours
Author: Alex George
Pages: 272
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Release Date: 5th of May 2020
Genre: Historical Fiction
Format: Kindle

Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.

This was the quote that came to mind as I was approaching the final pages of this novel. So many characters, each with their own battle. Worth the read!

Good Reads Review:

Paris between the wars teems with artists, writers, and musicians, a glittering crucible of genius. But amidst the dazzling creativity of the city’s most famous citizens, four regular people are each searching for something they’ve lost.

Camille was the maid of Marcel Proust, and she has a secret: when she was asked to burn her employer’s notebooks, she saved one for herself. Now she is desperate to find it before her betrayal is revealed. Souren, an Armenian refugee, performs puppet shows for children that are nothing like the fairy tales they expect. Lovesick artist Guillaume is down on his luck and running from a debt he cannot repay—but when Gertrude Stein walks into his studio, he wonders if this is the day everything could change. And Jean-Paul is a journalist who tells other people’s stories, because his own is too painful to tell. When the quartet’s paths finally cross in an unforgettable climax, each discovers if they will find what they are looking for.

Told over the course of a single day in 1927, The Paris Hours takes four ordinary people whose stories, told together, are as extraordinary as the glorious city they inhabit.

My Review: 

The focus in The Paris Hours is on ordinary people, with tangentially mentioned famous figures of 1927 Paris. All four characters come to the same place towards the end of the novel - at Le Chat Blac. Through flashbacks we learn each character's life story; sad stories, but beautiful in their ordinary.

The novel started slowly, especially until I got used to each character and their history. For me, the rhythm started to pick up once I hit the 20% mark. It seems a lot of grace to give to a book, but it was worth it. The writing reads naturally and there were some parts that caught my attention and I went back to reread them. At times the language sounds very poetic and lyrical, but it doesn't come across as (too) forced.

There is a plethora of charactes and it might be a lot to keep tabs on, especially until you figure out who's who and what's the point of each one being mentioned. I personally needed to keep a list of them all. Looking back, I can see how all of them were necessary to make the story credible.

Each chapter ends with a cliff-hanger and each one focuses on a different character. It makes you want to keep reading to learn more about them. Every chapter is crucial in order to get the whole picture. As the novel progresses you're given  more clues. It's like a puzzle whose pieces are handed to you a few at a time - sometimes you can fit them in right away, other times you have to wait for the next hand of pieces to see how and where they can be used. 

Each storyline is tender in its way, but Souren's affected me the most. Despite being so tragic, it's fitting the direction his story took. It also added another layer of knowledge to what I know about the Armenian war, which is a too little talked about event, in my opinion. I first learned about this conflict by watching The Ottoman Lieutenant (which I know is not the most historical film...)

The Paris Hours reminded me of the film Midnight in Pairs. I was pleasantly surprised of this book; it shows a different perspective of the '20s in Paris. For historical fiction fans, especially of novels set in Paris or between the two World Wars this could be a good choice.

I received a free e-book copy of the novel from the publisher via Net Galley. All thoughts expressed here are my own.

The Jane Austen Society - by Natalie Jenner: Book Review

Title: The Jane Austen Society. A Novel
Author: Natalie Jenner
Pages: 320
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Release Date: May 26th 2020
Genre: General Fiction, Historical Fiction
Format: Kindle

This novel made me miss Jane Austen's novels. By the half point of the novel I finally figured out that the characters respected the Jane Austen novels typology: the man who looks down on women; the man who is afraid of his feelings; the woman who denies herself the chance at love. The couples that form as the novel progresses were references to her novels, but also modern and with a twist. Every main character was a darling, and the villains were to be expected and had their part in the story. You knew whom to love and whom to dislike.

And speaking of couples, just like in Austen's novels, there's a rush of declaration of love and weddings at the end. A lot of time was spent dealing with the financial and inheritance aspects, and just hints and snippets of romance. The characters circle one another, but don't say their piece directly.

The plot was not far fetched for a historical novel, but when the characters started talking about Jane Austen's novels they sounded scholarly. It was a bit too much, although they were educated people (Dr. Benjamin Gray and teacher Miss Adeline Lewis). I liked the choice of setting the action in post World War II and not during the War. This way the attention was on the importance of the books and Jane Austen's legacy. For a reader who enjoys books about books, this is a good choice, especially if you're an austenite.

The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner was a sweet read that made me miss the classics and the British settings of the novels I enjoyed over the years.

I received a free e-book copy of the novel from the publisher via Net Galley. All thoughts expressed here are my own.

The Last List of Miss Judith Kratt - by Andrea Bobotis: Book Review

Title: The Last List of Miss Judith Kratt
Author: Andrea Bobotis
Pages: 320
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Release Date: July 9th 2019
Genre: Historical Fiction
Format: Kindle

What power things had over me! 

As I look back, I wonder what made our house a home for me. Was it my family? Or was it the things in their proper place?

Judith Kratt, the oldest child of the Kratt family which used to be the richest and most feared family in Bound, South Carolina in the 1920s, decides to do an inventory of all the things her family has gathered over the years. Her love for them is deeply ingrained. Oh, the things we learn due to this inventory!

This is a slow burn story, but it consumes you and you keep kindling the flame because you are now part of the Kratts and part of Bound, South Carolina.

Compiling an inventory of a house, like Miss Judith Kratt intends to do, takes time - and so does telling the story of a family through the objects. You need to be in a certain mind frame, so to say, to read this novel. Yes, there is racism, but keep in mind it's the years 1929 and 1989. Yes, there are few, if any, likeable characters, but this makes them all the more intriguing. Yes, it may seem to drag, but bit by bit the tapestry of a whole family and town is revealed through the power of objects. It's the typical Southern family story: the father acting like the leader who instills fear in all, the meek mother who mostly keeps to herself, but still has a confidante, and the children who seem to grow without any of the parents' attention.

I enjoyed this novel very much. Actually, I find it hard to come up with something I didn't like about it. Maybe I could say that it did seem to have a slow pace, and the "mystery" surrounding some characters was too thin, therefore Rosemarie's shock, Miss Judith's youngest sister, is hardly believable. By the half point, through all the flashbacks and the shared memories, the reader can easily see where the story is going and figure out the secret.

The novel has 14 chapters that tell the story of the Kratt family, the richest and most important family in Bound, a small town in South Carolina. The narrative line alternates between 1929 and 1989. The memories, the stories, and the history of the objects that come into focus reveal the underlying parts of each family member. I have realised this is a favourite way for me to discover the story of a person, family or town. It's like an onion: you find more and more stories. At times, apparently without realising it, the narrator gives pieces of information and gradually you piece them all together so that in the end you have the whole Kratt puzzle figured out. It's helpful that although the story alternates past-present day, it keeps an approximate chronological timeline in revealing the family history.

As far as the characters go, there isn't anyone I liked. They just are, but this makes them human and you accept them for who they are. Miss Judith, who we learn has never left her house in the last sixty years, has all the traits to make her irritating, but you can hardly keep anything against her. Rosemarie tried to cope with what she thought she understood as she saw fit. Olva was caught between two worlds and two families, not fully knowing on whose side she ought to stand.

As for the writing, it's poetic at times, simplistic other times. There were some sentences lacking a verb, and although I think I understand the aesthetic purpose, it's bothersome when reading. In this sense, it would have flowed better if there were some semicolons or an alternative writing structure or style.

All in all, I had a good time reading this novel. It's for those who like stories set in the South, especially since it reminds so well of the American Southern classics and the time period usually tackled in those novels. Not to mention, it's perfect for a slow afternoon when the heat is almost unbearable and you lay in the shadow drinking iced tea.

3 1/2 *

 

I received a free e-book copy of this novel from the publisher via Net Galley. All thoughts expressed here are my own.

 ***

Characters List (contains spoilers!):

Bound, South Carolina

Daddy Brayburn Kratt - richest man in town, owns a department store and cotton gins

Mama Rosemarie Kratt - Daddy's wife. quiet person. died of a hear attack. lived with

Judith Kratt - the oldest child. takes the blame for Olva.

Quincy Kratt - the boy. killed by Olva on December 20th 1929.

Rosemarie Kratt - the youngest child. very beautiful. thinks Judith killed Quincy because she saw her with the gun after she took it from Olva. left Bound immediately after. did not return for 60 years. Helped Olva learn about her father's family. left as soon as she learned the truth.

Aunt Dee - unmarried, Mama's sister. She knows about Mama and Charlie. died of a heart attck

Charlie - a handyman. works at the store

Charlie + Mama = Olva, a child born a year before Judith

Shep Bramlett - Daddy Kratt's business partern. will eventually buy Daddy out and will lead to Daddy's downfall. Shep sexually attacked Rosemarie when she was 13 years old.

Byrd Parker - Daddy Kratt's business rival

Byrd's wife committed suicide. She had had an affair with a Negro man and she was pregnant.

Mr. and Mrs. Greenley - the butcher and his wife

Mr. Burn - the milliner

Ima - the Kratt's cook

Marcus - paperman. related to Olva, but we only learn this later on

Amaryllis - Marcus' daughter

Dovey Aikens - girl Quincy loved. they two had a child, but we learn nothing about it

the five Sullivan daughters - poor. had many children

Jolly and Vi - Shep's daughters

Rick - Jolly's son. he owns a store, a small and unprofitable version of the store his grandfather bought from Daddy Kratt. Shep had no business sense and the store soon lost its glory.