The Manhattan Confessions by Jocelyn Green

 

What catches your eye on book covers?  I loved the blue dress of the character on the cover of The Manhattan Confessions by Jocelyn Green.  I thought it was very striking and eye catching.

Ivy Malone works for the New York historical society as a librarian.  Society matron, Adeline King, reveals her history to Ivy in order to preserve it.  When this explosive story gets published without Ivy’s approval, two men appear and say they have claims to Adeline and want to know her true identify.  Are these men telling the truth and how can Ivy keep Adeline safe?

Ivy is also having problems with her cousin Gina as she tried to immigrate from Italy.  She is detained at Ellis Island and Ivy employs the help of immigrant services to help get the paperwork issues solved.  As difficulties arise, who can she trust?

My thoughts on this project:

·       This story is set in the 1920’s in New York City.

·       I loved the deep look into immigration problems of the 1920s, many which still exist today.  People tried to keep the Italians out as they were the unwanted immigrants of the time. They take advantage of the immigrants to make money off them directly or by forcing them into prostitution.

·       There was a great overarching theme – do you believe that people can change to be better people?  Do you deserve forgiveness after a life of crime?

·       This is the last book in the “On Central Park” series but can be read as a standalone.  Each book is the story of a roommate.  Characters from the previous books appear.

·       I liked Gina’s story escaping from fascist Italy.

·       I really enjoyed the great multilayered characters in this story.

·       There was a great romance in the book between Ivy and Tom as well as mystery and suspense.

·       This was a clean read and inspirational.

·       It really showed the power of friendship and family.

·       This was one of my favorite reads in April.

·       There are great discussion questions at the end for book clubs.

·       There was also a great author’s note at the end on the real historical details and the sites one can visit in New York City that are in the book.

Overall, The Manhattan Confessions by Jocelyn Green was an inspiring historical fiction novel about second chances.  I enjoyed it and highly recommend it.

Book Source:  Thank-you to @author_jocelyn_green @bethanyhousefiction @greatreadsbookpromo for a review copy of the novel as part of the Great Reads Promo Book Tour.

False Witness by Karin Slaughter

 

Title:  False Witness

Author:  Karin Slaughter

Narrated by:  Kathleen Early

Publisher: Blackstone Publishing

Length: Approximately 18 hour and 39 minutes

Source: Review copy from NetGalley.  Thank-you!

What book has gotten a mixed reaction in your book club lately?

False Witness was my April pick for the Rogue Book Club and it got a mixed reaction, although that is with myself being the only person that read the entire book.  One other person liked it and was almost through it, and another couldn’t get into it.  That was it for readers of this book at book club.  I am hoping the one person finished it so that we can have a good discussion about it as there was a lot to discuss in this book!

Leigh Collier is a defense attorney at a fancy law firm in Atlanta.  She is currently separated from her husband Walter, but they both work together to co-parent their beloved daughter Maddy.  One night she gets called to work on a case for a man from her past which brings up a lot of traumatic memories involving her estranged sister Callie.  Why did he come back into their lives after all this time and how can they move forward?

·       I have greatly enjoyed Karin Slaughter’s books in the past which is why I picked this book. It did have a very jarring start with a traumatic prologue involving the r%3e of a teenage girl and a murder.  This is what was very off putting to one book club member, but it was a very shocking way to start the story and made me want to figure out what the heck was going on.

·       I liked the references to one of my favorite novels, Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier.

·       This book looked into the underside of life with drugs, abuse, r%3e, etc.  It was hard topics to read about.

·       It also explored the relationships between parents and children, between sisters, and between spouses.  What would you be willing to do to save your family?

·       There was grief for past bad decisions and the life that could have been.

·       I loved Dr. Jerry.  He is an old vet who employs Callie as a vet tech.  He is so understanding and caring.  I loved when he finally let Callie know that he knew what was going on and still cared for her.

·       There were great multi layered characters in this novel.

·       It was interesting that living through the Coronavirus Pandemic with the masks, quarantine, etc. is a part of this story with the book coming out in 2021.

·       The story really made me think about justice and whether some of the bad people in this world get justice.  When is it okay to take justice into your own hands?

·       The ending was perfect.

Overall, False Witness by Karin Slaughter was a gritty thriller that delved into tough topics, justice, and what one is willing to do to project one’s family.  I couldn’t stop listening to this audiobook.

Daughter of Egypt by Marie Benedict

 

Title:  Daughter of Egypt

Author:  Marie Benedict

Narrated by:  Bessie Carter, Suehyla El-Attar

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Length: Approximately 11 hour and 47 minutes

Source: Review copy from NetGalley.  Thank-you!

What part of the ancient world would you like to learn more about?  I love reading about ancient Egypt, but I would also like to read more about ancient civilizations in South America. 

Lady Evelyn Herbert shares her father, Lord Carnarvon’s love for archeology and Egyptian artifacts.  She has a lifelong passion to find the tomb of the first female Pharoah, Hatshepsut.  Will she be able to find the tomb?  Hatshepsut was the first female Pharoah.  What was her pathway to the throne?

My thoughts on this audiobook:

·       This was a dual narrative novel with Lady Evelyn’s narrative taking place in the 1920s searching for Hatshepsut’s tomb and Hatshepsut’s story in 1486 BC as the first woman Pharoah.

·       I loved the Easter egg of Ernest and Grace Seton and their travels in Egypt in the 1920s.  They are the parents of Anya Seton, a historical fiction author that I have loved my entire life.

·       I enjoyed that the story included the perspective of the Egyptians.  Was it right for the English and others to take the Egyptians treasure and artifacts to other countries?

·       Hatshepsut’s story seemed forced into this book.  Lady Evelyn was on the King Tut expedition which is a very exciting story on its own.  I feel like Hatshepsut deserves her own book!

·       There were also Easter eggs for Downtown Abbey.  Lord Carnarvon of Highclere Castle, his daughter Evelyn, and hi associate archaeologist Howard Carter discovered King Tut’s tomb.  It was a mostly intact tomb, the likes of which had not been found for quite some time.

·       I had been obsessed with the King Tut discovery when I was a kid.  I did not remember Evelyn being a part of the discovery.  I enjoyed learning about her now.

·       The real-life Evelyn Herbert is the basis for character in two movies I enjoy – The Mummy and Stargate.

·       I enjoyed listening to this on audiobook and liked that two different narrator were used for the two different characters that were telling the story.

Overall, Daughter of Egypt by Marie Benedict was a fascinating dual narrative historical fiction novel.  This was one of my favorite reads in April.

Not Precisely Mr. Knightley by Carolyn Miller

 

What literary hero would you like to meet?

Emma-Jane (EJ) Bennett and Jordan Knight are life long best friends.  When EJ quits her job to work full time on her dating app, Dream Match, Jordan is happy for her but misses working with her.  As he realizes his feelings are more than friendship, will EJ come to the same conclusion?  Especially with the handsome and rich Eric Churchill turning her head…

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This is the second book in the Silver Teapot series.  I loved the first book in this series and can’t wait to see what happen next.  The next book, Not Very Sensible, comes out in October 2026.

·       Just like her inspiration, Jane Austen’s Emma, EJ frustrated me greatly at time with her decisions.  She was a very driven person which I related to.

·       Jordan was an honest guy, and he tries to get EJ to do better.  I like that he admits to his mistakes and asks for forgiveness.

·       I loved all the Austen references in this book.

·       This is a Christian and inspirational contemporary romance.

·       I enjoyed the Australia setting.

·       I liked the over arching theme of what is important in life?  Friends and Family?  Riches and knowing rich and famous people? 

Overall, Not Precisely Mr. Knightley by Carolyn Miller was an entertaining contemporary romance with Jane Austen flair.  I enjoyed it.

Book Source:  Thank-you to @carolynmillerauthor @barbourbooks @greatreadsbookpromo for a review copy of the novel as part of the Great Reads Promo Book Tour.

You with the Sad Eyes by Christina Applegate

 

Title:  You with the Sad Eyes

Author:  Christina Applegate

Narrated by:  Dan John Miller

Publisher: Little, Brown & Company

Length: Approximately 8 hour and 27 minutes

Source: Checked out through Libby through the Kewaunee Public Library

What actor/actress would you like to read a memoir about?

Christina Applegate was a child star growing up in California in the 1970s and 1980s.  Her home life was hard, but she became a star in TV and movies.  In 2021, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and her entire life suddenly changed.  This is her story.

My thoughts on this audiobook:

·       Christina Applegate narrated the audiobook which I really enjoyed. I was a fan growing up as a gen X kid especially of Married with Children and Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead.

·       She had such a sad neglected childhood.  I liked that she had a normal and happy experience visiting her grandparents in South Bend.

·       She suffered horrible domestic abuse by a boyfriend while she was in her late teens and at the height of her Married with Children fame.  It was hard to listen to.

·       Christina gets emotional talking about her relationship with her father and the discovery of the terrible life that he had as a child.

·       It was devastating to read about her MS diagnosis and sad realization that she won’t be able to work as an actress again.

·       Applegate experienced a lot of trauma in her life, but overall, it was inspiring how she kept going.

·       There was some detail on her shows and movies, but not as much as other Hollywood memoirs.

·       This was an honest audiobook, but I would have liked to hear more about happy times as well.

Overall, You with the Sad Eyes by Christina Applegate was an inspiring and heartbreaking memoir. 

 

Chase the Light by Suzanne Woods Fisher

 

If you could visit a national park this summer, which park would you chose?

Scout Johnson is a ranger at Acadia National Park.  She finds old papers behind a loose brick at a light house in the park.  The papers indicate that a previous lighthouse keeper purposely turned off his light to cause the sinking of a ship that was carrying gold.  The gold is now hidden around Acadia.  Will Scout and her friends be able to find it before the public finds out about the treasure?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This was a fun light story with mystery and romance.  It was perfect reading during a stressful time!

·       This was a contemporary clean read. 

·       Chase the Light is the second book in the National Parks Summers series.  I have not read the first book and this book worked fine as a standalone novel.

·       I really liked the character Wabanaki (Naki) Dana.  He is a Native American from the Penobscot Tribe.  He has the knowledge to decipher most of the clues and Scout finds herself attracted to him. Naki gave the story more depth.

·       There is a love triangle of sorts as Chase Fletcher is also on the team.  He has been on dates with Scout previously and is trying to use the news of the treasure to save his family’s newspaper.

·       There are many other characters including Scout’s flamboyant southern mother, two teenagers that tend to mess things up, etc.  They were all very entertaining.

·       There are great plot twists in the story.

·       I already wanted to visit Acadia National Park in Maine, and this book makes me want to visit even more.  There are beautiful descriptions of the park in the novel.

·       There were light faith elements in the novel.  It was inspirational.

Overall, Chase the Light by Suzanne Woods Fisher is a fun mystery, romance, contemporary adventure and a perfect summer read.

Book Source:  Thank-you to @suzannewoodsfisher @revellfiction @greatreadsbookpromo for a review copy of the novel as part of the Great Reads Promo Book Tour.

A Mother’s Love by Danielle Steel

 

Title:  A Mother’s Love

Author:  Danielle Steele

Narrated by:  Dan John Miller

Publisher: Recorded Books

Length: Approximately 7 hour and 28 minutes

Source: Purchased from Audible.com

What is the last book that disappointed you?

Bestselling author Hailey decides to spend her first Christmas alone in Paris.  Raising her twin daughters has consumed her life, but now her daughter Valerie is married, and her other daughter Olivia is going on a cruise with her sister and her new family for Christmas.  Hailey gets violently seasick and can’t go with them.  Haily has been single since her partner died years ago, but meeting Bart on the plane over, she considers that she might be open to a new relationship.  

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This was the May pick for the Page-turners Book Club at the Kewaunee Public Library.

·       This was not a book club favorite.  Not much happens in this book at all. I read it all the way to the end waiting for the story to start.  There is a bit of action at the very end, but it was too little, too late.

·       It was hard to connect with the characters as they are living in a land of wealth that is so very different from my own life.

·       The title of the book did not go with the story.

·       The book was poorly written.  I haven’t read any Danielle Steel books since the 90’s.  Has she lost her touch?

Overall, A Mother’s Love by Danielle Steel did not connect with me. 

Honor Flight: Celebrating America’s Veterans by Jeff Gottesfeld, Illustrated by Matt Tavares

 

“Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” – President John F. Kennedy, Inaugural address, January 20, 1961

Is there a war memorial that is special to you?  I think all of the memorials in Washington DC are awe inspiring and inspirational but visiting the Vietnam memorial with my best friend in high school while she searched for her uncle’s name really brought home to me the sacrifice that many soldiers have made through the years for our country.  I like visiting war memorials in local communities as well and giving a moment of silence to those that lost their lives for our country.

Honor Flight: Celebrating America’s Veterans is a great illustrated book for children to learn about war heroes, veterans, and honor flights and is perfect for Memorial Day.  This book does a great job of describing what a veteran is and follows a veteran that does not want to be forgotten.  He receives a call from the Honor Flight Network.  The book explains that Honors Flights bring aging veterans to Washington DC to visit the memorials.  The veteran makes his visit and gets to see many important memorials that are described.  The veteran feels valued on his trip and on the way home he receives a special package with heartfelt letters from many people in his community.  He learns when he gets home that Troy, the guardian who guided him through the journey, was a teacher and his fourth-grade class had raised the funds for him to go. 

A great afterward tells more detail about how the Honor Flights were started and the Notes section gives more detail on the places visited and terms used in the text.

The illustrations were bright, colorful, and went perfectly with the story.

Overall, Honor Flight:  Celebrating America’s Veterans by Jeff Gottesfeld, Illustrated by Matt Tavares brought a tear to my eye.  This is a great illustrated children’s book that is perfect to explain Honor Flights and veterans to children or maybe adults too that are looking for an uplifting read.

Book Source:  Review copy from Candlewick Press.  Thank-you!

The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare

 

Title:  The Comedy of Errors

Author:  William Shakespeare and Samantha Newman

Narrated by:  Mark Meadows

Publisher: Arcturus Digital

Length: Approximately 41 minutes

Source: Checked out through Hoopla through the Kewaunee Public Library

 

Title:  The Comedy of Errors

Author:  William Shakespeare

Narrated by:  Various Readers

Publisher: Blackstone Publishing

Length: Approximately 1 hour and 27 minutes

Source: Checked out through Hoopla through the Kewaunee Public Library

What is your favorite Shakespeare Play?

Two of my favorite Shakespeare plays are Macbeth and Much Ado About Nothing.  I took Shakespeare in both high school and college, but it has been a while since I have read a Shakespeare play.  My Back to the Classic Book Club at the Kewaunee Public Library decided to read The Comedy of Errors for our May pick.

The Comedy of Errors is a short play full for slapstick comedy.  Two sets of twins are separated by a raging storm with one parent tying themselves, their son, and their servant’s son to two different masts and the two masts being separated.  Now Antipholus of Syracuse has been searching for his brother and mother with his servant, Dromio of Syracuse.  When they arrive in Ephesus, much hilarity ensues due to mistaken identities.  Antipholus of Ephesus is a settled and respected merchant and has a servant named Dromio of Ephesus.  How will these identities be sorted out?

One of my book club members recommended an audiobook version that is adapted by Samantha Newman and is Part 1 of the Shakespeare’s Tales Retold for Children series.  This was an entertaining version that was great for really understanding the plot.  I also listened to the actual play from Blackstone audiobook that had a variety of readers and sound effects.  I like listening to Shakespeare and the beauty of the language.  I also checked out a copy of “No Fear” Shakespeare version of The Comedy of Errors from the library as well.  It was very interesting in that it showed a page of the original Shakespeare text and then the other page would be it translated into modern day English.

Overall, A Comedy of Errors is a good Shakespeare play to start with as it is short and simple, but it is not my favorite play.

Into a Golden Era by Gabrielle Meyer

 

Title:  Into a Golden Era

Author:  Gabrielle Meyer

Narrated by:  Rachel Botchan

Publisher: Recorded Books

Length: Approximately 13 hours and 9 minutes

Source: Thank you, @gabrielle_meyer @bethanyhousefiction @greatreadsbookpromo the review copy of the physical book.  Audiobook purchased from audible.

What is a book series that you are currently enjoying?  I have enjoyed the time travel series, Timeless for the past few years.  Into a Golden Era is the seventh book in this series and I was very excited to read it!

Ally is a time crosser that lives in 1849 San Francisco and 1929 Hollywood. She lives one day in 1849, fall asleep, and then wakes up in 1929. She switches time periods every other day. At age 25, she must chose which world to stay in forever.  In 1849, she has moved to San Francisco with her father and young sister hoping to strike it rich in the gold rush.  When her father falls ill on the voyage, how will the young family survive?  In 1929, her father’s movie studio is having problem in the switch to talking pictures.  Will filming a movie version of Little Women while Ally fakes a romance with lead Spencer save the studio?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       In this book more than any other in this series, the characters explore, can you change history and keep your path in that time?

·       I liked how the characters from previous books appeared.

·       The cover of this book is beautiful.

·       I found both time periods to be fascinating.

·       I never knew about the “Sydney Ducks.” It is a gang made up of convicts that served time in Australia and then immigrated to the United States.  I was intrigued.

·       I enjoyed the 1849 love story which was a forced proximity story.  It was also learning to love someone after learning their true character and motivations.

·       This was an inspiration, clean read, and Christian romance.

·       It’s always nail-biting at the end of a book in this series, which timeline will Aly end up it?  Is it the right choice?

·       I loved listening to this book on audiobook and got through it quickly while working on yard work.  It made the time fly!

·       Great discussion questions for a book club at the end.

·       I loved reading the author’s note about the author’s research and the real history of the times.  It was fascinating.

·       The next book in this series will be out in the summer of 2027.

Overall, Into a Golden Era by Gabrielle Meyer was an engaging historical romance time travel novel.  I enjoyed it and this series is fantastic!