A Jane Austen Year curated by Jane Austen’s House (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

What was the last book you purchased just because of Instagram?  Frozen River for me!

A Jane Austen Year celebrates Jane Austen’s 250^th birthday year by exploring her life through her letters, objects, and manuscripts.  This is put together by the curators of Jane Austen’s house in Chawton – a place that is on my bucket list to visit.

The introduction talks about how this book was written from Jane Austen’s house in Chawton and how it has “an unparalleled collection of Austen treasures including items of furniture, paintings, and household objects.  Visitors can discover Jane’s personal letters and first editions of her novels, items of jewelry, portraits of her friends and family, and the tiny writing table at which she wrote.”

This book shows us fragments of Jane Austen’s life.  It is split up into twelve months.  Each month details events from her books and life that happened in that month.  For example, in January:

·       The Dashwood sisters take a trip to London the first week of January.  Artwork is shown of this trip and an excerpt from the novel.

·       A picture of the miniature of Tom Lefroy and a written description of Jane dancing with Tom in January.

·       Pride and Prejudice was published on January 28, 1813.

·       On January 14, 1817, Jane wrote a friend asking for her orange wine recipe.  The recipe is shown as well as a beautiful picture.

·       A letter is written out that was sent from Jane to Cassandra on January 29, 1813.

·       A picture of Jane’s piano and a description of the two books of sheet music that were copied by Jane.

·       A picture and description of the French Revolution including snippets of a letter Jane wrote to her cousin Phila Walter about her poor cousin Eliza’s husband, the Comte de Feuille, who was executed in France during the revolution.

I loved all the Christmas information that was listed in the month of December.  The book is both informative and beautiful.  There is also a great index at the end of the book and more detailed information about Jane Austen’s house.

Overall, A Jane Austen Year is a fantastic book for any Jane Austen lover in your life (including yourself).  It would be fun to read throughout a year but was also great to read all at once.  It’s a nice conservation book for like minded Jane Austen loving friends.

Book Source:  Review copy from @janeaustenshouse @batsfordbooks as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

This beautifully illustrated book charts the life of one of the world’s most beloved authors through the letters, objects, and manuscripts that shaped her life.

Published in partnership with the curators of Jane Austen’s House, the enchanting Hampshire cottage where Jane Austen’s genius flourished that now attracts thousands of visitors every year.

Arranged over the course of a calendar year, from snowy scenes in January to festive recipes in December, specially commissioned photography of Austen’s home and possessions are brought together with extracts from her books, reproductions of her letters, and stories of her life throughout the seasons. Highlights include the first time Austen read a published copy of Pride and Prejudice to an enraptured audience in her drawing room, affectionate letters to her sister Cassandra reproduced in full and an exquisite miniature portrait of Tom Lefroy, the man she nearly married.

Read this book for a unique and intimate insight into Austen’s world. Dip into it as you will, or visit each month, and enjoy a full year of Austen—her life, works and letters, people and objects she knew, and of course her idyllic, inspiring home.

CURATOR BIO

Jane Austen’s House is the inspiring Hampshire cottage where the beloved author lived for the last eight years of her life. It houses an unparalleled collection of Austen treasures. Highlights include Jane’s jewelry, letters, first editions of her novels, and the table at which she wrote her much loved novels. Visitors can step back in time to 1816 and follow in Austen’s footsteps as they explore the rooms where she lived and wrote. It has been open to the public as a museum since 1949 and is an international center for Jane Austen studies.

Last Twilight in Paris by Pam Jenoff

 

Title: Last Twilight in Paris

Author:  Pam Jenoff

Narrated by:  Thérèse Plummer, Saskia Maarleveld

Publisher: Harlequin Audio

Length: Approximately 10 hours and 31 minutes

Source: Review Copy from NetGalley.  Thank you!

What is the genre of the book you are currently reading?  I am currently reading a historical fiction novel.

In 1953, Louise discovers a necklace in a secondhand shop that brings back memories from her time in France working for the Red Cross during WWII.  Her friend had the necklace from a musician, and she was killed immediately after Louise last saw her holding the necklace.  Will Louise be able to solve the mystery of the necklace?

Helaine is estranged from her Jewish parents for marrying a non-Jew, cellist Gabriel. Gabriel goes missing when he is forced to play in concerts by the Nazi around Germany. Helaine is arrested and forced to work in Levitan.  Will Helaine and Joe be reunited?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This was a dual timeline novel.  I enjoyed the characters and both storylines equally.

·       This was a good strong story and very engaging.

·       This book was also a story of marriage for both couples.  Joe and Helaine have been estranged due to war experiences and not wanting to talk about them.  I like how they work on their marriage and come to an understanding.

·       The intriguing mystery of what happened to Louise’s friend Fanny during the war had a satisfying conclusion.

·       There was a great authors note on Levitan, a real store in Parish where Jews are forced to sort plunder from Jewish homes and get it ready to sell.  Also, it was disturbing about how the Red Cross had a checkered past in WWII.  They knew what was going on in the concentration camps but did nothing about it.

·       I read this book mostly on my Kindle, but I did finish it on audiobook.  It was engaging in both formats.

·       This was the February pick for the Brenda Novak Book Group.  There was a great virtual book club with the author on Brenda Novak’s Facebook page.  This book group meetings are always enjoyable.

Overall, Last Twilight in Paris by Pam Jenoff was an engaging dual timeline WWII historical fiction novel.  I liked the unique storyline.

Counting Backwards by Jacqueline Friedland (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

Title: Counting Backwards

Author:  Jacqueline Friedland

Narrated by:  Amanda Stribling, Carolyn Jania

Publisher: Harper Muse

Length: Approximately 10 hours and 45 minutes

Source: Audiobook review Copy from NetGalley and physical book review copy from @jackiefriedland @harpermusebooks @austenprose.  Thank you!

What's a book that you think has a stunning cover design?  I love the pomegranate on the cover of this novel, and it works so well with the theme of the novel.

Jessa Gidney is a Manhattan lawyer and has recently been passed over for partner.  She miscarried a year before and has been having problems getting pregnant again which has been causing friction with her husband, Vance.  When she meets Isobel Perez as part of her firm’s pro bono work, she realizes that there is much more to the case than just a deportation order.  Why are the women at the deportation center being sterilized?

In 1920s Virginia, Carrie Buch has lived a hard life. She was separated from her mother and raised by a foster family who just wanted free labor.  After she is raped, the system continues to let her down. What is her connection to Jessa?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This novel had a rough start with a couple arguing about fertility as they try to get pregnant, Luckily, the story picked up after that and became a compelling story that I couldn’t put down.

·       The look into our countries history with eugenics was both horrifying and thought provoking.  It’s important and timely now as unfortunately these types of cases persist.  Who gets to decide whether a woman is allowed to bear children?

·       This is a dual timeline novel which spends equal time with Jessa and Carrie.  They are both interesting characters.

·       The author is a lawyer which gives the novel an authentic feel.

·       I couldn’t stop listening to the audiobook.  It was a fascinating story with great narrators.

·       There is a great list of additional reading at the end of the novel.

·       There is also a fascinating author’s note on how the author first read about the real-life Carrie Buck and her case while she was a high school senior.  I am horrified on how Carrie Buck was treated.

Overall, Counting Backwards by Jacqueline Friedland is a compelling dual narrative novel that examines a dark time in our country’s history that also is seeping into current events surrounding women’s rights and immigration.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

A routine immigration case, a shocking legacy. Jessa Gidney's quest for justice draws her into the heart of an abhorrent conspiracy. As she uncovers her personal ties to a heartbreaking past, her life takes a dramatic turn, in this emotionally riveting novel inspired by true events.

New York, 2022. Jessa Gidney is trying to have it all--a high-powered legal career, a meaningful marriage, and hopefully, one day, a child. But when her professional ambitions come up short and Jessa finds herself at a turning point, she leans into her family's history of activism by taking on pro bono work at a nearby ICE detention center. There she meets Isobel Pérez--a young mother fighting to stay with her daughter--but as she gets to know Isobel, an unsettling revelation about Isobel's health leads Jessa to uncover a horrifying pattern of medical malpractice within the detention facility. One that shockingly has ties to her own family.

Virginia, 1927. Carrie Buck is an ordinary young woman in the center of an extraordinary legal battle at the forefront of the American eugenics conversation. From a poor family, she was only six years old when she first became a ward of the state. Uneducated and without any support, she spends her youth dreaming about a different future--one separate from her exploitative foster family--unknowing of the ripples her small, country life will have on an entire nation.

As Jessa works to assemble a case against the prison and the crimes she believes are being committed there, she discovers the landmark Supreme Court case involving Carrie Buck. Her connection to the case, however, is deeper and much more personal than she ever knew--sending her down new paths that will leave her forever changed and determined to fight for these women, no matter the cost.

Alternating between the past and present, and deftly tackling timely-yet-timeless issues such as reproductive rights, incarceration, and society's expectations of women and mothers, Counting Backwards is a compelling reminder that progress is rarely a straight line and always hard-won. A moving story of two remarkable women that you'll remember for years to come.

ADVANCE PRAISE

"Jacqueline Friedland's ripped-from-the-headlines story is an Erin Brockovich for our times."— Jill Santopolo, New York Times bestselling author of The Light We Lost

". . . a riveting, compelling story--but it's also an important one, reminding us that history's darkest aspects can echo forward into our present day and that there is so much work left to do in the fight for freedom and equality."— Kelly Rimmer, New York Times bestselling author of The German Wife

AUTHOR BIO

Jacqueline Friedland is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling author of historical and contemporary women's fiction. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, she earned a law degree from NYU and a Master of Fine Arts from Sarah Lawrence College. Jackie regularly reviews fiction for trade publications and appears at schools and other locations as a guest lecturer. She lives just outside New York City with her husband, four children, and two dogs. Connect with her online at JacquelineFriedland.com

First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston

 

Title:  First Lie Wins

Author:  Ashley Elston

Narrated by:  Saskia Maarleveld

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Length: Approximately 9 hours and 16 minutes

Source: Checked out with Libby through the Kewaunee Public Library.  Thank-you!

If you had to move somewhere to start a new life with a new identity, where would you move?  I’m not sure myself, I’d prefer somewhere that has four seasons.

Evie Porter has a new relationship with a great new boyfriend, Ryan Sumner.  She moves in with him and life is going well . . . until it isn’t.  Evie Porter is a fake identity and Ryan is the mark.  Evie must keep on her toes to follow her boss, Mr. Smith’s, instructions as her last job didn’t end well.  As this job goes sideways, will Evie survive?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       The novel flashes between contemporary times and Evie’s past identities to show how she gotten where she is now.

·       I loved this book . . . but I especially loved not knowing what was going to happen next . . . . so I don’t want to spoil anything with a lengthy review.  It had a lot of twists and turns.

·       This story was riveting.  I couldn’t stop listening to the audiobook!  It made me want to keep listening even as I arrived at my destination.

·       I would love to see this as a movie.

·       I enjoyed how Evie was a morally grey con artist that I was rooting for. 

Overall, First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston was a fascinating suspense thriller that I couldn’t put down.  I highly recommend it to all the thriller lovers out there.

The Mysteries of Pendowar Hall by Syrie James (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

What genre is your comfort read?  One of my favorite types of comfort reads is Gothic romantic suspense.

Governess Diana Taylor has been sent by her Godmother to Pendowar Hall in Cornwall to teach her Godmother’s niece, Emma Fallbrook, and to investigate the mystery of her Godmother’s brother’s (the former Baronet’s) death.  The new owner of the estate is the former baronet’s nephew, Captain William Fallbrook.  The Captain is home recovering from a wound.  He is handsome and charismatic, but it’s rumored he has a woman in every port.  Is he all that he seems?  What is the mermaid’s curse, and did it cause the previous baronet’s death?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I liked how Diana was a caring governess and helped her ward Emma build her confidence by trying to figure out the facts behind the death of her father as well as help her with her learning disability.  Diana was a strong woman and kept on working on solving the mystery, while helping others and finding romance for herself.  I always enjoy stories that involve governesses.

·       The Captain was an intriguing and mysterious romantic figure.

·       I loved all the references to Jane Eyre.  The entire novel had a Jane Eyre vibe to it, but I especially loved the meeting of Diana and the Captain.  It reminded me so much of the meeting between Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester.

·       The cover of this novel is beautiful.  Blue is my favorite color.

·       This is the first novel in the new series – The Audacious Sisterhood of the Smoke and Fire.  I like the series title.  I can’t wait for the next book. I also hope that Diana and her sisters will be able to start their own school as they planned.

·       I loved the mysteries and the gothic romance.  It was a great escapism read and reminded me of some of my favorite authors in this genre including Daphne Du Maurier, Victoria, Holt, and Mary Stewart. 

·       This was a clean read.  The book had a good romance, but mostly focused on the mystery.

·       This novel had a great setting.  I always love mysterious manors on the coast of Cornwall.

Overall, The Mysteries of Pendowar Hall by Syrie James was a riveting start to a great new series with a captivating Gothic romantic suspense mystery.

Book Source:  Review copy from Dragonblade Publishing as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

She vowed to solve a murder.

Now she’s in danger of losing her heart … and her very life.

Diana Taylor, a bright and spirited governess who has sworn off love, is sent to Pendowar Hall in Cornwall to honor a pledge. She vows to teach her godmother’s niece and to find out who was behind the suspicious death of the former baronet. But her new charge is also a mystery, as is the man who inherited the ancient coastal estate—the charismatic but brooding Royal Navy Captain William Fallbrook, who is home on leave to recover from an injury.

As Diana investigates, her feelings for the enigmatic Captain Fallbrook blossom, and her guard goes up. Pendowar Hall is brimming with secrets as well as a frightening legend about a Mermaid’s Curse. What is behind the mysterious footsteps in the night? Is there more to the story of the tragic deaths of the former baronet’s wife and son? What secrets is Captain Fallbrook hiding? Can she trust the man who has stolen her heart?

He looks to be entranced by Diana, even though her determination to dig up the past seems to get on his last nerve. Soon, Diana’s bold quest to unmask his uncle’s killer leads her into terrifying danger, for someone is determined to end her life before she can discover the truth.

ADVANCE PRAISE

"Syrie James launches her 'Audacious Sisterhood of Smoke & Fire' series with The Mysteries of Pendowar Hall, a page-turning Victorian Gothic that invokes all the romance, mystery, and atmosphere of a Brontë novel. I couldn't put it down!" —Mimi Matthews, USA Today bestselling author of The Belles of London series

"James kicks off her new series ‘The Audacious Sisterhood of Smoke & Fire’ with The Mysteries of Pendowar Hall, a wonderfully atmospheric and suspenseful tale brimming with everything that fans of Victorian historical romance and mystery love: a bright and feisty heroine, a perfectly Gothic coastal estate full of secrets, and the brooding and mysterious navy captain in charge of it all." —Natalie Jenner, international bestselling author of The Jane Austen Society, Bloomsbury Girls, and Every Time We Say Goodbye

"A pitch perfect homage to the classic Gothic novel — I loved it! The Mysteries of Pendowar Hall is packed with intrigue, mystery, treachery, and tension — and brimming with romance! I couldn't put it down and eagerly await the next installment of James' new series!" —Katherine Reay, author of The London House and The Berlin Letters

AUTHOR BIO

SYRIE JAMES is the author of 14 critically acclaimed novels of historical fiction, romance, mystery and suspense, and young adult including The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen, Nocturne, The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë, and Dracula My Love that have been international, USA Today, and Amazon bestsellers, and are published in more than 20 languages. Her books have been Library Journal Editor's Picks of the Year, received starred reviews from Publisher's Weekly and Kirkus, and won numerous awards including the Audiobook Audie, the Women's National Book Association Great Group Read, Romantic Read of the Week (Barnes and Noble), Best Novel of the Year (Romance Reviews), and Best Snowbound Romance (BookBub).

A member of the Writers Guild of America, Sisters in Crime, Dramatist's Guild, Historical Novel Society, and Jane Austen Society of North America, Syrie has sold many scripts to film and TV, addressed organizations and literary conferences across the U.S. and in Canada, England, and Australia, and her stage plays been produced across North America.

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

 

Title: The Secret Garden

Author:  Frances Hodgson Burnett

Narrated by:  Alison Larkin

Publisher: Alison Larkin Presents

Length: Approximately 9 hours and 10 minutes

Source: Audiobook review copy from Alison Larkin Presents. Physical copy was purchased from one of my kid’s scholastic book orders a few years ago.

What book from childhood have you reread and enjoyed as an adult?  The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett was a favorite of mine when I was young, but I had not reread it as an adult until now.

Mary Lennox is a spoiled brat.  She was raised basically by a nanny in India.  After a sickness kills off her parents, she is shipped back to England to live with her uncle as Misselthwaite Manor in Yorkshire.  Unfortunately, he is also absent, and Mary is once again alone.  Luckily, she gets to know the people of the estate and learns to love the outdoors.  Will Mary be able to find happiness?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I read The Secret Garden as the February selection for the What the Dickens Book Club on Facebook.  It prompted a good discussion.

·       I loved the theme of the healing power of nature and how it is able to bring both Mary and Colin “back to life” as happy children. I loved the descriptions of the plants, flowers, and birds – especially the robin.  It was especially wonderful with the winter weather we had in February to be reading this book full of spring.

·       The parents were very frustrating in this novel and neglected their children.  Poor Mary and Colin are both basically orphans.  Mary’s parents basically ignore her existence as they are having too much fun with their friends.  Colin’s mother has died, and his father keeps him hidden away.

·       Luckily, Mrs. Sowerby, Dickon and Martha’s mother, provides a mother figure to both Mary and Colin.

·       It was discussed in the book club that fiction written during this time period did often feature orphans or kids trying to make it on their own.  I know as a child I enjoyed stories of children being independent.

·       I enjoyed both Mary and Colin’s transformations throughout the novel through the power of nature and love.

·       I loved listening to the audiobook version of this book.  Alison Larkin is one of my favorite audiobook narrators.  She has a lovely voice that is very enjoyable to listen to.

·       I love the 1993 movie adaptation of this novel

Favorite Quote:

“Where you tend a rose my lad, a thistle cannot grow.”

Overall, The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett is a very enjoyable novel that brings the reader into the love and joy of nature and family.

Mad About the Duke by Elizabeth Boyle

 

Did you read any romance books for Valentine’s Day last month?  I read Mad About the Duke by Elizabeth Boyle for both Valentine’s Day and for my Rogue Book Club Selection.

Elinor is a widow that has decided she must marry a Duke in order to protect her sister from their evil stepfather.  She mistakes James, a duke, for a solicitor and while the two are attracted to each other, much hilarity ensues.  This was a light, fun novel with a great happily ever after ending.  It was a perfect read to sandwich between heavy reads.  This was an Instalove trope which is not one of my favorite types of romance.

Book Source:  A Christmas gift.  Thank-you!

A Constant Love by Tracie Peterson (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

Hardcover or paperback – which do you prefer and why?  I prefer hardcover for books I’m going to keep forever as they stand the test of time.  I prefer paperback for being more affordable and lighter to hold and carry.  I have a mix of both in my library.

In Wyoming, the harsh winter of 1887 not only kills entire flocks of cattle, but beloved family members.  Charlotte is haunted that the last words she with her father were in anger.  He wanted her to marry wealthy lawyer, Lewis Bradley, but she has been in love with her neighbor, Micah, her entire life.  Will Charlotte and Micah be able to work through their grief and start life anew? 

My thoughts on this novel

·       Pioneer days and the winter of 1887 are very harsh.  It was a very compelling start to this novel.

·       I liked how Charlotte and her mother, Lucille, were running a ranch as two women on their own.  It was a struggle as they weren’t even allowed to attend meetings as women and also ranch hands did not listen to them.

·       Micah deeply struggles with his faith after his father’s suicide.  I liked how he and Lucille help each other work on their faith. This novel had deep elements of faith in it and learning to forgive, and not judge others.  I really liked this part of the novel.

·       The trope in this novel is friends to lovers.

·       The characters were interesting and well developed.

·       This is the first book in the new “The Hope of Cheyenne” series.

·       The bad guy in this novel was someone that the reader will really love to hate.  Lewis Bradley wants to marry Charlotte no matter if she wants to or not.  It’s not out of love of Charlotte, but out of love for money.  I have a feeling he may be back again later in the series.

Overall, A Constant Love by Tracie Peterson is a gripping novel with captivating characters and a fascinating storyline.  I especially liked the faith elements and the realities of living in 19^th century Wyoming.

Book Source:  Review copy from Bethany House Publishers as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

 BOOK DESCRIPTION

Heartache has left them emotionally desolate, but traces of love and healing could forge a future.

In the wake of a harsh winter, Micah Hamilton and Charlotte Aldrich are grappling with loss and guilt after the disaster that took the lives of their loved ones. Struggling to cope with his grief, Micah abandons his father's dreams of a prosperous ranch and cuts himself off from the rest of the world.

Charlotte has loved Micah her entire life and is determined not to lose him as well. With her mother's help, she begins coaxing Micah to live again. Despite their enduring heartache, the affection between them deepens, but just as Charlotte thinks her dreams may come true, a scorned suitor threatens everything she holds dear. Micah and Charlotte must embark on a journey of healing and renewal to build a life founded on faith, hope, and love.

A Constant Love is a clean, frontier-era historical romance of heartache, grief, Christian faith, and second chances in the newly developing American West.

AUTHOR BIO

Tracie Peterson is the bestselling author of more than 100 novels, both historical and contemporary, with more than 6 million copies sold. She has won the ACFW Lifetime Achievement Award and the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award. Her avid research resonates in her many bestselling series. Tracie and her family make their home in Montana. Learn more at TraciePeterson.com.

The Street by Ann Petry

 

Title: The Street

Author:  Ann Petry

Narrated by:  Danielle Deadwyler

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Length: Approximately 13 hours and 25 minutes

Source: Audiobook Purchased from Audible

Have you “discovered” any new authors lately through Instagram?  I recently discovered Ann Petry through various Instagram posts and being a part of the Classics Buddy Read in February with @deesreads.  The Street was published in 1946 and I can’t believe I had never heard of this book or author until recently.

Lutie Johnson is a young black woman struggling to raise her son as a single mother in Harlem in the 1940s.  She wants a better life for her son Bub.  She believed in her marriage until her husband Jim couldn’t get a job.  Rather than lose their home, Lutie became a life in housekeeper for a rich family.  She could only go home to visit for four days a month.  Jim found a new woman who moved into their home while Lutie was gone.  This leads Lutie to move to a dumpy apartment on the street.  Will Lutie and Bub be able to make a better life for themselves?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This novel had well developed, complex characters.  It is told through many points of view which I found compelling.

·       It captures the trials and tribulations of poor African Americans in New York City during the 1940s.  Trying to get by was very hard and the oppression of hunger and no available jobs weighs them down.

·       I was confused for a bit in the novel when Lutie would go to Jamica to visit.  I was like – why, she sure is traveling a long way all the time.  I ended up looking it up and it’s a neighborhood in New York City.

·       The building supervisor, Jones, and his lust for Lutie was so scary.  It was built up through the novel and very suspenseful.

·       My favorite character was Mrs. Hedges.  She watched the neighborhood and knew everything that was going on.  She had a will to succeed and helped people out.  She was a madame to make money off of other women, so she was a complicated person.

·       Lutie kept struggling to make a living for her and Bub, but racially, sexually, and economically, the world was working against her.  Instead of helping her out, people just kept trying to take advantage of her.

·       This novel had quite the ending, I can’t stop thinking about it.  Lutie was caught in an impossible situation with no good solution.

·       I want to read more books by this author.  Have you read any other her other books?  If so, what do you recommend?

Overall, The Street by Ann Petry was an excellent, well-crafted novel with compelling characters and storyline.  It has kept me thinking and prompted a good discussion in the Classics Buddy Read.

Red Clay by Charles B. Fancher (Bibliolifestyle Book Tour)

 

Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @blackstonepublishing or the review copy of Red Clay by Charles B. Fancher.

Do you annotate your books or keep them pristine? I prefer to keep mine pristine, but I do love to find used copies with annotations.

In 1943, Flex H. Parker has passed away.  His family is surprised when an elderly white woman shows up at his funeral and pronounces that “a lifetime ago, my family owned yours.”  Together, this woman, Adelaide Parker, and Felix’s family piece together the story of their two intwined families.

My thoughts on this novel:

·       Wow!  This was a great family drama that kept me reading too late into the night.  It only took me a couple of days to read this three hundred plus page novel as I could not put it down.  I love complicated family historical fiction stories, and this was a great one.

·       I enjoyed how the story flowed through time focusing on young Felix growing up and becoming a young man, husband, and father in the reconstruction era in the American South.  It was a fraught time any misstep could mean death for a young black man who was trying to get ahead in life.

·       Intertwined was the story of the white Parker family.  Without Felix holding onto a family secret while he was young, the family would not have made it through the Civil War with their fortune in tack.  I in particular liked the growth of Adelaide from an intolerant little girl to an understanding woman.  Her brother Claude had the opposite growth.  They were well developed characters.

·       I liked how most of the characters were three dimensional and were “gray” characters morally.

·       I enjoyed the time period that most of the novel was set in, which was the reconstruction period after the Civil War.  I feel like most novels end with the Civil War and don’t explore this time period.  The author obviously did a lot of research and made that time period come alive in the novel.

·       I felt the story was a bit rushed at the end.  It could have stretched even longer or have been made into a series.

·       I enjoyed the author’s note at the end.  He was inspired by the true-life story of his great-grandfather and included some of his adventures in the novel.  It is overall a work of historical fiction.  I was surprised to read this was his first novel.

·       The book and cover are of great quality, with thick pages.

Overall, Red Clay by Charles B. Fancher is a riveting and compelling historical fiction novel.  I highly recommend it.