The Liberty Scarf by Aimie K. Runyan, J’nell Ciesielski, and Rachel McMillian (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

Title: The Liberty Scarf

Author:  Aimie K. Runyan, J’nell Ciesielski, and Rachel McMillian

Narrated by:  Ann Marie Gideon, Gary Furlong, Caroline Hewitt, Saskia Maarleveld

Publisher: Harper Muse

Length: Approximately 9 hours and 58 minutes

Source: Review Copy from NetGalley and Harper Muse as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour.  Thank you!

Do you like to wear scarves?  Do you have a favorite one?  I liked the wearing scarves trend of last decade, but now I only wear a scarf when it’s cold with my jacket.  I have a soft red one that is my favorite.

The Liberty Scarf is three wonderful stories set during WWI that are all tied together by a scarf.  The first story is set in London.  Iris works for Liberty Scarfs and dreams of being able to design scarves of her own.  Captain Rex Conrad is a wounded soldier back in London to raise funds for the war effort.  His friends bet him to ask out the first women who enters the door and that woman is Iris.  They start a relationship, but when Rex is called back to serve on the front, they make plans to meet again.  When he is wounded again, will they be able to reunite?

The second story is of Genevieve Tremblay.  She is dating the wealthy Peter, but his family does not approve of her as she is from the wrong side of town as a Canadian immigrant living in Lewiston, Maine.  She is a telegraph operator and she enlists in the U.S. Army Signal Corps.  On her way to France, she has a brief stopover in London and meets a dashing French captain named Maxime.  Maxime and Genevieve start to correspond, and he sends her a scarf that Iris designed.  But with Peter still in the background, will Genevieve and Maxime’s friendship be able to turn to romance?

Clara Janssens is a nurse in Brussels where she meets violinist Roman.  They bond over their shared love of music and continue to write to each other when Roman returns to the front.  His letters take a turn and Clara wonders, will their love still be the same when the war is over?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This novel is made up of three separate novellas and one epilogue.

·       Many parts of these stories take place during the Christmas season.  I loved reading this leading up to Christmas in real time.

·       The audiobook was wonderful.  I enjoyed the different narrators for the different parts of the story.  For example, the first story was narrated alternatively by Rex or Iris, or by two different voice actors.

·       I liked the comparison of two designers in the first story.  Iris wanted to design scarfs while Rex was an architect who wanted to design buildings.

·       I enjoyed how the Liberty scarf was woven throughout all three stories. "Hope is a thing with feathers that perches in the soul."

·       I really loved the strength of the characters in each of the stories and how they are trying to make it through the long and bloody war.  Their romance stories were also delightful.

·       I greatly enjoyed the epilogue which not only tied up all the ends of these stories, but also linked them even more together.

·       I learned a lot of new things in this novel about WWI, for example about General Pershing’s Hello Girls.

·       Many parts of the story were told through the letters passed between the main characters.

·       The authors' notes at the end were fantastic and each author described the inspirations for her story.

·       There are also discussion questions at the end of the novel as well.  I think this would be a great book club selection to discuss, particularly around the Christmas and winter seasons.

Overall, The Liberty Scarf is a beautiful story of three different women and their journey through WWI.  The connection via one special scarf, characters, and plots were all very interesting.  I highly recommend this novel to any historical fiction lover.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

From acclaimed authors Aimie K. Runyan, J'nell Ciesielski, and Rachel McMillan comes an evocative, three-part novel about a thread of connection during World War I--a single scarf that links three extraordinary women, each battling societal expectations, enduring the devastations of war, and striving for personal growth amidst the chaos. The Liberty Scarf is a testament to the resilience of women and the enduring power of hope and unity in the harshest of times.

In the midst of a seemingly endless war, a scarf connects three women in the cold winter of 1917 . . .

London: As an ambitious scarf maker, Iris Braxton spends her days surrounded by color and luxury not often seen during the dark days of war that were promised to be over by Christmas. That promise has come and gone for three years with still no end in sight, and her days continue in a monotony of rations and threads while she spins a dream of becoming Liberty's first female pattern designer. She hasn't the time or interest in rakish soldiers, but the temporarily-on-leave Captain Rex Conrad is persistent--and before long his charm wins her over. But war is cruel, and, all too soon, Conrad leaves once more for the Front, but not before vowing to meet again in Strasbourg, France, the most magical of Christmas cities. Iris begins stitching small messages into each of the scarves she makes in hopes that one will find a way into Rex's hands to let him know she's thinking of him. And when she receives word that he's wounded in Strasbourg, she rushes to his side. Along the way, she passes a woman wearing one of her scarves . . .

Maine: Geneviève Tremblay, a French-Canadian immigrant, is a telephone operator living in Lewiston, Maine. Her beau is a member of a prominent family who has helped to Americanize her in a community often unfriendly to Canadians. As part of this effort, she enlists in the US Army Signal Corps to serve as a bi-lingual operator. Along the way, she meets a French officer who makes her question whether losing her identity is too heavy a price for acceptance.

Belgium: Clara Janssens, a Flemish Nurse, and Roman Allaire, an Alsatian violinist, connect in a Brussels palace-turned-hospital far beyond their routine provincial and countryside lives--and the expectations in those towns. Their love of music creates a spark between them, but the destruction of battle and the transient nature of their relationship threatens the bond they have built. Still, the appearance of a kind stranger and the unexpected gift of a treasured scarf bind them long beyond their stolen moments and offer them a future brighter than they could have even hoped.

The Liberty Scarf is more than a piece of fabric--it's a symbol of hope, resilience, and unity in the face of war, binding these three women together in an indelible bond. Experience their stories of love, sacrifice, and survival in this captivating novel from Aimie K. Runyan, J'nell Ciesielski, and Rachel McMillan.

AUTHOR BIOS

Bestselling author J’nell Ciesielski has a passion for heart-stopping adventure and sweeping love stories while weaving fresh takes into romances of times gone by. When not creating dashing heroes and daring heroines, she can be found dreaming of Scotland, indulging in chocolate of any kind, or watching old black and white movies. She is a member of the Tall Poppy Writers and lives in Virginia with her husband, daughter, and lazy beagle. Learn more at www.jnellciesielski.com.

Rachel McMillan is the author of The London Restoration, The Mozart Code, the Herringford and Watts mysteries, the Van Buren and DeLuca mysteries, and the Three Quarter Time series of contemporary Viennese romances. She is also the author of Dream, Plan, Go: A Travel Guide to Inspire Independent Adventure. Rachel lives in Toronto, Canada. Visit her online at rachelmcmillan.net.

Internationally bestselling author Aimie K. Runyan writes to celebrate unsung heroines. She has written six historical novels (and counting!) and is delving into the exciting world of contemporary women's fiction. She has been a finalist for the Colorado Book Award three times, a nominee for the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers' 'Writer of the Year,' and a Historical Novel Society's Editors' Choice selection. Aimie is active as a speaker and educator in the writing community in Colorado and beyond. She lives in the beautiful Rocky Mountains with her wonderful husband, two adorable (usually) children, two very sweet cats, and a pet dragon. Visit her online at aimiekrunyan.com.

 

Murder in Season by Mary Winters (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

What's a book that you wish more people knew about?

Amelia Amesbury is a young Victorian widow.  She is a countess but was not raised in high society.  She secretly writes an advice column at night.  When her sister, Madge, experiences a scandal, she comes to visit to hopefully find a husband during the season.  When a string of thefts starts occurring at balls and a murder takes place at her own home, will Amelia be able to solve the crimes?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This is the third book in A Lady of Letters Mystery series.  It is the first book I have read in the series, and it gives enough background to read it as a standalone.  I need to read the first two books in this series – I enjoyed Murder in Season so much!

·       The start of each chapter has a letter to Lady Agony and her response.  They are amusing and often related to the plot.  They had great advice!

·       I loved the developing love story between Amelia and Simon.  Simon was Amelia’s husband Edgar’s friend, and this fact is holding him back from having a relationship with Amelia.  Will they, or won’t they?  It was a good slow burn romance.

·       I enjoyed the characters – especially Madge and Amelia’s late husband’s Aunt Tabitha.  Madge is impetuous and says what she feels.  Aunt Tabitha is the same and keeps Amelia and the entire household in line. 

·       This cozy mystery had many twists and turns with two different mysteries – the jewel theft and the murder.  I liked the final resolutions and the path to get there.  I did not guess the ending for either mystery.

·       I enjoyed the 1860 Victorian Age England setting.

·       This cozy mystery was short in length, which is perfect for reading during a busy holiday season.

Favorite Quotes:

“Good people did bad things for the right reasons.  Who was to say she wouldn’t do the same when it came to her family members?”

“People were measured by the money, title or status they could bring to the marriage.  Love was, for the most part, for the youthful and inexperienced.  Yet Amelia held out hope that exceptions existed, such as Oliver and Kitty.  And maybe, one day, she and Simon.”

Overall, A Murder in Season by Mary Winters is a delightful cozy historical mystery with a wonderful slow burn romance and great characters.

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

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Join Countess turned advice columnist Amelia Amesbury as she tries to juggle a new Season and a new murder in this charmingly deadly historical mystery.

"A beautiful debutante, a wealthy widow, and a dead would-be baron. What could be more exciting?"

Countess by day, secret advice columnist by night, Amelia Amesbury has life happily balanced on a quill's edge . . . until her sister Margaret shows up in London under a blanket of scandal and Amelia is catapulted out of mourning and into the ton's unforgiving Season.

However Madge's Season debut is marred by a rather inconvenient death at the dining table as the infamous Mr Radcliffe takes ill and is later confirmed dead by poisoning. With Madge being the last person to have cross words with the soon-to-be baron, the ton's gossip mill - and the police - are looking to pin the murder on her.

Adding to the ton's troubles is a jewellery thief targeting the most lavish of Society's houses. Is the murderer and the thief one in the same? It falls to Amelia once again to uncover the secrets buried deep within the pages before her sister goes down for the crimes.

Perfect for fans of witty historical mystery and Regency romances with a similar feel to Verity Bright and T.E. Kinsey

AUTHOR BIO

Mary Winters is the author of the Lady of Letters historical mystery series, two cozy mystery series, and several short stories. A longtime reader of historical fiction, Mary set her latest work in Victorian England after being inspired by a trip to London. Since then, she's been busily planning her next mystery - and another trip! 

Counting on Love by Carol Coventry (Review and GIVEAWAY)

 

Which fictional character would you love to have as a best friend?  I would love to be friends with Lady Georgiana Stewart in Counting on Love with Carol Coventry.

Lady Georgiana Stewart is a math prodigy, but she must hide her proficiency to fit into society and try to attract a suitor.  As the daughter of a Duke and a beauty, she received many marriage proposals in her first season. She refused them all as she wants to feel the spark and have the loving relationship that her parents have.  As she starts her second season, will she be able to find true love?

Reginald Taverston is the third son of an Earl. As the third son, he has been slated for the church, but he would rather translate a Greek manuscript and work on other intellectual pursuits.  He is not sure he is well suited for the church.  Should Reginald pursue the path his family wants for him, or should he strike out on his own path?

The Earl is on his deathbed so his eldest son, Jasper needs to find a wife.  He is sure that Lady Georgiana will make the perfect wife.   His wife invites Georgiana, her mother, and cousin to their country estate for a small house party so that the Earl can meet Georgiana and the romance between Jasper and Georgiana can proceed. Will all go as planned?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       The novel is a the first in a new series “The Taverstons of Iversley.”  I can’t wait to read more in this series.

·       I love, love, loved that the heroine enjoyed mathematics and was a genius in that regard.  It was sad she had to hide it, but I loved her finding a man that valued her mind.

·       The entire Taverston family was fun.  They each had their own unique personalities.  They love each other but aren’t above pranking each other.

·       The romance was slow build and mostly clean (until the last chapter).

·       Most of the novel was set at a house party in the country. 

·       I liked the look into how keeping mistresses impacts people and their families.

·       The love triangle between Georgiana, Reginald, and Jasper is well done.  It can be awkward when the love story is a woman and two brothers. Georgiana and Reginald fall in love without it being “icky” or making Jasper a villain.  Jasper is a good guy, but not for Georgiana. 

·       I didn’t think that sparks could fly with just two pinkies touching, but they do.

Overall, Counting on Love by Carol Coventry is a lovely Regency Romance with great characters and a fun STEM storyline.

GIVEAWAY

Check out the giveaway on Instagram at:  https://www.instagram.com/laurasreviews_1/p/DDvzJzbuFrI/

Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy

 

Title:  Far From the Madding Crowd

Author:  Thomas Hardy

Narrated by:  Jamie Parker

Publisher: Naxos AudioBooks

Length: Approximately 17 hours and 28 minutes

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

If you could live in any book world, which would it be?

Gabriel Oak is a successful tenant farmer that raises sheep.  He falls in love with a beautiful young woman, Bathsheba Everdeen, that has come to the area to visit.  He has proposed, but she refused him and left that area.  After a devastating accident, Gabriel loses his sheep and tenant farm.  He travels looking for work as a shepherd and gets a job at a farm in a different county.  He soon learns that the farm is owned by none other than Bathsheba Everdeen.  Bathsheba has inherited the farm and is learning how to run everything herself.  She also finds time for romance with two other men with faithful Gabriel looking on.  Will Bathsheba find her soulmate?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       Far From the Madding Crowd was the June read for the Back to the Classics Book Club.  We had a good discussion and enjoyed the story . . . even if Hardy tended to get long winded in his descriptions.

·       Gabriel Oak had a tragedy early on with his 200 ewes when his young dog drove them over a cliff killing them all.  This caught my mind and my imagination.  There was insurance at the time for this type of catastrophe, but Gabriel had not purchased it.  This caused his to lose everything.

·       I liked how Hardy chose the names of his characters.  Gabriel Oak is a good man with a strong character.  Bathsheba Everdeen is fickle with her feelings and dealings with men.  She is young and doesn’t understand the consequences of how she treats others.  She grows up a lot in the novel.

·       I liked that Bathsheba was a woman with her own mind.  She was trying to run her farm herself and to learn how to do it on her own.  She was impetuous though and headstrong which caused her to make poor decisions at times.  She was a complicated character.

·       I liked the parallel story of a young servant girl who runs away with her suitor, but through an honest mistake, becomes a single pregnant woman.  Life was cruel to unwed mothers with no means to make a living.  She had to pay for her mistake.

·       The novel was beautifully written, and I enjoyed the descriptions and storyline.

·       Jamie Parker was a great audiobook narrator.  He had a lot of different voices for different characters and acted out the parts.

Overall, Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy was a beautifully written novel with great characters and an intriguing storyline.  It’s a good book to discuss as a book club selection.  It really made me want to visit Wessex!

COVER REVEAL - The Rushworth Family Plot by Claudia Gray (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

Do you like cozy historical mysteries, Jane Austen, and great characters? Then you may be interested in a new novel, The Rushworth Family Plot by Claudia Gray. I'm happy to share all that I know about this new novel and reveal the beautiful cover.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

The fourth book in the Mr. Darcy & Miss Tilney Mystery series, which finds the amateur sleuths caught up in the whirlwind of the London Season—and in a murderous scheme involving the family of Edmund and Fanny Bertram

Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney understand each other perfectly; it's a pity their families do not. A series of misunderstandings, misplaced pride, and—indeed—prejudice, has led their parents to deem the pair unsuited to wed. Now, with the Season approaching, Juliet's grandfather, General Tilney, has sent her to London with a new wardrobe and orders to prove herself worthy of someone better than the snobby Darcys. Meanwhile, Jonathan has been forced to accept an invitation to stay in town with old friends Edmund and Fanny Bertram at the house of Edmund's brother, Sir Thomas. Oblivious to and undesiring of female attention outside of Juliet's, Jonathan is at risk of being ensnared by Caroline Bingley's previously rebuffed plans to make herself—or her daughter—mistress of Pemberley.

But when Mr. Rushworth, the former husband of Edmund's sister Maria, is discovered dead in his home, Jonathan and Juliet find themselves with problems far weightier than the marriage market. In one of the greatest scandals of its day, Maria abandoned her new husband in favor of the notorious rake Henry Crawford, and when he wouldn't marry her, was forced to flee to the continent in disgrace. Now Maria is back, accompanied by a daughter she claims Mr. Rushworth fathered after their divorce—and who he wrote into his will just before his death. To spare Edmund and Fanny further social shame, Jonathan and Juliet must unmask a killer before the drama surrounding the Rushworth family fortune claims another victim.

AUTHOR BIO

Claudia Gray is the pseudonym of Amy Vincent. She is the author of the Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney Mysteries, which began with The Murder of Mr. Wickham. She is also the writer of multiple young adult novels, including the Evernight series, the Firebird trilogy, and the Constellation trilogy; in addition, she’s written several Star Wars novels, such as Lost Stars and Bloodline, and is one of the story architects of the High Republic series. She makes her home in New Orleans with her husband Paul and assorted small dogs.

AND THE BEAUTIFUL NEW COVER .....

What do you think? This fourth entry in the Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney Mystery series. I have read and loved the first three books in the series. You can read this new novel as a standalone or as the latest in this great series.

So Big by Edna Ferber

 

Title:  So Big

Author:  Edna Ferber

Narrated by:  Laura Merlington

Publisher: Dreamscape Media

Length: Approximately 10 hours and 12 minutes

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

What classic book have you enjoyed rereading?  I enjoy rereading many classic novels, but I thought it was fun to reread a recent favorite, So Big by Edna Ferber for my Back to the Classics Book Club back in April.

So Big by Edna Ferber is the tale of Selina Peake.  She is orphaned at age 19 in the late 1880s in Chicago.  She takes a job as a schoolteacher in the Dutch farming community, High Prairie.  She finds beauty in life and marries a farmer, Pervus DeJong.  She dreams of their son, Dirk, finding both success and beauty in life.  She has affectionately nicknamed him “So Big” from telling him as a child, “how big is baby, so big.”  Will Selina and Dirk both fulfill their dreams?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       Edna Ferber wrote beautifully.  It was an enjoyable audiobook listening to the beautiful descriptions and language read aloud.

·       I loved the basket auction and how it was beginning of the love story between Selina and Pervus DeJong.  It reminded me of the basket auction in Oklahoma!

·       The description of farming and life in that time was vivid.  It was an interesting description of the history of Chicago.

·       The novel referenced an “agricultural course” in Madison that Selina wants to take, not Dirk.  The City of Milwaukee was also referenced.  Living in Wisconsin, I thought this was interesting.  Author Edna Ferber grew up in Appleton, Wisconsin.

·       The theme of the book for me was that you can work hard and make a success of your own life, but your children, who had an easier time than you, and their distance from the hard work, may not be fully living their lives.

·       Should you live your life for art and beauty or for making the most money?  What is a successful life?

·       I liked how Dirt thought he would instantly start as a famous architect, and he didn’t like the mundane work of a beginning architect.

·       So Big won the Pulitzer Prize for 1925 and was also the bestselling book of the year.

·       So Big provided an interesting discussion for the Back to the Classics Book Club.

Overall, So Big by Edna Ferber is a lesser-known classic that deals with timeless issues.  It deserves to still be read and enjoyed today.  I highly recommend it.

The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman

 

Title: The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies

Author:  Alison Goodman

Narrated by:  Kristin Atherton

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Length: Approximately 15 hours and 33 minutes

Source: Audiobook Purchased from Audible

What was your favorite audiobook of 2024?  One of my favorites was The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman.

Lady Augusta Colebrook is a spinster at 42 and the eldest child of an Earl.  Her father has passed away and her brother has taken over.  Jealous of Augusta, he has decided he will put her in her place.  Augusta, along with her twin sister, Julia, use their wits and place in society to help other women in peril.  When they meet a handsome highwayman on their way to rescue a lady, Lady August cannot stop thinking about him.  Has she finally met her match?

My thoughts on this book:

·       This was the JASNA Northwoods Book club selection for April, but I sadly missed the meeting and I’m also very behind on posting my review.

·       I LOVED this book.  I listened to it mostly on audiobook and it was very entertaining.  It kept me riveted during long drives for work.  The narrator, Kristin Atherton, was great and she brought the characters to life.

·       I liked how the plot does not have one moment of climax and adventure.  There are three distinct adventures in this book. 

·       There was a bit of romance, with just enough to make me want to see where this relationship could end up.

·       There were great characters in this story.  I adored Lady Augusta.

·       The story had a feminist spin.  They rescued women who had no one else to help them as they had no rights in Regency England.  They could be locked away at home or in an insane asylum by their husbands for any reason.  The novel was graphic on the fates of mistreated women and girls.

·       I wanted to know at the end who falsely framed Lord Evans.  Luckily this will be a series with a new book out in 2025.

·       In the author’s note, it stated that this was submitted for Alison Goodman’s PhD.  Wow!

The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman was an engaging novel with great characters and a feminist spin on Regency tales.  I highly recommend it.

Midwinter Murder by Agatha Christie

 

Do you like to curl up to the fire with a cozy mystery, romance, or other type of genre? 

Midwinter Murder by Agatha Christie is a collection of stories that was recently published in 2020 and contains a variety of stories that were originally published from the 1920s to the 1970s.  The stories have a holiday or winter theme. 

My thoughts on this collection of stories:

·       This was the November Pick for the Back to the Classics Book Club.  We all enjoyed it!  I’m also using it for a pick for #ReadChristie2024.  The challenge this year was exploring Christie’s works through the decades, which you can do with this collection as well!

·       My book club all liked the introduction which contained Christie’s memories of Christmas from her youth.  In the bibliography at the end, it looks like it was taken from her autobiography.

·       I enjoyed all the stories, but especially the first, “Three Blind Mice.”  It was longer like a novella and seemed to have more plot and character buildup.  Apparently, this later became Agatha Christie’s longest running play, The Mousetrap.  I still haven’t seen this play yet!

·       All the stories were different, interesting, and fun.

·       This was the first time I had read any stories involving Mr. Harley Quin.  We all thought he was interesting.  He only appears in Christie’s short stories but was apparently one of Christie’s favorite characters.  Two stories in this collection had Quin as a character.

·       While I was reading “The Plymouth Express,” it seemed very familiar to me.  It was later made into the full-length book, The Blue Train, which I had read earlier this year.

·       Tommy and Tuppence had a cute story in this collection and my fellow book club members enjoyed them as characters.  I highly recommend their full-length novels.

Overall, Midwinter Murder by Agatha Christie was a great collection with stories that were unique, interesting, and fun.  It was a good Christmas read for my Back to the Classics Book Club.

The French Winemaker’s Daughter by Loretta Ellsworth (Bibliolifestyle Book Tour)

 

Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @harperperennial for the review copy of the French Winemaker’s Daughter by Loretta Ellsworth.

Do you like wine?  If so, what is your favorite type of wine?  I enjoy many, but one of my favorites is Riesling.  Another favorite is Pinot Noir which is featured heavily in this book.

The book starts off with a bang.  In France in 1942, seven-year-old Martine is handed a bottle of wine by her father and is told that it is her legacy, and she is hidden in a cupboard.  Her father is then taken away by the Nazis and they only barely miss taking Martine.  She has a note pinned on her to send her to her Aunt in Paris.  After a perilous journey to Paris, she arrives only to find that her Aunt is gone.  Saved by Sister Ada, Marine starts a new life hiding in a convent.

In 1990, Charlotte is a female airplane pilot in a man’s world.  Her boyfriend, Henri, invites her to attend a wine auction with him and gifts her a bottle of wine that is deemed to be not valuable.  Charlotte takes off the label and discovers beneath it another label.  It starts her on a journey of discovery to determine what happened to this Jewish family and their winery during WWII.  Will Charlotte find the answers she seeks?

My thoughts on this book:

·       This was a quick read and a riveting story.

·       I enjoyed both the 1940s and 1990s storylines equally.  Often, I enjoy one storyline more than the other, so I am always happy to find one where I enjoy each of the storylines.

·       This book really made me think again of all that the Nazis confiscated from the Jewish people and others that they deemed enemies.  Your family winery and all its stock would be gone in an instant.  You yourself could be gone.  They made entire families disappear from the world.  It’s horrifying.

·       I liked that Charlotte’s quest was also a journey of self-discovery for herself.  What did she want out of life and love? 

·       I loved that Marine even as a young girl had a knack with the grapes and vineyard.  Her story made me realize the sacrifices that many made to help others during the war.

·       This novel had both great memorable characters as well as an interesting plot line.  I did guess the ending of this one, but it was a great journey to that ending.

·       I also liked the side theme of struggle between family obligations (i.e. keeping your family winery running) versus pursuing your own dreams.

·       There was a great author’s note at the end of the novel on the winemakers in France, how their wine was stolen, and the secret resistance they had with trying to hide their wines behind false walls and false labels.

·       This was my time reading a book by author Loretta Ellsworth, but I will be looking for more of her novels in the future.

Overall, The French Winemaker’s Daughter is a riveting WWII story with great characters.  I learned a lot about wineries in France during and after WWII.

Squanto: A Native Odyssey by Andrew Lipman

 

Title: Squanto:  A Native Odyssey

Author:  Andrew Lipman

Narrated by:  David Colacci

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Length: Approximately 8 hours and 59 minutes

Source: Review Copy from NetGalley.  Thank you!

What historical personage would you like to learn more about?  With Thanksgiving coming up, I decided to listen to an audiobook about Squanto, as I did not know much about the true historical figure.

Historian Andrew Lipman researched and describes Squanto’s childhood, kidnapping, career, downfall, and death using historical records.  Squanto had much more of a fascinating life than what is depicted in children’s books about Thanksgiving.

My thoughts on this book:

·       Squanto is known as both Squanto and Tisquantum in historical record.  He was part of the Patuxet Tribe of the Wampanoags. 

·       Squanto’s childhood was told in general of how his tribe was known to live at the time.

·       The book also discussed the meaning of the Manitou and how the name is passed down in place names such as the down the road town from me, Manitowoc, Wisconsin.

·       He was kidnapped by explorer, Captain Thomas Hunt, and sold in Spain.  By the time he made it back to his tribe, they were gone.  They had all died from a disease brought over by the European explorers.  Hunt had been exploring the Northeast with Captain John Smith.  They parted ways when Hunt decided he was going to make money by tricking Native Americans to board his ship to trade and sailing away with them to sell them as slaves.  Afterwards, explorers were instantly attacked when they appeared.

·       The Pilgrims of history are so different from what I learned in school.  As Squanto’s tribe had all died, the Pilgrims just showed up and settled on the tribes cleared land and stole other tribes’ corn to survive.  The Pilgrims had a hard time surviving, but it would have been even harder if they would have had to clear their own land and were not able to eat the Natives’ corn.

·       The last part of the book was about how the history of Squanto was passed down and how the story was “reimagined” and retold through modern day.  It is interesting when the real history doesn’t match the simplified tales that are told.  I’ve noticed that people will say this is “rewriting” history, when it is just going back to the historic record rather than inaccuracies that were passed down.

·       I thought it was interesting that there were native pirates.  They taught themselves how to sail ships that they overtook and surprised European explorers.

·       I didn’t realize that Squanto died so young and so soon after the historical Thanksgiving.

·       David Colacci, the audiobook narrator, had a newsperson type of voice and made the audiobook interesting.

Overall, Squanto:  A Native Odyssey by Andrew Lipman is an informative book and interesting audiobook experience which tells the fascinating history behind the myth of Squanto.  I highly recommend it.