The Astral Library by Kate Quinn

 

What types of books do you like to read on vacation?  I read all sorts of books and especially love escapism reads for vacation.  The Astral Library fit the bill for my vacation in August!

Alix Watson grew up in the foster care system and is struggling with adult life.  She works hard but can barely make ends meet.  Her one safe place has been libraries and her favorite books including classics and fantasy.  One day she stumbles upon a hidden library and a unique librarian which gives her a chance to choose a book world to live in. While Alix is making her decision, the librarian and library come under attack.  Will Alix be able to help save this magical place?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       Have you ever wanted to live in a book?  This story answers that question.

·       It’s a love letter to libraries and book lovers everywhere. So many favorite books and characters were mentioned such as Jane Eyre, Anne of Green Gables, Sherlock Holmes, Jane Austen, etc.

·       I loved the thought of living in a magical world and how it helped vulnerable people to find a safe place.

·       Alix’s friend and love interest, Beau Sator-Jones was delightful.  He is a historical costume expert and designer.  He is fascinating and a good person.  The description of the fantastic costumes was riveting.  I love historical costumes!

·       Alix still has a lot of emotion and feelings about being left by her mother as a child.  She works through this most of the book and how to move on.

·       I liked the mysteries. What happened to Alix’s mom?  Who is trying to take over the library?

·       The Boston Public Library is a gateway to the Astral Library.  I liked the thought and imagery of your public library being the gateway to fantastic worlds.

·       I enjoyed that the librarian for the Astral Library was also a book dragon.

·       I would categorize this book as magical realism, fantasy, and contemporary.

Overall, The Astral Library by Kate Quinn was a wonderful escapism read perfect for book lovers.

Book Source:  Purchased from Amazon.com

The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn

 

Title:  The Diamond Eye

Author:  Kate Quinn

Narrated by:  Saskia Maarleveld

Publisher: HarperAudio

Length: Approximately 12 hours and 51 minutes

Source: Purchased from Audible.com

How many languages can you read in?  I can only fluently read English, but I still remember enough high school Spanish to translate it in books.

Mila Pavlichenko is a young single mother and history student. When WWII reaches Russia, she uses her hobby of sharpshooting to become a renown sniper.  She finds love and horror while fighting for her country, but she may find her most wily enemy yet when she goes on a propaganda tour of the United States and is in the path of a potential presidential assassin.  Will she be able to thwart him?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This was the November selection for the Rogue Book Club.  Sadly, I was the only member who read it, so we didn’t have a good discussion.  One of my other book clubs will be reading it soon so I’ll get to finally discuss it.

·       Author Kate Quinn is one of my favorite historical fiction authors.  I love all of her books.

·       It is amazing that Russia had women sharp shooters in WWII.  It’s especially amazing at a time when women in the military are being demeaned in our own country.

·       The novel is told through three point-of-views.  One is Mila in the past as she becomes a sniper. Another is an unknown assassin in 1942 trying to assassinate President Roosevelt.  The third is Eleanor Roosevelt in 1942 in her notes on hosting Mila and the Russian contingent.

·       The audiobook had a great narrator with voices and accents for all the characters.

·       Over halfway through the book, the two timelines caught up with each other.

·       I loved Eleanor.  She was an independent woman with a mind of her own that also helped Mila.

·       I enjoyed the train trip from Ann Arbor to Albion to Kalamazoo.  I was born in Kalamazoo!

·       The Golden Age of Hollywood Easter eggs were a lot of fun.

·       Mila is Ukrainian but considers herself Russian.

·       I was surprised to find out at the end that Mila and most of the characters in this story were real people and that most of the story was true.  I was amazed.  There is a great author’s note at the end describing all of this.

·       The book had a bit of a slow start, but there was much suspense at certain parts of the book especially at the end.

Overall, The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn was a fascinating novel about a famous Russian sharpshooter in WWII.    

The Briar Club by Kate Quinn

 

Do you have a group of friends that regularly get together for a book club, meal, or something else?  Do you belong to a group, church, Rotary, Lion’s, etc.?  The act of routinely getting together with friends or acquaintances is important.

In 1950s Washington DC, a murder occurred at the Briarwood boarding house on Thanksgiving.  In a series of flashbacks telling the story of each occupant, the reader learns the unique story of each woman while also coming close to solving the murder mystery.

My thoughts on this book:

·       I read this book while on vacation at the beginning of August and it was my favorite read of the month. 

·       This is different than other Kate Quinn Books I’ve read, and I enjoyed her different, unique storytelling in this book.

·       Each chapter is the story of each woman in the house.  It gives her background and how she ended up in the house.

·       The house also narrates chapters in the future to give brief glimpse into the murder.

·       Grace gives weekly potluck dinner parties in her tiny attic apartment where they take turns cooking.  They get to know each other better and become a family of sorts.

·       I also thought the recipes that were throughout the story associated with the weekly potlucks were fun.  Each character had their own recipe and song that went with the recipe.

·       Mrs. Nilsson owns the boarding house.  She is a nasty woman with lots of rules and little sympathy.  Her two children, Peter and Lina, receive little affection as well.  The ladies of the house help them out.

·       I couldn’t put this book down.  I loved learning about each character, and I wanted to know who was murdered and why.  Each character is well developed and interesting.

·       Great topics of the 1950s were included such as communism, McCarthyism, the Korean War, working women, birth control, women’s sports, etc.

·       I loved each character and learning their secrets.

·       I loved the Easter Eggs for those that have read The Rose Code and The Huntress.

·       There are historical tidbits throughout the book and real historical characters.  There was a great author’s note about real history at the end.

Favorite Quote: “I sometimes think this country is an eternal battle between our best and our worst angels.  Hopefully we’re listening to the good angel more often than the bad one.”

Overall, The Briar Club by Kate Quinn is a must-read historical fiction novel that is set in the 1950s and has great characters and a mystery that you won’t soon forget.

Book Source:  Review copy from William Morrow Books. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

 

What has been your favorite book club read this year?  Our Rogue book club read The Rose Code by Kate Quinn this year and this ranks as one of my favorite book club picks of the year.  I have previously enjoyed The Huntress and The Alice Network.  I was glad The Rose Code was picked for my bookclub so that I put it on the top of my pile!  We read this back in September, but I got sadly behind on my reviews and I am just now posting about it.

In 1940, three very different women answer the call to work on a top-secret project in Bletchley Park in England.  Osla is a young and beautiful debutante who is dating the handsome Prince Phillip of Greece.  Mab grew up in poverty in the East End of London, but she is determined to make a better life for herself. Beth lives a secluded life controlled by her mother.  She has a gift with solving puzzles and finds herself one of the few female cyrptoanalysts at Bletchley Park. The three women become friends, but circumstances tear them apart during the war.  After the war, will they be able to forgive and help each other?

I read this book when I had COVID in early September, and I couldn’t put it down.  I was riveted by the story.  I loved the real history that was included in the author’s note at the end and I loved how different the women’s personalities were.  It was exciting reading about the high society life of Osla dating Prince Phillip, but I also loved how Mab was able to step away from a life of poverty, and how Beth was able to break away from her mother to find herself.  The story was written in a very engaging style in two timelines – one during the war, and the other storyline after.  It keeps the reader wondering, what happened that tore these friends apart?

I am also nerdy and loved the work that they did on breaking the codes during the war.  It was also interesting that women were able to be involved in this important war work, but that they were not able to talk about their roles afterwards.

This book does get emotional, and I did cry during one part of the novel. 

The Rose Code is historical fiction at its best with an engaging storyline and great characters.  I highly recommend it.

Book Source:  Review copy from NetGalley and William Morrow Books. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Laura’s Top Fourteen Books of 2019

I am behind on my top books list for 2019, but better late than never, right? I read a lot of outstanding books this past year and had a hard time narrowing my list down to only the top ten, so instead I am doing a top 14 books of the year.  I also noticed most are historical fiction or historical non-fiction books, you can definitely tell my favorite genre. These books were not necessarily books published in 2019, but they were books I read in 2019.  I did not include books that I was rereading, but only books that I’ve read for the first time. They are only in the order of when I read them through the year of 2019.  Click on the titles for the full review of the book.  And now without further ado, my top ten books of 2019.

The Gown by Jennifer Robson – The Gown was one of the first books I read in 2019 and it was one of the best.  It told the riveting story of the women who made Elizabeth II’s wedding gown and was a great look at the bleakness of life in post WWII era England.  

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas – I read The Hate U Give as part of the Kewaunee Library book club and I don’t know if any other book has every prompted so much discussion on race and current news topics.  It was an eye-opening novel that gives you a different perspective.

The Huntress by Kate Quinn – The Huntress was set during and after WWII and told the story of three different women.  One is a daring aviatrix flying bombing raids for Russia, the other is a young girl in post WWII America with suspicions about her Step Mom, and the third is the Step Mom who may be more than she lets on with a secret cruel past in Nazi Germany.

Courting Mr. Lincoln by Louis Bayard – I still keep thinking about this novel.  It was a wonderful book about the relationship between Mary Todd Lincoln, Lincoln, and his best friend, Joshua Speed.  I couldn’t put this book down. I loved that the story framed Lincoln as the enigmatic lead that both Mary and Joshua loved.  The story was told through their point of view.  It reminded me again why Louis Bayard is one of my favorite historical fiction authors.

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom – This non-fiction book was written in the 1970’s and tells Corrie Ten Boom’s story of her family, faith, and survival after being persecuted by the Nazis for helping Jewish people escape.  It was an inspiring read.

 

Refugee by Alan Gratz – This middle grade fiction read should not be missed by adults.  It is set in three different time frames and tells the story of a Jewish boy trying to flee German on a boat to America, a Cuban girl trying to flee Cuba to America, and a boy trying to flee Syria to Germany.  It gives a great understanding to the plight of a refugee and connects the stories wonderfully at the end.  This is a must read.

The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See – The Island of Sea Women told a part of history that I sadly knew nothing about.  The Island of JeJu is off the coast of Korea and is a matriarchal society run with its main industry being deep sea diving for fish by the women of the island.  As WWII looms, both Japan and Korea force atrocities on the island that will change their lives forever.  This is an unforgettable story.

 

The Summer Country by Lauren Willig – The Summer Country was another wonderful historical fiction novel that explores race and love.  This was another book I couldn’t put down once I started reading it.  It was a multi-layered Victorian story with a mystery involved.  Set on Barbados, the story dug into what it meant to be a slave and to own slaves in the society.  This novel was a Jane Austen manners novel, mixed with Charlotte Bronte gothic, with a modern look at race relations.  It also includes a Cholera epidemic, which is fitting for this year’s reading.

Midnight in Chernobyl by Adam Higginbotham – Midnight in Chernobyl is a fascinating look at what lead up to the incident in Chernobyl and the aftermath.  It is non-fiction, but reads like fiction.

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens – I loved the mystery, nature, and romance of this novel.  I felt like it was a grown-up version of A Girl of the Limberlost.

The Martian by Andy Weir – Quite simply, The Martian is one of the best science fiction novels I’ve ever read.  The story itself was a fast-paced adventure, and I loved the real science involved.

The Only Plane in the Sky:  An Oral History of 9/11 by Garrett M.  Graff – The Only Plane in the Sky was the best audiobook I have ever listened to.  It was another book I just couldn’t stop listening to.  It used first person narration to tell the story of 9/11 in real time.  I think this is another must read for all Americans.

They Called Us Enemy byGeorge Takei – My 11-year-old son Daniel and I read this graphic novel together.  I have been a lifelong fan of George Takei loving him in Star Trek and now loving him on social media.  I love that he took the story of his life and has been telling it in person, with a play, and with this graphic novel so that we can take an honest look at our past and see that we did not always treat our citizens right.  Takei’s look at his childhood in the Japanese internment camps is both heartbreaking and eye opening.

The Testaments byMargaret Atwood – I was amazed that Margaret Atwood was able to follow up the unforgettable The Handmaid’s Tale with the Testaments, a novel that continues the story in the world of The Handmaid’s Tale and turns everything you thought you knew upside down.  This was another book that kept me up too late at night.

Other books I loved this year, but didn’t quite make my top 14 included:

• With this Pledge by Tamera Alexander
• Never Caught: The Story of Ona Judge by Erica Armstrong Dunbar
• Mrs. Everything by Jennifer Weiner
• The Doll Factory by Elizabeth MacNeal
• Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
• White Elephant by Trish Harnetiaux
• Best. Movie.  Year.  Ever: How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen by Brian Raferty

For more top reads from the past, check out my lists from 2018, 2017 & 2016, 2015, 2014, 2010, 2009, 2008, and 2007.

What were your favorite books of 2019?

Winner of The Huntress by Kate Quinn

The lucky winner of The Huntress by Kate Quinn is Leigh Anne who left a comment on April 13th.  Leigh Anne was chosen using random.org and has been notified via email.  She has one week to respond with her mailing address before a new winner is chosen.

Thank-you to all who entered the giveaway and to William Morrow for sending me two copies of the Advance Reader Copy of the book so I could use one for a giveaway.  Want to learn more about The Huntress?  Please see my review at this link.

The Huntress by Kate Quinn (Review and GIVEAWAY)

Looking for a new WWII historical fiction adventure to sweep you off of your feet? The Huntress is a story in three parts about the hunt for a Nazi war criminal.  The Huntress lived on a remote lake in Poland with her Nazi lover and used Jews, refuges, and captured Allies as prey to hunt.  After the war she escaped from Germany, but where did she go?  How can she pay amends for her war crimes?

Ian Graham is a British war correspondent who has a personal vendetta against the Huntress, his brother was one of her victims, and his wife, Nina, only narrowly escaped her.  Together with Nina, and American veteran and linguist Tony, the trio works on tracking down the Huntress.  Will they be able to find her?

Nina Markova grew up half wild in frozen Siberia. After seeing a plane for the first time, she is bitten by the flying bug and travels away from her native home to learn how to fly.  When World War II breaks out, Nina becomes a part of the all-female night bomber regiment and is honored by Stalin himself.  How does Nina the fearless flyer become Nina the victim after the war who marries Ian? 

Jordan McBride is a teenage girl growing up right after WWII in Boston.  After her widowed father meets the mysterious Anna and they become engaged, Jordan can’t shake the feeling that there is something wrong and dangerous about Anna.  Even as Anna and her daughter Ruth become a part of her life, she never feels settled.  What is the truth behind Anna?  Will Jordan be able to chase her dreams of becoming a photographer or will she marry her high school sweetheart?

The Huntress was a truly wonderful historical fiction novel.  I loved the viewpoints switching between Ian, Jordan, and back to the past with Nina.  It made for a riveting story, especially as all three stories masterfully converged together.  Kate Quinn does a great job with this character driven story.  I cared about all of the characters, but the history behind them was particularly fascinating.  Although I am a fan of WWII history and of aviators, I had never heard of the all-female “Night Witches” bomber regiment.  I was fascinated.  I can’t imagine how heroic these women were flying bi-planes over Germany.  Even better was the author’s note at the end. Kate Quinn details how she used real facts to craft Nina’s story as well as the overall story of the hunt for Nazi war criminals.  It was fascinating.  I loved the action-packed conclusion.  This would make a GREAT movie.

I also loved how Quinn wrote Anna as an evil, but also a caring person.  Jordan was confused on her feelings for her stepmother as she thought, how can this woman be evil when she has really been a great person to me, helping me to achieve my dreams?  I loved that about the character, although I would have liked to learn even more about Anna and why she did what she did.

Favorite Quotes: 

“Soldiers get made.  Hunters get born.”

“No one likes to talk about their war, after it’s fought.  They want to forget.  And what happens when they die, and they’ve taken all their memories with them?  We’ve lost it all.  And we can’t.”

“How pleasant to enjoy a man who was not official, not in the slightest.”

Overall, if you love riveting, character driven historical fiction, this is the novel for you!  If you love World War II fiction, The Huntress has a unique story that I have not read before in other WWII novels. I highly recommend this book!

Book Source: Review Copy from William Morrow.  Thank-you!

GIVEAWAY
I was accidentally mailed two Advance Reader Edition's of The Huntress so I am going to give one of them away! If you would like to win this book, please leave a comment on what interests you about this book.  Have you read any books or watched any movies about WWII aviators or war criminals?  If so, what was your favorite?
 

As part of your comment, you must include an email address. If I can't find a way to contact you I will draw another winner.

  For an additional entry, blog about this giveaway or post it on your sidebar. Provide a link to this post in your comment.

I will be using random.org (or a Monte Carlo simulation in excel) to pick the winners from the comments.

This contest is only open to addresses in the United States.

The deadline for entry is midnight on Friday April 26th!

Please make sure to check the week of April 29th to see if you are a winner. I send emails to the winner, but lately I've been put in their "junk mail" folder instead of their inbox.

Good luck!