​1935, Mauna Loa begins to erupt again as Daniel Abe is returning to his home in Hilo, Hawaii.  Daniel has been away since he attended medical school and began working in Chicago.  Daniel returns to the home that his mother, Mariko lived and died in.  He seeks out his Uncle Koji who has worked the sugar cane plantations his whole life for information about his father who disappeared when he was a young boy.  Unexpectedly, Daniel's high school girlfriend also returns to Hilo for reasons of her own.  Amidst the erupting volcano Daniel finds his place among his hometown once again and reconciles with the past that he left behind.

The Color of Air is a beautifully written, powerful story of family, Hawaiian history and the beauty of nature.  Daniel's story in 1935 is interwoven with the stories of Mariko and Koji twenty years prior.  These perspectives rounded out the view and helped to fill in some missing pieces.  Daniel was an interesting character.  His family were immigrants to Hawaii from Japan brought to the island to work the cane fields.  I was intrigued by this part of the island's history and the blending of the cultures that created strong bonds between the people there.  Daniel was also among the first Asian American doctors to study in the United States at the time.  The weight of this fact weighed heavily on Daniel.  In addition to Daniel discovering and coming to terms with his past, the writing highlights the transformative power of the Hawaiian Islands and the resilience of the people inhabiting them. 

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

​Mark Lane is about to put in place a decision that will change the life of his family, a corporation and possibly history.  Mark has invented the Time Box in conjunction with the Janus corporation headed up by billionaire Robert Devereaux.   When Mark learns that Robert will only use the Time Box for evil, he makes a difficult decision to sabotage the company, steal the working Time Boxes and disappear into the past with his family. Mark, his wife Mary and children Jordan, Laura, Jeremy and Ashley travel in haste to 1865 Virginia.  The family tries to fit in and rebuild a life as best they can.  However, Robert Devereaux will not let Lane's betrayal slide.  Devereaux's team rebuilds a Time box and sends a hit man into the past  to enact revenge.


The Lane Betrayal is a high-stakes, action packed time travel adventure.  From the very first page the suspense is heightened as Mark destroys his friend's company and is chased into the past.  There are a lot of characters in this book, but they are all very well developed and distinctive.  The Lane's are very family oriented and serve one another well. None of the family members are perfect, but they are all trying their best to do what is right during a very weird situation.   The assassin added another layer of danger with a cold-hearted and focused attitude.  The setting of the tail end of the Civil War was an interested choice.  There is a lot of danger in the time period, especially for the men, but it was a time that they knew about well.  I enjoyed reading about Laura's time as a nurse in the field hospital.  Though her time there was difficult, it was authentic and realistic to the time period.  It was also interesting to read about the family's interactions with Lincoln himself and his advisors.  I was intrigued at the family's outlook at potentially changing history and the influence that their presence has had.  With a cliffhanger ending, I can't wait to jump into the next book and next time period with the Lane family.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

​Soon after a hasty escape from the year 1865 with an assassin on their tails, the Lane family decide on trying to settle in 1893 Chicago at the time of the World's Columbian Exhibition.  They hope to outwit their hunter at least for now and possibly find a time period that they can settle in for a while.  Parents, Mark and Mary set out to explore the fair and see what opportunities arise.  While siblings Jeremy, Laura and Ashley look to the fair for fun and friendship.  Meanwhile, oldest sibling, Jordan decides to head West to clear his head from the sudden death of Rebecca Main by the hitman sent to destroy the Lane family, Silas Bain.  Jordan finds himself in Virginia City, Nevada on the advice of a kind librarian.  In Virginia City, Jordan finds peace of mind with the library assistant Jessie Cole.  However, his relationship leaves a clue for Silas Bain to track down the time that the Lane Family is in.


The Fair is the second book in the Time Box series and I would highly recommend reading Book 1, The Lane Betrayal, first in order to get to know the characters, their circumstances and how what happened to them in 1865 is affecting their decisions in 1893.  As with other books by John A. Heldt, The Fair is a fast-paced, time travel adventure with romance, action, fun settings and well-developed characters.  I did enjoy the choice of setting of the Chicago World's Columbian Exhibition.  It gave the Lane family a wonderful place to hide, entertainment and a chance to experience a cool historical event. I liked seeing all of the different exhibitions through the character's eyes; especially as Laura and Ashley explored the Women's Building and Jeremy and new beau, Ivy explored the Palace of Fine Arts and the Midway.  This story focused on the budding romance between Jordan and Jessie in Virginia City.  Their romance was sweet and progressed naturally.  I do wonder about the effects of their relationship on the future.  Silas Bain's presence added an element of suspense and a very surprising ending.  I can't wait to see what happens with the Lane's next.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

​Henry VIII is infamous for his good looks, charm, religious reform, tyranny and the six wives that were best known for being "divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived."  History has been told from the male point of view for quite some time; however, the women in Henry VIII's life have their own contributions and their own stories to tell of their lives with Henry.  Beginning with Henry's mother and moving through each of his six wives, Don't Lose Your Head allows the women to have their say.


I am a huge fan of all things Tudor, especially the Tudor women; so, Don't Lose Your Head is right up my alley. Written with the women all speaking after their deaths took place, I loved that the women had a modern tone and were able to be completely honest with no consequences.  Each woman was able to tell her story in her own words with witty banter and with their own unique voice. Well timed interjections by the other wives in one another's stories add an extra level of humor.    Through the women's stories, they share their accomplishments and what they would like to be known for other than being a wife of King Henry VIII.  I learned that Catherine of Aragon served as an ambassador to Spain between being wed to Arthur and being wed to Henry.  She was also Henry's regent during a military campaign and rode to address the troops in full armor while pregnant.  Anne Boleyn heavily guided Henry in religious reformation. Jane Seymour, often painted as sweet and innocent, knew how to play her cards well and manipulated the situation to her advantage.  Anna of Cleves sidestepped disaster and found happiness for herself away from her stifling family and was able to outlive all of Henry's wives.  Catherine Howard was able to find the small joys in her short, tumultuous life.  Catherine Parr was able to publish books under her own name as well as bridge the gap between his daughters.  A fun, fast-paced read for young adults interested in history or for any Tudor-loving history buffs.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

Cassie Lyman is sifting through the archives looking for a topic for her doctoral dissertation when she comes across the Kate Easton collection.  Kate Easton is a relative of hers and Cassie finds intriguing artwork centered around women's suffrage that Kate illustrated.  Before Cassie can dig much deeper, she is pulled to her sister, Penny's shotgun wedding at her Grandmother's cottage.  Cassie is quickly put to work by her mother who has organized every last detail.  In her precious spare time, Cassie begins to ask her relatives about her Aunt Kate and reads the diary entries that she copied.  Cassie learns that her Aunt was an important force within the women's suffrage movement and that their experiences in life may not be that different. 

Lemons in the Garden of Love explores the real life relative of the author, Blanche Ames Ames through the fictionalized Kate Easton.  Kate, like many others, was an unsung hero in the women's suffrage movement.  Kate used her talent to draw political cartoons that called attention to the women's need to vote as well as how women were being treated in the early 1900's.  Though Kate and Cassie lived 70 years apart, their issues closely mirrored one another.  I enjoyed reading through Kate's diary entries while Cassie began to see the parallels in her marriage and how her family wanted her to behave; however, Cassie had more options as well as safer options to consider.  One of the most entertaining parts of the story were the many characters in Cassie's family, her grandmother, mother sister, Aunt Charlotte and her husband were all unique as well as products of their time.  Their opinions and actions clearly showcased the conditions of how they were raised with certain privileges and biases that they held. One of my only complaints was that the speech seemed unnatural at times, however, this is a shorter story, so it wasn't anything I couldn't get over. 

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

​As a young girl Marjory Stoneman loved her mother fiercely.  Her creativity, imagination and love of life inspired Marjory.  However, her mother's passion soon revealed a mental illness that forced Marjory's father to leave and Marjory and her mother to return to her mother's home in Taunton, Massachusetts.  At her grandparent's house, Marjory does not receive much affection, but she does receive an education at Wellesley where she learns the joys of writing and becomes involved in women's suffrage.  After school, Marjorie becomes entangled with Kenneth Douglas, a swindler who eventually tries to get money out of Marjorie's estranged father.  This works out well for Marjorie as she is reunited with her father, works for him at his newspaper in Miami and becomes enthralled with the wild environment of the Everglades.

Written in beautiful,  flowing, prose that captures the spirit of Marjorie Stoneman Douglass and her writing, Among the Beautiful Beasts artfully tells the story of Marjorie Stoneman Douglas' life.  Beginning with Marjory's early life, we are able to see where her passion stems from as well as how her early life set her up for a life of independence and activism.  I loved the descriptions of the Everglades and the wild that existed in Florida before it was developed.  Seeing the Everglades through Marjory's eyes helped to see how she became captivated with the wilderness.  I enjoyed learning about Marjory's life and how she constantly fought for her independence and what she believed was right. Overall, an amazing story about a captivating and determined woman.


This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

​Not much is known about the first humans on the Earth.  What we do know is what we can extract from burial sites, artwork, dwellings, and artifacts that have been left behind. These artefacts combined with geologic and climatic knowledge begin to paint a picture of what life was like for the people of the Paleolithic and Neolithic eras.  Mixed Harvest is a collection of short stories of the people from these eras. Moving forward through time from the Paleolithic to the formation of cities, the author combines knowledge of what we have found from our past and storytelling to bring these people to life.  Each fictionalized story is prefaced and followed up by archeological evidence that led to the story. 

The stories in Mixed Harvest tell of love, conflict, religion, growing up, birth and death;  all things that we are familiar with.  The people in the stories were dealing with all of this in a rapidly changing world, not too different from the one we are living in today.  There is knowledge to be gained from their past mistakes and past triumphs.  The writing evokes a familiarity without breaking what we know of human communication at the time.  Feelings are conveyed without speech, using broad concepts to show emotion without words.  Mixed Harvest is an insightful and unique style of storytelling that helps connect us to our past. 

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

​Beaulieu Delhomme has found himself in a desperate situation.  After failing out of medical school and Conservatory, Delhomme finds some luck as a piano tuner.  However, in order to advance his career, Delhomme needs a more consistent income.  His prayers seem to be answered when Delhomme is approached by François Vidocq, who asks Delhomme to spy on some of Paris' elite to gauge their feelings towards the Monarchy.  To do this, Delhomme must first become the piano tuner for Frédéric Chopin.  As Chopin's tuner, Delhomme enters a friendship with the gifted pianist and composer as well as a tenuous relationship with author George Sand.  Delhomme is tasked with collecting information from Sand for Vidocq, although the costs to Delhomme keep mounting. 


The Education of Delhomme offers part spy thriller, part historical fiction with an intimate look into the lives of Chopin and Sand.  Written with a deep appreciation for the artists and music, the emotional connection Chopin had with each piece of music is apparent.  The author also has a personal understanding of piano tuning, so the many tedious aspects of Delhomme's profession were easy to understand. Delhomme's character was interesting, he was not instantly relatable or likeable, in a constant struggle for money and not willing to do anything too difficult for it.  His character eventually shows growth near the end of the story, only after he is thrown in jail for thwarting a spy mission.  George Sand's diary entries are an insightful and delightful addition to the story, rounding out the view of Chopin as well as giving a change of tone to the writing from Delhomme's point of view.  The time period of the story also gives a unique view of the Paris Uprising of 1848 through the different political lenses of Delhomme and Sand.  One of the small things that did bother me about the book were the chapter titles which seemed more like leftovers from the author's outline.


This book was received for free in return for an honest review .

​1946:  in the aftermath of World War II, seven year old Amerigo lives with his mother, Antoinetta in the ravaged and defeated town of Naples, Southern Italy.  Amerigo and his mother try to make ends meet as best they can, but collecting rags and mending means they are just scraping by.  A Communist group offers refuge for the children of the South, placing children on a train to live temporarily with families in the North.  Antoinetta makes the decision to put Amerigo on one of the trains.  Amerigo is confused and upset; however, once he is with his temporary family in the North, Amerigo receives new shoes, clothes, plenty of food and the feeling of a warm and loving family.  His northern family also develops his love for music. Amerigo returns home to find that nothing has changed while everything has changed.

The Children's Train is a powerful and heartfelt story of hope, finding home and family.  Most of the story is told from seven-year-old Amerigo's point of view. Amerigo's voice is rambling, taking in everything as a child would see and understand it.  Most interesting were the views of his mother and his home.  Antoinetta came off as harsh, but surviving.  Amerigo would always say that many things were not her strong point, realizing that his mother did not show affection in typical ways.  The story examines Amerigo's views of politics and hospitality versus charity as he became used to life in Northern Italy.  I was intrigued as Amerigo begins to see the impact of the decisions adults madee for him and that love can have many different forms.  The last third of the book skips to the year 1994 when Amerigo returns to Naples and begins to see the further impact of his mother's decisions.  This was the most moving part of the story for me as Amerigo realizes the different paths that his life could have taken. 

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

​August Sitwell, groundskeeper and Jennie Williams,maid are both part of the all black staff at the Barclay's residence in 1914.  The Barclay's are falling on hard times financially and may not be able to keep all of their staff, especially the three young kitchen apprentices, Mac, Frederick and Bart who were taken from the orphan asylum.  One of Mr. Barclay's business associates takes an interest in the meat sauce that Sitwell and Barclay's cook, Mamie created.   The associate offers to sell the sauce, complete with Sitwell's picture on the front under the name of "The Rib King '' bringing the Barclay's back from their financial ruin.  However, neither Sitwell or Mamie will see any money from the sale.  Sitwell's frustration reaches a peak setting forth a chain of events that will change many lives.  Ten years later, Jennie owns a successful business parlor and wants to market a healing salve that she and Mamie developed.  When the familiar face of The Rib King  comes back to town, Jennie learns just how far reaching the effects are of that fateful night at the Barclay's house.


The Rib King is an intriguing story told in two parts giving a detailed look into the lives of African Americans during this time period.  The first half of the story is told from the point of view of August Sitwell,  the second from the point of view of Jennie Williams.  This style of writing gave way to a slow burn historical fiction story that didn't begin to tie all of the pieces together until the near end.  Through both Sitwell and Jennie's narration there is an insightful view into the long term suffering of the African American population and the effects passed down on their psyche and worth.  The story goes into detail of white privilege and cultural appropriation used for profit.  I could clearly understand Sitwell's rage and pathway to revenge once his whole story was revealed.  Jennie's story revealed how someone on a completely different path than Sitwell could still be stalled by the same issues due to a common history.  My only complaint was the ending wrapped up rather quickly.  I'd love to continue to read The Talented Ribkins to continue the  stories of Mac, Bart and Frederick. 

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

Mica Mihailescu grew up under the harsh communist rule of Ceaușescu in Transylvania.  Her parents are active in covert activities, making them a prime target for the Secret Police.  When Mica is seventeen, Mica's father tells her of a way to get out of the country and a hidden treasure of diamonds that will help start a new life.  When her father's plan goes awry, Mica makes an amazing escape with the diamonds that her father warned her might be cursed.  After escaping, Mica now must figure out who to trust with the diamonds and how to help the country and people she abandoned.

When I think of Transylvania, Dracula is the first thing that comes to mind.  However, later in history there was a man who is even more terrifying and whose awful deeds are well documented.  A Gift of Diamonds is an engrossing and hopeful story of resistance and survival.  Mica's character grows up under these harsh conditions.  I have never really thought much about Romania and Transylvania history past Dracula.  Through Mica, I was able to see the terror and that Ceaușescu was able to impose through creating hysteria and then implementing order.  Mica's character showed immense willpower and bravery as well as a good moral compass.  I was very interested in the history of the diamonds and how they found their way from Auschwitz to Mica's father. the diamond's story was so tragic, Mica felt a responsibility to use them for good.  I was impressed by her willingness to use them to create a better situation for her country.  

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.