In the Summer of 1975, 24 year old Mo Lumen left his home in Virginia for a job at Bryant College in Rhode Island.  Mo's parents are both dead, he has a developmental disability that has left him with the intellect of an eleven year old and  his brother is being adopted by a foster family that has exiled him.  A family friend set up Mo with the landscaping position to make sure he would be well taken care of.  Mo sets off on his journey with an open mind, but without completely understanding the events that led to his departure.  Once he gets to Bryant College, Mo finds solace in his job outdoors, he finds friends among his colleagues and housemates.  However, soon after Mo's arrival, a series of missing girls and young women found murdered set the campus on alert.  Mo is aware of the killings, but much more focused on the Red Sox games.  FBI Chief Investigator Francis Palmer has just come off tracking Ted Bundy when he is altered to the string of murders in Rhode Island. Palmer's investigation places him directly in the path of Mo, but something seems off.  


A Disturbing Nature is a slow burning historical mystery.  The writing is detailed, but not boring, I didn't lose interest at any point within the story.  Carefully crafted hints are dropped throughout the narrative. With shorter chapters that alternate between Mo and Palmer, the pace of the story is kept up and details are divulged in slivers, a bit at a time.  Through the viewpoints of Mo and Palmer there is an intense character development and understanding.  I was pulled into Mo's narrative by his gentle nature and keen observations of the world around him.  As Mo's story unfolded, the sense of place and time intensified as Mo became aware of his father's racism, the school that said he wouldn't progress any further and the children and adults that belittled him.  Despite Mo's limitations, his ability to overcome and appreciate what he has is apparent.  Palmer's point of view took me a little more time to get into as he moved from the Ted Bundy case to the Pastoral Predator in Rhode Island.  I do wish Mo and Palmer's stories would have connected a little earlier as this is when the suspense really picked up.  The ending has several twists, turns and surprises and left me wanting more.

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

​Secret Service Agents Merritt and Argent are tasked by President Grant to retrieve his goddaughter, Mary Warner from her farm in Kentucky and bring her to Washington D.C. This seems like an easy task after their recent bust of a counterfeiting ring in Cincinnati. However, once Merritt and Argent arrive at that Warner farm, they find a young woman trying to keep the farm afloat after the death of the rest of her family.  Mary Warner is still reeling in grief.  Her actions and mannerisms don't reflect those of a young woman at the time.  She is very hesitant to leave her homestead and travel by train.  Mary is also very good at undermining any of Merritt and Argents' rules.  What should be an easy three-day train journey soon turns into a multi-week adventure as Mary's behavior challenges them and the Agents are pulled back into the counterfeiting trial.


With each chapter representing one day in Mary Warner's journey from Kentucky to Washington, One April After the War, provides a highly detailed account of Mary, Merritt and Argent's adventure.  Mary's circumstance and personality pulled me in from the beginning as Merritt and Warner arrived at her home to find everything out of the ordinary.  I liked that Mary challenged the Agents, showed her independence and demanded what she needed for her comfort while traveling. I was intrigued by her family's situation and the methods that Mary was using to cope with her grief as well as run the farm.  This book only covers half the journey and leads to interesting developments in the relationship between Mary, Merritt and Argent.  It seems like the Agents begin to figure out that Mary is a strong, independent, young women only to increasingly treat her like a prisoner.  The mystery of why Mary is being shipped halfway across the country to meet with the President becomes secondary to the mystery of why someone is out to get Agents Merritt and Argent at the end of the book.  With that, I'd love to finish Mary's adventure in the second book where she will hopefully make it to Washington D.C.


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

World War II has upended the whole world.  For three young women in Brooklyn, New York it means they are now helping the war efforts by working at the Naval Yard embroidering, engraving and welding for the USS Missouri.  Margaret's brother, John has enlisted and is in England with two new friends, William and Tom.   Margaret's best friend, Dottie is engaged to John, but couldn't marry before they shipped out.  An early wedding night has left Dottie pregnant and in a precarious position with her family.  Dottie moves in with their friend Gladys.  The three friends get together after work to knit socks for care packages to send to John and his friends.  When John writes back, he asks Margaret if he could write to his friend, William who has yet to receive letters from home.  Margaret happily obliges and begins a new friendship.  Meanwhile, the guys have begun serious training and participated in the invasion of Normandy.  With multiple tragedies, letters become harder to send, but Margaret forges forward to write to the man she had never met and he makes every effort to write to her even as death and destruction surround them.  


Until We Meet is a heartfelt and well-rounded story of World War II.  With amazing characters, historical detail and a sweet romance, Until We Meet has a strong plot that flows together seamlessly.  I absolutely loved all of the characters.  Friendship was definitely a theme throughout the story.  Margaret, Gladys and Dottie lean on each other throughout their trials and triumphs and celebrate each other's strengths and differences.  I loved Gladys' independent, forward thinking, adventurous spirit and ability to solve problems and advocate for women's rights,  Dottie's perseverance, kindness and empathy and Margaret's giving nature, support and heart that she places into everything she does.  Through these ladies we also see the important work that women did while the men were at war, taking jobs that they were previously banned from, making safety improvements in those positions and supporting the troops overseas in numerous ways.  John, William and Tom have an equally important friendship that gets them through the toughest parts of training, battles, tragedies and ties them to the women in Brooklyn.  The battle scenes were realistic without being overbearing showing the grittiness, camaraderie, hope and bravery of the men who fought.  The letters were another wonderful part of the story, I enjoyed reading about their innermost feelings and seeing the relationship grow through their writing.  Until We Meet is exactly the type of historical fiction that I love with brilliant writing, wonderful characters and a story that kept my interest the whole way through. 

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

​Rifka Berg grew up in Warsaw, Poland in the 1920's.  In her Orthodox Jewish home Rifka notices that women do not have as many opportunities as men and are only expected to get married and have children.  Rifka breaks free from this mold and opens a corset shop with her best friend, Bronka.  While difficult in the beginning, the two women succeed in business with their talent and charisma.  However, with Hitler's rise to power and the Nuremberg Laws in 1935, danger is lurking.  Rifka becomes worried about her sister Golda in Palestine and decides to travel to find her.  In order to travel safely to Palestine, Rifka assumes a new name and becomes Raquela Bluestone.  Upon entering Palestine, Rifka becomes entangled in the Jewish-Arab conflict and becomes part of events that will change her for a lifetime.  After Palestine, Rifka cannot imagine going home and decides to travel to Spain.  When arriving in Spain she becomes embroiled in the Spanish Civil War and watches over the orphans from the war.  During Rifka's time in the orphanage, she becomes attached to orphan Manuel and takes him with her when she escapes to France.  In France Rifka and Manuel face Nazi occupation, but with their skills, they join the French Resistance.  Rifka once again changes her name, now Simone Bonheur, she is able to help others escape to freedom. 


The Corset Maker is an epic story of bravery, survival and resistance.  Loosely based on the author's mother, I can only imagine that she was an absolutely tremendous woman. Rifka's character captured me from the very beginning as she defended a neighbor.  I was constantly amazed by her ability to question what was happening around her, stand up for what is right, and make choices for herself.  While not all of her choices were for the best, she stood by her decisions and carried on.  Through Rifka we are able to see the effects of three wars as well as the people who gave everything to fight in them.  Rifka's story spans a long amount of time and while I was absorbed in the details of each period of her life, I wanted to know more about her feelings and connections during some of the more tense moments when we just got a play-by-play.  Some of the time hops also took me by surprise as well as the switch in perspective between Rifka and Bronka.  Bronka's story seemed to just be there to tie up loose ends instead of contributing to the story.  I do wish there had been a fuller arc for her.  As Rifka's journey landed in France, the suspense heightened with her involvement in the Resistance.  I would have loved to have more details of her involvement with removing children from danger.  Overall, a factual-based story of hope, resilience and adapting while keeping true to yourself. 
This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

​Victoria Goulding resides at the esteemed estate of the Kilbride House on Dingle Peninsula, Ireland.  In 1955, a strict divide between the Protestants like the Goulding's and the Catholics existed with the two groups rarely intermingling.  When Victoria meets Canice Meager, a Roman Catholic who was recently evacuated from the Blasket Islands, sparks fly.  Victoria and Canice meet in secret since Victoria's mother would never accept their relationship. In 2018, Edith Goulding, Victoria's sister has died and left specific instructions for her daughter, Catherine and granddaughter Lainey to return to Ireland and Kilbride House in order to uncover the past that she left behind. 

Kilbride House is a story of love, heartache, secrets and redemption.  With many elements that I love- dual timelines, family mysteries and numerous secrets to reveal- I devoured this book. I loved Victoria and Canice's story.  Their romance reflected the best and worst of Ireland in the 1950's.  The descriptions of the landscapes, islands and Kilbride house were detailed and majestic, making me feel as if I were there.  I could easy imagine Victoria riding along the beach and the rooms of Kilbride house.  The religious tensions between the Protestants and Catholics were palpable.  The fact that Victoria was Protestant and Canice was Catholic led Victoria's mother to make decisions that would affect three generations of lives.  Catherine and Lainey's journeys were heartwarming and revealing of how choices in the past that they were unaware of have affected them to this day.  I liked that they were respectful of the past and the people still alive who could still be traumatized by the decisions that were made. 


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

​Ida Florence Little Shay is orphaned as a teen.  When she is sent to watch over young girls at a boarding school, Ida Florence is determined to make a better life for herself.  However, her decisions along with the current state of the world lead her right back into the situation she came from. Fawn Breen has only ever known the small mud hut that she and her father live in, raising goats and foraging nearby. Once Sidney Breen finds Fawn in the woods, Fawn life changes forever.  Harold Peavy can't catch a break since he made a decision in line with his morals.  Forced into a life he didn't choose, Harold tries to make the best of what he has been given in the small town of Prophetstown, North Dakota. 

True North follows the stories of three interconnected families living along the Canadian Border and the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation in North Dakota from the 1930's through the 1960's.  The time period and landscape offer a bleak landscape and outlook for the people of Prophetstown.  Poverty, racism, and war defined these time periods for the people of Prophetstown.  The writing carried a long story over several decades at a good pace.  Each family had their own method of survival and holding on to hope.  The characters were all bound together by tragedy and sorrow.  Some of them used this bond to overcome while some became stuck in their suffering.  Each character was written very real, raw and gritty.  I wanted to know their stories and was carried through their journeys with each misfortune, setback and trial that they faced.  

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

Fulgencio Ramirez is the son of Mexican immigrants living in a Texas border town in 1956.  Fulgencio wants the full American Dream and he sets his sights on Carolina Mendelssohn, the daughter of the local pharmacist.  Fulgencio decides that he too will become a pharmacist in order to give Carolina the life he wants.  Fulgencio gets a job at the pharmacy and gets himself into a better school.  Fulgencio and Carolina's romance flourished despite the racism that others have towards them.  However, Fulgencio's jealousy and rage that seems to carry through the men in his family wrecks what they have built.  Thirty years after Fulgencio and Carolina broke up, Carolina's husband dies and Fulgencio attempts to build back what they once had now that he has broken the curse that has affected his family for generations. 

The Resurrection of Fulgencio Ramirez combines magical realism, historical fiction and romance to create a fairy tale-like experience.  The story bounces back and forth between Fulgencio in the 1980's and the 1950's.  At first, it seems like Fulgencio is  unhealthily obsessed, overconfident and arrogant.  While his determination in chasing the American dream is honorable, Fulgencio goes after it full force, thinking only about himself and not the consequences for those around him.  However, as Fulgencio's family curse was uncovered, I understood his position better and was intrigued by the ghosts and Fulgencio's interactions with them.  The most interesting parts of the story for me were the actions that Fulgencio had to take in order to break the curse and the measures he took to make it happen.  While doing this, Fulgencio changed into someone with fortitude who cared about others and the impact that his actions have.  One of my favorite characters throughout the process was Brother William, even when he was in spirit form.  With a series of surprising twists and turns near the end, Fulgencio and Carolina's characters become complex and relatable.  Overall, The Resurrection of Fulgencio Ramirez is a surprising story of an immigrant experience combined with magic and romance. 

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

​Bhark is a clan Chief along the shores of Lake Neith in 3300 BCE.  His time as Chief has been cut short, however as Bhark's rival, Shadrach claims that he is the rightful heir.  Shadrach takes Bhark's wife and daughter, kills his son and banishes Bhark to the  Similaun Mountain.  Bhark forms a plan to get his clan and family back when he encounters the soul hunter Creyak and seer MIko.  Creyak and Miko have other plans though and when Bhark dies in the mountain pass, his soul is trapped between the upper realm and the lower realms of Gehenna.  When Bhark's body is found in 1991 as the mummified Iceman named  Ötzi, Bhark must complete the quest through Gehenna in order to save his soul. 

Otzi's Odyssey is a metaphysical journey combining historical fiction, mythology and fantasy.  From the beginning, the writing pulled me into Bhark's world.  The point of view switched between Bhark's life in 3300 BCE and his soul as his body was found in 1991.  It was exciting to read Bhark's thoughts as he witnessed his body being found and examined. I loved the descriptions of Bhark's village, landscape and clan relationships.  It made the unknown time period come alive.  I was intrigued as Bhark learned of his mission through Gehenna and the different realms.  Bhark's character along with his daughter Amina and the seer Miko strengthened during this time.  The different realms and the souls  that Bhark encountered there were very interesting as he attempted to complete a mission he did not fully understand.  Many new twists and turns unraveled during Bhark's mission in Gehenna that created layers of suspense.  The ending wrapped up a little quickly for me, but was still satisfying.  It seems that Bhark's soul still has more of his mission ahead of him and I'm hoping to read more about Bhark and his family soon.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

In post World War II France, Rosalind Franklin enters a new position at a lab that welcomes her as an equal, an opportunity she didn't have in England.  Rosalind loves the camaraderie of the Laboratoire Central des Services Chimiques de l'État and becomes one of the top researchers in  X-ray crystallography.  Rosalind decides to leave France and join King's College London where she is given a new research topic to use her expertise in X-Ray crystallography for- DNA.  Rosalind is unwittingly thrown into the race to figure out the properties and form of DNA.  Rosalind finds competition within her own lab as her colleague Maurice Wilkins conspires against her and collaborates with Watson and Crick who are not even supposed to be working on DNA.  Despite the difficult conditions, Rosalind pushes through until the hidden details of DNA reveal themselves to her.  


As a female scientist I have always revered the female pioneers who paved the way and made it possible for me to enter my field.  While Her Hidden Genius is a work of fiction, it has obviously been meticulously researched and includes many facts of Rosalind's life while researching DNA.   Rosalind had an incredibly difficult path to forge.  Despite her family being wealthy, Rosalind was a Jewish woman in post World War II Europe entering the field of scientific research.  Immediately, Rosalind's passion for the science, details and finding the truth shone through.  I was immersed in Rosalind's time in the lab and the atmosphere of the science labs at the time.   The writing did a wonderful job of explaining the science of Rosalind's projects while showing the human side of the science as well.  I enjoyed reading about the camaraderie in the lab as well as the competition.  I was enraged as Rosalind questioned her brusqueness of her tone and words to the men around her while those men were quite literally stealing her data.  Rosalind amazed me with her ability to move forward and fight for her science as well as her grace and acceptance that Watson and Crick published their results first based on her research.  While Rosalind might have been forgotten for a time and seen through the eyes of her male researchers, Her Hidden Genius is a step in giving Rosalind Franklin the recognition she deserves.
 


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