Book Reviews

I've been reading more lately (self care) and I wanted to share my reads with you (I'm also leaving reviews on some sites for the authors too). 

The Bookseller of Daschau by Shari J. Ryan

I loved this book. She was able to weave two stories into one and I'm always captivated by a writer's ability to do that. Germany, 1940 - Matilda and Hans are young and discover they are in love, unfortunately, all Jewish people are being taken from their homes. In an attempt to protect Hans, she hides him in her closet until the safety of their own family makes Matilda's parents choose their own safety and Hans is taken away. Sadly, that's not the end of Matilda's suffering.

In America, 2018, Grace has found out she has inherited a bookstore in Dachau, Germany but has no idea who has given it to her. She drops everything and travels to Germany and the story unravels. Ryan did a great job of keeping me on the edge of my seat at every chapter. I loved the hope and love that Matilda and Hans showed for each other as well as their friends who helped keep that hope and love alive. The brutal reality of the choices that Matilda's parent's had to make brought me to tears because of my sympathy for them but I was also angry. These characters were so real to me, it was hard to see the book end. When it did, I was pleasantly surprised. 

The Glad Farm by Catherine Marenghi

I liked this book. It sometimes dragged on. It wasn't that the story was boring, there were just too many minor details that maybe could have been left out. I am so glad I finished it, but the ending was just mediocre. I hate saying that about a person's memoir though because the story itself was great in most parts. 

Catherine grew up in extreme poverty. She had very little while it seemed that those around her had so much more. She struggled to put her past behind her when the adult parts of her own life kept bringing her back. There was a secret that she didn't find out about until much later in life that may have allowed her childhood to have been so much better but her family didn't know about it until her mother was very aged and many of her siblings had passed on. I was so glad she overcame her struggles but it seemed like there was very few bright points in the story to keep it interesting. I hate saying that, but in a memoir, the author gets to choose what to include and this just seemed depressing throughout. I'm glad she came out on top in the end. 

An Unfinished Story by Boo Walker

I loved this story. Claire's husband has died three years prior and she is finally cleaning out the office in their home before she moves to a new home closer to her business. She finds a story that her husband had been writing but it was not complete so she contacts a local writer with whom she has a previous connection. I appreciated her widowed friends and how they support her through it all. The story takes some unusual and surprising turns and ends up quite simply. It was a sweet story with a great ending. 

Sold on a Monday: A Novel by Kristina McMorris

I loved this book. I can't imagine being a parent during The Great Depression and wondering how I'm going to put food on the table. How desperate would I become? Reporter Ellis Reed notices two children sitting on their porch holding a sign that says 2 Children for Sale. This historical fiction novel will keep you on the edge of your seat for sure. It was based on an actual newspaper photograph but after writing the story, Ellis faces consequences he couldn't have imagined. There is also a sweet love story throughout and the ending helps Ellis understand his dad on a new level. 

Spilled Milk: Based on a True Story by K.L. Randis

This was excellent but difficult to read sometimes. Brooke is an abused child who doesn't realize there is something wrong with her family until she is a teenager. When she finally tries to do something about it, it backfires on her. Her struggles for peace and safety are a constant as well as her concern for her siblings. Finally, while away at college, she gets to tell her story to a jury and she realizes some people don't want things to change. This book was at times somewhat disturbing and difficult to continue but the author does a great job presenting a terrible topic that more people need to be aware of. All we need to do is love our children and the children put in our path. Protect them. 

The Flight Girls by Noelle Salazar

I LOVED this book. It reads like historical fiction but it was probably more fiction intertwined with historical details from WWII and the women pilots serving with the military. Audrey is a pilot and has plans on owning the small, local airport in her hometown. She takes a job training military pilots in Hawaii just as WWII is beginning in Europe. She's there when Pearl Harbor is attacked and struggles to find peace in her job. This girl suffers a lot, they all do. She works with a variety of women who are as diverse as they come. They are loveable and real women doing a difficult job. 

She meets a pilot named James and keeps him at arms length because she's there to do a job. Their friendship grows until he's MIA somewhere in Europe. At this point, her efforts in the war are for more than freedom. She also learns that as a woman, maybe she can have it all. These women were all empowered and real. The love story is sweet.