34/40: The Soldier's Wife by Margaret Leroy

The Soldier's Wife by Margaret Leroy
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

From Goodreads: As World War II draws closer and closer to Guernsey, Vivienne de la Mare knows that there will be sacrifices to be made. Not just for herself, but for her two young daughters and for her mother-in-law, for whom she cares while her husband is away fighting. What she does not expect is that she will fall in love with one of the enigmatic German soldiers who take up residence in the house next door to her home. As their relationship intensifies, so do the pressures on Vivienne. Food and resources grow scant, and the restrictions placed upon the residents of the island grow with each passing week. Though Vivienne knows the perils of her love affair with Gunther, she believes that she can keep their relationship and her family safe. But when she becomes aware of the full brutality of the Occupation, she must decide if she is willing to risk her personal happiness for the life of a stranger.

Good story. I was expecting a great story, but I'll settle for good.

I enjoyed The Soldier's Wife. It had a good story, didn't sugarcoat the way life was on Guernsey and had an element of tension throughout.The people of Guernsey were sheltered from the main onslaught of the war. They did not remain unscathed. How historically accurate it was having work camps on the island, I'm not sure. It would definitely be something to look into. When we're taught about WW2 in school, you usually hear about the large camps, rarely about them being everywhere the Germans were.

I kept waiting for something to happen that was truly horrific for the De Le Mare's. There was certainly some tension spots and some horrible things that happened, but they remained for the most part, safe. Things could have gone significantly worse than they did.

I did find the story a little choppy in parts There seemed to be a disconnect between what Vivienne felt for the Captain and what was conveyed to the reader. I didn't feel the love they had for each as deeply as I believe they did for each other. It seemed to be an overview of the life rather than in depth. In all fairness, it did span the entire length of WW2. It seems as though there was months missed and that the bulk of their love affair happened there.

I will say the ending surprised me. It also seemed rushed.
I do think I will read another book by Leroy. She has good writing.

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30/40: The Virgin Cure by Amy McKay

The Virgin Cure by Ami McKay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

From Goodreads: "I am Moth, a girl from the lowest part of Chrystie Street, born to a slum-house mystic and the man who broke her heart."

The Virgin Cure begins in the tenements of lower Manhattan in the year 1871. A series of betrayals lead Moth, at only twelve years old, to the wild, murky world of the Bowery, where eventually she meets Miss Everett, the owner of a brothel simply known as "The Infant School." Miss Everett caters to gentlemen who pay dearly for companions who are "willing and clean," and the most desirable of them all are young virgins like Moth.

While Moth's housemates risk falling prey to the myth of the "virgin cure"--the belief that deflowering a girl can heal the incurable and tainted--her new friend Dr. Sadie warns Moth to question and observe the world around her so she won't share the same fate. Still, Moth dreams of answering to no one but herself. There's a high price for such independence, though, and no one knows that better than a girl from Chrystie Street

I really enjoyed this one. The only thing I would want different is for it to be longer! Around the last 90 pages I kept thinking that there HAS to be more to the story.

Moth was a good character. Innocent, trying not to be. Trying to survive. As much as she tries to be ruthless or heartless and make herself out to be older than she is, she is still a young girl at heart needing someone to love her. Dr. Sadie was such a sweet woman and I love how her story ended. She had such a good heart and I really hoped that what she did for a living made a difference. Which for Moth, it certainly made life more bearable.

The personalities of Rose, Mae and Alice was fantastic. McKay covered all the bases for girls who would be in a brothel and played their characters just right in the story. It was a struggle to get through some parts and I found myself disgusted with the behavior of the men, but that was the point of the story.

I loved the setting and how well McKay described everything. I could almost feel the grit and dirt Moth lived in. She went into enough detail to disturb you, but left a lot to the imagination. The path that took Moth to Miss Fenwick - one of Miss Everett's girls was a bumpy one, a hard one and ended up being rewarding.

Highly recommend this one for anyone who is a historical novel fan.


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16/40: The Witch's Daughter by Paula Brackston

The Witch's Daughter by Paula Brackston
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

From Goodreads:
An enthralling tale of modern witch Bess Hawksmith, a fiercely independent woman desperate to escape her cursed history who must confront the evil which has haunted her for centuries My name is Elizabeth Anne Hawksmith, and my age is three hundred and eighty-four years. If you will listen, I will tell you a tale of witches. A tale of magic and love and loss. A story of how simple ignorance breeds fear, and how deadly that fear can be. Let me tell you what it means to be a witch.

In the spring of 1628, the Witchfinder of Wessex finds himself a true Witch. As Bess Hawksmith watches her mother swing from the Hanging Tree she knows that only one man can save her from the same fate: the Warlock Gideon Masters. Secluded at his cottage, Gideon instructs Bess, awakening formidable powers she didn’t know she had. She couldn’t have foreseen that even now, centuries later, he would be hunting her across time, determined to claim payment for saving her life.

In present-day England, Elizabeth has built a quiet life. She has spent the centuries in solitude, moving from place to place, surviving plagues, wars, and the heartbreak that comes with immortality. Her loneliness comes to an abrupt end when she is befriended by a teenage girl called Tegan. Against her better judgment, Elizabeth opens her heart to Tegan and begins teaching her the ways of the Hedge Witch. But will she be able to stand against Gideon—who will stop at nothing to reclaim her soul—in order to protect the girl who has become the daughter she never had?

I enjoyed The Witch's Daughter. I thought it was well written, intriguing and had a good story. Have you seen the cover? Gorgeous!!
I picked this one off the shelf simply because of the cover and happy that I did. it was a good book. I was hooked with the historical stories and times Bess lived through and loved her present day life.
Bess is a witch, though a reluctant one. When she chooses to use her magic she uses it for good and for healing. She spends her life running from the one man who haunts her through the centuries. Using her magic for evil would draw him to her and so she tries to survive without using it at all. Circumstances however arise no matter where she is and he always seems to find her.
I found it heart breaking the stories Bess tells about her past. The pain she endures losing love over and over again was hard to read. It's human nature to look for companionship and love and being immortal means she has to endure losing it every time she finds it. There is a heart warming part to the story for the love and knowledge she shares with Tegan. She takes her under her wing and teaches her what it means to be a witch.

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6/40: Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran

Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution by Michelle Moran
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Michelle Moran is an amazing writer. She adds just enough description to give you an accurate picture while keeping the story moving. Madame Tussaud is a courageous woman who straddled the line between the royal family and the rebellion. How she survived the Revolution is a miracle to me. There were some points I thought it was the end for her and her family.

This book had tension, love and heartbreak. I was rooting for her and Henri the whole book. They were both so alike. He understood her and her ambition. The tension when the Reign of Terror was at it's height kept me reading. I had to know what was going to happen next. Everytime there was a knock on the Salon de Cire I kept thinking "This is it. They've come for them." Parts were hard to read, and it was revolting what people would do to others, even their friends. The level of detail that Moran puts into this book was great it some parts, like describing the Salon and the people. Other times I would have preferred less (squeemish?), but I appreciate that she kept the same level for everything throughout. She didn't sugarcoat anything and I loved that. It was a horrible time in history and the deeds people did (whether accounted truthfully or fiction) are portrayed well.

The only thing I didn't like was the ending. It ended fine, but it felt really rushed. There was only a "and then this all happened" explaination. I would  have loved another 40 pages to really get to the end a little more.

While this is a work of fiction, I loved the account of the French Revolution. The historical facts listed in the back were great. I had no idea that the guillotine was used as a form of death up until 1977.

I will absolutely be reading more by Michelle Moran. Amazing writer! She makes me realize why I love historical fiction so much.
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40/50: The Bronze Horsman by Paulina Simons

The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book had some amazing recommendations. (Thank you book pushers, you're feeding my addiction well) I love historical fiction and I haven't read any in Russia.

The Bronze Horseman was heartbreaking beautiful. I'm not usually one to cry during books but this one did it. As much of a love story between Tatiana and Alexander as this book was, that wasn't the part brought tears. The life that Tatiana had to go through during the war broke my heart. The descriptions of how those around her dealt with the life they were living really hits you. Nothing quite hits home like Tatiana losing family members. After reading parts of this book I wanted to call my family and tell them I loved them. The next time I saw my sisters I hugged them and felt so thankful we don't live in a time like this book.

Aside from the family drama and chaos, the descriptions Simons gives of the world around Tatiana was so vivid. The part that struck me the hardest was when Tatiana was going to get rations and she passes a man. When she looks back, he falls down and dies. The writing was so amazing that you couldn't help but feel this overwhelming sadness.

I couldn't give this book 5 stars for one reason. Tatiana irritated me so much! I get that she is only 17/18 years old but given the timeframe of the novel, I would expect a little less tantrum-child and a little more woman. I got so frustrated near the end that I was just wanting to finish the book.

A lot of my book pushers went on to read the next books in the series, but I won't be. The story wrapped up fairly well, and it didn't give me any desire to continue.
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9/50: Day After Night by Anita Diamant

****Happy 400th post to my blog today!!****

Day After Night by Anita Diamant
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The women in Day After Night are women I can appreciate and look up to. They had so much strength and courage it was amazing. Reading a story about women who fought for their lives, keep secrets of their past and still manage to find happiness is rewarding.

The story picks up just after WWII and the Jewish people are trying to find solace in Israel. We meet Tedi, Leonie, Zorah and Shayndel at Atlit where they are illegal immigrants. They all have a different story of how they survived the war and how they arrived in Atlit. They all have a secret to their story and want nothing more than to move on and not think about the past. Anita Diamant weaves the stories of these 4 women together with such elegance it's hard not to love it and care about them all.

No one ever talks about what happened after the war. I have no idea how accurate the story is, but I would like to think that maybe this is what happened to those that survived and made it to Israel. It was awful they were made to stay in yet another prison after some of the 'prisoners' being just recently in concentration camps. On the other hand, it was hard not to feel happy for them that they had a place to sleep, food to eat, running water and medical care.

I can't say enough about the 4 women in this book. They were so strong and their friendship made me realize that no matter what friends like that will remain friends always. The end of the book made me cry with happy tears. It was a good ending and suited the book perfectly.

I listened to this book on audio and the narrator was fabulous. She kept me engaged, had a wonderful accent and made me believe she was the characters. I had a hard time getting out of my vehicle a few times, which is the sign of a great book.

I have to say that I also appreciate the fact that Diamant used an actual place. What she described in her book of Atlit and what I found online for the now historical site makes it that much more real. I love when authors do this.

WBC 2011: 15 Points, Book that has been on my to-read shelf the longest

This book took me to Israel on my Book Journey 2011

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1/50: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (Contains Slight Spoilers)

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was amazing! I lost a lot of sleep reading it.
Gabaldon does an amazing job of describing in detail every situation. I felt like I was truly there. I found some of the detailing went a bit long, and there was some scenes in the novel that could have been left out easily and not hindered the story at all. I will say that there were some points of the book that I would not have written any other way.

Jamie and Claire have such an amazing love bond that it warms my heart. The way she loved Jamie was no match for her love for Frank in her own time. There would be no way to match that bond. The things she learns about Franks ancestors would have made it incredibly difficult to love him.

There were parts of Outlander that made me cringe and I had a hard time reading. As hard as they were to read, they were completely necessary. Some of the things that Jamie had to tell Claire to make her understand his pain and why he is the way he is was heart-wrenching. I had to read those parts slowly, in small bits. One thing I will say, this book will get your blood going. A few of the scenes, (the wedding night perhaps?) made me blush.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone with a love for historical fiction who understands that those were different times and things we would forbid today, were quite acceptable in the past. It is an amazing love story, a story of strength and of a woman who has the courage to do whatever it takes to protect the ones she loves.

Challenges this book counts for:
Winter Book Challenge 2011: 15 points for a book with 500+ pages
2011 Ebook Challenge: 1 book towards Addicted level

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