By Evening's Light

I was lucky to receive a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.  It was published on August 20, 2024 by Bethany House and is an Amish fiction story.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the novel. Treva is the main character. She was raised Mennonite but after her parents died both she and her sisters were taken in by their Amish grandparents. From her grandparents Treva learned about a great-great aunt, Rosene, who suffered under the Nazis. The book alternates chapters between their respective stories. Treva has recently returned to Pennsylvania following a mission in Haiti. While there, Treva broke up with her boyfriend Zeke. Treva had planned to move to Alaska but she missed her expected leave date because her family needed her help. Treva’s quandary is whether she will be able to move to Alaska or whether to stay on the family farm.

I loved that the story was about Amish folks in post WWII Germany. We don’t usually see this topic in Amish fiction. I also loved the contemporary feel of the book and was impressed that Treva had been on a mission. I was not aware that the Amish went on missions. Now that this author on my radar I am planning to read more books written by her.

4 out of 5 stars.

The Secret War of Julia Child

I have always loved Julia Child. I learned how to cook from her TV programs on public television. When I  saw this ARC on Net Galley, I immediately requested it. The book did not disappoint. It was fantastic.  The book will be published next month.

The publisher's summary:  

Before she mastered the art of French cooking in midlife, Julia Child found herself working in the secrets trade in Asia during World War II, a journey that will delight both historical fiction fans and lovers of America's most beloved chef, revealing how the war made her into the icon we know now.

Single, 6 foot 2, and thirty years old, Julia McWilliams took a job working for America's first espionage agency, years before cooking or Paris entered the picture. The Secret War of Julia Child traces Julia's transformation from ambitious Pasadena blue blood to Washington, DC file clerk, to head of General "Wild Bill" Donovan's secret File Registry as part of the Office of Strategic Services.

The wartime journey takes her to the Far East, to Asia's remote frontlines of then-Ceylon, India, and China, where she finds purpose, adventure, self-knowledge – and love with mapmaker Paul Child. The spotlight has rarely shone on this fascinating period of time in the life of ("I'm not a spy") Julia Child, and this lyrical story allows us to explore the unlikely world of a woman in World War II spy station who has no idea of the impact she'll eventually impart.

Before starting my read, I was aware of Julia's WWII work for the OSS. This part of her life was included in a biography, Appetite for Life. I was interested in finding out if this historical fiction account of her life had more information. It didn't. The author stated on her website that she spent months doing research but many details could not be confirmed. If you have never heard of Julia Child that should not affect your enjoyment of the novel. It reads like any good spy novel with some romance thrown in. 

As the grand-daughter of a railroad tycoon, Julia grew up wealthy in Sacramento, CA. When WWII broke out many kids from wealthy families were able to obtain these plush jobs with the OSS. Julia was one of them. She wanted some adventure before marrying and bearing children. She initially traveled to India but was soon sent to nearby Ceylon, now known as Sri Lanka. It was here where she met her future husband Paul Child. After a tumultuous six months, Julia was reassigned to China where she worked under Louis Mountbatten. You can't make this stuff up! While not hired to be a spy, it was soon evident to her bosses that she had talents and she managed to ferret out a double spy. While in China Julia found that two compatriots were double spies also. One was executed for treason and the other spent the rest of her life in prison. It is around these facts that the author spun her tale. The story ends with the conclusion of the war in Japan when she and Paul become engaged. 

5 out of 5 stars.

Songs For the Broken Hearted

 

I was lucky to receive an advanced review copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. It will be published on September 10, 2024. The story is about a young Yemeni Israeli woman who learns of her mother’s secret romance through lost family stories. It is the author's debut novel. 

The publisher's summary:

1950. Thousands of Yemeni Jews have immigrated to the newly founded Israel in search of a better life. In an overcrowded immigrant camp in Rosh Ha’ayin, Yaqub, a shy young man, happens upon Saida, a beautiful girl singing by the river. In the midst of chaos and uncertainty, they fall in love. But they weren’t supposed to; Saida is married and has a child, and a married woman has no place befriending another man.

1995. Thirty-something Zohara, Saida’s daughter, has been living in New York City—a city that feels much less complicated than Israel, where she grew up wishing that her skin was lighter, that her illiterate mother’s Yemeni music was quieter, and that the father who always favored her was alive. She hasn’t looked back since leaving home, rarely in touch with her mother or sister, Lizzie, and missing out on her nephew Yoni’s childhood. But when Lizzie calls to tell her their mother has died, she gets on a plane to Israel with no return ticket.

Soon Zohara finds herself on an unexpected path that leads to shocking truths about her family—including dangers that lurk for impressionable young men and secrets that force her to question everything she thought she knew about her parents, her heritage, and her own future.

I wish I could say that I enjoyed the story. It is heavy on culture but light on action. Knowing nothing about the Yemeni culture, I  found it impossible to pick up on the cues the author gave. There were many, many of these cultural cues for characters who were American, Israeli and Yemeni. I could not keep them straight. I must wonder, though, if the translation is the reason I was unable to become interested in the story. 

The characters, too, had difficulty communicating with each other. Everyone seemed to be estranged from each other. They were a dull lot. There was a lot of information on Yemeni songs and poetry which I normally would enjoy but for some reason, bored me. I cannot quite finger the exact reason for my disconnect with the book, but suffice to say that because I received it from Net Galley, I read the entire book. It is my practice to stop reading a novel if I cannot become interested by page fifty. I have done my duty.

1 out of 5 stars.

The Champagne Letters

I have previously read two books about Madame Clicquot. One was a biography and the other one was a historical fiction novel. Both were fantastic. I love the Veuve Cliquot champagne that she created and am always up for a story about her. Veuve means widow in French so the champagne is named after Widow Clicquot. Net Galley provided me with an advanced review copy of this historical fiction account of Madam Cliquot's life. The book will be published on December 10, 2024. 

The publisher's summary: 

Reims, France, 1805: Barbe-Nicole Clicquot has just lost her beloved husband but is determined to pursue their dream of creating the premier champagne house in France, now named for her new identity as a widow: Veuve Clicquot. With the Russians poised to invade, competitors fighting for her customers, and the Napoleonic court politics complicating matters she must set herself apart quickly and permanently if she, and her business, are to survive.

In present day Chicago, broken from her divorce, Natalie Taylor runs away to Paris. In a book stall by the Seine, Natalie finds a collection of the Widow Clicquot’s published letters and uses them as inspiration to step out of her comfort zone and create a new, empowered life for herself. But when her Parisian escape takes a shocking and unexpected turn, she’s forced to make a choice. Should she accept her losses and return home, or fight for the future she’s only dreamed about? What would the widow do?

I absolutely LOVED this novel!  It is equally as good as the other two books that I read about Widow Clicquot. The story is told in alternating perspectives and time periods.  Barbe-Nicole Clicquot lived during the 1800s in France and Natalie lives in the present era in Chicago. I have found in the past that when there are dual narratives, one seems to be much better than the other.  Here we have two equally compelling narratives. When one chapter ended, I groaned. However, when the next chapter ended I groaned again. 

I loved that as Natalie's story was told, she kept a biography of Clicquot in her bag. She referenced it as she hit lows in her post-divorce vacation in France. Madame Clicquot inspired her to live differently than she had before. In the past Natalie always served others. She began to put herself first by being as bold as Madame Clicquot was. I myself was inspired by Natalie's musings over how to change her life by acting as Clicquot did.  I, too, am in a transition period as Natalie. One of the sayings that she especially loved from Clicquot was her definition of strength. Madame Clicquot thought that strength was a series of choices. It is not a state of mind.  I like this definition!  

During Natalie's stay in Paris she meets two people who swindle her out of her money and assets. Believing that these two are not connected to each other, Natalie fell prey to a wine fraud scheme and was questioned by the police.  After reviewing the biography Natalie found a way to get her money back that was ingenious. It was risky because the police would then assume that she was involved in the fraud from the beginning.  She wasn't. However, Madame Clicquot took huge risks with her business in order to be on top of the champagne business. We all know how successful she was. 

The Champagne Letters is a must read.  I recommend that you pre-order the book. Amazon will allow you to do so even though the publication date is six months away. I assume that other booksellers will offer pre-sales too. 5 out of 5 stars.

The Protector

Another one of my Net Galley wins was this latest book by Wanda Brunstetter.  The Protector is an Amish fiction story about a family that must deal with a mysterious disappearance that shakes their faith. It is the first book in a trilogy and will be published on August 1, 2024.

The publisher's summary:

In book one of A Mifflin County Mystery series, after a night out with her boyfriend, Rosa Petersheim has disappeared from the Big Valley without a trace. Norman Petersheim always considered himself his sister's protector, and he can't believe she would have left home of her own accord. Clearly, he must have failed her. He throws all he has into helping the authorities search for Rosa, while trying to support his parents and siblings--who are struggling both mentally and physically. Salina Swarey loves Norman and hopes they are headed toward marriage, but his obsession with Rosa's whereabouts is driving them apart. Can Norman find peace and contentment, even if he never learns where Rosa has gone?

SPOILER ALERT! Initially I thought that the story would be about finding Rosa. Up until the end I expected her to reappear to her family. That did not happen though. The story is mainly about the fallout. While Rosa's mother and brother were actively searching for her, problems of their own came up that they had to deal with. Mom stopped eating and cried often but she was later diagnosed with an illness where the symptoms were similar. Dad, a bishop, only cared about his reputation with the church and did not like being married to someone who no longer served his needs. Norman and his mother spent so much time searching for Rosa that they stopped living for themselves. Rosa's two sisters dealt with the disappearance differently but their personalities changed significantly. There was a one year passage of time between Rosa's disappearance and the story's end. I think this is a normal period of time where most families in real life who must deal with a missing relative put their lives on hold.

The whodunit and whodunit of Rosa's disappearance was prominent to the story and brought plenty of mystery. I was disappointed that she was never found but this was a realistic ending. I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Protector and am rating it 5 out of 5 stars.

Bellevue

I was thrilled when Net Galley announced that I would be receiving an advanced review copy of Robin Cook's newest medical thriller. Bellevue will be published on December 4, 2024 and while the plot is different from his other novels, I found it entertaining and had a few laughs over the ending.

The publisher's summary:

Twenty-four-year-old Michael “Mitt” Fuller starts his surgical residency with great anticipation at the nearly three-hundred-year-old, iconic Bellevue Hospital, following in the footsteps of four previous, celebrated Fuller generations. The pressure is on for this newly minted doctor, and to his advantage he’s always had a secret sixth sense, a sensitivity to the nonphysical, which gradually plays a progressive role, especially as one patient after another assigned to his care begin to die from mysterious causes. At first he thinks it is just the "luck of the draw," but as the numbers mount, he’s forced to think otherwise. As he struggles to find out why these people are dying while simultaneously having to deal with the unreasonable demands of being first-year resident, things rapidly spiral out of control.

Between fatigue, stress, and nerves, it’s no wonder that these first few days and nights of his surgical residency are tough ones. What is surprising, though, are the visions that begin to plague Mitt—visions of a little girl in a bloodstained dress, hearing bloodcurdling screams in the distance, and worse. As bodies mount and Mitt’s stress level rises, he finds himself drawn into the secrets of the abandoned Bellevue Psychopathic Hospital building, which to his astonishment still exists, defying demolition a few doors north of the modern Bellevue Hospital high-rise. Forcing an unauthorized entry into this storied but scary structure, Mitt discovers he’s more closely tied to the sins of the past than he ever thought possible.

 

I could tell fairly quickly that the plot was not going to be about the usual problems in the practice of medicine. Fuller's visions were bizarre. He both saw and smelled visions whenever he passed certain places in the Bellevue Hospital district.  I initially thought that Mitt was having psychiatric issues and that the book would be about that.  It wasn't. However, these visions were impeding his ability to perform the duties of his residency and he had one problem after another. All seven of the patients assigned to him died. Because the series has always been about issues in medicine, I thought that maybe there was a link to these deaths that led back to Mitt. There wasn't.  SPOILER ALERT!  Toward the end of the book Mitt meets a lady who is in charge of housekeeping.  She tells him that she has also seen the "ghosts" and offers to take him to the old Psychopathic Hospital where the ghosts reside and where there are medical records dating back 150 years in the Psychopathic Hospital's history that may give him the raison d'être for his visions. Yes, this is a ghost story!

The plot was intense and fast paced. I really thought that it was all about why those seven patients died but the truth was bizarre. The ending was both surprising and bizarre but I could not stop laughing for hours after finishing the book. It is definitely worth reading.  5 out of 5 stars.

The Museum of Lost Quilts

The Museum of Lost Quilts is a sequel to the author's popular Elm Creek Quilts cozy series.  Jennifer Chiaverini wrote the novel in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the publication of the first book in the series. I was lucky to receive an advanced review copy from Net Galley. The book will be published at the end of the month on April 30, 2024.

The publisher's summary:  

Summer Sullivan, the youngest founding member of Elm Creek Quilts, has spent the last two years pursuing a master’s degree in history at the University of Chicago. Her unexpected return home to the celebrated quilter’s retreat is met with delight but also concern from her mother, Gwen; her best friend, Sarah; master quilter Sylvia; and her other colleagues—and rightly so. Stymied by writer’s block, Summer hasn’t finished her thesis, and she can’t graduate until she does.

Elm Creek Manor offers respite while Summer struggles to meet her extended deadline. She finds welcome distraction in organizing an exhibit of antique quilts as a fundraiser to renovate Union Hall, the 1863 Greek Revival headquarters of the Waterford Historical Society. But Summer’s research uncovers startling facts about Waterford’s past, prompting unsettling questions about racism, economic injustice, and political corruption within their community, past and present.

As Summer’s work progresses, quilt lovers and history buffs praise the growing collection, but affronted local leaders demand that she remove all references to Waterford’s troubled history. As controversy threatens the exhibit’s success, Summer fears that her pursuit of the truth might cost the Waterford Historical Society their last chance to save Union Hall. Her only hope is to rally the quilting community to her cause.

The Museum of Lost Quilts is a warm and deeply moving story about the power of collective memory. With every fascinating quilt she studies, Summer finds her passion for history renewed—and discovers a promising new future for herself.

I loved this novel!!!  It was an enjoyable trip down memory lane. I have read every book in the series and loved them all.  The last book was published five years ago but the passage of time has not affect the quality of the writing or the plot.

In many ways this book is historical fiction. As Summer researches quilts loaned for display, she finds clues to her hometown's past. During the Civil War, the ladies of the area quilt guild made a victory quilt with the names of local soldiers stitched into each block. Summer uncovers that there was another local quilt guild that made a victory quilt for auction too. The reality that these guilds were segregated by race shocks her. The main historian for the town in the mid-1800s was a former slave who was a successful businessman. However, when the KKK found its way into Waterford, he packed up his family and moved to Colorado.  As news about the quilt display spreads, Summer hears about additional quilts that the owners have lost. Her daily readings of old newspapers and diaries shed light on other area quilts such as the Sugar Camp Quilt and an Authors Album Quilt where she is unable to locate the quilt owner. As she researches these quilts, Summer uncovers more and more secrets in the area's history.

In addition, she finds examples of signature quilts (contains signatures of well known people) as well as opportunity quilts, which were made for the sole purpose of raising money to fund a worthy cause. While Summer is a long time series character, it seemed to me that her research activities mirrored those of the author. Both did research on Civil War era quilts for this novel. 

Fans of the series will definitely want to read this one. If the series is new to you, I recommend starting with the first book in the series. I am rating this awesome book 5 out of 5 stars,

Seoul Before Sunrise

Seoul Before Sunrise is French cartoonist Samir Dahmani's first graphic novel to be translated into English. It is scheduled for publication by Humanoids on May 21, 2024. Thanks to Net Galley I received an advanced review copy of it. The book follows a young woman who sparks an unlikely friendship with a stranger and begins walking the streets of Seoul with her at night.

The publisher's summary:

Longtime friends Seong-ji and Ji-won are excited to begin university in Seoul, swearing to stay close in the big city, but from the moment they arrive, they begin to drift apart.

Her focus split between her rigorous accounting program and her overnight job at a grocery store, Seong-ji tries to make peace with the loss. It’s during her overnight shifts that she encounters an enigmatic young woman who spends her nights entering the empty homes of other people to paint and photograph these places. Now, the normally rational Seong-ji finds herself swept up in a dreamlike otherworld, made up of freedom and creativity. As she explores these quiet places, she uncovers not only an intimate portrait of strangers, but perhaps even herself.

But as the nocturnal walks reveal the possibilities of the future, they also force her to relive the pain of her lost friendship with Ji-won…

This is a coming-of-age story where Seong-Ji eventually discovers that she is in love with her childhood friend Ji-won. When she finally tells Ji-won of her feelings, Ji-won is horrified and immediately ends their friendship. However, Seong-Ji has found a new friend in the stranger, a ghost, who befriended her at the store she works at. The ghost helps Seong-Ji see life more clearly through the lens of that liminal space between the end of the night but before the sun rises.

Seoul Before Sunrise is an emotional and sad story. I felt bad for Seong-ji as she waited day after day for contact from her childhood friend. She was an unhappy person due to the loss of this friendship. Seong-ji admitted to herself that she doesn't make friends easily and didn't have any other friends. She was lonely. When Ji-won finally contacts her 149 days after they arrived in Seoul, she is ecstatic. The story ends with the ghost entering the store looking for Seong-ji. However, she no longer was employed there because she was fired for leaving the premises during her shift. It's a sad ending but realistic. The artwork was done in watercolor by the author. One of his paintings was selected for the book cover. He has a diffuse style that perfectly fits a story that takes place in Korea. 5 out of 5 stars.

The Amish Quiltmaker's Unlikely Match

The Amish Quiltmaker's Unlikely Match was published last month on January 23, 2024. It is the 4th book in the author's Amish Quiltmaker series. I read the first book, The Amish Quiltmaker's Unexpected Baby, and loved it so I requested this new title from Net Galley and was lucky to receive a copy of the book.

The publisher's summary:

Though Mary Yoder longs to marry someday, she finds caring for her community’s injured and sick is much easier than courting. But when Englischer Clay Markham crashes his car nearby, Mary’s nursing shows her his hidden wounds are more painful than his injuries. Though she’s irresistibly drawn to his kind nature, can she risk letting him into her heart?

On the run from his troubled past, ex-pro baseball player Clay can’t believe the quiet sanctuary he’s found under Mary’s care. Her gentle faith and knowledge are somehow giving him hope he can change his life—and offer her the love she truly deserves. But when his secrets catch up with him, can he and Mary find the courage to face the truth, set things to rights . . . and make way for a future together?

I mainly read Amish fiction written by the two icons of the genre: Wanda Brunstetter and Beverly Lewis. These two ladies are so outstanding that it is difficult for me to trust that another author can write just as well and that I will enjoy their books. I have a theory that the plots from other authors are simple in comparison. I still think that this theory is correct but without reading additional authors I can never really know. I should be trying new, to me, authors. For Jennifer Beckstrand, author of this book, I believe that her plot was simpler. Unlikely Match is a straightforward Amish romance story without any of the modern subplots that you see with Brunstetter and Lewis. 

After saying all of the above, I must admit that I enjoyed Unlikely Match. I enjoyed it immensely. There was some mystery to the story. The reader doesn't know how long Clay and Mary can remain to be friends given that Clay was not Amish. I kept waiting to read that they stopped seeing each other. However, one thing after another happened to Clay that brought him and Mary together. As with all Amish fiction, there is a happy ending. The suspension of belief that you see with cozy mysteries is evident here. I believe that suspension of belief went a little too far to be believable but hey, at least it's a happy ending. This is why I read Amish fiction. When I buy one of them I am looking for a light read and a book that I will enjoy. To date, I have enjoyed every Amish fiction novel that I have read so I will keep reading.

4 out of 5 stars.

Where the Body Was

I was excited when I found out Net Galley would provide me with a copy of this comic. Author Ed Brubaker writes awesome stories and this one is no different. The story takes place in Summer 1984 in an abandoned boarding house on Pelican Road that junkies have taken over. 

The story opens with an introduction to the boarding house. We meet the couple who were the original owners as well as their neighbors. After they pass on the boarding house falls into disrepair and junkies and other criminals move in. A girl who thinks she is a superhero, wearing a mask and a cape, has a crush on Palmer who is doing drugs with a woman he is sleeping with, Toni. In order to get cash for their fix, the couple burglarize homes. She threatens him with going to the cops if he doesn’t stop. Palmer tells everyone that he is a cop and flashes a badge at anyone whose behavior he does not like. Despite this, I found him to be a sympathetic character. Another character that I liked was Ranko. He is a homeless man who sees everything happens on the street even though no one sees him.

There were alot of characters introduced in the beginning and I didn't even try to remember who was who. I knew I would get them straight during my read which I did. Each of these characters get to narrate their own chapters and the reader begins to see the well crafted plot through their eyes. The body was not introduced in the book until the halfway point. 

Normally I would complain about this but the story was so absorbing that I didn't even notice its absence. 

Where the Body Was is an entertaining mystery that satisfies. Comic fans will want to read this one. 5 out of 5 stars.

Letters of Wisdom

I was surprised when I opened up my Net Galley app a few days ago and found a new book by Wanda Brunstetter. I was even more surprised that it is part the Friendship Letters series which I thought was just a duology. Letters of Comfort and Letters of Trust were both published last year and I loved reading them.  The new book will be published on February 29, 2024.

The publisher's summary:

Friendship Letters Series — Doretta Schwartz has always enjoyed writing letters and feels her letters can be a bit of a ministry to her friends. In this series, exchanging letters that contain open and honest feelings and struggles helps Doretta and two of her best friends through the darkest challenges of their lives.

 

Letters and Prayers Between Friends Become a Balm for Healing

 

Irma Miller thought having a family of her own would bring her joy and a sense of accomplishment, but she struggles with memories of the abuse she suffered as a child at the hand of her stepfather. When she becomes physically and emotionally abusive to her own children, she reaches out to her friend Doretta for prayer and wisdom. But Irma may find herself at an even darker emotional place before she will admit she needs professional help to heal the past traumas. Will Doretta’s letters of wisdom help Irma and her family, or will too much be broken to ever be repaired?

 

Find out in the third book of The Friendship Letters series by New York Times Bestselling Author Wanda E. Brunstetter.

 

I love Wanda Brunstetter's books. When I obtained the book I deliberately read slowly because I knew that it would be done in a flash and I wanted to savor every word. I loved reading about all that baking that the female characters were doing and wish they were baking for me! The topic of the story is child abuse, both physical and emotional. The author stated at the end of the story that she was a victim of child abuse as was her husband. I did not see that coming. She seems so well adjusted because she pumps out multiple books each year.  

As for our main character Irma, she suffered severe physical and emotional abuse from her stepfather and she began behaving the same way toward her own children.  She was not aware that abuse can be handed down the generations if the victims don't receive counseling. As the story continued, Irma became more and more abusive to her kids. I could tell that this was where the story was going and that the author was going to be sympathetic to her. However, I felt that her kids were brats just as she accused them of being. They never did what they were told and even caused accidents among themselves. 

The letters between Irma and her friends Doretta and Eleanor are a source of healing for her. They address her current struggles and past traumas. The Scripture references given to her were spot on and I must admit that the ones concerning anger touched my own heart.

The advanced review copy (ARC) that I read had three mistakes. Doretta was referred to as Irma in these places. It was easy to figure this out though. As this is an ARC errors are to be expected.  I am sure that they will be corrected before publication.  

5 out of 5 stars.

2024 Net Galley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge

I am a new member of Net Galley so I thought I would join this Challenge. The Socrates Book Reviews blog is currently hosting this challenge. This challenge was created by Emily@Falling for YA, then moved to Katrina@Bookish Things & More (site no longer available), then moved to Reading Between the Pages and now resides at Socrates Book Reviews.  I am joining at the Bronze level which requires that 10 books be read. 

The challenge rules:

1)    The challenge runs from January 1, 2024 – December 31, 2024. There is no deadline to sign up.

2)    Everyone is welcome to participate – you do not need to have a blog.

3)    Any genre, release date, length, etc. counts – it just needs to be a book from NetGalley or Edelweiss.

4)    Books can count for more than one challenge that you are participating in.

5)    The first day of each month the challenge host will post a monthly “link-up” for you to link your reviews. If you forget one month, no worries, just catch up the next month.

The Levels

Bronze – 10 Books

Silver – 25 Books

Gold – 50 Books

Platinum– 75 Books

Diamond – 100 Books

To sign-up:

1)    Make a blog post stating the level you intend to read in 2024 and link that blog post to the Challenge's sign-up page.  The first Link should be your name, the url should be the direct link to that blog post, not your main blog page.

2)    If you do not have a blog then state your reading level in the comments below and how you will be sharing your book reviews.