May, 2024

“The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club” by Helen Simonson

Connie is spending the summer at a seaside hotel as a lady’s companion.  With the end of WWI, the men have returned and the women are out of jobs.  Concerned about her future, Connie spends the summer searching for herself and who she wants to be.  When she runs into Poppy, a local, she is drawn into the world of motorcycles, airplanes, and high adventure.

This was a fun and compelling read.  I really liked the characters and thought they were multidimensional and well formed. The book moved at a nice pace and featured a nice blend of femininity and romance.  Overall, highly recommended!

“The Village Healer’s Book of Cures” by Jennifer Sherman Roberts

Mary is a herbalist, a healer, a wise woman.  When witchfinder Matthew Hopkins arrives in her village, she begins to fear for her safety.  When a local man is found poisoned, his body carved with symbols, the village begins to panic.  Mary teams up with an alchemist to find a solution and save her life.

This book was hard to put down.  The characters were dynamic and interesting.  The storyline moved quickly as mysteries unraveled.  I liked the interplay between witchcraft and alchemy, this isn’t something I’ve read before.  Overall, highly recommended.

“By Any Other Name” by Jodi Picoult 

In the modern day, Melina Green struggles to find acceptance as a woman playwright.  When her bestie submits her play using a shortened-male version of her name, she decides to hide behind her bestie rather than admit she created the play.  In 1581, Emilia Bassano has a gift for storytelling.  After living as a courtesan, she is married off to a brutal man.   In order to earn money and provide for her child, she sells her plays and poems to William Shakespeare.  

In general, I do not love books that are split between time periods.  I found myself way more interested in Emilia’s story and rushing through Melina’s chapters.  I thought Melina was a complainer and very unlikeable.  Emilia’s story was way more captivating, and I wish the book was solely her story.  OVerall, 3 out of 5 stars.

“The Cherry Harvest” by Lucy Sanna

Set in Wisconsin during WWII, this book alternates between Charlotte and her daughter Kate’s points of view.  With the men away at war, there are not enough hands to bring in the cherry harvest.  Threatened with financial ruin, the family allowed German pow’s to be billeted on their farm.  One of the prisoner’s, a math teacher named Karl, begins to tutor Kate.  Husband Thomas turns a blind eye, unaware that his wife is falling in love.  When their son returns wounded from the battlefield, tensions immediately rise, threatening the family’s peace and survival.

I’m not sure what to say about this book.  It had a heavily nostalgic feel, which made it seem slow.  There were plenty of unexpected moments throughout the book however something about the book just did not click for me.  Overall, 3 out of 5 stars.

“The Poppy Fields” by Caroline Kellems

When Phil decides to relocate to Guatemala for missionary work, Katherine and her two children are less than enthusiastic.   Robbed on the road, they are then led to a rundown home with no supplies and little resources.  When they meet their wealthy neighbor, they see a different side of Guatemala, one that Katherine and her children long to dive into.  

I’m not sure what to say about this book.  The characters were extremely dislikeable and naive.  The plot was slow moving and extremely predictable.  Overall not a book I would re-read or recommend.

“Dancing Under the Red Star” by Karl Tobien

Margaret and her family leave the U.S. to settle in Russia with hundreds of other Ford Motor workers.   After years of living in Russia, father Carl is arrested as an enemy of the state.  Margaret and her mother Elisabeth are left in poverty, struggling to eat and survive the harsh temperatures.  After Margaret is arrested, she is sentenced to 10 years hard labor in Siberia.  What unravels is her remarkable story of survival.

What an amazing woman!  Margaret was a strong woman determined to survive.  While I found her references to God repetitive, I understand that this was a major part of her survival.  Her son has created a nice legacy for his Mom and has documented her journey for future generations!