The Mitford sisters were the darlings of the British social scene but as WWII looms on the horizon two of the sisters make friends of the worst kind. Diana is just as passionate about Facism as she is about her lover and soon to be secret husband Mosley who is seeking to make a name for himself and the party in England. Young Unity falls under the spell of Nazism and the party's enigmatic leader, Adolf Hitler. As each of these sisters spend more and more time in Germany even their parents who are supporters begin to get alarmed. It is the older sister Nancy who must try to keep them out of harm's way and away from Hitler's tight leash. While the family has deep ties to England's aristocrisy and Winston Churchill their political views and support were not as conservative as you would think. Presented in a very different way than most of the British WWII stories to date this is an introspective look at an important family caught up in political upheaval and their own ambitions. Marie Benedict presents a behind the scenes look through their eyes at how easy it may have been to get pulled in to the ideals of Nazism and Hitler. For her many fans as well as readers of WWII little told stories as seen through female eyes. 4 stars
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Happy book birthday to WHAT LIES IN THE WOODS by Kate Alice Marshall.
Eleven year old Naomi and her two best friends let their imaginations free in the woods. Taking the name of Greek goddesses they play a game filled with ritual and magic that lets them forget all their troubles at home until the day when they are attacked and Naomi almost dies. Traumatized the girls give the police an i.d. and a man is sent to prison but now years later after his death the grown up girls have doubts. The closure reunion Naomi hoped for means more guilt and danger. They left a secret in those woods and it may be time to set it free. Killer thriller that mixes childhood trauma with survivor guilt. 3 1/2 stars Happy book birthday to WADE IN THE WATER by Nyani Nkrumah.
When a white woman shows up in the very black part of Ricksville Mississippi alarm bells go off and Ella thinks, like the rest of her neighbors that this woman is crazy. Ms. St. James claims to be from Princeton and is writing her thesis on the Civil Rights Movement and wants to get the facts from the people who were part of it. Ella having few friends and at the impressionable age of 11 befriends Ms. St. James but that friendship is not an easy one. A coming of age story of a fatherless and mother couldn't care less little girl searching for her roots and trying to figure out life. It is also a story of how the sins of the father fall on the children who should do better. Historical fiction with a soul for fans of THE VANISHING HALF and stories set in the south during the 60's. 4 stars Ethan started DateDate with The Founder and another couple of guys but when The Corporation buys them out he finds himself immersed in a massive company and on the fringe not knowing why he is even there. He finds, along with a contract employee, a weird bug that teleports the user into another dimension and back almost in the blink of an eye. Of course everyone denies the bug or shrugs it off but Ethan is like a dog with a bone and needs to find out what is going on. There is much going on behind the doors at The Corporation dun, dun, dun... This plays at showing those little start ups in a golden light and the large tech companies (you know who they are) as evil doers playing with the lives of their users. No surprise that it works as a tech thriller a heart. Fans of Blake Crouch and Matt Haig will find this interesting. 3 stars
Happy book birthday to PANDORA by Susan Stokes! Dora's parents had a well established antiquities business well thought of by both scholars and adventurers alike. That all changed after an accident at a dig site left Dora in the care of her uncle and since that time Dora, the shop and her family's good name have deteriorated. She is determined to succeed as a jewelry designer but needs a foot in the right door to get started. Across town a young bookbinder is desperate to join the elite Antiquity Society yet even with his wealthy and titled friend's help has been unable to win them over. Myth or coincidence - the delivery of an ancient Greek vase to Pandora's uncle will change their lives. Historical fiction that blends Regency romance, the British love and hunt for all things ancient and the struggles of the working class vs. the peerage together into this imaginative debut. I listened to the audiobook and found the narrator to be a perfect choice. 4 stars
Joyce and Lydia once upon a time along with their youngest sister Eleanor were the Mellishman sisters. Eleanor had cerebral palsy confined to a wheelchair, unable to communicate well or participate easily in most family functions. She was the center of attention and the apple of their mother's eye who doted on her every need and was a fierce supporter for the rights of disabled children. This meant that Joyce and Lydia were basically invisible even after Eleanor passed away at an early age. As young adults the sisters split up on opposite coasts but now both sisters are divorced and need a fresh start. Joyce moves back home and stays with Lydia disrupting her very orderly and private space. Lydia now alone has a fulfilling family life by organizing and cataloging family photos of clients. She also secretly writes small poems compiled from their neighborhood chat site. When Joyce makes friends with the new noisy upstairs neighbors it is more change and betrayal than Lydia can stand. One of them has to get out of their small world and find some common ground. A tragic and heartwarming look at the family matrix and complex sister relationships and how we all try to fit a very large puzzling life full of big problems into our small worlds. 4 1/2 stars
Ben Bookman is the Nightmare Man - one of the scariest horror authors out there and his fans can't seem to get enough but the past trauma of his bizarre upbringing (the fodder for his books) and childhood disappearance of his brother is weighing him down. His mental state is shot , the nightmares are back and his drinking is at a peak so when a fan kills himself in front of him and ritualistic murders happen it pushes him and the detective on the case over the edge. Ben's characters are acting out murders based on his book that hasn't been published yet. Father and daughter relationships as well as family trauma are fully explored here. The right mix of childhood fears becoming adult monsters and that never ending quest for redemption. This one is up there with the masters (and you know who they are) and a sure bet for horror lovers everywhere. Don't read alone unless you want to give up sleep for a while. 4 1/2 stars
A fantastic historic romp combining an American's adventures in wartime Switzerland and then postwar in Paris fashion houses. Alix was gutted when a false lead took the lives of several agents on her watch and ended her involvement in the OSS in Switzerland. Now in Paris after the war she makes a name for herself launching Christian Dior's new fashion house which also outs her to the bad guy from the war who wants her dead. Working with a group of unlikely partners Alix must find the one who is responsible as a way to make amends. The severity and horrors of the war with the glitz and glamour of Parisian fashion make for a wonderful mix that once again highlights the brave women behind the men in wartime. Alix is also an anomaly in that she isn't rich enough to not work and is clearly not out to find a rich husband but is around those women who don't have to and are expected to land and mold their lives to their husband. This will be candy to readers of Kate Quinn, Marie Benedict and wartime historical fiction. I listened to the audio version and the narration with pitch perfect accents was perfect. 4 stars
Mackenzie is having horrific nightmares again involving her dead sister now that she has come home. She thought she had found a way to get rid of them by running away from her family years ago but it turns out you can never really leave it all behind you. Her mother, sister, Aunties and cousin all try to cautiously welcome her back into her tribal family but Mackenzie keeps them all at arms length. As the dreams intensify she searches for her Cree dream spirits to help her navigate so she can put them to bed for good. Native people's rich culture combined with universal family drama and a dollop of horror make this a welcome debut. Readers of Stephen Graham Jones and other Indigenous Peoples culture/thrillers will love this addition to the genre. 4 stars
The moving story of a doctor who has devoted his life to understanding and truly helping the homeless population of Boston. Dr. Jim O'Connell took a different approach to treating those who needed help the most but couldn't find ways of obtaining it. He found that most of the people he was trying to help were caught in a spiral of not knowing where to go for help, not having a way to get there and not having someone to advocate on their behalf. His warm and constant caring approach has earned him the trust and thanks of hundreds of people over the years. This book is a moving tribute to the man and his quest. 3 1/2 stars
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