The Great War is over and the brave men are coming home which presents a bit of a pickle for the women of England. During the war women did their share working at factories, driving trucks or ambulances and other male jobs only to have the men return and those jobs given back to them. Worse than that is the attitude that now the dainty ladies can go back to where they belong at home or in the society pages. Constance is working for an older family friend convalescing by the sea when she meets an unusual group of young women ready to defy the constraints that society puts on them. Poppy is leading the charge wanting to start a ladies motorcycle and flying club that includes a delivery service, competing in races and a flight school with a fixed up airplane left from the war. Poppy and her friends help Constance take risks and gain confidence by helping get the fledgling business off the ground. It doesn't hurt that she is attracted to Poppy's older brother who was injured in the war. This is the book for everyone missing DOWNTON ABBEY. Full of playful humor, a bit of romance and a look at Brits on the cusp of modern thinking but still struggling to keep up with tradition and society rules. A historical delight for a wide range of readers. 4 stars
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The first book in a new series that focuses on powerful women of mixed cultures. Yaferi is stolen from Africa and sold to Vikings as an attendant to Princess Freydis. Freydis treats Yaferi with respect and friendship after an incident binds them together. Freydis teaches her customs, language and what she needs to know to stay alive and in return Yaferi teaches Freydis how to fight. They will need all this knowledge in order to defeat the diabolical men in charge. Yaferi longs to become a shield maiden and fight in battle alongside Freydis's warrior aunt. There is a mix of shared mythologies as well as the usual violence and political backstabbing which makes this an intriguing addition to the genre. Again we see strong women who are willing to risk everything to take back control of their lives instead of leaving their fate in the hands of self-serving men. This will appeal to fans of Vikings, A FATE INKED IN BLOOD, CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE and books by Nnedi Okorafor. 4 stars
Ella Fitzgerald is a well known name beloved for her talent but this is the little known story of what led up to that incredible career. Her mother died when she was a young leaving her to care for her little sister and under the roof of her abusive stepfather. Ella was set on becoming a dancer and worked hard to get noticed in Harlem but dancing didn't make enough so she began working for the mob as a numbers runner. When she was sent to a horrific reform school it looked like she would never get the chance to show the world what she was capable of. What some would call a lucky break was just another example of how quick thinking and hard working she was.
Just like that the dancer became the singer and the rest was history. An incredible and emotional portrait of discrimination, abuse, hard work and a young girl who was determined to make it big. This story would be perfect in tandem with CAN'T WE BE FRIENDS by Eliza Knight which showcases the friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe. 4 stars Happy book birthday to THEIR DIVINE FIRES by Wendy Chen
What better way to celebrate AAPI month than with this book. A multigenerational tale of what China was like before and after the Chinese Revolution, under Chairman Mao and the Cultural Revolution and then for the first generation who came to America. Daughters were considered expendable and not as important as sons yet their strength kept the bloodlines and traditions from dying out. Lyrical writing that weaves Chinese culture and myth with the new politics and upheaval. We have seen a much needed surge of Asian/American women's stories and I enjoyed this one for the focus on old China and the revolution's impact on generations. 4 stars Three generations of Chinese immigrants tied together by their DNA, complicated heritage and the choices already made for them. May is a scientist, a child of the Cultural Revolution who sees a chance to do something for her family and takes it. Lily, her daughter, falls in love with a wealthy white man who fathers a son he won't get to know. Nick grows up with his single mom smothered by her love but hungers for the father he resembles but doesn't know. Each make choices that ripple onto the generation that follows. This is a beautifully crafted saga that explores the fragility of humans and the power of science. It is a coming of age story that comes full circle exploring family, heritage, straddling cultures and nature vs. nurture. While it is an immigration story it is also a powerful tale of a family on the edge that will satisfy readers of BANYON MOON and THE MANY DAUGHTERS OF AFONG MOY by Jamie Ford. 4 1/2 stars 1918 and war is tearing Europe apart. Jesse Carson travels from her New York City Library position to France to bring books and do her part to help war torn villages. She finds joy in offering books to the children especially and along with the founders of CARD socialite Anne Morgan and Dr. Anne Murray Dike they work the front lines helping rebuild, refuel and refresh those in need. In a parallel story in 1987 a young librarian and aspiring writer is stuck in a rut at the New York City Library until she finds a reference to a little known group of women called CARD and becomes obsessed with telling their story. Fascinating historical fiction meticulously researched (including photos and a study guide) this is sure to find a forever home on the shelves along side those untold stories of brave women in war and early librarian rebels. 4 stars
Historical fiction that dives into a little known true story of a small town disaster in 1928 and the grief it caused then and ripples in the generations that followed. Twins Daisy and Rose just wanted to have some fun but no one knew that one Flowers girl along with most of the young people in town would not come home that night or be left severely injured due to a massive explosion of the dance hall. 50 years later a new Daisy is deposited on her grandmother's doorstep while mom goes off with the latest boyfriend. Daisy hopes she will only be there a short time with her grandmother the town mortician but a timely newspaper internship and the discovery of the tragedy no one will talk about changes everything. The dual timeline offers these universal truths - young people always seek to rebel a bit, time doesn't heal every old wound and every family has its share of secrets. Coming of age in the Roaring Twenties and 70's in small town America that will have readers of LAST DANCE ON THE STARLIGHT PIER and SHOOT THE MOON dancing in their seat. 4 stars
A celebration of food, art and the Parisian way of life in 1980 as well as a hunt for a father, a female painter and a path forward for a lost American expat. Stella travels to Paris to honor her mother's last wish. She had led a difficult life so far with her not at all "warm and fuzzy" mother and has no clue who her father is. She finds herself experiencing everything life has to offer from beautiful vintage designer dresses to food to art. With no income she finds a temporary home at the famous Shakespeare and Company bookstore and discovers a community ready to offer support and help her with her quest. Perfect armchair travel - all the sights, smells and tastes that only Ruth Reichl can convey plus a colorful cast of characters you can't help but fall for. Readers of MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH COOKING and francophiles will eat this up. 4 1/2 stars Historical fiction of a famous Scopes Trial and the impact on a small town balanced with the independence of one of its residents. A publicity stunt for the town of Dayton Tennessee sets off a powder keg trial matching up Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryon arguing over the legality and right to teach evolution vs. religious creation in schools. This deeply religious town and its inhabitants including Annabel Craig was thrown into the maelstrom and threatened to sever family, friends and marriages. Annabel's husband, an attorney and science believer, was deeply committed to defending the rights of the school teacher charged with breaking the law and teaching evolution.
Annabel used her photography skills to help the journalists but was split between two camps. She saw the good and bad of both sides, the havoc that the "monkey trial" created in her hometown and the effects on her husband. For the first time in her life she had the power to make up her own mind evolving from a meek woman who accepted everything to one who questioned. For readers of historical fiction with a birdseye view of an event blended with a fictional character that feels very real. 4 stars A fantasy richly infused with all the vicious history and power struggles of Spain and the Inquisition. Luzia is a scullery maid able to perform small miracles that help her survive and go largely unnoticed. When a nobleman does notice them he sets about grooming Luzia and her magic to help elevate his own status placing her doubly in danger by performing forbidden magic and her Jewish background. Walking this tightrope between nobility and an overcrowded jail cell ending in torture, Luzia epitomizes the gap between the haves and have nots and not knowing who to trust. Leigh Bardugo paints a lush portrait of how the Spanish throne used the Inquisition to rid the country of those they deemed unworthy in Luzia's story. It is both romantic and cruel, historically accurate with the edges blurred by fantasy and the unexplained. This will appeal to both fantasy and historical fiction fans and both young adult and adult readers. 4 stars
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