Review: The 19th Wife

The 19th Wife
by David Ebershoff
Published by Random House
Released August 2008
Purchased at Used Book Store

From Goodreads:

It is 1875, and Ann Eliza Young has recently separated from her powerful husband, Brigham Young, prophet and leader of the Mormon Church. Expelled and an outcast, Ann Eliza embarks on a crusade to end polygamy in the United States. A rich account of her family’s polygamous history is revealed, including how both she and her mother became plural wives. Yet soon after Ann Eliza’s story begins, a second exquisite narrative unfolds–a tale of murder involving a polygamist family in present-day Utah. Jordan Scott, a young man who was thrown out of his fundamentalist sect years earlier, must reenter the world that cast him aside in order to discover the truth behind his father’s death. And as Ann Eliza’s narrative intertwines with that of Jordan’s search, readers are pulled deeper into the mysteries of love, family, and faith.

My Thoughts: 

This book has been on my shelf for a while. It was my turn to pick the book club read so I picked the 19th Wife. Somehow I was expecting the book to be much different, but I really loved this book. To start the content is intriguing. It combines a modern-day crime mystery with a historical memoir and also includes letters and papers to shed light on the social history of this particular sect of the Mormon Church.

I don't pretend to know much about the church of LDS, but this novel had a lot of information regarding the history of the church and the evolution and subsequent devolution of polygamy as a part of the faith.

The sections of the novel written as part of Ann Eliza Young's Memoir were very interesting. They had enough "story-telling" to keep them interesting, but enough "fact-giving" to appear as a memoir might.

The modern day drama involving Jordan Scott and his mother was very interesting, and the connection of the "19th" wife, was a fascinating one.

I definitely enjoyed this read and I would recommend it general fiction and historical fiction lovers alike.

Review: Moloka'i by Alan Brennert

Moloka'i
by Alan Brennert
Published by St. Martin's Griffin
Released October 2004
Purchased for Book Club

From Goodreads:

Rachel Kalama, a spirited seven-year-old Hawaiian girl, dreams of visiting far-off lands like her father, a merchant seaman. Then one day a rose-colored mark appears on her skin, and those dreams are stolen from her. Taken from her home and family, Rachel is sent to Kalaupapa, the quarantined leprosy settlement on the island of Moloka'i. Here her life is supposed to end---but instead she discovers it is only just beginning.

My Thoughts:     

So my first thought upon reading the synopsis was, "this is going to be so sad!". I was pleased to find that while it was heart-wrenching in places, the overall novel was inspiring and enlightening. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the social concepts surrounding leprosy and the way that changed over the years. It was also very interesting to hear about Pearl Harbor from the perspective of Hawaiians who weren't actually on the island when the attack took place. The entire novel was captivating. I'm so glad that we read this as a group and had a chance to talk about all of the insight and social commentary that came through the characters. I highly recommend this one.              

Review: Between Shades of Grey

Between Shades of Grey
by Ruta Sepetys
Published by Philomel Books
Released March 2011
Purchased by Me

From Goodreads:

Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.

Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously--and at great risk--documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives.

My Thoughts:

This was a heart-wrenching and yet inspiring read. When thinking of the holocaust I always think of Germany. While I know I learned in my history classes about the wide reach and impact of Stalin and Hitler, it takes books like this one to really make me understand what those people must have gone through. The characters were so real, and the language was so true to the character. I truly felt that a teenager was telling me this story. I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical reads.

Review: Pillars of the Earth

Pillars of the Earth
by Ken Follet
Read by John Lee
Produced by Penquin Audio
Released October 2007

From Goodreads:

In 12th-century England, the building of a mighty Gothic cathedral signals the dawn of a new age. This majestic creation will bond clergy and kings, knights and peasants together in a story of toil, faith, ambition and rivalry. A sweeping tale of the turbulent middle ages, The Pillars of the Earth is a masterpiece from one of the world's most popular authors.

Tells the story of Philip, prior of Kingsbridge, a devout and resourceful monk driven to build the greatest Gothic cathedral the world has known... of Tom, the mason who becomes his architect - a man divided in his soul...of the beautiful, elusive Lady Aliena, haunted by a secret shame...and of a struggle between good and evil that will turn church against state and brother against brother.

My Thoughts:

This book was highly recommended to me by a co-worker. After reading By Fire, By Water by Mitchel Kaplan, I was ready to read another historical novel. While Pillars of the Earth wasn't even loosely based on actual events, it was definitely a pieces that was true to it's time period. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There were so many colorful characters and the book spanned such a large period of time, I never wanted it to end.

If you enjoy period books and like the medieval era in literature this is a great book for you. There is a lot of interesting plot that focuses on the way the monastic church was organized and run during this time period. I was fascinated too to hear the descriptions of the old churches being built. The idea that it could take decades for a building to be finished is overwhelming, and the dedication that drove these medieval architects was wonderful to read about.

There is plenty of drama and intrigue. What I loved about this novel was that there was a little bit of every genre. There was mystery and suspense, there was a love story, there was pure literary genius in some of the writing. I cannot sing this book praises highly enough.

I think this book is a classic. Everyone should read it. I look forward to listening to World Without End, which is the follow-up to this book.

Review: Shanghai Girls

Shanghai Girls
by Lisa See
Published by Random House
Released May 2009
Purchased for Nook

From Goodreads:


In 1937 Shanghai--the Paris of Asia--twenty-one-year-old Pearl Chin and her younger sister, May, are having the time of their lives. Both are beautiful, modern, and carefree--until the day their father tells them that he has gambled away their wealth. To repay his debts, he must sell the girls as wivesto suitors who have traveled from Los Angeles to find Chinese brides. As Japanese bombs fall on their beloved city, Pearl and May set out on the journey of a lifetime, from the Chinese countryside to the shores of America.Though inseparable best friends, the sisters also harbor petty jealousies and rivalries. Along the way they make terrible sacrifices, face impossible choices, and confront a devastating, life-changing secret, but throughit all the two heroines of this astounding new novel hold fast to who they are--Shanghai girls.


My Thoughts:


This was our February read for book club. It's certainly outside of my normal reading habits, and this is why I believe that book clubs are awesome!


I wasn't in love with the book, but as far as historical fiction goes, it was very interesting. At least I think we could classify this as historical, it's obviously not pop culture anymore. Though I was personally shocked at how recently in history this took place. The author really brings you into the world of Pearl and May. For these two girls who so readily accepted the influence of the western world in while living in Shanghai, the abrupt immersion into the country they'd admired from a distance was anything but pleasant. the author follows two sisters on their journey from being beautiful girls in Shanghai, through the beginning of a war and ultimately into the culture of Asian immigration to the United States. 


I felt this was a very insightful book into a period of time that is very difficult to talk about for many people. I was grateful to have read it with my book club, and I hope to read the sequel, Dreams of Joy.


This book would be good for someone who enjoys historical fiction set during periods of war with a lot of cultural references. There is a scene of extreme brutality in the book during the period that the girls are leaving Shanghai that may be too graphic for some readers.

Review: By Fire, By Water

By Fire, By Water
by James Mitchell Kaplan
Published by Other Press
May 2010
Review Copy provided by Publisher

From Goodreads:


Within the dramatic story lies a subtle, insightful examination of the crisis of faith at the heart of the Spanish Inquisition. Irresolvable conflict rages within the conversos in By Fire, By Water, torn between the religion they left behind and the conversion meant to ensure their safety. In this story of love, God, faith, and torture, fifteenth-century Spain comes to dazzling, engrossing life. 

My Thoughts:

This was a beautifully crafted novel. It exceeded my expectations in every way. Kaplan clearly did his research well and thoroughly before weaving this story of the Spanish Inquisition.

I do enjoy historical fiction, but I've never enjoyed one as much as I enjoyed this one. Kaplan tells two parallel stories. One of a high official in King Fernando's court, and another of a young single Jewish woman. By the time the stories begin to intertwine with one another you are completely immersed in the drama of the war, and fully aware of the abuse of power among those in charge of the Inquisition.

I personally loved the story of Judith, a young Jewish woman working as a silversmith to support her nephew and the father-in-law of her deceased brother. Her dedication to her family was touching. Even as they lived in an area where they weren't truly "free" but rather kept separate because of their religious beliefs, they seemed content and somewhat unaffected by the turmoil in their own region. Her actions when that all changes, and the hard decisions she must make, are heartbreaking.

This novel has drama, suspense, a little romance, and a lot of theological insight into the connected-ness of the Jews and the Christians. If you only ever read one historical fiction novel, I would recommend it be By Fire, By Water.

Review: Shadow's Stand by Sarah McCarty (Hell's Eight #5)

Shadow's Stand (Hells Eight #5)
by Sarah McCarty
Published by HQN
Expected Release January 31st, 2012
Acquired through Net Galley

From Goodreads:

Shadow Ochoa is lying low in the western Kansas Territory, waiting for his fellow Texas Rangers—the Hell's Eight brotherhood—to clear his name. That is, until he's unjustly strung up for horse thieving…and pretty Fei Yen intervenes. Invoking a seldom-used law, the exotic lady prospector claims Shadow as her husband and rides off with the bridegroom shackled to her buckboard.

Savvy, fearless Fei is single-mindedly devoted to her hidden claim and all it promises: wealth, security and freedom. A husband is just a necessary inconvenience and a name on paper to hold the claim she cannot.

Shadow isn't a man to take orders from anyone, especially from lovely Fei—except that the daily friction between them ignites into nightly blazes of all-consuming passion. Soon Shadow is dreaming a little himself: of the life they could have if only Fei could see past the lure of independence. If only bounty hunters weren't closing in on him. If only he's left standing when the impending showdown has ended….

My Thoughts:

I read the first four books in this series when they first came out. Due to contracts and such, I had to wait a whole year for this book! I thought I might die waiting! So when I saw it on Net Galley I simply had to request it!

A little background on the series; Hell's Eight are a band of Outlaws turned Texas Rangers. The eight men survived an attack of Mexican Army as young boys and once they grew into mean they hunted down the mean who killed their families. Rather than waste energy and men trying to arrest these skilled killers, the government offered them jobs as Texas Rangers. Together they have worked hard to establish their ranch and work to keep peace in Texas. No longer outlaws, they still aren't above using necessary force. Once by one the men of Hell's Eight encounter women who turn their worlds upside down and change their way of thinking.

The first four books of the series were Caine's Reckoning, Sam's Creed, Tucker's Claim, and Tracker's Sin.

Tracker's Sin ended with Shadow Ochoa shooting a man in front of the US Army. Now a wanted man, Shadow is on the run after escaping his captors. He has cut himself off from his brother and the rest of Hell's Eight. Along the way trouble continues to find him as does Fei Yen, a young Chinese American woman who is looking for a quick husband that can help her with her current predicament.

There are a few slow spots in the book but I really enjoyed it on the whole. Shadow has already been portrayed throughout the series as the most dangerous of Hell's Eight but he has always been on the fringes. We finally get to know him and learn that he may also be the most damaged of the group. Fei Yen is also a very interesting character. She isn't necessarily my favorite heroine in the series, but she is very likable. Her culture is different and that is always fascinating. This series is full of diversity as far as the heritage and backgrounds of the characters.

My copy had a lot of typos and errors but it was an advanced copy so hopefully most of those will be taken care of before the final print.

A point worth making for those who have read the previous book in this series is that this book was published under the HQN imprint as opposed to the SPICE imprint. The first four books, published under Harlequin's SPICE Imprint, were real sheet scorchers and I loved them! Now all of the 'SPICE' books are being published under the HQN imprint. Does that mean they will be tamer on the whole? Time will tell, but this one definitely had a lot less steamy sex scenes than it's predecessors. That's not to say I didn't still like it! But fans of the series will notice the change.

Overall impression? I really liked it, and I will continue to read this series, and I have a feeling that Fei's cousin Lin will be making another appearance. Maybe? Who knows. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a sexy cowboy book. Because if it's place in the series you could read this book without having read the others before it, but I recommend starting with Caine's Reckoning and working your way through.

** Due to explicit sex scenes this book isn't recommended for those under the age of 18 ;) **

Review: Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

by Mary Ann Schaffer and Annie Barrows

Published by Random House

July 2008
Acquired through bookswap

From Goodreads:

"I wonder how the book got to Guernsey? Perhaps there is some sort of secret homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers." January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she's never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb.... As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends--and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society--born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island--boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all. As Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the society's members, learning about their island, their taste in books, and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds will change her forever. Written with warmth and humor as a series of letters, this novel is a celebration of the written word in all its guises, and of finding connection in the most surprising ways.

My Thoughts:

This book was absolutely delightful! This was a Book Club read and I am so glad I read it! The book takes the form of a collection of correspondence. While reading it you feel as though you have found a  treasured box of secrets. It is such an interesting was to tell a story! It doesn't have a 'dear diary' feel to it either. It is as though someone stumbled upon a stack of letters in various houses and put them in chronological order to see what happened with this group of people. There is more than enough in the letters to keep you from becoming lost or confused, but the story moves along much more quickly this way.

The content of the story is quite heavy since these people are dealing with the aftermath of the German Occupation, and yet their telling of their own experiences in a way that focuses on the happy times and the friendships that they've formed.

It was truly impressive to me that the author is painting a vivid picture of the aftermath of WWII and yet this book seems so warm and inviting. It is really all about the interesting characters. There were moments that I shed tears, but even more when I found myself laughing along with the characters.

I loved this book. I highly recommend it!