If you’re looking for really good historical fiction with a touch of romance, I highly recommend Donna Thorland, who writes about the American Revolution. This is my second book by Thorland; I previously reviewed her Mistress Firebrand. Thorland’s writing stands out to me because it’s so rich in detail, and it focuses on historical settings…
This was a strange book; I was fascinated with the story and loved Mazie’s unique voice. But by the end I wasn’t quite in love with it. Mazie is based on a real-life woman who helped the poor during the Depression. Her family owns a theater and she spends most of her time sitting in…
The Longest Night is a novel based on true events that took place at one of the country’s earliest nuclear reactors in Idaho Falls in 1961. Paul and Nat Collier are a young couple who move to Idaho Falls in 1959 so Paul can take a job at the nuclear reactor. Paul is an Army…
Brooks writes good, well-researched historical fiction and this book is no exception. If you want drama and romance, her books may not be the ones for you. Brooks focuses on really setting the reader in a specific time and place. Caleb’s Crossing takes place around the 1660’s, around what is now Martha’s Vineyard. Her heroine,…
I liked everything this book – it’s a semi-true historical story with a strong female character, and it’s set in an interesting time. More than that, it’s a fun story full of drama and adventure. Constance Kopp lives with her two sisters on a farm in New Jersey in 1914. At the age of 35,…
This book brought back lots of memories of my trip a few years ago to Australia. We learned a lot about the aboriginal population and how they suffered when the British settled there. We also learned a lot about their way of life, including hunting and agricultural practices. Kate Grenville’s award winning book describes an…
Much as I love Isabel Allende, her books can be somewhat uneven, and this was not one of my favorites. Allende tells the story of Alma Belasco, a girl who emigrates from Poland to San Francisco in 1939. She is adopted by her aunt and uncle after the Nazi invasion of Poland. As the book…
This novel was a gift from my mother, after we both read Stephen King’s 11/22/63. King said this was his favorite time travel novel, and that it inspired his book. And I can see that. I had mixed feelings about the book, although it begins with an interesting premise. Si Morley is an artist who…
Like The Unquiet Dead, it’s hard to adequately review a book about a really serious historical subject like the massacres in Croatia. But I’ll do my best. What I appreciated most about this book was its readability, and how real it felt. I imagine that author Sara Novic experienced many of the things she wrote…
For the fifth anniversary of The Book Stop, I wanted to follow up with some of the authors who asked me to review their books. The authors I chose wrote books that really stood out — not only for the quality of the writing, but because there was something unique about the story told. The…
If you’re interested in historical fiction set in Colonial America, this was a great read. It blends history, mystery, and interesting characters. Even better, this is a travel story as well, winding from North Carolina all the way to Quebec. I love when reading coincides with life, and this book was a happy surprise. Last…
I almost skipped this book because of all the hype. A book about a blind girl and a Nazi soldier in war-torn France sounded like it might be on the melodramatic side. But so many people recommended the book, and as it made its way to the finals in this year’s Tournament of Books, I…
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