Review: The Ragged Edge of Night

Title: The Ragged Edge of Night

Author: Olivia Hawker

Publisher: 1st October 2018 by Lake Union Publishing

Pages: 340 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: historical fiction

My Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:

For fans of All the Light We Cannot See, Beneath a Scarlet Sky, and The Nightingale comes an emotionally gripping, beautifully written historical novel about extraordinary hope, redemption, and one man’s search for light during the darkest times of World War II.

Germany, 1942. Franciscan friar Anton Starzmann is stripped of his place in the world when his school is seized by the Nazis. He relocates to a small German hamlet to wed Elisabeth Herter, a widow who seeks a marriage—in name only—to a man who can help raise her three children. Anton seeks something too—atonement for failing to protect his young students from the wrath of the Nazis. But neither he nor Elisabeth expects their lives to be shaken once again by the inescapable rumble of war.

As Anton struggles to adapt to the roles of husband and father, he learns of the Red Orchestra, an underground network of resisters plotting to assassinate Hitler. Despite Elisabeth’s reservations, Anton joins this army of shadows. But when the SS discovers his schemes, Anton will embark on a final act of defiance that may cost him his life—even if it means saying goodbye to the family he has come to love more than he ever believed possible.

My Thoughts

‘ ... in his mind, he walks backward through time, searching as he did before for the place where Germany went wrong, where we turned aside from our humanity.’

This is a most engaging read detailing the story of a former friar who, after his order is disbanded by the Nazis, answers an ad in a local paper to marry a needy widow with three children. The story follows the developing relationships of the family and how Anton faces many internal and external conflicts - leaving his celibacy behind, supporting a family that is not his own and how to quietly resist the Nazi regime.

It’s an interesting book and although centred around World War II, it does not contain much ongoing tension or drama, rather it’s a tale of relationships under extreme circumstances. It is always interesting to read of WWII events from the perspective of German resistors and added to that fact is, although a fictionalised retelling of events, it concerns actual people and events from the author’s husband’s family history. From that point of view, it is most appealing. There is accompanying research that assists in supporting the story and at times reads as an annotated guide to German history.

‘... this is not the sort of life anyone dreams of. Even Hitler, he thinks, must be surprised that he ever got so far—that it has all been so simple to take, to destroy. In his moments of despair—and there are many—Anton wonders whether God Himself ever dreamed it could come to this..’

This is undoubtedly a well written book mainly focusing around one man’s guilt as he struggles to adapt from his religious way of life lost, to start again in helping a family in need and also, to confront the horrors of Nazi atrocities. In that respect it is quite introspective with much internal dialogue as we travel along with Anton on his life journey. At times this reflectiveness gets a bit repetitive and drawn out, particularly in reference to the fate of the children he once taught. I also personally struggled with the widow/wife Elisabeth, as she made things so difficult for him and the guilt trips she laid on him, after all he had given up, was just wrong. The author’s attempt to create a subplot of espionage is not really that strong and only comes in the latter half of the book. The author’s note and political commentary at the end of the book has created quite a furore in the U.S and could/should have been omitted. It has just proven a distraction from a worthy tale.

‘The Ragged Edge of Night’ combines much to appreciate - resistance and romance - in its portrayal of a rural existence under the Third Reich and how simple acts of heroism can come from the most unlikely of places.

‘Anton can’t save all of Germany—he is only one man. But he can, he must, save this one small town.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: Fromage à Trois

Title: Fromage à Trois

Author: Victoria Brownlee

Publisher: 9th October 2018 by Amberjack Publishing

Pages: 280 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: womens fiction, chick lit, contemporary, romance

My Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:

Meet Ella, on the brink of turning 30 and full of regret for a life only half lived.

In a haze of heartbreak after splitting up with the man she thought she was going to marry, she makes the only decision that seems rational and buys a one-way ticket to Paris, embarking on a pilgrimage of food, wine, and joie de vivre.

After arriving, Ella struggles to grasp the nuances of French manners and friendship. She soon finds herself caught between two men who inhabit opposite ends of the Paris food scene, getting wined and dined by one, and inadvertently making a bet to try every type of French fromage with the other.

As the seasons change, Ella realizes that there’s more to life in France than champagne and cheese. At some point the Eiffel Tower stops sparkling and she needs to decide where her heart truly lies.

My Thoughts

‘I’d relearn how to live life as a solo adventurer. I’d take things as they came and make up a plan on the way.’

‘Fromage à Trois’ is worthy chick lit - lighthearted and entertaining. It’s a tale about Ella escaping to Paris after her dreams of marriage did not come to pass and her ensuing journey to rediscover herself. Many a cliched story like this has been told, so what invites the reader to this particular version?

‘... the makers of the cheese had known that I would move to Paris to mourn a breakup. It was as though they’d anticipated that I would start to fill the void in my broken heart with French cheese.’

Well ... we’ll always have Paris ;) One never really tires of a fictional journey to wander the streets of this city. Add into this an incredible and delectable selection of cheeses and this book really does provide that something different to this genre. The Instagram cheese journey is really something different and enlightening. Then there is a solid array of characters to make life interesting in Ella’s new venture. Overall, this is worthwhile writing and reading.  Of course there are some moments that are cringe worthy and just drag the story down a bit but I try to overlook that and instead enjoy brief escapism on this whimsical and rather decadent ‘cheesy’ journey.

“Can you please write the name of the cheese and where it came from on a piece of paper for me?” I asked. “I’m interested in learning more about French cheese.”

This is a tale that will leave you with a good feeling - characters that engage you and an introduction to Parisian fromageries! You will be given a little of everything - romance, deceit, anguish and laughter - a little of everything except cheese! There is more of that than you can imagine!

“So what is it with you, Paris and cheese?”

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The Paris Secret

Title:  The Paris Secret

Author: Lily Graham

Publisher: 4th October 2018 by Bookouture

Pages: 205 pages
How I Read It: ARC book
Genre: historical fiction, WWII

My Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:

On the brink of the second world war, a beautiful Parisian bookshop hides a heartbreaking secret that will tear one family apart forever …

The last time Valerie was in Paris, she was three-years-old, running from the Nazis, away from the only home she had ever known.

Now as a young woman, Valerie must return to Paris, to the bookshop and her only surviving relative, her grandfather Vincent, to find out what really happened to those she loved. As she gets to know Vincent again, she hears a tragic story of Nazi occupied Paris, a doomed love affair and a mother willing to sacrifice everything for her beloved daughter.

Can Valerie and Vincent help each other to mend the wounds of the past? Valerie isn’t after a fairy-tale ending, she only wants the truth. But what is the one devastating secret that Vincent is determined to keep from his granddaughter?

My Thoughts

‘He gave you away for a reason, Val. I know that you want this fairy-tale reunion but I’m just not sure you’re going to get it.’

What a great little read this turned out to be! A Parisian bookshop during the Nazi occupation - it has heartbreak written all over it! I enjoyed so much of this tale, the writing so was wonderful that you felt yourself sitting anxiously in the bookshop awaiting the vile Nazi officer’s arrival. Detailing the story of  Mireille during the occupation and later with Valerie in the 1960s, you will find much to admire in this mother and daughter duo.

‘None of us knew what would happen –we’d hoped they’d be here a few months and then be gone, driven back by the allies … we couldn’t know what was to follow. In a way that was a blessing, and a curse.’

Loving all things Parisian and booky, you cannot help but get swept away in the misadventures that take place in this bookshop. You will be drawn in by the well described characters and most certainly find a special affinity for Vincent - a seemingly grumpy old man on the outside, but just look at all he has had to bare throughout with his daughter and granddaughter. I especially enjoyed his commentary on the range of book titles offered.

My only disappointment is that the book was too short! At just over 200 pages, I read it in a day! So whilst on the one hand it was great to have the story move along at such a cracking pace, I could not help but wish for just a little more detail. The characters were certainly inviting, but to have been given the opportunity for greater depth towards more of the thoughts behind their actions - especially Valerie’s father or Vincent’s anguish and loss - would just have provided the icing on the cake!

‘This is about me, or the man I used to be, before my country went mad –the world, really – and when I’m with you I think maybe I could be that man again, some day…’

It truly packed a punch for such a short read. It was enlightening to be provided with such a strong insight into the horrific bullying that took place during the Occupation, to then witness the bravery and sacrifices of those who fought in the resistance - simply heartbreaking how so many lives were irrevocably altered.

‘The city wanted to rid itself of every last reminder of the Occupation. To punish all those people who had collaborated with the Germans.’

This was a wonderful weekend read with the alternating timelines working well. For its length it was so focused in depicting this one family’s tale during a distressing time in history. I only wished it could have gone on for longer as I was saddened to leave this cosy Parisian bookshop.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release

Review: The Little Book Cafe: Amy's Story

Title: The Little Book Cafe: Amy’s Story

Author: Georgia Hill

Publisher: Harper Impulse and Killer Reads, October 19th

Pages: 136 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: Romance, Women’s Fiction

My Rating: 4.5 cups

Synopsis:

Escape to the seaside for a new three-part series for fans of The Canal Boat Cafe and Willow Cottage

Amy, the manager of The Little Book Café, is a hopeless romantic who had her heart broken, but quietly refuses to give up on love.

With her friends Tash and Emma, not to mention their shared love of books and delicious cake from the café next door, Amy might just find the courage to fall for a real life romance this time…

Amy's Story is the final instalment of The Little Book Cafe series so wrap up warm this Autumn and treasure this wonderful book.

My Thoughts

This is the first book I have read by Georgia Hill, but I will definitely get my hands on her others, especially the rest of this series! I thoroughly enjoyed this light hearted read. All the characters were very likeable, even Biddy Roulestone.

"...or maybe it was the absence of its most troublesome member, the pensioner with a past, Biddy Roulestone.”

The book revolves around a group of characters who live in a small town called, Berecombe. They are members of a book club run by Amy, the manager of the only bookshop in town. I really enjoyed reading about her relationships with all the characters individually, especially her one sided budding romance!

“Is there anything so painful as unrequited love, she wondered, feeling the familiar longing for him shoot through her.”

The chapters were very short so it was a quick and easy read, but I still had trouble putting it down. It was a short book and I must admit I was quite disappointed when I got to the end, I wanted more!

Throughout the book, Amy, the protagonist, became more confident through the support of her friends and developed her relationships further, especially with her Mum.

“I agree. I’m so glad you’ve come, Mum.”

As is common in books about relationships, there was a few misunderstandings along the way, but Georgia wrapped all that up at the end and it had a very satisfying conclusion!

Overall, this was a light, easy, fun and thoroughly enjoyable read and if you like books by Monica McInerney or Marian Keyes, then this book is for you!

"Ah, hush your mouth, man...Wouldn't I be the terrible eejit if I let you go?"

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release

Review: Under My Skin

Title: Under My Skin

Author: Lisa Unger

Publisher: Harlequin Australia, HQ (Fiction, Non Fiction, YA) & MIRA HQ Fiction, 23 September

Pages: 304 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: Mystery and Thrillers

My Rating: 4.5 cups

Synopsis:

From New York Times bestselling author and master of suspense Lisa Unger comes an addictive psychological thriller about a woman on the hunt for her husband’s killer.

What if the nightmares are actually memories?

It’s been a year since Poppy’s husband, Jack, was brutally murdered during his morning run through Manhattan’s Riverside Park. In the immediate aftermath, Poppy spiralled into an oblivion of grief, disappearing for several days only to turn up ragged and confused and wearing a tight red dress she didn’t recognise. What happened to Poppy during those lost days? And more importantly, what happened to Jack?

The case was never solved, and Poppy has finally begun to move on. But those lost days have never stopped haunting her. Poppy starts having nightmares and blackouts — there are periods of time she can’t remember, and she's unable to tell the difference between what is real and what she’s imagining. When she begins to sense that someone is following her, Poppy is plunged into a game of cat and mouse, determined to unravel the mystery around her husband’s death. But can she handle the truth about what really happened?

My Thoughts

Under My Skin was a really compelling psychological thriller that I greatly enjoyed. It kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. The protagonist, Poppy, was trying to move on from the murder of her husband. She was unable to do this because she was spiralling down into a well of grief and the methods she was using to cope were causing her more problems.

The book is very well written and starts off with a description of one of Poppy’s online dates. It flashes between the past and the present and you have to really be concentrating to know what period each chapter is!

Poppy starts to have what she thinks are nightmares, but she isn’t sure whether they are nightmares or memories returning from her lost days.

“The details of the dream are already slippery. What kind of car? What club? It’s important  to remember; I must dig into that place.”

I really liked the character, Detective Grayson, the detective trying to solve Jack’s murder. He was doing his job, but he was also showing his human side to Poppy and even though they met under such tragic circumstances, they almost became friends who relied on each other.

“I appreciate how he often uses Jack’s name, doesn’t call him ‘your husband’ or ‘the victim’. I feel like he knew Jack, that they might have been friends.”

Layla was Poppy’s best friend and even though she was just trying to keep Poppy safe, I felt like she was too controlling and tried to take over Poppy’s life. It was only when Poppy ‘escaped Layla’s clutches’, that she really started to heal.

“You’re not staying here,”...she casts a quick dismissive look at Grayson. “Pack a bag.”

All the characters Poppy meets along the way, eventually lead to an outcome, but there is a very surprising twist at the end that I certainly didn’t see coming. Lisa places suspicion on one character and then does a complete turnaround! Very clever storyteller!

This is a very enjoyable thriller and if you like suspense, then pick yourself up a copy of Under My Skin.

“I wish he had protected himself.”

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release

Review: Muse of Nightmares

Title: Muse of Nightmares (Strange the Dreamer #2)

Author: Laini Taylor

Publisher: 2nd October 2018 by Hachette Australia

Pages: 528 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: fantasy, young adult

My Rating: 4.5 cups

Synopsis:

Sarai has lived and breathed nightmares since she was six years old.

She believed she knew every horror, and was beyond surprise.

She was wrong.

In the wake of tragedy, neither Lazlo nor Sarai are who they were before. One a god, the other a ghost, they struggle to grasp the new boundaries of their selves as dark-minded Minya holds them hostage, intent on vengeance against Weep.

Lazlo faces an unthinkable choice--save the woman he loves, or everyone else?--while Sarai feels more helpless than ever. But is she? Sometimes, only the direst need can teach us our own depths, and Sarai, the muse of nightmares, has not yet discovered what she's capable of.

As humans and godspawn reel in the aftermath of the citadel's near fall, a new foe shatters their fragile hopes, and the mysteries of the Mesarthim are resurrected: Where did the gods come from, and why? What was done with thousands of children born in the citadel nursery? And most important of all, as forgotten doors are opened and new worlds revealed: Must heroes always slay monsters, or is it possible to save them instead?

Love and hate, revenge and redemption, destruction and salvation all clash in this gorgeous sequel to the New York Times bestseller, Strange the Dreamer.

My Thoughts

‘They stared at each other in mistrust and confusion. Across worlds and through portals cut long ago by angels, their lives collided right here. Both came to this place seeking something.’

Last year Laini Taylor introduced us to ‘Strange the Dreamer’ (review HERE) and it was magnificent. I found myself swept away by her lyrical prose on an amazing journey to some incredible places with memorable and unforgettable characters. But the ending, what a c-l-i-f-f-h-a-n-g-e-r! How she has made us wait for a magical conclusion to this mighty tale. Thankfully, this book picks up right at the harrowing conclusion to Strange the Dreamer. Left with so many questions, you will be happy to know that all will be answered in the epic conclusion to this wonderful duology. Worlds expand, relationships get more interwoven as you once more return to the amazing world building that Laini is renowned for.

This tale is more complex than its predecessor - elaborations from other worlds, characters and timelines all merge together for an almighty conclusion. Two new characters, with seemingly little connection to those from Weep, will gradually tie all the loose strings together and provide answers to the many questions raised in book one. Sisters born before the Godspawn will tell their tale of misery and heartbreak and eventually merge with those in Weep for a fitting conclusion.

‘Would she find, no matter what she tried, that some people cannot be saved?’

Laini Taylor is one of the most remarkable storytellers I have ever come across. The raw emotion combined with out of this world experiences combine to sweep the reader away on an unforgettable journey. The imagination! The complexity of plot! The heartfelt emotions merge together to provide a truly breathtaking experience. This is writing at the next level and you feel such connection to these characters, you will find it difficult to lay the book aside at any point.

If you read and loved, ‘Strange the Dreamer’, I doubt you will be disappointed with this sequel. All of your burning questions from the harrowing conclusion to book one, and indeed so much more, will be given. The incredible history of those ‘blue Gods’ in the sky will be revealed and it will go beyond anything you could have imagined. Once again, it is just best to go in blind and let the story unfurl and captivate you: overcoming the odds and past mistakes and learning to forgive and see beyond the surface. I just can’t wait to see where Laini will take us next.

“You don’t know yet what you’re capable of, but I’m willing to bet it’s extraordinary.”

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.