3.5 rounded up to 4. Deep Sleep is a pulse-pounding journey into the shadowy world of espionage and conspiracy. The story centers on Devin Gray, a countersurveillance expert drawn into a dangerous mission following the death of his estranged mother, Helen, a former CIA officer notorious for her paranoia. Most dismissed Helen’s obsession with a vast conspiracy, but when Devin discovers the clues she left behind, he realizes her fears were justified. With the help of former Marine pilot Marnie Young and a team of covert operatives, Devin uncovers a deep-rooted Russian sleeper network that has infiltrated the highest levels of American society. Konkoly’s military background shines through in the […]
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The Paris Betrayal Delivers Nonstop Action
4.5 stars I love finding authors I’ve never read before, and James R. Hannibal is the real deal! The Paris Betrayal is a fast-paced spy thriller that hooked me from the start. The story follows Ben Calix, a skilled operative whose life spirals out of control after a mission in Rome goes wrong. Tasked with uncovering a deadly bioweapon, Ben barely escapes, only to return to Paris and find his world in ruins. Disavowed by his agency, cut off from all support, and hunted by unknown enemies, Ben’s situation couldn’t be worse. The action is nonstop as Ben races across Europe to piece together the conspiracy against him. Along the […]
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Religious Persecution in 16th-Century France
The Burning Chambers is a sweeping historical novel set in 16th-century France during the brutal Wars of Religion between Catholics and Huguenots. The story follows Minou Joubert, a young Catholic woman who receives a cryptic letter stating, “She knows that you live.” This mysterious message sets off a chain of events that entangles her with Piet Reydon, a Huguenot soldier on a dangerous mission. Mosse explores themes of betrayal, loyalty, and forbidden love, all against the backdrop of the era’s violent religious upheaval. Her vivid descriptions and meticulous attention to historical detail bring this tumultuous period to life. One of the standout aspects is how much I learned about the […]
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A Meandering Tale of Community That Misses the Mark
The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store has all the ingredients for a great historical novel: a tight-knit community in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, a mysterious skeleton found in a well, and 1930s setting rich with cultural and racial tensions. The story promises to explore themes of racism, love, sacrifice, and the power of community as we go back in time to Chicken Hill, a neighborhood where Jewish immigrants and African Americans live side by side. At the heart of the novel is the Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, run by Moshe Ludlow and his wife, Chona. Her determination to protect Dodo, a deaf Black boy, from a cruel institution sets off a […]
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A Unique Tale of Art, War, and Bravery in WWII Italy
3.5 stars rounded down to 3. In 1943, two women find themselves on a mission to save the art treasures of Florence from theft and destruction. Eva Brunner, a German photographer, is documenting art hidden in an Austrian salt mine. Across the ocean, American stenographer Josephine Evans joins the Women’s Army Corps and is assigned to work with the Monuments Men, a group tasked with protecting Europe’s cultural heritage. Initially, Eva believes the Nazi claims that they are safeguarding Florentine artworks from the approaching Allied forces and will return them to their original owners, but she soon realizes their true intentions. Disillusioned with her work, Eva defects and helps Lucia, […]
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Edith Wilson’s Hidden Role in History
The President’s Wife explores the life of Edith Bolling Galt Wilson, the second wife of President Woodrow Wilson. A socialite widow content with travel and friendships, Edith’s life changes dramatically when she marries Woodrow and becomes First Lady. Despite her discomfort, she rises to the challenges, dealing with press scrutiny and World War I. Edith soon becomes indispensable, replacing distracting staff, discussing policy with Woodrow, and encrypting top-secret messages. Her role expands further when she joins Woodrow in France for the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. The author highlights the turbulent last months of Woodrow’s administration. After his debilitating stroke, Edith shields him from the press, […]
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Neutrality During the Civil War
When the Jessamine Grows is a captivating historical novel set in rural Nash County, North Carolina, during the Civil War. Joetta McBride, a determined woman, runs a small farm with her husband, Ennis, and their two sons. Unlike many of her neighbors, Joetta remains neutral about the war. Her father-in-law, Rudean, a fervent Confederate supporter, influences Henry to join the Confederate army. Joetta insists Ennis go after him, leaving her to manage the farm with her younger son, Robert, and Rudean. As weeks pass without news from Ennis or Henry, Joetta provides food and shelter to soldiers from both sides, earning the ire of the townsfolk and the Home Guard. Branded […]
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Broken Lives
The Two Lives of Sara is a dramatic novel set in 1960s Memphis, Tennessee. The story follows Sara King, a young, unwed mother fleeing her troubled past in Chicago with her newborn baby and haunting secrets. She finds refuge at The Scarlet Poplar, a boardinghouse owned by the kind and formidable Mama Sugar. Sara discovers a new sense of community. Mama Sugar and the diverse group of boarders offer her and her son Lebanon friendship and support. Among them is Jonas Coulter, an elementary school English teacher. As their romance blossoms, Sara becomes increasingly involved in the civil rights movement. Despite the warmth of her new life, Sara’s past and […]
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A Love Story Dimmed by Nazi Brutality
Sarah Freethy’s debut novel intertwines the haunting past of Nazi Germany with a daughter’s quest for truth. 1920s: Bettina, a free-spirited German avant-garde artist, meets and falls in love with Max Ehrlich, a Jewish Austrian student. The rise of the Nazis shatters their dream of escaping Germany. Max is deported to Dachau, where his skill in creating exquisite figures at the Allach porcelain factory helps him survive. Desperate to protect their unborn child, Bettina marries a rising Nazi SS officer. 1993: Clara, who grew up not knowing her father, sets out to discover his identity after her mother’s death. Bettina left behind a single clue—a rare porcelain Viking figurine. Clara’s journey uncovers […]
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A Heart-Wrenching Tale of Love and Defiance
We Must Not Think of Ourselves is a moving story set in the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II. The novel follows Adam Paskow, an English teacher and childless widower, confined to the ghetto along with 450,000 others. Forced to leave his spacious flat, Adam now shares a cramped apartment with two other families, works in a soup kitchen, and teaches English to children in a bombed-out movie theater. Adam’s life takes a turn when Emanuel Ringelblum recruits him to join a secret group of archivists documenting their experiences. Through interviews with his students and fellow residents, Adam records their lives, dreams, fears, and survival strategies. One of these interviews […]
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