⭐️⭐️⭐️ Julia Child had a larger-than-life story even before she held a whisk, so a WWII spy novel based on her early years sounds like a five-course feast. Sadly, this one tastes more like reheated leftovers. The Secret War of Julia Child follows a fictionalized version of Julia on a covert mission in the Asian theater, but the story strays so far from history it stops feeling like her life and starts feeling like an ordinary action caper wearing her name tag. If you know a bit about Julia—and I’ve cooked, read, and studied her world for years—you’ll likely raise an eyebrow at the liberties taken. This Julia frets endlessly about her […]
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Murder, Politics, and Petty Genius in Early New York
⭐⭐⭐✨⭐ 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 I’ve always loved courtroom dramas, and The Girl from Greenwich Street had me excited from page one. Lauren Willig unearths the true story of Elma Sands, a young woman found dead in the Manhattan Well in 1799, and the sensational trial that followed. The accused, Levi Weeks, becomes the center of attention not because of evidence but because his defense team includes two ambitious lawyers with something bigger in mind: political gain. When Aaron Burr takes the case, Alexander Hamilton jumps in too, mostly to make sure Burr isn’t the only one grabbing headlines. The premise is outstanding, especially knowing it’s rooted in history, but the […]
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A Historical Vision in Silk… with a Few Snags
⭐⭐⭐✨ 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 A Dress of Violet Taffeta follows the rise of fashion icon Lucy Duff-Gordon, and the narrative unfolds through her eyes and those of Celia, her young assistant, who claws her way up from serving as a scullery maid to running much of the operation. Their dual viewpoints give the story texture—Lucy brings the glamour, while Celia shows the grit behind the gowns. The novel is rich in historical color, and I appreciated the glimpse into the early days of haute couture. Still, I wish the author had stayed truer to Lucy’s real-life spirit. She was a powerhouse, but here she sometimes feels softened, […]
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Waves of Regret and Renewal: A Quiet, Haunting Debut
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Set against the mesmerizing Croatian coastline, Slanting Towards the Sea by Lidija Hilje is a cinematic and emotionally resonant debut about love, loss, and the fragile nature of possibility. The novel follows Ivona, a woman whose life has stalled while her ex-husband, Vlaho, has moved on. Despite the passing years, she remains tethered to the past—until a new relationship forces her to confront what she’s lost, what she left behind, and what she might still reclaim. Hilje, writing in English as her second language, crafts prose that is crisp, atmospheric, and quietly powerful. The Croatian coast becomes more than a backdrop—it reflects Ivona’s inner tides of longing and regret. Reading it […]
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Murder, Mischief, and Jazz: A Roaring Twenties Whodunit
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars) Songbird by Gail Meath is a lively blend of mystery, humor, and romance set in the glitzy, dangerous world of 1920s New York. Meet Jax Diamond, a sharp, no-nonsense private eye with a loyal German Shepherd sidekick, Ace, whose bark may be worse than his bite. When a famous playwright dies under suspicious circumstances and a missing manuscript worth a fortune disappears, Jax and Ace are on the case. Enter Laura Graystone, a rising Broadway star who gets pulled into the investigation—and into trouble. Together, the trio races through smoky speakeasies and backroom deals in search of the truth before the killer strikes again. Meath captures the […]
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Secrets, Shadows, and a Vanished Girl in the Adirondacks
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars) The God of the Woods is an atmospheric and tragic mystery that transported me straight back to my own camp days in the 1970s—the bug spray, the creaky bunks, and the secrets whispered after dark. Liz Moore’s novel is a haunting literary mystery set in 1975, when thirteen-year-old Barbara Van Laar disappears from her family’s elite summer camp in the Adirondacks. It’s not the first tragedy to strike—the girl’s brother vanished years earlier—and soon the line between victim and culprit blurs in a web of privilege, power, and buried secrets. Moore captures the claustrophobic tension of a small town divided by class, where the wealthy Van Laars employ many locals who […]
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A Heart-Wrenching Tale of Friendship, Survival, and the Darkness That Divides Them
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ In the small town of Monta Clare, Missouri, girls are disappearing. Thirteen-year-old Patch Macauley, a one-eyed misfit with a good heart, becomes an unlikely hero when he stops a kidnapping. But his act of courage sets off a chain of events that will scar the town—and everyone who loves him. By the time the police arrive, Patch has vanished, leaving behind only a bloodied T-shirt and a whole lot of questions. Over the next twenty-five years, his best friend, Saint Brown, can’t let go of what happened. Her search for answers takes her from small-town Missouri to the FBI, where her past still shadows every step. Meanwhile, Patch endures […]
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A Love Story Etched in War: The Courage of a Nurse, the Secrets of a Lifetime
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I rarely cry when I read a novel, but The Lies We Leave Behind completely undid me—I was a sniveling mess by the ending. This sweeping WWII story follows Kate Campbell, a fearless flight nurse who risks everything to save others. From the blistering skies over the Pacific to the misty fields of England, Kate’s journey is one of heartbreak, duty, and unrelenting courage. After an injury grounds her from active service, she’s reassigned to a quieter post in the English countryside. There, she meets William, a wounded officer with a quick wit and a tender soul. Their bond offers Kate her first glimpse of peace—but secrets from her […]
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Trailblazing Without a Degree: The Brilliant, Flawed Mary Leakey
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Penny Haw’s Follow Me to Africa is an inspiring and educational novel about Mary Leakey, the groundbreaking paleoanthropologist whose discoveries changed how many view human origins. Haw paints a vivid picture of the grit and glory of fieldwork in East Africa—complete with the heat, dust, and danger of the dig sites. It’s incredible to see how much Mary accomplished without a formal education. Her keen eye, intellect, and fierce independence set her apart in a field dominated by men. I found the book fascinating for its historical and scientific detail, but it also reminded me that geniuses are often complicated people. While I admired Mary’s brilliance and courage, I was disappointed […]
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Wingbeats, Secrets, and Second Chances on the Hudson
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Jocelyn Green’s The Hudson Collection scratched my bird-nerd itch in the best way. Set in 1926 New York, Elsa Reisner works in the ornithology department at the American Museum of Natural History and heads upstate to catalog explorer Linus Van Tessel’s vast bird collection. What sounds like a quiet assignment turns into a fight over a priceless aviary that Van Tessel’s wife willed to Danielle, the gardener’s young daughter—much to the dismay of Mr. Spalding, the heir who doesn’t think a child should inherit anything so valuable. The plot moves with a steady hum: hidden journals, a looming demolition deadline, and the search for the aviary keep the pages turning. As […]
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