Reading Band of Sisters Lauren Willig

Currently reading Hornet Flight Ken Follett

I am reading a historical cozy  The Inspector and Mrs. Jeffries by Emily Brightwell. Set in late Victorian England. She has 41 books in this series and this is book one. Okay so far.

Hello, ladies!  I am always so happy when another month starts and I see our little group is still posting here.  ;) 

I finished Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah last night.  Eh.  It seemed like more of the story took place in the present than in the past (and I'm not generally a fan of a dual timeline, especially when one of the timelines is modern day), but the story that took place in the past was interesting and about events I did not know much about - Leningrad during WW2.  I'm not sure what I'll read next.  Still chipping away at the 2023 HF Challenge categories. 

Still listening to The Good Wife of Bath.  Hoping to finish that this weekend when we have to spend several hours in the car. 

Shelley,

My cousin gave me a copy of Winter Garden and said it was alright.  I haven't delved into it, mainly because it doesn't really seem to interest me.  I might just pass it on to someone else.

Hello! I started The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont last night.  So far, so good. 

Carolyn - Yeah, it's definitely not a must read. 

I finished The Wind Knows by Name by Isabel Allende.  I generally love her books. This one spaned from 1938 to 2022. We had Holocaust issues, hippies in 60 and border immigration issues. Much of the book was bleak. Although it did have a good ending. Beautiful cover art thought.

As sometimes happens I stopped reading Band of Sisters by Lauren Willig when The Last Year of the War by Susan Meissner arrived from the library.  It's a good, good read about two young friends whose lives and friendship are disrupted by WWII.  One is of Japanese descent while the other is of German descent.  Both families lose their livlihoods, are sent to an internment camp and eventually sent to Japan and Germany.

Ordered four more books from the library and one has already arrived.  Reading The Lotus Eaters: A Novel by Tatjana Soli as I wait for the library books.  It's not an easy read to immerse oneself in that tragic period.  How trying life in Vietnam must have been.  This is a story of a young woman photographer who yearns to launch a career from what she finds in this strange country and watches soldier and journalists she know die.

I am reading The Paris Daughter by Kristin Harmel.  It is set in France during WWII.  it is well written and interesting characters. I will admit I weary of books set in occupied France.

I finished a very good historical mystery Courting Dragons (King's Fool, Bk 1) by  Jeri Westerson. Set in 1529 in the Court of King Henry VIII. Main character, Will, is Henry's court Jester. Very entertaining. Will Somers was the court jester the Tudor family.

Hello!  I finished The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont, and I must say, I really enjoyed this one! It was told from the interesting perspective of Agatha Christie's husband's mistress, who the author gave an interesting backstory. I couldn't ever really decide if I liked this character or hated her.  LOL!  Agatha comes off as very likeable, which is interesting considering the story was told from the POV of her rival. Of course it is all speculation and fiction based upon the mysterious disappearance of Agatha Christie in the 1920s.  I expected a version of where Agatha was during the days of her disappearance, but what I didn't expect was the Agatha Christie-style mystery that the book also contained.  Years ago I really got into Christie's books and read a good many of them (something I am tempted to do again after reading this book).  I'm not an experienced enough mystery reader to tell if there were good clues as to the solution to the mystery that would eventually be revealed.  I didn't even know there was going to be a mystery until a death happened.  LOL!  Anyway, highly recommended, and I'd be curious to hear what you mystery readers think of it.  

I couldn't resist temptation, and I started an Agatha Christie book - And Then There Were None.  Fortunately it's been so long since I've read it, I have no clue who dunnit.  LOL!  I should be reading another book for this year's HF Challenge, but I have plenty of time to finish that up.  

I finished a very good Historical fiction book The Saturday Evening Girls Club by Jane Healey   Set in Boston during 1908.  The lives of 4 immigrant women and how they want to live differently than their mothers.

Well, I finished And Then There Were None and immediately picked up Murder On The Orient Express by Agatha Christie.  I kind of like having a book on the go that I can't wait to pick up again and when I'm reading have a hard time stopping.  LOL!  No doubt this Christie obsession will soon pass and I can get back to reading books for the HF challenge.