Book Review: As Bright as Heaven by Susan Meissner

As Bright as Heaven by Susan Meissner
ARC, e-Book, 387 pages
Berkley Books
February 6, 2018
★★★★☆

Genre: Historical Fiction

Source: Received the book via Netgalley request

From the acclaimed author of Secrets of a Charmed Life and A Bridge Across the Ocean comes a new novel set in Philadelphia during the Spanish flu epidemic of 1918, which tells the story of a family reborn through loss and love.

In 1918, Philadelphia was a city teeming with promise. Even as its young men went off to fight in the Great War, there were opportunities for a fresh start on its cobblestone streets. Into this bustling town, came Pauline Bright and her husband, filled with hope that they could now give their three daughters--Evelyn, Maggie, and Willa--a chance at a better life.

But just months after they arrive, the Spanish Flu reaches the shores of America. As the pandemic claims more than twelve thousand victims in their adopted city, they find their lives left with a world that looks nothing like the one they knew. But even as they lose loved ones, they take in a baby orphaned by the disease who becomes their single source of hope. Amidst the tragedy and challenges, they learn what they cannot live without--and what they are willing to do about it.

As Bright as Heaven is the compelling story of a mother and her daughters who find themselves in a harsh world, not of their making, which will either crush their resolve to survive or purify it.

What an interesting read! There are so many angles to this story, areas that are not frequently explored in fiction, that this story felt fresh and new throughout. There aren’t many novels that deal with the Spanish Flu, even when they are telling the stories of WWI, but Susan Meissner handled the effects of the Flu on Philadelphia masterfully and wove it into several critical story plot twists that have lasting implications for the Bright family. The full effects of the Flu are explored from the symptoms, how it seemed to come about, how many people were dying, and how it really contributed to the rise of the funeral home business. It’s always interesting to me to see how major events affect areas that you wouldn’t even consider, like funeral homes. And speaking of the funeral homes, we get an inside look in how they would have operated and what was needed to be done to preserve bodies.

The only part of the novel that was a bit of a struggle for me was the beginning; it felt very slow and I put it down/picked it up several times. I think part of the issue for me was the multiple narrators and I couldn’t connect with anyone right away. Once the story got rolling and they were in Philadelphia and each was their own distinct person, it was much easier to enjoy and I raced through those pages. I understand the importance of those early scenes, but they didn’t do anything for me in terms of getting me into the story. Each of the Bright women and girls have their own unique set of struggles with the move to Philadelphia and the effect of the Flu and the subsequent directions their lives take and I enjoyed exploring their storylines. The twists and turns of this story I did not see coming and feel that they paid out well for the reader.

I would definitely read more works by this author as I loved the depth that the author was able to bring to both the characters and the events of the time explored.

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

• Literary Vacation
• Rhapsody in Books Weblog

Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | RJ Julia

Also by Susan Meissner:

Secrets of a Charmed Life

A Fall of Marigolds

The Shape of Mercy

A Bridge Across the Ocean

Stars Over Sunset Boulevard

The Girl in the Glass

Lady in Waiting

A Sound Among the Trees

Find Susan Meissner: Website | Facebook | Twitter

Copyright © 2018 by The Maiden’s Court

Audiobook Review: A Promise of Ruin by Cuyler Overholt

A Promise of Ruin by Cuyler Overholt
Book 2 in the Dr. Genevieve Summerford Mystery series
Unabridged, 12 hr. 20 min.
Recorded Books
Carly Robbins (narrator)
August 8, 2017
★★★★ ½☆

Genre: Historical Fiction/Mystery

Source: Received from publisher for review

To stop the trafficking ring plaguing her city, Dr. Genevieve Summerford must dive into New York’s underworld

In early 1900s New York, the formidable crime syndicate known as the Black Hand has been terrorizing the city's Italian community with bombings and kidnappings. When a young Italian girl is found drowned and sexually defiled, Dr. Genevieve Summerford suspects the organization has expanded into forced prostitution, and she won't rest until the trafficking ring is brought to justice.

While A Deadly Affection (book 1) very much had its roots in the medical field that Genevieve was making inroads into, in A Promise of Ruin it plays second string to the kidnapping and trafficking storyline. Genevieve still attends to her clients and uses the knowledge to help some of the other characters cope with things they are dealing with, but it was not the focus here. Genevieve actually struggles with the fact that her psychiatry practice is not taking off and she is spending more time providing actual physical medical assistance, which felt very real. While this was something that I enjoyed in the first book, the characters held my rapt attention here and I didn’t miss it.

And oh the characters! I love the Genevieve and Simon back and forth. Their relationship is full of fun banter and tension between them that keeps the reader on their toes. We also get to know more about the retainers in the Summerford household who worry about Genevieve as one of their own; Katey is quite the spitfire and I loved how she helped resolve the mystery. Even the men and boys who are a part of the world Simon moves in were well fleshed out and entertaining. You gotta love those little boys!

There is much more focus on the police investigation (and Genevieve’s meddling in it), but it felt very well set in the time period and not out of place at all. I’m a huge fan of police procedurals and this worked here, although I hope the books to come to not all feature this. I have done some studying of the Black Hand and the Italian camorra and I enjoyed how these elements were seamlessly woven into the fabric of the story here. Additionally, a lot more of this novel is committed to Genevieve helping those from the lower classes, whereas previously we were more set in the upper class – it was very different.

I really enjoyed spending time with Genevieve and friends again and look forward to seeing where the next book take her – especially in terms of her relationship and her medical profession.

★★★★ ½☆

My opinions on the narration are very much in line with my thoughts on book 1, as they are both narrated by the same person, Carly Robins. Robins was able to relay the author’s pacing well in this audiobook presentation. There is an interplay between slow or fast reading based on the need of the scene. I appreciated the appropriate pause length between sentences – just the right amount of time. Robbins imbues her Genevieve with an earnestness, but also demonstrates fear or hesitation when appropriate. It certainly feels like she spent some time getting to know the characters before recording the passages. There is some voice work here to make characters unique, and this is one of the few times I have found myself feeling comfortable with a narration of characters of the opposite sex from the narrator. Additionally, I feel that she handled the variety of accents well as we have American, Irish, and Italian among the characters. An admirable job that never felt jarring or out of place.

You can check out a sample from the audiobook below (links to Audible):

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

• Annette’s Book Spot
• Gizmo’s Reviews

Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | RJ Julia

Also by Cuyler Overholt:

A Deadly Affection (Book 1)
[My Review]

Find Cuyler Overholt: Website | Twitter | Facebook

Copyright © 2018 by The Maiden’s Court

Book Review: Radium Girls by Kate Moore

Radium Girls by Kate Moore
ARC, e-Book, 496 pages
Sourcebooks
April 18, 2017
★★★★ ½☆

Genre: Non-Fiction

Source: Received via Netgalley for review

The incredible true story of the women who fought America's Undark danger

The Curies' newly discovered element of radium makes gleaming headlines across the nation as the fresh face of beauty, and wonder drug of the medical community. From body lotion to tonic water, the popular new element shines bright in the otherwise dark years of the First World War.

Meanwhile, hundreds of girls toil amidst the glowing dust of the radium-dial factories. The glittering chemical covers their bodies from head to toe; they light up the night like industrious fireflies. With such a coveted job, these "shining girls" are the luckiest alive — until they begin to fall mysteriously ill.

But the factories that once offered golden opportunities are now ignoring all claims of the gruesome side effects, and the women's cries of corruption. And as the fatal poison of the radium takes hold, the brave shining girls find themselves embroiled in one of the biggest scandals of America's early 20th century, and in a groundbreaking battle for workers' rights that will echo for centuries to come.

Written with a sparkling voice and breakneck pace, The Radium Girls fully illuminates the inspiring young women exposed to the "wonder" substance of radium, and their awe-inspiring strength in the face of almost impossible circumstances. Their courage and tenacity led to life-changing regulations, research into nuclear bombing, and ultimately saved hundreds of thousands of lives...

As soon as I saw Radium Girls up on the Netgalley platform I knew I NEEDED to read it. While I had never done extensive reading on these girls I had heard of them in passing while reading various other non-fiction works, especially when taking a class on social reform and women’s rights. However, after having received the book, life happened and like so many other things, it quite literally was shelved for awhile. But I still knew I WANTED to read this. So when a weekend arrived where I wasn’t feeling great and was going to be spending my time on the couch, it was time, finally, to pick up the book! And I absolutely devoured the pages in the course of the weekend!

What immediately caught my attention in this book was the girls themselves. The author doesn’t focus on just one of two key players, but quite the handful of women who endured a lot at the expense of radium. These women were fleshed out and their reasons for working at the various radium dial painting factories and the effects of the radium on their lives and bodies were detailed in full. Each woman had different reasons and different ailments and this book gave the full picture. Not something you want to be reading while eating, it can be gross at times as the author pulls no punches, but it was very appreciated because I could truly identify with these women and the pain they endured even while fighting their battle legally.

Even the companies themselves, the author dug under the covers and we are treated to what they knew and the lengths they went to in order to hide what they knew about the effects of the radium. What shocked me was how these women underwent exams by the company doctors, but were not given access to the results and the company men already knew they were suffering from radium’s effects early on.

I also appreciated the legal process that the author took us through as the women struggled to find anyone that would be willing to go up against the industry or assist them with their case. These were women who suffered some horrible workplace injustices, but at the time the jobs they were doing were considered to be top of the heap and THE jobs to be had, which made for considerable backlash. This reminded me to some extent of some of the garment workers in NYC, how those jobs were better than many others that women could have and there was high competition for the jobs, and the only way that their workplace situations were improved was unfortunately through a major fire that killed many women (at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory).

Oh and let me not forget to mention, that although this is a non-fiction book, it certainly doesn’t read like one. While the material might be heavy in concept, the writing style is fluid and reads more like a novel, seamlessly moving from one thing to the next. An excellent book that I would highly recommend.

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

• Flashlight Commentary
• Atomic Fangirl

Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | RJ Julia

Also by Kate Moore:

Felix the Railway Cat

Find Kate Moore: Website | Twitter

Copyright © 2018 by The Maiden’s Court

Audiobook Review: Love’s Courage by Elizabeth Meyette & Giveaway

Love’s Courage by Elizabeth Meyette
Book 3 in The Brentwood Saga
Unabridged, 7 hr. 36 min.
Boris Publishing
Amy McFadden (Narrator)
January 23, 2018
★★★★☆

Genre: Historical Romance

Source: Received download from Audible with Audiobookworm Productions tour

She had to leave him to save her father. He had to follow her to save his heart.

In August 1777, Jenny Sutton leaves Williamsburg, Virginia and the man she loves and sets sail for British occupied Manhattan to tend to her dying father. Aboard the Destiny, Jonathon Brentwood makes a request of Jenny that will entangle her in the network of spies serving the Patriot cause. With her father already under suspicion, Jenny’s activities must be hidden from the watchful eyes of British troops. But she has caught the eye of British officer Lieutenant Nigel Ashby, who is aware of her sympathies, yet offers her protection through marriage. Only by accepting his proposal will Jenny avoid the hangman's noose…and lose Andrew forever.

Desperate to join—and protect—Jenny, Andrew Wentworth agrees to deliver messages to Patriot troops on his way to New York. His route brings him face to face with those suffering under British rule. The fight for independence and his desire to reach Jenny become intertwined. Arriving in Manhattan, Andrew is arrested as a spy by the British officer coercing Jenny into marriage. She may be saved from the gallows but will Andrew?

As war rages around them, Jenny and Andrew must find the courage to fight for their new country's freedom and their own eternal love.

This is the kind of historical romance that I enjoy most: hearty in historical detail and atmospheric world building, with the romance added in as is fitting to the story. I certainly enjoy a romance set in the English Ton or on the American western trail, but sometimes they tend to feel somewhat cookie-cutter: replace the heroine and the specific situation she is running from when she meets hero, while the two don’t always get along well at first, they fall in love and everything is wonderful at the end. These are fun and light and quick reads. However, I’m a straight historical reader first, and I truly prefer more historical detail and depth of story that fits into some real historical event. That is exactly what Elizabeth Meyette brings to us in Love’s Courage.

This novel brings us squarely into the events of the American Revolution. While we are introduced from the outset to the heartbreak that pushes the romantic plot-line forward throughout the entirety of the novel, it is clear that this is just an element that the characters must face while they try to help their families and the American cause. It is certainly something important to each of the two romantic leads, but it isn’t their only important trait or direction in life. However, don’t fear that you are going to lose out on the romance story-line, it is present throughout and is well served by the details.

I have not read the first two books in this series, Love’s Destiny or Love’s Spirit, however, for the most part I felt sufficiently in control of the story having jumped in at book 3. The first chapter, where we meet Andrew and Jenny, had me questioning if we were introduced to their budding romance in either of the earlier novels because it felt like I should know a little something about them already, but based on reviewing the blurbs of the other two novels, if so, they must have been side characters. So besides that initial chapter, I felt comfortable with starting later in the series.

★★★★☆

I very much enjoyed listening to Amy McFadden read this novel. Her personification of the characters was complete and made them entirely more relatable to me and my enjoyment of them within the story. Each character has their own voice and characteristics. Any good narrator can do that though; what makes it an even better production is the small things. When they are aboard a ship, the characters have to sometimes shout to be heard over the wind or the snapping of the sails. Sometimes they are very angry for a situation not going they way anticipated. McFadden brilliantly encapsulates these stylistic elements in her performance. Additionally, the pace of the performance is perfect to keep the plot moving forward, but give you enough time to digest what is happening (as the plot is FULL!).

You can preview a sample of the book below:

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

• The Literary Melting Pot

Buy the Book: Amazon | Audible| Barnes & Noble | iTunes | RJ Julia

Also by Elizabeth Meyette:

Love’s Destiny (Brentwood #1)

Love’s Spirit (Brentwood #2)

Find Elizabeth Meyette: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Find Amy McFadden: Website | Facebook | Twitter

Giveaway!

As part of the tour, there is a tour wide giveaway for a $50 Amazon gift card, open internationally.  The giveaway is open March 18 to the 25th.  All entries are made via the Gleam form on any of the tour stops.  Any questions should be directed to Audiobookworm Productions.  Good luck!! Love’s Courage Giveaway: $50 Amazon Gift Card

Follow the Tour!

On the Audiobookworm Productions website

Mar. 18th:

The Maiden's Court

The Book Junkie Reads . . .

Mar. 19th:

Jazzy Book Reviews

T's Stuff

Mar. 20th:

What Is That Book About

Mar. 21st:

Notes from 'Round the Bend

Mar. 22nd:

The Bookworm Lodge

Mar. 23rd:

The Book Addict's Reviews

Booktalk with Eileen

Mar. 24th:

Up 'Til Dawn Book Blog

Lilly's Book World

Copyright © 2018 by The Maiden’s Court

Audiobook Review: In Harm’s Way by Doug Stanton

In Harms Way: The Sinking of the U.S.S. Indianapolis and the Extraordinary Story of Its Survivors by Doug Stanton
Unabridged, 8 hr. 12 min.
Audible Studios
Mark Boyett (Narrator)
September 27, 2016
★★★★★

Genre: Non-Fiction, Military History

Source: Personal collection from Audible

On July 30, 1945, the USS Indianapolis was torpedoed in the South Pacific by a Japanese submarine. An estimated three hundred men were killed upon impact; close to nine hundred sailors were cast into the Pacific Ocean, where they struggled to stay alive, battered by a savage sea and fighting off sharks, hypothermia, and dementia. By the time help arrived—nearly four days and nights later—all but 317 men had died. How did the navy fail to realize the Indianapolis was missing? Why was the cruiser traveling unescorted in enemy waters? And how did these 317 men manage to survive? Interweaving the stories of three survivors—the captain, the ship’s doctor, and a young marine—journalist Doug Stanton has brought this astonishing human drama to life in a narrative that is at once immediate and timeless.

The definitive account of this harrowing chapter of World War II history—already a bestseller in its hardcover and mass market editions—In Harm’s Way is a classic tale of war, survival, and extraordinary courage.

I am not someone who is a huge military history buff, so the tragedy of the U.S.S. Indianapolis was not something that had ever been on my radar before. And unlike apparently every reviewer on Goodreads, I have never seen the movie Jaws and therefore not heard the story of the Indianapolis in that film. So for me, a passing mention about it in the Pearl Harbor book I had read some months back piqued my interest to look into it a bit further and then I stumbled across In Harm’s Way. I am always drawn to stories of people in incredible situations because their bravery and ability to stare death in the face and survive absolutely inspire me and at the same time you often see some of society at its worst. These things keep me riveted time and again.

While this is a solid work of non-fiction it reads so quickly and will not for one moment lose your attention. Stanton interviewed survivors extensively and that is clear in how he brings life into the accounts of the different men in this book. While there are 3 main men whose circumstances are followed throughout the ordeal, we encounter many other men during their stories and are witnesses to how wildly different people handle traumatic events. Stanton seats you right there with the survivors, whether it is clinging to a raft while sharks circle or struggling to stave of dehydration and the draw to drink the salt water. There are LOTS of details, but they never feel overwhelming.

One thing that was clear to me while reading this book and so incredibly striking was just how many lives could have been spared horrible death at sea if a small handful of people had done their jobs to note if the U.S.S. Indianapolis had arrived in the port as expected or passed on the SOS message they had received from the ship. Instead, no one knew where they were or where they were even expected to be for DAYS until a pilot just happened to pass over their location. Then to put the whole thing on the Captain, the only one to have EVER been court martialed for their ship sinking during wartime was just unforgivable. These men survived a trying ordeal and their service let them down. This is a story that will stick with me for quite some time to come and I am very glad to have had the chance to read it.

★★★★★

There is good reason why this audiobook one a 2017 Audie Award for best history/biography audiobook. Mark Boyett competently handled the gravity of the situation as well as the human drama of it. He has an excellent cadence to his narration that gives the listener a perfect understanding of when a new thought is being brought forward, or just a pause in the moment. Boyett seems to typically narrate sci-fi/fantasy novels which probably helps him bring some of the figures from In Harm’s Way to life and pull at the heart-strings during the most dramatic of moments.

You can listen to a sample from the audiobook below:

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

• In the Wake
• Caroline Bookbinder

Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | RJ Julia

Also by Doug Stanton:

Horse Soldiers

Odyssey

Find Doug Stanton: Website | Facebook

Copyright © 2018 by The Maiden’s Court

Audiobook Review: The Prophet and the Witch by James W. George

The Prophet and the Witch by James W. George
Book 2 in My Father’s Kingdom series
Unabridged, 11 hr. 18 min.
James W. George
Angus Freathy (narrator)
January 10, 2018
★★★★☆

Genre: Historical fiction

Source: Received download from author for Audiobookworm Promotions tour

Puritans. Quakers. Pirates. Mohawks. Witches. And a brutal war…

If you thought New England was dull in the 1670s, get ready for a history lesson.

In the critically acclaimed “My Father’s Kingdom,” debut author James W. George transported his readers to 1671 New England, and the world of Reverend Israel Brewster. It was a world of faith, virtue, and love, but it was also a world of treachery, hatred, and murder.
Four years later, Brewster is a disgraced outcast, residing in Providence and working as a humble cooper. Despite his best efforts, war could not be averted, and now, “King Philip’s War” has begun.

The rebellion is led by Metacomet, known as “King Philip” to the English colonists. He is the tormented son of the great Massasoit, and leader of the Wampanoag nation. Once the most reliable of Plymouth Colony’s allies, they are now the bitterest of enemies. Meanwhile, Metacomet’s mysterious counselor, Linto, despises this war and will do anything to end the bloodshed.

Meticulously researched, “The Prophet and the Witch” is a tale of hope and brotherhood in the face of evil and violence. It features the remarkable cast of fictional and historical characters from book one, including Josiah Winslow, Linto, Increase Mather, Constance Wilder, and Jeremiah Barron. Additionally, new characters such as America’s first ranger, Captain Benjamin Church, bring this chapter of history to life like never before.

As with the first novel in this series, I really enjoyed that this series takes on the subject matter of King Phillip’s War. This is an event that is very often overlooked, but very important in the history of early America. Whereas the first novel focused on the early events that led up to the start of the war, this novel deals with the actual war itself. We are witness to battles and strategies (and failures) on both sides and it was interesting to see how the two different sides perceived this war. This book picks up essentially where the prior left off and as it has been a little while since I read it, it did take me a little longer to ease my way back in and reacquaint myself with the events (again since this isn’t a period I am familiar with).

I enjoyed being able to see the characters that we were introduced to in the first novel grow here in the second. Brewster has become very different from his earlier incarnation thanks to his fall from his high place and I always enjoy the scenes with Linto as I find him to be a dynamic character. Religion plays a huge role in the decisions of both sides in this war and George does an excellent job in bringing the reader into the mindset of what was going on at the time. This book addresses much more of the brutality and reality of war during this time: surprise attacks, disfigurement, death, loss of children and loss of innocence among others. I feel that George accurately reflects the perspectives and feelings of the time across his cast of characters – some who would feel sympathetic, others who are vindictive, and those who fall somewhere in between.

There is to be a third book in this series, but I’m not sure what direction it will go because this book felt very resolved (whereas the first book felt open ended). I am interested in seeing where the author takes this next.

★★★★☆

Angus Freathy does a very good job narrating this book. His more subtle British accent lends itself well to the personification of the colonial characters. Freathy creates unique voices for all of his characters which lends itself to their uniqueness and how they stand out as individuals in my mind even looking back on it. I loved that Freathy actually sang the songs that make appearance in the novel rather than simply reading them. While not an excellent singer, his attempt at this made the listening experience feel more full and to what the author would have wanted the reader to experience; I know that I tend to sing songs in my head when I encounter them on the page even when I have no point of reference for the tune. I also liked that they had a female singing a song that they were to have overheard in the church, which was a nice touch.

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

• Literary Titan

Buy the Book: Amazon | Audible

You can check out this audio sample of The Prophet and the Witch below:

Also by James W. George:

My Father’s Kingdom (Book 1)
[My Review]

Find James W. George: Goodreads

Tour-Wide Giveaway

As part of this tour there is a tour-wide giveaway for a $25 Amazon gift card.  It is open through February 21, 2018 and is open internationally.  If there are questions, please contact the tour coordinator.

The Prophet and the Witch Giveaway: $25 Amazon Gift Card

Follow the Tour!

Feb. 15th:

Dab of Darkness Audiobook Reviews

Feb. 16th:

Loves Great Reads

Feb. 17th:

T's Stuff

Feb. 18th:

Jazzy Book Reviews

Feb. 19th:

Book Lovers Life

Feb. 20th:

The Maiden's Court

Feb. 21st:

The Book Addict's Reviews
Booktalk with Eileen

Copyright © 2018 by The Maiden’s Court

Book Review: The Secret Life of Mrs. London by Rebecca Rosenberg & Giveaway

The Secret Life of Mrs. London by Rebecca Rosenberg
e-Book & Paperback; 348 pages
Lake Union Publishing
January 30, 2018
★★★★☆

Genre: Historical Fiction

Source: Received for review with HFVBT tour

San Francisco, 1915. As America teeters on the brink of world war, Charmian and her husband, famed novelist Jack London, wrestle with genius and desire, politics and marital competitiveness. Charmian longs to be viewed as an equal partner who put her own career on hold to support her husband, but Jack doesn’t see it that way…until Charmian is pulled from the audience during a magic show by escape artist Harry Houdini, a man enmeshed in his own complicated marriage. Suddenly, charmed by the attention Houdini pays her and entranced by his sexual magnetism, Charmian’s eyes open to a world of possibilities that could be her escape.

As Charmian grapples with her urge to explore the forbidden, Jack’s increasingly reckless behavior threatens her dedication. Now torn between two of history’s most mysterious and charismatic figures, she must find the courage to forge her own path, even as she fears the loss of everything she holds dear.

I am not very familiar with Jack London; beyond knowing he had written White Fang and Call of the Wild I knew nothing. This is precisely the reason why I didn’t actually put together that the titular character, Mrs. London, was the wife of this author until quite some time after reading the blurb and then setting down to read it. He is just so far off my radar at this point in time.

This is, however, the third or fourth book that I have read from the perspective of a wife of one of the world’s great male authors of the early twentieth century (Hemingway and Fitzgerald previously). As was my prior experience, I find that I don’t like most of the men at all, they all seem to have been perpetually drunk, the women were overshadowed even when they were writers too, and everyone had affairs with everyone else. Jack London appears to fit that mold quite well too.

Rosenberg did an excellent job of illuminating the mood of the pre-war era, the appeal of Socialism, and the atmosphere within which London and his gang moved. I never quite got inside his head, but we do climb right in to the mind and thoughts of Charmian, his second wife. She was a woman who was so passionately in love with Jack and was critical to his writing process and maintaining his legacy after his death, but she was not without her flaws, which made her such an accessible character, even if I had never known she existed before. She was a very complex and rich character and I especially enjoyed her interactions with Bess Houdini, that woman was a hoot!

As has happened in the past when I have read novels on the life of famous authors, it has stirred my interest in reading London’s works and I have even went so far as to check out online the historical park created of his home in California. If nothing else, these novels serve to reignite interest in the original author’s works.

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

• Layered Pages
• Just One More Chapter

Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | RJ Julia

Find Rebecca Rosenberg: Website | Facebook | Book’s Facebook Page | Blog | Goodreads

Giveaway!!!

As part of the tour I have the pleasure to be giving away one paperback copies of The Secret Life of Mrs. London! To enter, please enter via the Rafflecopter app below.  Good luck!

Giveaway Rules

• Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on February 24th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
• Giveaway is open to US residents only (tour rule).
• Only one entry per household.
• All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
• Winner will be notified by email and has 5 days to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the Tour

At HFVBT Website or on Twitter: #TheSecretLifeofMrsLondonBlogTour

Tuesday, January 30
Review at A Bookaholic Swede

Wednesday, January 31
Interview & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Thursday, February 1
Guest Post at Let Them Read Books
Feature at What Is That Book About

Friday, February 2
Review at View from the Birdhouse
Feature at Historical Fiction with Spirit

Monday, February 5
Review at Creating Herstory

Tuesday, February 6
Review at Planting Cabbages

Wednesday, February 7
Review at A Bookish Affair
Review at History From a Woman’s Perspective

Thursday, February 8
Interview at Planting Cabbages

Friday, February 9
Review at Bookish

Sunday, February 11
Review at Carole’s Ramblings

Monday, February 12
Review at Cup of Sensibility

Tuesday, February 13
Review & Giveaway at The Maiden’s Court

Wednesday, February 14
Review at Donna’s Book Blog

Thursday, February 15
Review at Jorie Loves a Story

Friday, February 16
Guest Post at Short Book and Scribes

Monday, February 19
Review at Reading the Past

Tuesday, February 20
Review at The Lit Bitch

Friday, February 23
Review at Pursuing Stacie

Monday, February 26
Review at Back Porchervations

Tuesday, February 27
Guest Post at My Reading Corner

Wednesday, February 28
Review & Giveaway at Suzy Approved Book Reviews

Thursday, March 1
Review at What Cathy Read Next

Friday, March 2
Review at Svetlana’s Reads and Views

Monday, March 5
Review at Caryn, the Book Whisperer

Tuesday, March 6
Review at Bookish Beck

Copyright © 2018 by The Maiden’s Court

Audiobook Review: The Woman in the Camphor Trunk by Jennifer Kincheloe

The Woman in the Camphor Trunk by Jennifer Kincheloe
Book 2 in the Anna Blanc Mystery series
Unabridged, 10 hr. 52 min.
Jennifer L. Kincheloe, Ltd
Moira Quirk (Narrator)
December 6, 2017
★★★★ ½☆

Genre: Historical Mystery/Thriller

Source: Received audio download for review as part of the tour with Audiobookworm Productions

Los Angeles, 1908. In Chinatown, the most dangerous beat in Los Angeles, police matron Anna Blanc and her former sweetheart, Detective Joe Singer, discover the body of a white missionary woman, stuffed in a trunk in the apartment of her Chinese lover. Her lover has fled. If news gets out that a white woman was murdered in Chinatown, there will be a violent backlash against the Chinese. Joe and Anna plan to solve the crime quietly and keep the death a secret. So does good-looking Mr. Jones, a prominent Chinese leader who has mixed feelings about helping the LAPD and about Anna.
Meanwhile, the Hop Sing tong has kidnapped two slave girls from the Bing Kong tong, fuelling existing tensions. They are poised on the verge of a bloody tong war that would put all Chinatown residents in danger.

Joe orders Anna out of Chinatown to keep her safe, but to atone for her own family's sins, Anna must stay to solve the crime before news of the murder is leaked and Chinatown explodes.

Oh dear Anna Blanc, how you get yourself into even bigger scrapes in this book than you did before! One might have thought you would have learned something…but it is just as hilarious, so keep bringing it. That is one thing that I have to mention – while this book is a historical mystery and sometimes thriller, there is so much comedy in the writing and dialogue that it keeps me listening hour after hour!

Book 2 picks up just a short time after the culminating events of the previous installment – Anna is figuring out even more how to navigate the working class world on her own, without her father’s money. But what she lacks in know-how she makes up for in spirit! As she gets herself wrapped up in a case of kidnapped Chinese women and a simmering war in Chinatown, she continuously bests the “real” cops is solving the crime. She knows a little more about the seedy world than she did before, but Chinatown is WAY out of her experience zone, so she is constantly playing catch-up. Through this storyline the author explores many Chinese customs as well as the barriers and stereotypes that the Chinese faced at this time.

I still loved Joe Singer and Anna’s relationship – that push-pull is there no matter how much they fight it, avoid it, and move on, but they are still SO hung up on each other that their working together is HILARIOUS. I loved the scene where Joe is in jail and Anna is intent on taking on solving this crime herself – he is having NONE of it! They are from such different worlds and really want different things in life, but something keeps pulling them back together and some of their best scenes are when they are looking out for each other.

The plot was pretty tight and covered A LOT of ground. There were a couple spots in the middle where I felt we didn’t need to be off on this tangent (while still relevant), but the banter and relationship growth moved me quickly through it enough that I don’t feel that it much affected my enjoyment of the novel. I would pick up another installment in a heartbeat! There is still so much unresolved!

★★★★★

Much like the first book, this was one of THE best audio productions I have listened to. It is excellently narrated. Moira Quirk is someone that would now lead me to pick up a book I’m not even interested in because she could interest me in it through her performance (believe me, I have already went and shelved a few of her other works in my Audible wishlist that are paranormal in genre, which isn’t my typical thing). And a performance it truly is. Quirk doesn’t just read the novel, but imbues Kincheloe’s characters with even more life. As I stated above, Kincheloe wrote some amazing characters that I loved, but Quirk brings out their complete nature to where you feel like they are standing in the room next to you. Yes, each character has their own unique voice, but many narrators do that. However, Quirk not only brings a different voice, but you can envision their mannerisms as well just from the way they are speaking. I’m not sure how she does this, but whatever it is, keep doing it! There is quite the range of nationalities and type of personalities in this novel and Quirk makes them all feel truly real, not cookie cutter or stereotyped. And there is singing! Actual singing! That is one of the things that always disappoints me is when a part that is clearly intended to be sung is instead simply read. And while I know that there are often legitimate reasons this has to be done, it does take away from the experience of the book and colors my perception of it.

Loved the book, loved the production, loved the narrator! Go pick up this book in print (if you don’t listen to books), but I HIGHLY encourage you to check out this audiobook production, it is FANTASTIC and you will not regret it!

You can check out a sample of the audio production by clicking the play button below.

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

• The Lit Bitch
• The Internet Review of Books

Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | RJ Julia

Also by Jennifer Kincheloe:

The Secret Life of Anna Blanc (Book #1)
[My Review]

Find Jennifer Kincheloe: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

Find Moira Quirk: Website⎮Twitter⎮Facebook

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