Tag: historical

This Chick Read: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer

I listened to this audio book and was immediately immersed in all of these characters individual stories. Told through a series of letters, we really get a feel for the era, post World War II, and the city of London. The inhabitants of that city struggling to begin their lives again after living through the atrocities of war. Juliet, who the novel revolves around, is a writer and had a very successful column in the paper under a pen name, about a soldier at the front. As she begins her life after the war, she is struggling to find a subject to write about when she receives a letter from a man on the island of Guernsey in the Channel Islands, off the coast of England. This letter starts a pen pal relationship with him and his impromptu book club named the Guernsey Literary Potatoe Peel Pie Society and ultimately an idea for a novel. Continue reading “This Chick Read: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer” →

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads9 Comments

This Chick Read: The Night Mark by Tiffany Reisz #Giveaway

Faye Barlow has lived in agony since the death of her beloved husband Will four years ago. Faye takes a photography job in Beaufort, South Carolina as a refuge from a failed marriage to Will’s best friend and to continue to grieve Will. As she travels around Beaufort taking pictures of landmarks, she see’s a wrecked lighthouse and is intrigued by its story. When she goes to the library to research it, she notices a picture of its caretaker who is the mirror image of her husband Will. She learns of the story about Bride Island Lighthouse, the legend of the Lady of the Light and the inhabitants who lived on the island. She goes out to the lighthouse for a closer look and has her feet swept out from under her by a wave, and comes out of the water in 1921 face to face with what looks to be her husband.

This was a lovingly told story of a woman who survives loss and finds love again in 1921. An era that was pre World War II, pre depression, during prohibition, before pre Civil Rights, and before women have the right to vote. Women are only slightly better than property to their husbands and modern day Faye is an anomaly in that time. The fish out of water parts of this book were both eye opening and fun to read, but her struggles to milk a goat paled in comparison to her education of how black people were treated at that time.

Her growing feelings for Carrick were clouded by his looking like her dead husband. In addition to overcoming that obstacle, Faye is Faith, a runaway abused wife of one of Carricks Navy buddies. There were a lot of obstacles to this love story and intricacies to the plot that made the ending very satisfactory and moving.  ❤️❤️❤️❤️

GIVEAWAY- Win a signed copy of The Night Mark! (US only) EXPIRES 5/25/17

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Click the link to purchase! The Night Mark: A Novel

Copyright 2017 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads2 Comments

This Chick Read: Like a River Glorious (Gold Seer Trilogy #2) by Rae Carson

Lee Westfall, the heroine of the Gold Seer Trilogy, has settled with the folks she’d journeyed cross country in a settlement called Glorious. Her best friend Jefferson is still by her side trying to win her heart. This book tells the story of a much more empowered young woman than we saw in Walk on Earth a Stranger. Continue reading “This Chick Read: Like a River Glorious (Gold Seer Trilogy #2) by Rae Carson” →

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: Let It Shine by Alyssa Cole

Let it Shine is an interracial historical romance novella that takes place during the Civil Rights movement in 1961.  It is effectively told from two perspectives, Sofronia, the young African American heroine, and Ivan, her Jewish love interest.  Sofronia and Ivan meet again, after not seeing each other since childhood.  Her mother was a maid in the Friedman’s house, and Sofie and Ivan used to play together as children.  After her mother’s death, one that shapes both of their lives, they don’t see each other until they meet by chance at a meeting organizing non violent protests. Continue reading “This Chick Read: Let It Shine by Alyssa Cole” →

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: Walk on Earth a Stranger (Gold Seer Trilogy #1) by Rae Carson

This novel is a tough one to categorize.  It is definitely a Young Adult novel, but does not fall completely in the fantasy category as the title would lead you to believe.  Although, this first book sets us up for a great future fantasy series, Walk on Earth a Stranger read as more of a historical novel.  It takes place during the Gold Rush, when hopeful men and women made the trek across country, led by stories of golden nuggets just sitting on the ground waiting to be picked up.  I grew up in California, and this part of its history has always fascinated me.  I am also a fan of fantasy and was interested to see how Rae Carson was going to mix these two genres together. Continue reading “This Chick Read: Walk on Earth a Stranger (Gold Seer Trilogy #1) by Rae Carson” →

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads1 Comment

This Chick Read: Destined for a King: Bastard Brotherhood by Ashlyn Macnamara

Destined for a King is a historical romance combined with an earthy mythology reminiscent of an Arthurian tale.  Calista Thorne, the daughter of Blackbriar Keep, has been told her whole life that her destiny is to be married to a king, and in fact she is promised to one.  When Blackbriar Keep is set upon by a band of warriors intent on taking over, she picks up a bow and arrow and unbeknownst to her, shoots their leader, Torch, with a poisoned arrow.  When he comes down with a mysterious illness, she must heal him, or her father will be killed. Continue reading “This Chick Read: Destined for a King: Bastard Brotherhood by Ashlyn Macnamara” →

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: Marrying Winterborne by Lisa Kleypas

Rhys Winterborne, born in Wales and raised in the labor class, has taken his family’s grocer business and grown it into the most successful department store in London.  He meets Lady Helen Ravenal while visiting her brother on his estate where she nurses him back to health after an accident.  He decides she’s the one for him and they become engaged.  This premise sounds pretty normal, right?  I thought so too, but was surprised at a couple things that made this novel original. Continue reading “This Chick Read: Marrying Winterborne by Lisa Kleypas” →

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads1 Comment

This Chick Read: Beauty and the Clockwork Beast by Nancy Campbell Allen

Beauty and the Clockwork Beast is a paranormal steampunk novel.  We are introduced to Lucy Pickett as she travels by dirigible to visit her newly married cousin Kate.  Kate was swept off her feet by the younger brother of the Lord of the Manor, and has written to Lucy about her mysterious illness.  Lucy, a botanist, rushes to her side.  What she finds is more than a mysterious illness.  She encounters a ghost who seems to be trying to deliver a message to her and an irritable, yet handsome Lord who needs her help.  This steampunk version of England where humans exist alongside mechanical beings, vampires and werewolves was fascinating, and the mystery well written.   Continue reading “This Chick Read: Beauty and the Clockwork Beast by Nancy Campbell Allen” →

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads1 Comment

This Chick Read: My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows

My Lady Jane tells a fictional tale of Lady Jane Grey, in history crowned Queen of England for little more than a week, before being beheaded.  These three authors tell a rather different story, using some historical facts such as being crowned Queen, but then veering into fantasy to rewrite Janes’s future, or rather her past, into a happy ending.  This young adult novel was a refreshing change from other fantasy-adventure tales in the genre.  The dialog is filled with satire and humor, some of which is very modern, and told with a sly wink. Continue reading “This Chick Read: My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows” →

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads2 Comments

Interview : Ashley E Sweeney author of Eliza Waite

img_0300
I am very excited to have had the chance to interview the author of Eliza Waite, a book that I had previously reviewed and enjoyed.  Click here to read my review of Eliza Waite.

 
Me: Hi Ms. Sweeney, thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to interview you about the release of your new novel Eliza Waite. When I read your bio on your website, ashleyesweeney.com, I was not surprised that you had a journalism background because of how descriptive you wrote Eliza’s journey. That must have taken an incredible amount of research. How long did it take you to prepare yourself to write about Eliza and her life in three such disparate settings? Continue reading “Interview : Ashley E Sweeney author of Eliza Waite” →

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads6 Comments