World War II Archives - Novel Visits

The Yellow Bird Sings by Jennifer Rosner | Review

Susie — Thu, 05 Mar 2020 13:45:08 +0000

The Yellow Bird Sings by Jennifer Rosner (debut)
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Release Date: March 3, 2020
Length: 304 pages
Amazon

{A Bit of Backstory}

Single Sentence Summary

In the midst of WWII, Róża takes her 5-year old daughter, Shira, and flees their home trying to find any way possible to save Shira and herself from almost certain death….

The post The Yellow Bird Sings by Jennifer Rosner | Review appeared first on Novel Visits.

Clearing the Shelves for February 2019 | Mini-Reviews

Susie — Thu, 28 Feb 2019 11:00:01 +0000

February has turned out to be an absolutely stellar reading month for me. I liked almost all the books I read and reviewed three that will definitely be in the running for my Best Books of 2019.

The Age of Light by Whitney Sharer (my review)
The Last Romantics by Tara Conklin (my review)
Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid (my review)

As the month comes to an end, my February shelf still has three books I’ve not reviewed, so today I’m clearing that shelf off with some mini-reviews….

The post Clearing the Shelves for February 2019 | Mini-Reviews appeared first on Novel Visits.

Mini-Reviews: Transcription by Kate Atkinson and The Caregiver by Samuel Park

Susie — Thu, 27 Sep 2018 10:00:40 +0000

The only thing better than falling into a book you love, is falling into a book you love that you’ve ALSO been eagerly awaiting. I thought Transcription by Kate Atkinson and The Caregiver by Samuel Park would be two such books. Sadly, for me they were not. Instead, both were SKIMWORTHY. (Yes, I can make up words. It’s my blog!)

Unfortunately, skimming is more or less a book’s kiss of death for me. It’s what puts a book in no man’s land. A skimworthy book falls in that bleak, gray area between ones I simply can’t finish and those I’m fully invested in. A skimworthy book has parts that are intriguing, but not enough to keep me reading every word, and so the skimming begins. Today, I’m sharing my two most recent skimworthy reads….

The post Mini-Reviews: Transcription by Kate Atkinson and The Caregiver by Samuel Park appeared first on Novel Visits.

Love and Ruin by Paula McLain | Review

Susie — Thu, 03 May 2018 10:00:45 +0000

Love and Ruin by Paula McLain
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Release Date: May 1, 2018
Length: 400 pages
Amazon

{A Bit of Backstory}

Single Sentence Summary

Martha Gellhorn and Ernest Hemingway, both writers, both journalists, sharing the same dreams, competing with one and other even as they fell in love….

The post Love and Ruin by Paula McLain | Review appeared first on Novel Visits.

Books I Loved, but Will Never Read Again | More

Susie — Tue, 10 Apr 2018 10:00:18 +0000

I’m not one to do much rereading of books, even ones I loved. Still back in February, I reflected on 10 Books I’d Like to Read Again for a Top Ten Tuesday Post. Today’s theme (hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl) is a bit of the opposite: books I loved, but know in my heart I’ll never read again. This list was much harder to cull because for me, loving a book in no way ensures that I’d ever have any desire to read it again. So, today I share twelve, but that list could really be so much longer!

…

The post Books I Loved, but Will Never Read Again | More appeared first on Novel Visits.

Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan | Review

Susie — Fri, 06 Oct 2017 10:00:41 +0000

Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
Publisher: Scribner
Release Date: October 3, 2017
Length: 448 pages
Buy on Amazon

{A Bit of Backstory}

Single Sentence Summary

In the midst of WWII, Anna Kerrigan crosses paths with Dexter Styles, bringing back far-off memories of a meeting between her long-vanished father and Styles….

The post Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan | Review appeared first on Novel Visits.

The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck | Review

Susie — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 10:00:34 +0000

The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck
Publisher: William Morrow
Release Date: March 28, 2017
Length: 368 pages
Buy on Amazon

Single Sentence Summary: Three German women, left widows by the cruelties of WWII in their own country, form tenuous friendships while living together in a crumbling Bavarian castle.

Primary Characters: Marianne von Lingenfels – Wealthy widow to a key player in the German Resistance, Marianne has vowed to help the widows of other Resistance members. Benita – The beautiful, but naïve young widow of Marianne’s best friend Connie, a prominent player in the plot to take down Hitler. Ania – The hardworking, secretive wife of another member of the Resistance….

The post The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck | Review appeared first on Novel Visits.

It’s Monday! What are you reading? 4/3/17 | More

Susie — Mon, 03 Apr 2017 10:00:03 +0000

Hosted by Kathryn at Book Date

This has been such a nice weekend. We’ve finally had a couple days that actually feel like spring, and it’s amazing what a day or two of sunshine does for your mood. I celebrated with a pedicure The forecast is looking good for Monday, so I may even get to show it off. I’ve had a bit of an up and down reading week, but landed in such an unexpected, amazing place, that I can hardly wait to share it!

Last Week’s Reads

I’ve been on a pretty good role with books and Marlena by Julie Buntin was no exception. I thoroughly enjoyed this gritty coming-of-age story about two girls, one wild and experienced, the other vulnerable and ripe for change. Told with the distance and compassion of twenty years later, this debut may be one of the best for 2017. (Review later this week.) …

The post It’s Monday! What are you reading? 4/3/17 | More appeared first on Novel Visits.

We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter | Review

Susie — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 11:00:02 +0000

We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter (debut)
Publisher: Viking
Release Date: February 14, 2017
Length: 416 pages
Buy on Amazon

Single Sentence Summary: As World War II ravages Poland from Germany in the east and Russia in the west, the Kurcs, a large, very close Jewish family, try to survive by any means possible….

The post We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter | Review appeared first on Novel Visits.

Favorite World War II Novels | Review

Susie — Wed, 07 Dec 2016 11:00:43 +0000

Today is the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the shocking event that finally sparked the United States to join with the Allies in World War II. Somehow I went through school learning very little about WWII. I learned the basic outline of the war, but little more. The details, the true horrors of WWII I have learned from great writing. Over time, I’ve become a huge fan of novels centered on WWII and today I’m sharing my favorites.

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr – This Pulitzer Prize winning novel tells the stories of a blind French girl and a young German soldier who cross paths in occupied Saint-Malo. All the Light We Cannot See is truly a beautifully told story that highlights the humanity found in these two very different people….

The post Favorite World War II Novels | Review appeared first on Novel Visits.