Code Name Helene [Book Review] #ThrowBackThursday

March 17, 2022

Code Name Hélène by Ariel Lawhon
#throwbackthursday

Genre/Categories/Setting: Biographical Historical Fiction, World War 11, French Resistance Movement, France

Welcome to Throwback Thursday where I highlight an older review or post a current review of an old read. Today, I’m re-sharing suspenseful, page-turning historical fiction, Code Name Hélène by Ariel Lawhon.

I’m linking up today with Davida @ The Chocolate Lady’s Book Review Blog for #throwbackthursday.

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

My Summary:

Told in multiple timelines, Code Name Hélène is the thrilling and intense story of real-life socialite spy, Nancy Wake. Helene is only one of her four code names. When Nancy Wake first meets the love of her life, wealthy Henri Fiocca, in 1936, she is a freelance reporter and an Australian ex-pat living in Paris. As the Germans invade France, she begins her spy career by using her socialite status to smuggle documents and people across borders. Eventually, she is forced to escape France and leave Henri behind. At this time she is trained for Special Operations by the British and returns to France to work in the French Resistance Movement. Known for her innovative thinking and leadership, profanity, and red lipstick, she secures weapons from the allied forces for the French Resistance fighters. This is complicated because she is also a hunted woman with a bounty on her head.”

Real-life socialite spy, Nancy Wake….

Image Source: Wikipedia

Fast-paced, suspenseful, and gritty historical fiction…

Continue here for my full review of Code Name Hélène..

QOTD:

Have you read Code Name Hélène or is it on your TBR?

Sisters of Night and Fog [Book Review] #WomensHistoryMonth

March 1, 2022

Sisters of Night and Fog by Erika Robuck

Genre/Categories: Historical Fiction, WW11, Europe, Biographical, Espionage, Resistance

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

My Summary:

Thanks #NetGalley @BerkleyPub for a complimentary eARC of #TheSistersOfNightAndFog upon my request. All opinions are my own.

An American socialite in France meets a British secret agent…..

Sisters of Night and Fog is the story of two real life, brave young women who join the Resistance Movement during WW11. Virginia d’Albert-Lake is married and lives in France, and adventure-seeking, nineteen-year-old Violette Szabo is a French citizen but lives in England. Because Violette is an expert with firearms and has dual citizenship, she is recruited by Britain’s secretive Special Operations organization. The two women eventually meet at Ravensbruck concentration camp.

Virginia and Violette

My Thoughts:

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The Winemaker’s Wife [Book Review] #ThrowBackThursday

January 27, 2022

The Winemaker’s Wife by Kristin Harmel
#throwbackthursday

Genre/Categories/Setting: Historical Fiction/Women’s Fiction, WW11, Wine Making, French Resistance Movement, France

In 2020, I decided to systematically revisit my older review posts and update them. On Thursdays, I’ll be re-sharing a few of these great reads. Today, I’m re-sharing a pageturning story, The Winemaker’s Wife by Kristin Harmel.

I’m linking up today with Davida @ The Chocolate Lady’s Book Review Blog for #throwbackthursday.

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

My Summary:

“Told from multiple perspectives and in a past and present timeline, The Winemaker’s Wife is a story of secrets, survival, guilt, and love.

Through the perspectives of Inès and Céline, we experience the intrigue of their daily lives before and during the German invasion of France during WW11; we learn details of the champagne production at the (fictional) Maison Chauveau in northern France near the city of Reims; and we also hear a little about the French resistance (hiding munitions and Jews). An alternate present-day timeline shares the story of Liv who is mysteriously whisked away from her home in New York to France by her eccentric grandmother. There are secrets from the past to be revealed.”

…secrets, survival, guilt, and love…

Continue here for my full review of The Winemaker’s Wife…

QOTD:

Have you read The Winemaker’s Wife or is it on your TBR?

The Postmistress of Paris [Book Review]

November 30, 2021

The Postmistress of Paris by Meg Waite Clayton

Genre/Categories/Setting: Historical Fiction, Reisistance Movement, France, Art

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

My Summary:

Thanks #NetGalley @HarperCollins @HarperBooks for a complimentary eARC of #ThePostMistressOfParis upon my request. All opinions are my own.

The Postmistress of Paris is the story of a young American heiress, Nanee (inspired by real life Mary Jayne Gold), who helps artists and intellectuals escape from Nazi-controlled Europe. Free-spirited Nanee lives in Paris when the war breaks out, but she soon relocates to Southern France and joins the Resistance Movement. Nanee works with American journalist Varian Fry and delivers information to those in hiding, helps to house the hunted, and occasionally participates in bringing them to safety.

My Thoughts:

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Daughters of War [Book Review]

November 15, 2021

Daughters of War by Dinah Jefferies

Genre/Categories/Setting: WW11 Historical Fiction, France, Sisters, Family Drama

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

My Summary:

Thanks #NetGalley #HarperCollins @HarperCollins360 @Harper360 for a complimentary eARC of #DaughtersOfWar upon my request. All opinions are my own.

In 1944, three sisters live together in an old cottage as they wait out the war. Their father died and their mother is living in England. The oldest, Helene, works as a nurse for a local doctor and takes responsibility for her younger sisters. The middle sister, Elise, operates a small cafe in the village and is committed to working with the Reisistance despite the danger. The youngest sister, Florence, prepares the meals, works in the garden, and is artistic. As the war comes to their doorstep, the sisters take more risks as they fight to survive in their own ways.

My Thoughts:

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Ribbons of Scarlet: A Novel of the French Revolution’s Women [Book Review] #ThrowBackThursday

November 11, 2021

Ribbons of Scarlet by Kate Quinn et al.
#throwbackthursday

Genre/Categories/Setting: Historical Fiction, French Revolution, France

In 2020, I decided to systematically revisit my older review posts and update them. On Thursdays, I’ll be re-sharing a few of these great reads. Today, I’m re-sharing a compelling story of several women of the French Revolution, Ribbons of Scarlet by Kate Quinn.

I’m linking up today with Davida @ The Chocolate Lady’s Book Review Blog for #throwbackthursday.

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

My Summary:

“Six masterful storytellers collaborate to share the experiences of seven unforgettable women of The French Revolution. During the Revolution, these courageous and determined women felt compelled to speak up and exert their influence wherever they could. Even though these are six separate stories, passionate convictions and ideas connect them.”

Liberty! Equality! Fraternity!

Continue here for my full review of Ribbons of Scarlet…

QOTD:

Have you read Ribbons of Scarlet or is it on your TBR?

The Women of Chateau Lafayette [Book Review]

March 30, 2021

The Women of Chateau Lafayette by Stephanie Dray

Genre/Categories: Historical Fiction (French Revolution, WW1, WW11), France, Women, Biographical

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Summary:

Thanks #NetGalley @BerkleyPub #BerkleyWritesStrongWomen #BerkleyBuddyReads for my complimentary e ARC of #TheWomenOfChateauLafayette for review. All opinions are my own.

A real castle in France, Chateau Lafayette, connects three women: noblewoman Adrienne Lafayette (wife of Gilbert Lafayette); New York socialite and actress Beatrice Astor Chanler; and French school teacher, aspiring artist, and orphan Marthe Simone. After having been the home of the Lafayette’s, the castle became a refuge for orphan children during two world wars.

Chateau Lafayette (Source: Wikipedia)

My Thoughts:

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The Invisible Woman [Book Review]

February 9, 2021

The Invisible Woman by Erika Robuck

Genre/Categories: Historical Fiction, WW11, Resistance Movement

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Thank you, #NetGalley @BerkleyPub #BerkleyWritesStrongWomen #BerkleyBuddyReads for my complimentary e ARC of #TheInvisibleWoman upon my request. All opinions are my own.

The Invisible Woman is based on the true story of Virginia Hall who trades in a safe life to work as an Allied Spy with the Resistance Movement in France during World War 11. Her first operation ended in betrayal, so now she’s more determined than ever to prove herself, to protect the people she recruits, and to help the Resistance prepare for D-Day. Despite her painful foot prosthetic (nicknamed Cuthbert) and episodes of PTSD, Virginia is determined, brave, cunning, and committed.

Virginia Hall as a wireless operator in WW11.

Virginia Hall receives the Distinguished Service Cross in 1945.

My Thoughts:

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The Paris Library [Book Review]

February 8, 2021

The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles

Genre/Categories: WW11, Historical Fiction, Paris, Books About Books

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

My Summary:

Resistance in a silent and unlikely place…the importance of books…

Thank you, #NetGalley @AtriaBooks for a complimentary e ARC of #TheParisLibrary upon my request in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Paris Library is a dual timeline story of family, friendship, resistance, romance, betrayal, heroism, bravery, and books. In 1939, idealistic, courageous, and ambitious Odile Souchet works at the American Library in Paris when the Nazis arrive. Odile and the other librarians negotiate to keep the library open so they can protect the books and also make secret deliveries to their Jewish patrons. In 1983, Lily, a lonely teenager living in Montana, befriends a mysterious and reclusive, elderly, French neighbor woman and discovers they have a great deal in common.

American Library in Paris Image Source: Wikipedia

My Thoughts:

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Paris Never Leaves You [Book Review] #blogtour

August 4, 2020

Paris Never Leaves You by Ellen Feldman

Genre/Categories: Historical Fiction, WW11, France

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Welcome to my stop on the Blog Tour celebrating the release of #parisneverleavesyou by Ellen Feldman. Thanks, Maria Vitale, #stmartinspress, and #netgalley for a complimentary e ARC. All opinions in this review are my own.

Summary:

Survivor’s guilt ….

Charlotte, a young French widow, lives through WW11 while working in a Paris bookstore with her friend, Simone. Charlotte has an eighteen-month-old daughter which she brings to the shop with her. Conditions are difficult: food is rationed, the food lines are long, the possibility of stocking banned books is worrisome, and the German soldiers are intimidating. Charlotte makes decisions that allow her to survive but these decisions haunt her long after she has escaped Paris and left the war years behind. Told in dual timelines, the story alternates between the war years and Charlotte’s current life in New York City (the 1950s). She keeps many secrets because she still fears being charged as a collaborator as a result of the decisions she made to survive. In addition to her fears, she also experiences survivor’s guilt as she remembers her past. Paris never leaves you.

My Thoughts:

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Code Name Hélène by Ariel Lawhon#throwbackthursday

My Summary:

Continue here for my full review of Code Name Hélène..

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The Winemaker’s Wife by Kristin Harmel #throwbackthursday

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Ribbons of Scarlet by Kate Quinn et al. #throwbackthursday

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Code Name Hélène by Ariel Lawhon
#throwbackthursday

The Winemaker’s Wife by Kristin Harmel
#throwbackthursday

Ribbons of Scarlet by Kate Quinn et al.
#throwbackthursday