The Lost Wife

Before WWII breaks out, Lenka is an art student living in Prague. She falls in love with a man named Josef, and they quickly marry. Then, just as the war tears the world apart, it also separates these two lovers. Lenka is lead to believe that Josef has died on a ship. Josef believes that Lenka died in the concentration camp that she was sent to. Each one carries on with life after the war with a broken heart. Then, decades later, they unexpectedly meet one another again. 'The Lost Wife' by Alyson Richman, is a novel about first love, human endurance, and the tragedies that wars leave in their wake. 

This novel is a beautiful, tragic love story. You find yourself mourning the lives that could have been lived if only a few moments in time had happened differently. You can feel the characters heartache, their resilience, and their undying hope for a better future. And once again, like so many novels I have read before, you experience the dreadful events that took place within the awful concentration camps of WWII. This book brought forth so many emotions within me, and any book that can do that, is definitely worth reading again and again. 

The Lady of the Lakes

Walter Scott is a passionate writer who loves his homeland of Scotland almost as much as he loves literature. He is also madly in love with a girl by the name of Mina Stuart, whom he has written love letters to for quite some time. Mina loves literature as well but she is not fully convinced in her love for Walter. While his letters are flattering and exciting, she worries that he is a class below hers and wonders if she can live a life out of the lap of luxury. When the dashing William Forbes moves into town, Mina feels drawn to him but worries that she will make the wrong choice in who to choose.

Meanwhile, Charlotte Carpenter is trying to find joy in her solitary life. As a French Catholic living in London, suiters are hard to come by, especially because her family history is shaded by scandal. Charlotte secretly wishes someone could love her, but at age 26, it is highly unlikely of that ever happening.

Josi Kilpack delivers another riveting proper romance novel in 'The Lady of the Lakes'.  It is a love story with love triangles, scandal, passion, and misplaced hope. It also happens to be a true love story based off of Sir Walter Scott's humble beginnings and his thorny pathway to finding his one true love, other then writing and Scotland that is. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and it will definitely be a story that I can read again and again and never grow tired of it. 

Two Girls of Gettysburg

Lizzie and Rosanna are cousins, and even though they are polar opposite in personality, they are best friends as well. However their friendship is challenged when the Civil War breaks out. Rosanna is from a southern state and thinks she is madly in love with a rebel soldier. Lizzie is much more of a conservative mind and is sometimes shocked by Rosanna's wild spirit. When her own father and brother head off to war, Lizzie becomes very agitated that Rosanna won't choose a side to be on, and secretly fears that Rosanna believes in the south's cause. Not only has the Civil War ripped these cousin's country apart, it is tearing their family apart as well.

'Two Girls of Gettysburg' is the first book I have ever read that takes place during the Civil War. It was fascinating to me to get to peak into the lives of the people of this time period. I can't imagine what it would be like to literally have a war going on in your front yard. This must have been such a terrible time for our country, because every death, every drop of blood shed, was an American. The "enemy" of today may have been the friend of yesterday. You simply can't learn the emotion of history from a history book that's full of dates and facts. That's why I love historical fiction. It's the only way for me to really connect with the people. If you love American history then you will love this book!

The Nightingale

Vianne and Isabelle are two sisters who are complete opposites. Vianne is a wife and mother living in the quiet village of Carriveau. Isabelle is a rebellious 18 year old living in Paris. When WWII begins, Vianne has to send her husband off to war. When the Nazi's occupy France Vianne is forced to share her home with a Nazi commander. Vianne has to make one difficult choice after another to attain her one and only goal; keep herself and her daughter alive, which is extremely difficult when her every move is being watched by the enemy.

While Isabelle is forced is evacuate Paris while the Germans bomb the city, she falls deeply in love with Gaetan, a Frenchman who believes they can win the war by fighting the Germans within their occupied country. When Gatean abandons Isabelle, she rashly throws herself into the French rebellion, where one wrong move could get her killed. 

'The Nightingale', by Kristin Hannah, taught me so much about what life was like living in occupied France. While most of the men who went off to war end up in P.O.W. camps, the women that were left behind had no money, no protection, not enough food, and very little hope. They were also women with true grit and a strong will to survive. Each women was left to quietly fight the Nazis in their own way, truly helping in the war effort. 

High Achiever

Tiffany Jenkins is a comedian in her videos on Facebook and a mommy blogger. She is also a recovering drug addict who is open and honest about her experiences. In her book, 'High Achiever' she shows you exactly what detoxing in a jail cell looks like, how addiction can start with just one pill, one time, and how addiction can ruin your relationships with every single person you ever cared about. Tiffany bravely shares her story of how she hit rock bottom, and then climbed out of her personal hell by 
surviving one traumatizing event after another. She discusses rehab, healing, and hope. Although her story is dark, her humor is not. She literally turned her life around with comedy and honesty.

Confession, I am an extreme hater of the F-bomb. I might swear a little but that word is a big no-no around me. I don't allow it in my house, I don't watch shows that say it too much, basically, I am kind of a prude when it comes to that word. Is prude the right word? Probably not but you get my point. So having said that, you might be surprised to find that the dreaded F-bomb is found on pretty much every single page of this book, sometimes multiple times on each page. Usually when I hit the second or third F-word in a book I just close it and toss it, but I really wanted to read her book. So I persisted for two reasons, #1 -  I really, really like her and have a ton of respect for what she has done with her life and #2 - the language definitely fits into the story line and the setting. It's not a random bomb simply for the shock factor like some books and movies do, it is legitimately the language being used by the characters in the book. So once I got over the language, I really loved this book. It honestly opened my eyes to the black world of addiction and I feel like I have a much better understanding of it now. I also feel a lot less critical and judgey, and a lot more empathetic, to drug addicts. Pulling yourself out of an addiction like that makes you a hero in my book! It takes a real badass to be able to do that! Much love an respect to anyone who has to overcome. Every. Single. Day. 

#IMomSoHard

Have you seen the hilarious videos of the team #IMomSoHard on Facebook? They crack me up and really hit home on what the parenting thing really looks like. They use humor to discuss some of the more messier parts of parenting and womanhood. I especially liked their bathing suit video - I don't even know how many times I have watched that one - it makes me laugh so hard I end up in tears. The women of the videos, Jen Smedley and Kristin Hensley, wrote a book that carries on with their wisdom and humor of their videos. You also get to learn more about their childhood in the Midwest, their college years, and how they met and married their spouses. The book is all about "keeping it real" with no sugar coating. I honestly just love these women and wish that I could be best friends with them! It is my goal one day to go to one of their shows on their comedy tours, but for now I will just keep laughing and enjoying their videos. If you don't follow these ladies on #IMomSoHard then do it, do it right now!

The Body Reader

'The Body Reader' by Ann Frasier is about a homicide detective, Jude Fontaine, who has been living in captivity for the last three years. After she escapes from her kidnapper, the people who are closest to her question her sanity when she wants to return to her former career. However, having three years to read her captors face and movements, she is an expert at reading body language of both the living and the dead. Her new partner, Detective Uriah Ashby, is less then thrilled to be working with her, thinking she may have a psychotic meltdown at any moment. However, there is a madman on the loose in the city, killing young girls, and it is up to them to be a team and track him down.

This was an intense read, definitely a page turner! I liked the depth of the storyline, with each character having their own secrets, own agendas. The plot keeps you guessing and wanting more. Although it wasn't my favorite murder mystery book, it was really good and if you like that genre then you will like this book.

The Child Finder

'The Child Finder' by Rene Denfeld is the story of a private investigator named Naomi, who has a knack for finding the missing and the lost. She is hired by the Culvers whose daughter, Madison, went missing three years ago while they were picking out a Christmas tree in the Oregon forest. Naomi is their last hope to finding their daughter, but after three years, the outlook doesn't look good. This case takes Naomi deep into the cold Oregon forest in a search for a little girl, with no leads to where she went or who took her. While she is searching for Madison, Naomi's own past is trying to break through her defenses. She has blocked out her past and can not remember how she herself became a "lost child". 

This book is nothing short of riveting. It had me guessing until the very end. It also struck my "mommy heart" to the very core. I can't imagine losing a child and after reading this book I am now hyper aware of the dangers that exist in this crazy, cruel, messed up world. However this book contains a lot of hope and love and endurance. It shows the strength that a human spirit can hold. I really loved this book and can not wait to read the next one!

Daisies and Devotion

In the second novel of the Mayfield Family series by Josi Killpack, titled 'Daisies and Devotion', Timothy Mayfield is ready to find a wife. He wishes to marry for love, but his finances are low and he knows that he must marry for wealth as well. When he suddenly comes into a fortune, his dreams of marrying his "perfect women" are now within his grasp. He has a very long list of what his future wife must look like, and how she must act.

Timothy's dear friend, Maryann Morrington, is a very wealthy women, who is tired of men chasing after her for her fortune. At age 22 she can't really afford to be picky, but finding her match seems impossible. Timothy and Maryann decide to team up to find each other's life long companions. Maryann tries convincing Timothy that his ideal women is a fantasy, but then a certain Miss Shaw, comes to London, and all of a sudden Timothy's dream becomes reality. Maryann tries to be happy for her friend, but she is battling intense emotions of her own, and is worried that she will never marry but become a spinster.

I really enjoyed this book. I didn't think it was as good as the first one, but it was another proper romance novel that I liked reading. I especially loved the "realness" of  Maryann and Timothy. Their flaws and little quirks really made me fall in love with the characters. Josi Kilpack has definitely become one of my favorite authors and I can not wait for the next book in the Mayfield Family series.

A Night Divided

Okay, so I must admit, I hardly knew anything about The Berlin Wall. I remember learning about the fall of it in school, but I honestly had no idea how affected the German people were by the wall. I kind of felt like an idiot reading this book. How did I not know more about this? I studied WWII extensively in school, I've read a ton of WWII historical fiction books, but somehow, in all of that, I never knew the devastating facts about how this wall tore a country apart. This novel was so eye opening for me. This is exactly why I love historical fiction so much. It gives me a chance to really FEEL history, to be a part of it, even for just a moment. This book was not only just educational, it was thrilling! I was on the edge of my seat reading it. I got so nervous for the characters. I cheered them on. I cried with them. I fell in love with them. This was a beautifully written story of endurance, healing, hope, and the powerful bond of family.

.   .   .   .   .   .   .

One morning Greta woke up to find that her world had completely changed overnight. While her father and brother went to the West side of Germany trying to find work, the Berlin Wall was erected, splitting up Gerta's family. Her mother and brother were imprisoned with her in East Berlin, ruled by the Soviets. Her father and brother were helpless on the other side of a wall that Greta got in trouble for by just looking at it for too long. Walking to school one day, Gerta spots her father pantomiming something to her from across the no mans land. After she receives a drawing from her father she puts the clues together and realizes that her father wants her and her brother to dig a tunnel under the wall to freedom. Getting caught would mean her instant death and cause horrible problems for her loved ones left behind, but if she doesn't try then her family might never be together again. She knows she must at least attempt it, but does she have enough courage to constantly lie to those who are close to her? This book will keep you up late into the night to find out.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

"The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" by Mary Ann Shafer and Annie Barrows is the story of a young author, Juliet Ashton, who is searching for a topic for her next book. When a man from Guernsey Island writes to her telling her that he found her name in an old book, they begin writing letters to one another. Eventually she learns that he is a member of a book club that was created as an alibi given to the Germans that were occupying their island. Juliet becomes fascinated by the eccentric members of the book club and begins a correspondence with all of them. She ends up visiting the island and learns about the toll WWII had on their lives.

This book was beautiful. Beautiful words. Beautiful characters. Beautiful story. You can't help but fall in love with the quirky characters and the lives they live on their small island. It's one of the most heartwarming books during the WWII era that I have ever read. It's a tale of friendship, courage, hope, and the power that books bring to our lives. Books matter.

Promises and Primroses

'Promises and Primroses' by Josi Kilpack is the stories within the Mayfield family and the scandals that seem to follow them around. In an attempt to keep the next generation from making the same mistakes as their parents, Lord Elliott Mayfield comes up with an idea that he calls "The Marriage Campaign", where he states that only his nieces and nephews who make worthy matches will inherit his fortune. His oldest nephew, Peter, things the idea is somewhat ridiculous and has no inclination to find another wife after becoming a widower and being left with two daughters to raise on his own. He does however, decide to hire a governess for his daughters, but worries that his choice in Julia Hollingsworth just may be a mistake, as she is very young and much to his dismay, very beautiful. Peter is not the only one who worries about attaining feelings for Julia however. Julia's mother, Amelia, has very different reasons for wanting to keep her daughter away from the Mayfields - something that ties herself to Elliott from long ago.

The last few years I have become a huge fan of both proper romance, and Josi Kilpack. Although this hasn't replaced my top favorite one of her novels, I think this could definitely be placed high up on that list. Yes, it is somewhat predictable, but then most proper romance novels are, something which I surprisingly don't mind because the events leading up to the two characters falling in love is the very best part.

The Clockmaker's Daughter

Birchwood Manor is a twin-gabled house on the upper Thames river in England. This mysterious dwelling holds many secrets from the many lives that have spent time within its walls. When a young archivist from London, Elodie Winslow, discovers an old leather satchel containing a drawing of the home, she is curious about its history and how the portrait of the Victorian era women came to be in the satchel as well. Her job is to untangle secrets from the past and she can't help but feel connected to Birchwood Manor in some way.

'The Clockmaker's Daughter' by Kate Morton is an intriguing read as you can see the different stories in Birchwood Manor throughout time play out. Many of Kate Morton's novels are confusing as you begin them, but eventually they come together and you are left in awe of her writing genius. Having said that however, this particular novel of hers is probably the highest ranking on my list of confusing timelines and characters. I understood that all of the stories from the guests of Birchwood Manor are being told, but in my opinion Morton jumps around from era to era too often and there are just too many characters to keep track of. Keeping the timeline of the house straight proved to be a difficult task for me, but maybe that is simply because I wasn't able to read this novel as quickly as I would have liked too. The ending was good however and I think I may enjoy it more the second time around now that I have the general gist of its content down now. I would recommend this book if you have a good memory/ or can read it in a short period of time.

Educated

"Educated" by Tara Westover is the mind boggling memoir of a homeschooled girl living in the mountains of Idaho. She shares unbelievable stories about her father's "doomsday" beliefs and how she was constantly waiting for the world to end. She talks about her work helping her mother as a midwife and herbalist and helping her father salvage in his dangerous junkyard. Growing up she never saw a doctor, went to a hospital, or set foot in a classroom. She endured her brother's tormenting abuses, listened to her father's rantings about the corruption of government, and escaped to her grandparents home for some peace whenever she could. As a teenager she began educating herself and reading every book she could get her hands on. With her older brother's encouragement she studied for the SAT and applied for college. At age 17 as a freshman at Brigham Young University Tara stepped foot in a classroom for the first time in her entire life.

Tara's life of endurance and overcoming is inspirational and a little jaw dropping. Some of her experiences were incredibly difficult to wrap my head around, especially because her home is not that far from my own. She grows up in the "same" religion that I did, but the way her family practices religion is very different from my own. Some of the parents negligence was very upsetting to me and it makes me sad that people can get away with letting their children grow up in such toxic and harmful surroundings. Even though some parts of her memoir were difficult to swallow I couldn't stop reading it. When I did finish the book I got online and did even more research about her family and watched a few different interviews that she had done. Her life is amazing to me and I would recommend this book for sure.

Girl, Wash Your Face

My sister gave me the book 'Girl, Wash Your Face' by Rachel Hollis for my birthday. I have had a lot of friends talking about this book and had heard a lot of mixed reviews, so I was excited to discover it for myself. I honestly loved it. There were some chapters that I identified with more then others, but I thought she did a fantastic job speaking to the inner heart of women everywhere. There was a handful of times where I can distinctly remember having my own "Ah-ha!" moments. There are stories of hers that will stick with me for a very long time. I will keep those to myself however so as not to take away anyone else's moments of self discovery. I thoroughly enjoyed her sense of humor, candid honesty, and intelligent advise. This is a great, quick, feel good book and I would definitely recommend it.

The Orphan Keeper

Have you ever read a book that left you speechless? It was so mind-blowing that you almost can't even process it? That's how 'The Orphan Keeper' by Camron Wright was for me. It's hard to wrap my mind around the fact that this book is based on a true story. That the events in this novel actually took place. I can't say enough good things about this book. It takes you on quite the journey with the highest of the highs and the lowest of the gut wrenching lows. Please open this book. I can guarantee you won't want to put it down.

Chellamuthu  is a young boy living in poverty in India. He is rambunctious, full of life, rash, wild, and a little disobedient as most youngsters are. He longs for things like playing in the wealthy children's park, eating ripe mangos, and proving to the other kids that he is big and tough. One day he is waiting for his father when an older boy lures him into his own kidnapping. He is placed in a Christian orphanage that he can't escape from and is eventually adopted by an unsuspecting family in the United States. Chellamuthu finds himself in a foreign country where he doesn't speak the language, has new parents and new siblings, and is thousands of miles away from his own loving and worry stricken mother. By the time he learns enough English to tell his adopted parents that he actually has a family back in India, they are shocked and do everything in their power to find his family, but with very little luck. 

This novel is a story of endurance, strength of families, and hope. It is sure to touch your heart and bring forth more empathy then you ever knew you had.

The Vicar's Daughter

Cassie is the youngest of six sisters. She is bubbly, social, and can't wait to enter society to find her match. The only problem is that Cassie's father won't let her enter society until her older sister, Lenora, marries. He believes that only one of his daughters should be a debutant at a time. The problem is, is that Lenora is timid, with crippling shyness. As she enters her third season Cassie begins to lose hope of ever having her own chance at happiness. Lenora's anxiety attacks and insecurity are standing between Cassie's happily ever after. Then one night, Lenora comes home from a social event with a positive encounter with a gentleman named Evan. That's when Cassie hatches a plan to start writing Evan in place of her sister. Cassie could have never predicted that she, herself, would start to fall in love with Evan through her letters to him as she pretends to be her sister. When Evan and Lenora finally start courting, Cassie tries to conceal her broken heart, and be happy for her sister. After all, it's her fault she's in this mess in the first place.

I love books that keep you guessing until the very end. How can Evan, Lenora, and Cassie all come out of their situations with happy endings? It seems impossible that this tangled trio can all come out unscarred. While this is not my favorite book from Josi Kilpack, it's high on the list. If you love proper romance novels then you will love this book.

The Six of Crows Series

The 'Six of Crows' by Leigh Bardugo is a thrilling adventure that takes you on a ride of emotions. Kaz Brekker is a criminal, leader of his gang. When he is offered the deal of a lifetime it can either lead to the world's riches or his imminent death. He can't do it alone, he needs to build a team with a special set of skills, but who can you really trust within your own gang? After all, they are all criminals and all have their own agendas. Kaz builds the perfect crew for the greatest heist of all time, but it is still going to take a miracle to actually pull it off.

This series was devoured very quickly, I could not put it down! It's very intriguing to have your protagonists be criminals. You can't decide whether to love or hate them, so you kind of do both throughout the book. This book was an amazing page turner and I would highly recommend it!