Miss Morgan's Book Brigade ~ Hybrid Book Review

  

MISS MORGAN'S BOOK BRIGADE

BY JANET SKESLIEN CHARLES

Narrated by Marin Ireland, Sarah Gadon, Jackie Sanders, Cassandra Campbell

Atria Books / Simon & Schuster Audio

331 pages / 9 hours, 31 minutes

Publication Date: April 30, 2024

BUY NOW WITH MY AFFILIATE LINKS

and help fund my retirement!

(I get a small commission)

Audiobook  ***  Hardcover *** Kindle *** Paperback

FREE 30-Day Kindle Unlimited Trial

Get or Gift an Audible Subscription

HALL WAYS HYBRID-FORMAT REVIEW (eBook, hardcover, audiobook): In 2023 sometime (it's all a blur), I remember being so excited to hear about Janet Skeslien Charles's forthcoming THE LIBRARIANS OF RUE DE PICARDIE. I absolutely adored THE PARIS LIBRARY, and from the sound of it, this next book would also include many of my favorite ingredients, namely books, libraries & librarians, and France & French language elements. Add to the mix strong and intelligent women characters who bust out glass ceilings to get things done, and SCORE! MAGNIFIQUE! MISS MORGAN'S BOOK BRIGADE (which is what the title ended up being on US copies) checks all my boxes with the bonus of the characters and actions being based on real people and the nearly unimaginable things they accomplished during WWI.  

In my review of THE PARIS LIBRARY, I noted that the book was a reminder that there were many unsung heroes and heroines doing extraordinary things and making extraordinary sacrifices during World War II. The same holds true for MISS MORGAN'S BOOK BRIGADE, but it enlightened me to a completely unknown-to-me chapter of World War I. I learned so much about the roles served in France by women from all different countries during the war and about some French history I hadn't learned in my many years of French coursework. Several of the things I read about prompted me to learn more (including about CARD, JP Morgan's daughter Anne, and France's Zone Rouge), and I think that's always the mark of great historical fiction: make me want to learn more.

There is a wide cast of characters in MISS MORGAN'S BOOK BRIGADE, and each of the two timelines have more than one storyline happening. It's a lot, and given the length of the book, there just wasn't time to fully flesh out them all. I enjoyed the dual storylines and points-of-view and how parallels in the lives of Kit and Wendy, some eighty years apart, are revealed. The author does a terrific job of connecting their paths and wrapping up the loose ends, though I was left wanting a bit more about a couple of the main threads.

And HOLY COW. Kit's Readers' Advisory and books she handed out in 1918 are still some of the best, must-read titles of all time (and a nod to the author's librarian skilz). Included were so many beloved titles that I've read, recommended, or still have on my TBR. I really wish I had started writing a list of them as they popped up in the book. Maybe another reader has compiled one? Or perhaps, when I re-read/re-listen, I will make the list myself! (Because retired! And because I can't remember diddly squat. Please don't ask me to tell you any of them.)

I was certain I would like this book, and once I started reading it on NetGalley just before it published, the day it published, I not only bought it in hardcover (from BookPeople in Austin), but also as an audiobook, and those are the formats I primarily used. I'm very glad that I indulged in buying both because it allowed me to go back and forth between formats so I could keep reading -- but with my ears -- when I had other tasks to take care of while wearing my domestic goddess hat (that old chestnut). 

I ended up finishing the book -- I thought -- with the audio version, but I wanted to double check something and picked up the hardcover copy to find it. And it's a good thing I did! The print version has an Author's Notes section that is twelve FASCINATING pages long; had I only had the audiobook, I would have missed it entirely. The author's thorough and thoughtful research is even more apparent after reading this section, and it also brought Charles's personality and passion to the page. She's my favorite Francophilian & bibliophilian (I might have created those words just now?) author, and I'm thrilled there's a third book planned in her library trilogy. *grabby hands*

ABOUT THE AUDIOBOOK: There were four narrators, and unfortunately, I don't know which was which! All of them had great pacing, and each character had a distinct voice. Naturally, I really enjoyed the characters who spoke with French accents, and in both the print and audio, I LOVED, LOVED the inclusion of French words and phrases (a nod to the author's French skilz). However, in the audiobook, it was disappointing to hear mispronunciations of French words by characters who were supposed to be fluent/well-schooled in French. And there were some peculiar and clunky English pronunciations scattered in the mix as well. So the audio left a bit to be desired, and the narration faux pas in addition to the omission of the Author's Notes section lead me to recommend reading with your eyes, not your ears, malheureusement. 

Overall, reading MISS MORGAN'S BOOK BRIGADE was time very well-spent between the pages, and I anxiously await whatever's next from Janet Skeslien Charles. Her writing is pure gold.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

 

The Vanished Collection ~ Book Blog Tour Review

THE VANISHED COLLECTION

by Pauline Baer de Perignon

Translated from the French by Natasha Lehrer

La Collection Disparue was first published in French on 9/9/2020

Nonfiction / Memoir

January 11, 2022

256 pages

Available in paperback and ebook

Goodreads

   

SYNOPSIS

It all started with a list of paintings.

There, scribbled by a cousin she hadn’t seen for years, were the names of the masters whose works once belonged to her great-grandfather, Jules Strauss: Renoir, Monet, Degas, Tiepolo and more.

Pauline Baer de Perignon knew little to nothing about Strauss, or about his vanished, precious art collection. But the list drove her on a frenzied trail of research in the archives of the Louvre and the Dresden museums, through Gestapo records, and to consult with Nobel laureate Patrick Modiano.

What happened in 1942? And what became of the collection after Nazis seized her great-grandparents’ elegant Parisian apartment?

The quest takes Pauline Baer de Perignon from the Occupation of France to the present day as she breaks the silence around the wrenching experiences her family never fully transmitted, and asks what art itself is capable of conveying over time.

PRAISE FOR THE VANISHED COLLECTION

“Riveting … This page-turner will delight art history and mystery fans alike.” —Publishers Weekly

“Undeniably intriguing … memorable and often moving. A fascinating journey to uncover lost family secrets—and treasure.” — Kirkus Reviews

“As devourable as a thriller… Incredibly moving.” —Elle

“Stimulated by a desire to write, Pauline unconsciously understands that what she really wants is to bear witness. As if in a Kubrick film, she opens a door and a river of blood pours out on her. With valued assistance from Modiano, Pauline digs into this shocking story that amazes and breaks the heart … transforming an unfortunately commonplace account of paintings stolen by the Nazis into a breathtaking novel of suspense.” —Le Figaro

“Pauline Baer de Perignon is a natural storyteller―refreshingly honest, curious and open. Like the best memoirists, she manages to tell multiple stories simultaneously, to delicately layer meanings and narratives. Here is not only a riveting art world mystery, but an utterly personal, heartfelt, and extremely intelligent story of a woman doing everything she can to uncover the truths of her family.” ―Menachem Kaiser, author of Plunder: A Memoir of Family Property and Nazi Treasure

“For decades the lost Jules Strauss collection lay shrouded in mystery. First the Nazi expropriation, followed by the family’s own denial. Finally through determination a great-granddaughter is able to piece together previously buried clues. Pauline Baer’s goal is justice, but an unexpected consequence is a poignant connection with lost family and a keener understanding of history.” — Simon Goodman, author of The Orpheus Clock: The Search for My Family’s Art Treasures Stolen by the Nazis

   

Order It 
On New Vessel Press
On Bookshop / On Amazon

REVIEW

HALL WAYS REVIEW: When I read the premise of The Vanished Collection by Pauline Baer de Perignon, I was immediately enticed to read it. Even the cover blurb promised a nonfiction story that would read like fiction with elements of intrigue and mystery as the author researched and uncovered long-buried family secrets. Did the Nazis seize her Jewish great-grandfather’s art collection? Did her great-grandfather, Jules Strauss, make a deal to keep himself and family from deportation during the German occupation of France? Were national museums intentionally holding paintings from their rightful owners?

The story was translated from the French (by Natasha Lehrer – bravo!), and the Francophile in me delighted at the mostly Parisian settings, the sprinkling of French words, and naturally, the general French way. (I liked it so much that I’m considering buying the original version, La collection disparue, just to have a re-read with a slightly different spin.) Not only is there French appeal, but the librarian in me also rejoices in how various librarians give the author the tools and information to find what she needs.

“The truth was I worked with a blend of instinct, enthusiasm, and curiosity … the truth was, I was making it all up as I went along.”

One of the endearing qualities of The Vanished Collection is how readers will connect with author Baer de Perignon. Her drive – or is it a calling? An obsession, even? – is just there. Her instinct tells her that there are things just waiting to be uncovered. At times, she seeks inspiration and direction from the long-dead Jules, almost channeling him to hear his cryptic words. At other times, she is pumping relatives for information, and it’s clear that not everyone wants to remember what she’s asking them to recall. And she even seeks answers from the artworks themselves, staring and studying and listening to their quiet messages.

I consider myself an art appreciator, but by no means am I well-educated in art history. Even so, I know the value of the various pieces Jules owned is staggering – as is the notoriety of the artists whose works he possessed: Monet, Degas, Renoir, Sisley, Tiepolo, and more. I found learning the process of uncovering a piece of art’s provenance fascinating, and it also angered me to be reminded of how often the Nazis took what wasn’t theirs to take and destroyed lives in the process. It further angered me to see that reparations are still slow to happen (if they happen at all), even with overwhelming evidence of wrongdoing in hand.

The Vanished Collection is an engaging book, easily read in one sitting, but whose story lingers long after the final pages are turned. The author’s journey into the past, along with her unexpected journey of self-discovery into the present, create a not-to-be-missed story. 

Thank you to France Book Tours for providing a print ARC in exchange for my honest opinion -- the only kind I give.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Pauline Baer de Perignon has co-authored film scripts and directed writing workshops in Paris where she lives. The Vanished Collection is her first book.

Follow New Vessel Press on Twitter, on Facebook, on Tumblr, on Instagram.  Sign up to receive their latest news and deals.

   

The Education of Delhomme ~ Book Blog Tour Spotlight & Giveaway!

The Education Of Delhomme

by Nancy Burkhalter

Historical Fiction

Release date: November 17, 2020

History Through Fiction

280 pages 

*** 

Pre-order it here

Goodreads

SYNOPSIS

Beaulieu Delhomme, a piano tuner, faces the guillotine for committing treason against the newly elected French president due to his part in the bloody worker uprisings in 1848. The one person who could save him from this fate is his former arch-rival, the celebrated author, George Sand.  The plot leading to his imprisonment revolves around the triangle of composer Frédéric Chopin, his lover George Sand, and Delhomme, Chopin’s loyal piano tuner. Both Sand and Delhomme compete for the attention of Chopin, who fights a losing battle with tuberculosis. The president’s spymaster uses this triangle to lure cash-strapped Delhomme into exploiting his friendship with Chopin to spy on George Sand, whose fiery rhetoric threatens the new president. 

At first, before the uprisings that marked a tumultuous period out of which France’s Second Republic grew, Delhomme favors preserving the status quo because any policy changes might jeopardize his (and Chopin’s) wealthy client base. Sand wields her pen against the oppressive laws and ridicules Delhomme for his views. 

Delhomme changes his opinion of the monarchy when he sees how his nephew is abused as an orphan working in a piano factory in industrial London. Delhomme becomes a double agent, paid to spy for the president while secretly working for the resistance. Sand softens her contempt when she discovers that he has switched allegiances and now promotes workers’ rights. 

Delhomme is caught working for the resistance, jailed in Paris’ infamous Conciergerie prison, and faces a trial for treason. Even Sand’s testimony is not enough to trump that of the vaunted spymaster, but her fame may be enough to persuade the new president to pardon him.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Photo Credit: Austin Irving

Nancy Burkhalter is an educator, writer, journalist, linguist, and piano tuner. She holds a Master’s degree in journalism and English education, as well as a Doctorate in linguistics from the University of New Mexico. She has taught composition for many years in the U.S., Germany, Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, and Russia. Her overseas work led to an interest in comparative education, especially critical thinking. Both observations and research led to her book and blog, Critical Thinking Now. In 2019, she was a recipient of Go Back, Give Back, a fellowship through the State Department to train teachers in St. Petersburg, Russia. A resident of Edmonds, Washington, Burkhalter loves to travel, write, and learn languages. Follow the author’s page on Facebook Follow the publisher on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram Join their mailing list

***

5 WINNERS RECEIVE A COPY OF

THE EDUCATION OF DELHOMME

International giveaway, open to all!

Ends midnight, CST, 11/29/2020

Entry-Form

Tweeting about the giveaway every day of the tour will give you 5 extra entries each time! 

***

CLICK TO READ REVIEWS AND EXCERPTS

         

  Save

Dragonfly ~ Lone Star Book Blogs Bonus Review, Promo, & Giveaway!

DRAGONFLY

by

LEILA MEACHAM

  Genre: Historical / WWII / Espionage

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing 

Date of Publication: July 9, 2019

Number of Pages: 576

Scroll down for giveaway!

From the New York Times bestselling author of Roses comes a gripping new novel about five young spies embedded among the highest Nazi ranks in occupied Paris

At the height of World War II, a handful of idealistic young Americans receive a mysterious letter from the government, asking them if they are willing to fight for their country. The men and women from very different backgrounds-a Texan athlete with German roots, an upper-crust son of a French mother and a wealthy businessman, a dirt-poor Midwestern fly fisherman, an orphaned fashion designer, and a ravishingly beautiful female fencer-all answer the call of duty, but each for a secret reason of her or his own. They bond immediately, in a group code-named Dragonfly. 

Thus begins a dramatic cat-and-mouse game, as the group seeks to stay under the radar until a fatal misstep leads to the capture and the firing-squad execution of one of their team. But...is everything as it seems, or is this one more elaborate act of spycraft?

PRAISE FOR DRAGONFLY:

“Meacham’s impeccable pacing and razor-wire tension evoke the daily drama of life under a Reich whose French reign might have lasted little more than four years but felt like the thousand years that it threatened to endure.” ―Bookpage

"Meacham's nail-biting tale will please fans looking for an intricate story of spycraft and deception." ―Publishers Weekly

"Meacham ratchets the suspense ever tighter, while providing fascinating backstory on the intrepid five [American spies] as well as delivering a detail-rich portrait of Paris during the Occupation." ―Booklist

"Complex, epic, and rich in historical detail-an uplifting story of finding friendship behind enemy lines." ― Kirkus

PURCHASE LINKS
Amazon ◆ Barnes & Noble   
 ◆ Indiebound   ◆  Walmart  ◆   

✪✪✪✪✪

HALL WAYS REVIEW: Audio Book Review: I’ll cut to the chase: Dragonfly is extraordinary. Robust characters with fascinating backstories are placed in richly detailed settings where quickly, the reader is transported, immersed, and living on the edge, right along with the characters. Leila Meacham has blown my mind with Dragonfly.

For those who read with their eyes, the book opens with a handy “Cast of Characters” section broken down into “The Americans,” “The Germans,” and “The French,” where characters’ nationalities (but not necessarily allegiances), various names, code names, and roles are listed. (Additionally, there is also an “Explanation of German Military Organizations” list that serves as a great historical refresher.) For those reading with their ears, Dragonfly is performed by full cast narration that is pretty spectacular – more on that later. Since the story has so many main characters, and each of them has three different names, listening to one actor perform each part helped keep them straight. Regardless of the reading method used, readers get plenty of help from the author.  Meacham does an amazing job of first sketching, then filling-in the characters until each is fully fleshed-out, relatable, real.

“Secrecy would be their greatest protection against betrayal.”

The main characters’ stories unfold both separately and at times overlapping and weaving together. Each recruit is handpicked for his/her unique skills to serve the OSS, but also each has a personal reason to go to France. If one were to plot a chart, the visual would be a somewhat parallel series of lines that roll and spike up and down as our young spies navigate the dangerous world of Nazi-occupied Paris. The novel is long (eighteen hours on audio, just under 600 pages in print), but Meacham’s writing is brilliant, and she scatters scenes throughout that not only entertain but inform and summarize to help readers keep on track in a complex, multi-tiered plot.

“Sometimes the greater good requires casualties.”

The historical element of Dragonfly is outstanding. Meacham brings facts into the story, reminding (or informing) readers of the realities and complexities of war. In particular, the descriptions of Paris as it experienced Nazi occupation were poignant as Meacham contrasted the formerly vibrant, bright, flower-filled city with its dark, dreary, grim condition during the German occupation. It’s as if the life force of the city is slowly ebbing. Yet even here, where everyone is suspicious and suspect, there are flashes of hope, and splashes of the best in human nature in the midst of the worst.

ABOUT THE AUDIO: As mentioned, this full cast narration is excellent. Pacing was perfect – I never changed the speed of the audio, which is rare, and the volume was even, the sound crisp, and the production free of any technical glitches. The narrators handle not only the numerous American accents (A+ for Southern), but German and French, and French and Germans speaking English. My only complaint is that many of the French pronunciations were botched when the character speaking would have known better than to pronounce a word ending -s or -t, for example.

As Dragonfly winds its way down to the conclusion, the reader has information that the characters do not, with the result being a satisfying, emotional ending. As I listened to the final scenes, I was driving into the Texas Hill Country sunset, grinning from ear to ear, with tears were streaming down my face. Perfection.

Thank you to Lone Star Book Blog Tours, Grand Central Publishing, and most of all, Leila Meacham for sharing this spectacular story with me in audio and GORGEOUS print, with no strings attached. My review is my honest opinion – the only kind I give 

Leila Meacham is a writer and former teacher who lives in San Antonio, Texas. She is the author of the bestselling novels Roses, Tumbleweeds, Somerset, and Titans.

WEBSITE    FACEBOOK   
GOODREADS   BOOKBUB

-----------------------------------------

GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!

TWO SIGNED COPIES OF DRAGONFLY

August 7-17, 2019

(US ONLY)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

CHECK OUT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR:

8/7/19	Excerpt	Texas Book Lover
8/7/19	Review	Reading by Moonlight
8/8/19	Review	Nerd Narration
8/9/19	Guest Post	The Page Unbound
8/9/19	Review	Momma on the Rocks
8/10/19	Review	Carpe Diem Chronicles
8/10/19	BONUS Audio Review	Hall Ways Blog
8/11/19	Audio Review	Forgotten Winds
8/12/19	Author Interview	All the Ups and Downs
8/12/19	Review	Bibliotica
8/13/19	Guest Post	Chapter Break Book Blog
8/13/19	Review	StoreyBook Reviews
8/14/19	Audio Review	Sydney Young, Stories
8/15/19	Guest Post	Missus Gonzo
8/16/19	Review	Max Knight
8/16/19	Review	Book Fidelity

   blog tour services provided by

  

The Nightingale

Hannah, K. (2015). The Nightingale. NY: Macmillan Audio

Adult / Audiobook / Historical Fiction / WWII / France

I gave this audiobook 4 out of 5 stars

PUBLISHER'S BLURB:
In love we find out who we want to be.
In war we find out who we are.

FRANCE, 1939

In the quiet village of Carriveau, Vianne Mauriac says goodbye to her husband, Antoine, as he heads for the Front. She doesn't believe that the Nazis will invade France...but invade they do, in droves of marching soldiers, in caravans of trucks and tanks, in planes that fill the skies and drop bombs upon the innocent. When a German captain requisitions Vianne's home, she and her daughter must live with the enemy or lose everything. Without food or money or hope, as danger escalates all around them, she is forced to make one impossible choice after another to keep her family alive.

Vianne's sister, Isabelle, is a rebellious eighteen-year-old girl, searching for purpose with all the reckless passion of youth. While thousands of Parisians march into the unknown terrors of war, she meets Gäetan, a partisan who believes the French can fight the Nazis from within France, and she falls in love as only the young can...completely. But when he betrays her, Isabelle joins the Resistance and never looks back, risking her life time and again to save others.

With courage, grace and powerful insight, bestselling author Kristin Hannah captures the epic panorama of WWII and illuminates an intimate part of history seldom seen: the women's war. The Nightingale tells the stories of two sisters, separated by years and experience, by ideals, passion and circumstance, each embarking on her own dangerous path toward survival, love, and freedom in German-occupied, war-torn France--a heartbreakingly beautiful novel that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the durability of women. It is a novel for everyone, a novel for a lifetime.

*********************************************************

I had never really thought about or read about the conditions in the Nazi occupied towns during WWII, and I had certainly never considered the women's perspective of the war: their unique and plentiful sacrifices, the pain, the grief, the fear, the hunger, the violations. I don't know if The Nightingale was fully historically accurate, but the situations worked for me and definitely had me pondering many new aspects of World War II. There were parts of the story that didn't seem logical or pushed the envelope of believability, (particularly involving young Isabelle), but again, this worked for me and only enriched the story. Even when Isabelle's decisions were terrible and her immaturity enraging, I kept listening/reading, ever hopeful that Isabelle would stabilize, step-up for her family, and act sensibly.  Thank goodness none of those things happened in an expected way.

Through author Kristin Hannah's extensive descriptions, I was very easily able to visualize the settings and the details meshed with my own memories and knowledge of France. There was a great deal of heartache, death, and destruction in this book, but despite the tragedies, the framing of the story allowed readers to hang on to hope, in much the same way as the characters hung on to hope.

The character of German Captain Beck made me think about The Book Thief, and how it illustrated that not every Nazi was evil -- Beck struggled with his role as a Nazi and it's easy to forget that those Germans and soldiers who did not commit their allegiance to the Nazi party were treated like an enemy and killed. Beck's character was immensely interesting, as was the relationship he had with Vianne. Hannah did an extraordinary job of creating tensions and quandaries which made it difficult for readers to decide exactly how to feel.

The ending was a bit too perfect to believe; did anyone come out of the war so fortunate? Without revealing spoilers, I will only say that again, despite the limit of believability being pushed, the ending worked for me and I needed it to end the way it did after so many heart wrenching moments. 

Thank you to St Martin's Press, NetGalley, and Ford Audiobook Club for providing me eBook and audiobook copies in exchange for my honest opinion -- the only kind I give. 

Note: I switched between reading and listening to the audiobook, and very much enjoyed the talented narrator, Polly Stone, and how she consistently voiced multiple voices and accents.

Author Kristin Hannah introduces her novel.  
 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: (from her website)

I was born in September 1960 in Southern California and grew up at the beach, making sand castles and playing in the surf. When I was eight years old, my father drove us to Western Washington where we called home.

After working in a trendy advertising agency, I decided to go to law school. "But you're going to be a writer" are the prophetic words I will never forget from my mother. I was in my third-and final-year of law school and my mom was in the hospital, facing the end of her long battle with cancer. I was shocked to discover that she believed I would become a writer. For the next few months, we collaborated on the worst, most clichéd historical romance ever written.
After my mom's death, I packed up all those bits and pieces of paper we'd collected and put them in a box in the back of my closet. I got married and continued practicing law.

Then I found out I was pregnant, but was on bed rest for five months. By the time I'd read every book in the house and started asking my husband for cereal boxes to read, I knew I was a goner. That's when my darling husband reminded me of the book I'd started with my mom. I pulled out the boxes of research material, dusted them off and began writing. By the time my son was born, I'd finished a first draft and found an obsession.

The rejections came, of course, and they stung for a while, but each one really just spurred me to try harder, work more. In 1990, I got "the call," and in that moment, I went from a young mother with a cooler-than-average hobby to a professional writer, and I've never looked back. In all the years between then and now, I have never lost my love of, or my enthusiasm for, telling stories. I am truly blessed to be a wife, a mother, and a writer.

Excerpts, background information, photos, and inspiration for the book can all be found on the author's WEBSITE.  Follow Kristin Hannah on FACEBOOK.