I have another book club read to review for you today. One of my many book clubs met to chat about this book a few weeks ago.  I received this title in an OwlCrate box, so I didn't even have to purchase the book! I love when happy coincidences happen.  Read on to see what I thought about A Madness So Discreet. 

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: October 6, 2015 
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 376
Source: OwlCrate Box (Try OwlCrate here!)
Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery, possibly YA
Review Date: February 29, 2016
Rating: 4 bookmarks

Synopsis: Grace Mae knows madness.

She keeps it locked away, along with her voice, trapped deep inside a brilliant mind that cannot forget horrific family secrets. Those secrets, along with the bulge in her belly, land her in a Boston insane asylum.

When her voice returns in a burst of violence, Grace is banished to the dark cellars, where her mind is discovered by a visiting doctor who dabbles in the new study of criminal psychology. With her keen eyes and sharp memory, Grace will make the perfect assistant at crime scenes. Escaping from Boston to the safety of an ethical Ohio asylum, Grace finds friendship and hope, hints of a life she should have had. But gruesome nights bring Grace and the doctor into the circle of a killer who stalks young women. Grace, continuing to operate under the cloak of madness, must hunt a murderer while she confronts the demons in her own past.

After reading and loving the two dystopian novels by McGinnis (Not a Drop to Drink, In a Handful of Dust), I wasn't sure how I'd feel about a historical fiction title. I was interested, yet a little nervous. I'm glad to report that I had nothing to worry about because McGinnis seriously flexed her author muscles!

This story starts in 1890 and takes place in both Boston and a small town in Ohio. The story centers around Grace, a young woman who is found by a doctor that dabbles in criminal profiling while in a horrible insane asylum in Boston. This book has been tied that's young adult, but personally I feel that it's an adult title. Grace under the age of 18, but just barely. The subject matter of this title is definitely 100% adult.

Today I'm reviewing an audiobook that I actually finished more than a month ago...yep, it's February and I'm already behind with my reviews!  This title was actually discussed in book club early January, so that tells you how long ago I finished this book. I probably would have never read this book otherwise, but I'm glad that I did.  Read on to find out what I thought of All The Light We Cannot See written by the Pulitzer Prize winning, and highly acclaimed author Anthony Doer

Publisher: Scribner | Simon & Schuster Audio 
Release Date: May 6, 2014
Format: Audio MP3
Pages: Hardcover:  530 pgs | Audio Length: Approx 16 hours
Narrators: Zach Appelman
Source: Local Library via Overdrive 
Genre: Historical Fiction
Review Date: February 3, 2016
Rating: 4 bookmarks

Synopsis: ​Marie-Laure lives with her father in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where he works as the master of its thousands of locks. When she is six, Marie-Laure goes blind and her father builds a perfect miniature of their neighborhood so she can memorize it by touch and navigate her way home. When she is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure’s reclusive great-uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel.

In a mining town in Germany, the orphan Werner grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments, a talent that wins him a place at a brutal academy for Hitler Youth, then a special assignment to track the resistance. More and more aware of the human cost of his intelligence, Werner travels through the heart of the war and, finally, into Saint-Malo, where his story and Marie-Laure’s converge.

The setting is World War 2  and the alternating points of view are of  Werner, a young boy in the Nazi Party, and Marie-Laure, a blind French girl living with her father. The story is told in a linear format and there are many, many chapters, but they are very short, which I believe helps the the pacing of the story.

​We start off learning about Marie-Laure's blindness and how her father empowers her despite her disability. We also experience Werner's intelligence at a young age, and that he was placed into a Hitler Youth academy. We follow them both through the years until their lives cross for one brief moment in time. We the reader experience all the lows that both characters endure as they grow up.  Unfortunately there weren't many highs among all the lows, but that's the product of the things going on during that time.

Hey bookish friends,

Today I have another audiobook listen/book reading mashup! I've been doing alot of this type of reading in the last few months.  I like it.

The Girl You Left Behind was one of the faster Moyes reads. I finished this book in 2 days! Of which, one of those days was a work day, so I only got a couple hours in reading and the rest of the work day I was listening to the audiobook. Followed by a Saturday of reading to finish the 2nd half of the book.

​Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books | Penguin Audio
Release Date: August 20, 2013 (first published 2012)
Format: Hardcover & Audio MP3
Pages: 369 pages | Audio Length: Approx 13 hours
Narrators: Clare Corbett, Penny Rawlins​
Source: Paperback courtesy of the Publisher & Scribd audiobook 
Genre: Historical Fiction, Chick Lit 
Review Date: December 30, 2015
Rating: 4 bookmarks

​Synopsis: In 1916, French artist Edouard Lefevre leaves his wife Sophie to fight at the Front. When her town falls into German hands, his portrait of Sophie stirs the heart of the local Kommandant and causes her to risk everything - her family, reputation and life—in the hope of seeing her true love one last time.

Nearly a century later and Sophie's portrait is given to Liv by her young husband shortly before his sudden death. Its beauty speaks of their short life together, but when the painting's dark and passion-torn history is revealed, Liv discovers that the first spark of love she has felt since she lost him is threatened...

In The Girl You Left Behind two young women, separated by a century, are united in their determination to fight for the thing they love most—whatever the cost.

Disclaimer: This US hardcover edition of this book was given to me courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

​The story jumps back in forth in time, modern day London and 1916 France. While it is a dual timeline, the story was still easy to follow.  In the present day, Liv is fighting to keep in her position a painting that her deceased husband gifted to her.  That painting is called The Girl You Left Behind. Said photo is of Sophie - which her painter husband painted of her in 1916 before he was sent off to war shortly after the Germans occupied France.  

The Girl You Left Behind has a very interesting premise with an engaging story. The main focus of this century long story are Liv and Sophie, but as the story goes on, lots of characters are introduced, including Paul, who is the man that Liv meets and starts to date during her fight for the painting.  The secondary characters, both then and now all add an additional and purposeful layer of drama and depth to the storylines. We experience love then loss with Sofie and then we get to experience the opposite of a loss followed by love with Liv.  

​Hey bookish friends,

Not only do I have a audiobook review for you today, I also have a fun freebie at the bottom of the post that you'll want to grab! Read on to find out what I thought of the second installment in the All Souls Trilogy, Shadow of Night.

Publisher: Viking Penguin | Penguin Audio
Release Date: July 10, 2012 
Format: Audio MP3
Pages: Hardcover: 584 pages | Audio Length: Approx 24.5 hours
Narrator: Jennifer Ikeda
Source: Audible
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Historical Fantasy
Review Date: November 25, 2015
Rating: 4 bookmarks

​
Synopsis: Historian Diana Bishop, descended from a line of powerful witches, and long-lived vampire Matthew Clairmont have broken the laws dividing creatures. When Diana discovered a significant alchemical manuscript in the Bodleian Library, she sparked a struggle in which she became bound to Matthew. Now the fragile coexistence of witches, daemons, vampires and humans is dangerously threatened.

Seeking safety, Diana and Matthew travel back in time to London, 1590. But they soon realize that the past may not provide a haven. Reclaiming his former identity as poet and spy for Queen Elizabeth, the vampire falls back in with a group of radicals known as the School of Night. Many are unruly daemons, the creative minds of the age, including playwright Christopher Marlowe and mathematician Thomas Harriot.

Together Matthew and Diana scour Tudor London for the elusive manuscript Ashmole 782, and search for the witch who will teach Diana how to control her remarkable powers... 

​I really enjoyed Shadow of Night. I found it very interesting to see Diana and Matthew in the 1500's. That's what I liked most about this installment.  Getting a visual of 1590 London society, and seeing historical figures in a fictional way was pretty entertaining. The plot also took us to France and the Czech Republic for a short time, but a majority of the story was set in and around London. If you don't already know, the intent behind going back to this point in time was to find a witch to help Diana develop her abilities while remaining fairly hidden. 

While did enjoy it, I still felt that the book was a little longer than it needed to be. It seem to drag on at times and sometimes I couldn't really figure out exactly where the author was going. Honestly, because of the long parts with too much information, I was very happy that I was listening to an audiobook instead of reading it. I fear that had I been reading, I would have not enjoyed as much.

Hey friends,

Today I have a review of an historical fiction title.  This was last months book club read. My real-world book club overall enjoyed the title and we had lots of good discussion on it. If you've already read Orphan Train, I'm sure you have a few opinions and questions. I've included a video of Christina Baker Kline answering the most popular book club questions that she receives.

Publisher: William Morrow 
Release Date: October 28, 2014 (first published 2013)
Format: Audio MP3
Pages: Hardcover: 288 pages | Audio Length: Approx 8.5 hours
Narrators: Jessica Almasy, Suzanne Toren
Source: Audible
Genre: Historical Fiction, Adult Fiction
Review Date: July 29, 2015
Rating: 4 bookmarks

Synopsis: Nearly eighteen, Molly Ayer knows she has one last chance. Just months from "aging out" of the child welfare system, and close to being kicked out of her foster home, a community service position helping an elderly woman clean out her home is the only thing keeping her out of juvie and worse.

Vivian Daly has lived a quiet life on the coast of Maine. But in her attic, hidden in trunks, are vestiges of a turbulent past. As she helps Vivian sort through her possessions and memories, Molly discovers that she and Vivian aren't as different as they seem to be. A young Irish immigrant orphaned in New York City, Vivian was put on a train to the Midwest with hundreds of other children whose destinies would be determined by luck and chance.

The closer Molly grows to Vivian, the more she discovers parallels to her own life. A Penobscot Indian, she, too, is an outsider being raised by strangers, and she, too, has unanswered questions about the past. As her emotional barriers begin to crumble, Molly discovers that she has the power to help Vivian find answers to mysteries that have haunted her for her entire life - answers that will ultimately free them both.

Orphan Train was a easy read, Despite the heavy subject matter, the book was entertaining and well paced. As you all have heard from me before - this isn't my typical type of read. I hate reading realistic sad stories. I prefer not to get sad and angry while reading for fun. Anyway, I picked this up on audiobook thinking that I'd need to rely on it to get through the book. Thankfully I was wrong, this book was fast paced, dramatic and a short read overall.  I fully believe that I would have enjoyed it just as much on paper.

Hey friends, 

I intended to post this review yesterday....and clearly that didn't happen. Better late than never, right?  Check out my thoughts of The Whip, by Karen Kondazian and find out why I recommend this title, especially for book clubs! Be sure to watch the coordinating video on my Book Tube channel!

Publisher: Hansen Publishing Group, LLC
Release Date: January 1, 2012
Format: ebook
Pages: 302 (Paperback)
Source: Amazon Kindle
Genre: Historical Fiction
Review Date: March 10, 2015
Rating: 4 bookmarks

Synopsis: The Whip is inspired by the true story of a woman, Charlotte "Charley" Parkhurst (1812-1879) who lived most of her extraordinary life as a man in the old west.

As a young woman in Rhode Island, she fell in love with a runaway slave and had his child. The destruction of her family drove her west to California, dressed as a man, to track the killer. 

Charley became a renowned stagecoach driver for Wells Fargo. She killed a famous outlaw, had a secret love affair, and lived with a housekeeper who, unaware of her true sex, fell in love with her.
Charley was the first woman to vote in America (as a man). Her grave lies in Watsonville, California.

This story is not for those that are adverse to books that are more serious in nature.  The Whip is pretty much the exact opposite of a feel good book for 90% of the story. Even with all the turmoil going on with the characters, we get a satisfying ending.

The pace of the book was slow in the beginning, but things picked up quickly after Charlotte/Charley makes her way to California. To read about a woman living as a man, acting as a man, and yet - still a woman, was pretty interesting.  As Charley, he makes some good friends, gets a lover (but not in the way that you'd think), and makes a family. Charley's life was everything but traditional.

While reading this in Kindle format, I found a few spelling and formatting errors. It always amazes me when I find errors in a published title.  Regardless, it didn't take away from the merit of the story.

I would recommend The Whip, especially for book clubs because it's great for discussion. Have you read The Whip? If so, please share what you thought of it.

Happy Reading, 
~Tamara
On a mobile device? Watch the coordinating video here!

Hey friends, 

I have a early review and giveaway for you today!  Enter to win using the one of the two Rafflecopters at the bottom of this post. There will be a International and US winner!  I hope you enjoy the review.

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Release Date: January 13, 2015
Format: Paperback
Pages: 320 (Hardcover)
Source: Sourcebooks Landmark
Genre: Historical Fiction
Review Date: Recorded November, 2014
Rating: 4 bookmarks

Synopsis:  Water for Elephants meets The Night Circus in The Magician’s Lie, a debut novel in which the country’s most notorious female illusionist stands accused of her husband's murder --and she has only one night to convince a small-town policeman of her innocence.

The Amazing Arden is the most famous female illusionist of her day, renowned for her notorious trick of sawing a man in half on stage. One night in Waterloo, Iowa, with young policeman Virgil Holt watching from the audience, she swaps her trademark saw for a fire ax. Is it a new version of the illusion, or an all-too-real murder? When Arden’s husband is found lifeless beneath the stage later that night, the answer seems clear.

But when Virgil happens upon the fleeing magician and takes her into custody, she has a very different story to tell. Even handcuffed and alone, Arden is far from powerless—and what she reveals is as unbelievable as it is spellbinding. Over the course of one eerie night, Virgil must decide whether to turn Arden in or set her free… and it will take all he has to see through the smoke and mirrors. 

Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are genuinely my own.