Book Review: The Butterfly and the Violin {BookLook Bloggers}

The Butterfly and the Violin by Kristy Cambron
ISBN: 9781401690601
eBook
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Retail: $15.99 (paperback)

About the book:
And then came war . . .

Today. Sera James spends most of her time arranging auctions for the art world’s elite clientele. When her search to uncover an original portrait of an unknown Holocaust victim leads her to William Hanover III, they learn that this painting is much more than it seems.

Vienna, 1942. Adele Von Bron has always known what was expected of her. As a prodigy of Vienna’s vast musical heritage, this concert violinist intends to carry on her family's tradition and play with the Vienna Philharmonic. But when the Nazis learn that she helped smuggle Jews out of the city, Adele is taken from her promising future and thrust into the horrifying world of Auschwitz.

The veil of innocence is lifted to expose a shuddering presence of evil, and Adele realizes that her God-given gift is her only advantage; she must play. Becoming a member of the Women’s Orchestra of Auschwitz, she fights for survival. Adele’s barbed-wire walls begin to kill her hope as the months drag into nearly two years in the camp. With surprising courage against the backdrop of murder and despair, Adele finally confronts a question that has been tugging at her heart: Even in the midst of evil, can she find hope in worshipping God with her gift?

As Sera and William learn more about the subject of the mysterious portrait—Adele—they are reminded that whatever horrors one might face, God’s faithfulness never falters.

About the author:
Kristy Cambron has been fascinated with WWII since hearing her grandfather’s stories. She holds an Art History degree from Indiana University and works as Communications Consultant. Kristy writes WWII and Regency fiction and placed first in the 2013 NTRWA Great Expectations and 2012 FCRW Beacon contests. Kristy makes her home in Indiana with her husband and three football-loving sons. Website: www.kristycambron.com Twitter: @KCambronAuthor Facebook: Kristy-L-Cambron-Author

My thoughts:

This was a very good book. It was well written and researched. The characters are well developed as well as the various scenes. It doesn't give away the ending until much closer to the end. There is left some mystery just about to the end. 

This was an easy book to get into. I read it in 2 days, without sacrificing my other duties. The paperback has 336 pages so the book is not small but it is easy to get into and keep going. Generally I have a love/hate of dual time period novels but I do think Cambron does quite well with this book. She takes the reader to just a point in one time period, to get us wanting to know what happens next, and then she takes us to a point in the other time period that helps explain the other. It flows quite well.


All wars are terrible. All wars leave scars, physically and emotionally. WWII is one of the more recent to have done so, even after 69 years. For many who were not alive during the war years, it can seem unreal; something one reads only in a book. I admit I am drawn to books that are set in the WWII period, whether about the war or not (although it is hard to find one that doesn’t center around the war). The latest book I read was very good and I would recommend it to others.

The Butterfly and the Violin by Kristy Cambron is about a wealthy and talented young lady, Adele, from Austria at the start of the war. She plays violin in the Austrian philharmonic, which did not allow women to play, because of her wonderful talent. During her time with the group, she meets and falls in love with cellist Vladimir, the son of a merchant, and therefore unacceptable for her in her parents’, and society's, eyes.

The other main characters of the story are a modern-day art gallery owner, Sera, and a rich man, William, who are both tied up in a painting created during the war. Both are searching for it but for different reasons. They have to work together to find it, and in the process they figure a lot of things out about themselves. And finally, another character, key to all of this comes in towards the end.

I was unsure of the ending of this book right up to the last. But I felt the characters and scenes were well developed. There is romance in this, a kiss here and there, but easy to skim over; they do not take over the book fortunately.

Disclaimer: I received this as an ebook free for the purpose of this review. All opinions are my own. See Disclosure/Policies.

Book Review: The Queen's Handmaid {LitFuse Blog Tour & Giveaway}

The Queen's Handmaid by Tracy L. Higley*
ISBN: 9781401686840
Paperback, 390 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Retail: $15.99

About the book: From the servant halls of Cleopatra's Egyptian palace to the courts of Herod the Great, Lydia will serve two queens to see prophecy fulfilled.

Alexandria, Egypt 39 BC

Orphaned at birth, Lydia was raised as a servant in Cleopatra's palace, working hard to please while keeping everyone at arm's length. She's been rejected and left with a broken heart too many times in her short life.

But then her dying mentor entrusts her with secret writings of the prophet Daniel and charges her to deliver this vital information to those watching for the promised King of Israel. Lydia must leave the nearest thing she's had to a family and flee to Jerusalem. Once in the Holy City, she attaches herself to the newly appointed king, Herod the Great, as handmaid to Queen Mariamme.

Trapped among the scheming women of Herod's political family---his sister, his wife, and their mothers---and forced to serve in the palace to protect her treasure, Lydia must deliver the scrolls before dark forces warring against the truth destroy all hope of the coming Messiah.

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/uKKQP

About the Author: Tracy L. Higley started her first novel at age eight and has been hooked on writing ever since. She has authored many novels, includingGarden of Madness and So Shines the Night. Tracy is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Ancient History and has traveled through Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and Italy, researching her novels and falling into adventures. 

See Tracy's travel journals and more at: tracyhigley.com

My thoughts:
I rather liked the book. It is set during a very turbulent time in history with a lot of death. Higley writes about this time very well, without overemphasizing the gruesome and instead on a couple of characters. I did not like the way the book ended but I don't really know if it would have been a good idea to continue past the point that she did. Probably not. 

I thought it done well enough that I let my daughter read it as well. One thing that I really liked is the Higley took well-known characters from history and wove them into her story. Another thing is that I didn't really find the book to be 'predictable', even though it is historical fiction and the events actually took place in the past. She kept you guessing what would happen next. 

I liked the book and would recommend it to others. I have also read City on Fire, which I enjoyed as well, by Tracy L. Higley. 

***Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher for free through LitFuse for the purpose of this review. All opinions are my own. No compensation was given. This post does contain *affiliate links. See Disclosure/Policies.***

Read more reviews.

And a giveaway:

Tracy L. Higley is celebrating the release of The Queen's Handmaid with a fun giveaway.

Retailers + Resources gave it this glowing review: "Rich in historic detail, Higley’s vivid writing brings to life the plots and intrigues that swirled through the ancient world as alliances were built and broken on the calculated schemes of power-mad monarchs." 

• A Kindle Fire HDX
• The Queen's Handmaid by Tracy L. Higley

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 19th. Winner will be announced April 21st on Tracy's blog.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to stop by Tracy's blog on April 21st to see if you won.

Book Review: Where Lilacs Still Bloom

Where Lilacs Still Bloom by Jane Kirkpatrick
ISBN: 978-1-4000-7430-3
Paperback, 372 pages
Publisher: WaterBrook Press
Retail: $14.99 US/$17.99 CAN

From the back cover:

One woman, an impossible dream, and the faith it takes to see it through.

     German immigrant and farm wife Hulda Klager possesses only an eighth-grade education –and a burning desire to create something beautiful. What begins as a hobby to create an easy-peeling apple for her pies becomes Hulda’s driving purpose: a time-consuming interest in plant hybridization that puts her at odds with family and community, as she challenges the early twentieth-century expectations for a simple housewife.
     Through the years, seasonal floods continually threaten to erase her Woodland, Washington, garden; and a series of family tragedies cause even Hulda to question her focus. In a time of practicality, can one person’s simple gifts of beauty make a difference?
      Based on the life of Hulda Klager, Where Lilacs Still Bloom is a story of triumph over seemingly insurmountable odds and the power of a generous heart.

“Beauty matters…it does. God gave us flowers for a reason. Flowers remind us to put away fear, to stop our rushing and running and worrying about this and that, and for a  moment, have a piece of paradise right here on earth.”

This book reads a bit like a diary with other stories interwoven. It kind of reminds me of a Lifetime original movie! It isn’t fast-paced; more calm and flowing.

Kirkpatrick’s writing focuses more on the everyday and not the spectacular or out-of-the-ordinary. Although no where near as flowery as Charlotte Bronte, this book, the first I’ve read by Kirkpatrick, reminded me somewhat of Bronte’s style. The mundane tasks of life, planting bulbs, pruning trees and bushes, baking pies, and hybridizing lilacs –can have such a significant importance in people’s lives is evident in this book.

I wasn’t entirely sure how this book was going to take shape and didn’t anticipate the directions it went. I do not feel that I am a feminist but do whole-heartedly believe in women being capable of more than simply cooking, cleaning and being interested only in ‘a woman’s place’. This book made me frustrated more than once, not because of the style of writing but because of the mindset of society when Hulda Klager was alive. I have mixed emotions about hybridization but I really think this book is about so much more than that. It is about having a passion about something that seems wrong or inappropriate to others based on culture or traditions. I am one who believes that the family is very important and that is it deteriorating as time progresses. But Hulda is accused of neglecting her family in this book, even though I fail to recall even one instance where she missed making dinner or to get the laundry done, with the exception of when she was ill. There were even those who believed tragedy in her life was a result of her placing her interests and energy into her flowers. To make it more clear, Hulda was trying to change the natural world that God created because she strived for a more perfect lilac. Hulda wasn’t a bee or a bird and therefore, according to some people, should have been content with the way things were and not try to do what it wasn’t her place to do.

I did enjoy this book because of the focus of faith and family as well as the pursuit of what seemed to be an impossible dream. Also being from the Northwest myself, Oregon in particular, I enjoyed the historical information. This isn’t a fast-paced book but if you stick with it, I believe you will find that it is a very good book.

***I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah as part of their Blogging for Books book reviews. No other compensation was given. All opinions are my own. See Disclosure/Policies.***

Book Review: Heiress by Susan May Warren

Heiress, Book 1 of Daughter of Fortune series, by Susan May Warren
ISBN: 9781609362188
Paperback, 367 pages
Publisher: summerside press
Retail: $14.99

The beautiful heiress daughters of newspaper magnate August Price have been given everything their hearts desire. But what if they want only to be loved –without an enormous price tag attached?

When one daughter pursues a desirable marriage, she secures for herself a comfortable and glamorous life. But among the duties of privilege, will she find the happily-ever-after she seeks? Her sister rejects the trappings of wealth, choosing instead to build a new life on the still-untamed frontier. Will independence bring happiness, or has she left her heart behind her in New York’s glittering society?

Set in the opulent world of the Gilded Age, each woman discovers that being an heiress just might cost her everything –including the chance for true love.

The two daughters are Esme and Jinx Price. Their father is not in the novel much but when he is, he is portrayed as needing to appear as society wishes him to be. His wife, Phoebe, who is quite the jaded lady, is extremely bent on keeping up appearances as well. This of course plays a large role in the raising of Esme and Jinx. Appearances are everything.

The book is separated into the lives of both of the girls. It starts out with both of them, then Esme’s life, followed by Jinx’s life, finally ending with both again. Their lives are drastically different and they make choices that they feel are the best at the time. Jinx does everything to make sure her comfortable life is just as it should be but her husband doesn’t love her. He borders on hating her, which is quite sad. I won’t go into details but Jinx unknowingly makes a big mistake that affects many other people. My daughter {who did not read this and I would not advise this for teenagers} said that it doesn’t sound like a book for those looking for good morals.

Esme, on the other hand, completely disowns where she came from –the money, the name, the luxuries. She even uses a different last name. But she does get what she had wanted; her own printing press and newspaper. She falls in love years after leaving home only to lose her husband shortly after their marriage. Her life is sad, like Jinx’s but in a different way.

In the beginning of the book we learn that Mr. Price was unfaithful during his marriage and one of the daughters is the result. I thought I’d figured it out early on who the daughter was but I had to change my thinking a few times before actually finding out. Also there was a part in the book, near the beginning that I thought about all the way through the rest of the book. I won’t tell what that is because it would spoil it, I think. Let’s just say, when you get that far you’ll probably say, “I knew it!” just like I did *wink*.

Did I like this book? Eh, it’s very long and drawn out. The descriptions and settings are well done. The characters are well developed. You can feel like you ‘know’ almost every one of them. I did make the comment that I wouldn’t recommend this for teenagers but there are not descriptive scenes of indiscretion – you just know that something happened. I, ahem, had to read the scene of Jinx’s indiscretion twice to make sure I understood what was going on.

I did feel emotion while reading this –very little happiness, though, even when they supposedly felt it. I felt indignation many times at the limits placed on women during the time period- which I feel were described quite well. Warren also did very well on painting the ‘opulent scene’ as well as the dress of the times. For historical fiction, I thought it was well done.

But after all that, it just felt like a very long mini-series soap opera. It ended ‘happily’, but really? And the main characters forsake God at so many turns, then say that He abandoned them. The ‘redemption’ of their plights come at a cost to others but they in the end are happy. And they both end with money. So they are close to where they started, but this time with a man to love them.

I’m torn on what I think of the book. The writing is very good; engaging. It’s just not along the lines of what I would consider a ‘good book’. I wouldn’t have chosen it at the library, I don’t think. If you would a book to take you out of your world and into someone else’s then you will enjoy this. If you want a book that will make you think, I don’t think you’ll find it in this book.

***Disclaimer: I received this copy free from Christian Bookworm Reviews in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. See Disclosure/Policies.***

Day #108 & 109- History, Nature Study, Home Ec, Science, and P.E.

Monday I worked until 4pm and the kids did…nothing Well, that isn’t entirely true. They read. A lot. Percy Jackson books mostly. Would that count as historical fiction? They are well versed by now in mythology.

It was a pretty ‘lost’ day in regards to school. We watched a show on the Greeks. More ‘history’

Today, Tuesday, really hasn’t been much better. We did some grocery shopping and the kids picked out fruit {weighed it as well- does that all count as home economics??}. The weather today is amazingly warm. Right now the kids are outside playing- and scrounging apparently {physical education?}.

They brought in a buckeye seed (not the one pictured, my batteries are dead) and so we looked up some info about that. {nature study??}

I think we will watch some How It Works (or is it How It’s Made?- well, whichever) later tonight, after dinner. {Would those fit in with science??}

So…can I count them as school days? Yes, I certainly can and will. They just were not as good as I’d planned {by that I mean not as full of actually doing school- learning always takes place}.

That’s been our last two days of school. Tomorrow might be better

Chasing Mona Lisa- LitFuse Blog Tour

It is August 1944 and Paris is on the cusp of liberation. As the soldiers of the Third Reich flee the Allied advance, they ravage the country, stealing countless pieces of art. Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring will stop at nothing to claim the most valuable one of all, the Mona Lisa, as a post-war bargaining chip to get him to South America. Can Swiss OSS agents Gabi Mueller and Eric Hofstadler rescue DaVinci's masterpiece before it falls into German hands?

With nonstop action, Chasing Mona Lisa is sure to get readers' adrenaline pumping as they join the chase to save the most famous painting in the world. From war-ravaged Paris to a posh country chateau, the race is on--and the runners are playing for keeps.

Read an excerpt, watch a video and find out more here: http://www.triciagoyer.com/historicalfiction.html#ChasingMonaLisa

My take on this book:
Excellent! Top notch writing and research. Absolutely great book. This wasn’t a book that I sat and read straight through in one day. It was a book that I savored. I enjoyed the authenticity of the time period, the circumstances and the characters. It felt like this could have been a non-fiction book! I am definitely going to look for more books by Tricia Goyer and Mike Yorkey.

It did not end the way I thought it would, either. Just saying

Read other bloggers thoughts of this book- check out the blog tour schedule.

About the authors:

Tricia Goyer is the coauthor of The Swiss Courier as well as the author of many other books, including Night Song and Dawn of a Thousand Nights, both past winners of the ACFW's Book of the Year Award for Long Historical Romance. Goyer lives with her family in Arkansas. For more about Tricia and her other books visitwww.triciagoyer.com

 

 

Mike Yorkey is the author or coauthor of dozens of books, including The Swiss Courier and the bestselling Every Man's Battle series. Married to a Swiss native, Yorkey lived in Switzerland for 18 months. He and his family currently reside in California. For more about Mike  and his other books visit www.mikeyorkey.com

If you would like to purchase this book, click here.

 

I received this book from LitFuse in exchange for an honest review and participation in the blog tour. No compensation was given. All opinions stated are my own. See Disclosure/Policies.