Book Reviews: stories of WWII and a giveaway

This Giveaway is over, sorry!

This time, I’ll be choosing a winner from my Facebook Page friends. Make sure to ‘Like’ my page HERE to be entered in the giveaway. I’ll choose a winner on Monday, September 14th. (US only, please. International postage is ridiculous.)

September’s book reviews are some recent WWII reads. Books on WWII are insanely popular right now, so I’ve been looking for some that are a little out of the ordinary such as new settings (Munich and U.S. homefront) or original storylines (post WWII England). I hope you find my quick reviews helpful. Let me know in the comments if you’ve read — or plan to read — any of these novels.

The London Restoration

Author: Rachel McMillan Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I can’t tell you how excited I was to see this book come out. So much so that I pre-ordered it in both e-book and paperback. My enthusiasm was well-founded. Rachel McMillan writes beautifully, and the story is fresh and original, just like her. If you love romance, there’s a double dose—flashbacks of before the Sommervilles were wed and again as they struggle to rebuild their marriage after the war. Add to that espionage, architecture, and London. Rachel excels at subtext and atmospheric descriptions, in addition to insights on love, marriage, and independence. You’re going to want to settle in with a cup of tea and enjoy this book in one sitting.

The Wartime Sisters

Author: Lynda Cohen Loigman Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Lynda Cohen Loigman is new author for me and one to look for in the future. I love books about sisters and this new twist on a WWII story set on the homefront was both a great historical read and a compelling portrait of family relationships and friendships. It’s told from four different viewpoints, which gives the reader a great insight into how easily we misjudge the motivations and decisions of even people with think we know well. Great setting, lovely descriptions, and a captivating cast of characters make this a satisfying read.

The White Rose Resists

Author: Amanda Barratt Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’ll admit this was a book that took me some time to read, but I was glad I picked it up again and finished it and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys realistic historical fiction. This novel shows both the brutality and fear within Nazi Germany as well as the love and friendships of a group of college students. I particularly liked getting a glimpse of what Germans themselves were experiencing within their country as the Nazis took control. Many were horrified by the actions of their leadership and some, like the members of the White Rose, had the courage to speak out despite the consequences. With an ending that is both heartbreaking and hopeful, this is a book that will stay with you for a long time.

The Lost Girls of Paris

Author: Pam Jenoff. Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

If you like romanticized stories of strong women in WWII, this may be a book you’ll enjoy. In a dual-timeline, The Lost Girls of Paris, give us the story of little-known  female spies who helped win the war—their friendships, romances, courage, and heroism. There were a few instances of questionable plot devices (hiding a grenade for days while a POW? A television in a diner in 1946?) but I enjoyed the unsung heroes theme even if the research was less than perfect and the ending a tad predicable.

Win a copy of The London Restoration if you’re one of my Facebook friends! Just go HERE and “Like” my Facebook page. (Or, look on the upper end of the sidebar on your right and just click on ‘like page’.) I post about once a day about books, faith, history, family, travel, and sometimes cats and dogs. I’ll pick a winner on Monday, September 14th and post the lucky winner!

A note about my reviews: about once a month, I write about some recently read books and/or some of my old favorites. It will be an eclectic list because, while I love historical fiction, I read across almost every genre. Be it a mystery, women’s lit, contemporary romance, or even horror— if it has compelling characters and a great plot I’m willing to give it a go. (My exceptions are any romance labeled ‘hot’, ‘spicy’, or ‘erotic’ because that’s just not my thing).