The Paris Widow, by Kimberly Belle - Read it!

I have read 4 or 5 of Kimberly Belle's books.  And I have thoroughly enjoyed all of them.  The latest, the Paris Widow, is NOT an exception. It's the story of a love affair between Stella and Adam...and a whole bunch more.   We learn a lot about the antiquities market, and the fact that there are so many archaeological artifacts stolen and replicated. The next time I go to a museum, I will be wondering whether or not what I see is truly the original piece!  It's staggering what goes on in that world.

Kimberly has done a terrific job of combining the personal story with a thorough description of what happens in the antiquities domain.  Even though every once in a while we hear about a piece of art that has been stolen, we rarely hear about statues, vases, and a whole variety of other pieces that have been taken.  And then, when they are found, we now might question whether or not it's the original piece!

Thanks, Kimberly, for educating us. 

P.S.  Please note that the Paris Widow becomes available to purchase on June 11.  

Kate Quinn and Her First Venture with Janie Chang

The Phoenix Crown is my 5th Kate Quinn. But it's the 1st one that she wrote with a co-author.  And that co-author, Janie Chang, was not only able to hold her own with a superstar.  But she matches her page for page.  In fact, I like her and it so much that I have already purchased one of Janie's books so I can immerse myself in her solo efforts.

But how is the book, you might be asking right now.  It's really good. The story begins in San Francisco 13 days before the1906 earthquake. And it centers primarily on 2 women.  One is an opera singer, who is in the city as part of a troupe.  And the other is a young Chinese woman who, because of the business her family has, spends quite a bit of time outside Chinatown.  Each chapter, for a good portion of the book, alternates between the 2 protagonists.

Of course we see what happens when the earthquake hits.  But equally important is what happens to the 2 women, along with 2 other women that are a big part of their group. in the 5 years that follow. This is historical fiction at its best.  Even if you didn't grow up in the San Francisco Bay Area, you certainly have heard about the earthquake.  Kate and Janie create a very detailed picture of when it happened and its aftermath.  Bravo to these 2 fine authors!

 

Heather Webb Does It Again

Queens of London is my 3rd Heather Webb Historical Fiction novel. The 1st one, Three Words for Goodbye, she wrote with Hazel Gaynor. The 2nd one, The Last Ship Home, was solo.  And so is QofL.  Here's the thing...they are all really good.  She has a lot more that I hope to get to one day.  But, for now, let's talk about Queens of London.

Alice Diamond, known as "Diamond Annie," is the head of an all-woman group in 1925 London.  Their mission is to basically take over the city.  And they do this by robbing department stores, among other places.  They appear to be unstoppable.  But there are 3 other very important females in the story.  One is a police detective, working for Scotland Yard, who is trying very hard to overcome the prejudice against female police officers.  One is an employee at a major department store.  And one is a very young Indian girl who is all by herself.  These 4 characters come together to create a very intense, well-crafted, extremely interesting book.  All I can say to Heather is..."Keep 'em comin'!"   

Another Excellent Kristin Hannah!

I'm sure it will come as no surprise to you that Kristin Hannah's latest book, The Women, is absolutely terrific.  Out of 25 books that Kristin has written, I've read 5 - The Nightingale, The Four Winds, The Great Alone, Home Front, and, now, The Women.  This one really got to me. It's about a woman who volunteers to go to Vietnam during that conflict in the late 60s.  It just so happens that I got caught up in that war too.  I was going to Cal in 1969 when the government took away college students' deferments.  I immediately joined the Army Reserve because I did NOT want to get drafted.  As it turned out, my number, 152, was called up.  It wasn't fun to have 5 months of active duty (at least it was stateside!) and 5+ years of one weekend per month and 2 weeks of commitment every summer.  But it sure beat the heck out of the alternative!

But enough about me.  You don't have to have my kind of connection to be very glad you read this book.  Like all of the others, it's just flat-out good.  Of course there is so much more to the story than her time in Vietnam.  And I can vouch for how she depicted the way the soldiers were treated when they came home.  You will know that Kristin is accurate in how she tells us all about how the Vietnam War created so much animosity back here in the U.S.

Finally, I will just tell you this - If Kristin Hannah writes it, you will be glad you read it.  And as for The Women, just ask the 165,000+ who rated The Women 4.70/5!  That is absolutely unheard of.  But there you have it.

The True Love Experiment, by Christina Lauren - Truly Outstanding

My review of The True Love Experiment, by Christina Lauren, is going to be very short.  It is flat-out outstanding.  It's not only one of the best romances I've read.  It's actually one of the best books I've read! It's very clever throughout.  I usually make some notes of sentences or paragraphs that stand out.  Well, in this case, I wrote down a few early on and then realized that the entire book is clever and smart. We all know how romances end.  But, in this case, the premise is really creative and something that I haven't seen before.  And there are definitely some poignant moments.  One word of caution - there are some physical interchanges and language that are NOT PG!  But it all fits together well.

 

There Are Memoirs and Then There Are Memoirs!

Erin Gordon's Look What You Made Me Do:  Confronting Heartbreak & Harassment in Big Law is a must read!  It focuses on her experience working as a first-year associate in a big law firm in San Francisco in 1993-1994.  Erin talks about what it was like to be treated in a way that most of us cannot even fathom.  She tells us about how that year stayed with her for the next 30 years!...and what she finally did to deal with her time there.  This memoir is raw and brave and poignant. 

And here's an added bonus:  Besides living this year along with her, you also get to read something that is so well-written.  I've always thoroughly enjoyed Erin's books, largely because she is such a good writer.  But by combining a mesmerizing story with such fine writing and heartfelt emotions, you get the trifecta!  Make sure you grab this one because it will sure grab you!

  

Dugoni does it again!

A Killing on the Hill, by Robert Dugoni, comes out on April 9.  This is his 24th novel, along with 3 short stories and 1 non-fiction that he co-wrote.  And after all of those books, AKotH is his very 1st historical fiction!  And, wow, is it good!  The story takes place in Seattle in 1933, at the height of Prohibition and  the Great Depression.  The main protagonist is a 19-year old boy, William Shumacher ("Shoe") who has moved from Kansas City to Seattle in order to become a newspaper reporter for one of Seattle's 3 main papers.  He becomes the chief representative for the paper in a trial regarding the shooting and killing of a well-known prize fighter by the owner of an establishment that is selling alcohol and running illegal gambling games.  Of course Shoe is much more involved than just covering the trial.  Throw in the newspaper's editor, the chief detective for the City of Seattle, the deputy prosecutor who tries the case, the defense's main attorney, and a couple of women with their own stories, and you have a book that will keep you guessing throughout.

So here's the thing.  Dugoni can flat-out write.  Whether it's a standalone (5) or one of his series (3), all of his books are terrific.  And even though I (shamefacedly) admit that I've only read 5 of his books, one of them - The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell - is one of my favorites of all-time!  If you haven't read it...get to it!  You will thank me!

But I digress.  AKotH will keep you enthralled throughout. I have to warn you that there may be some tears in your future.  And don't be surprised if you gasp or say "What the heck?" or just shake your head.  I predict one or more of those things will happen.

Get your order in so that you can start A Killing on the Hill when it becomes available on April 9.