The Book of Lost Friends, by Lisa Wingate

This book had so many layers to it that I’m still unpacking it two days after I’ve finished it. Unusual for me in that once I close the cover (or kindle) for the last time, it’s on to the next. I think I’ll sit here with this one for awhile. 

Wildly appropriate for the times we are living in, The Book of Lost Friends is the simultaneous, but different era stories of Hannie Gossett, a freewoman working on her former plantation after the Civil War, and Benny Silva, a newly minted secondary school teacher in 1987, trying to motivate her students, themselves possible descendants of Hannie’s 19th century world. Augustine, Louisiana is the starting and ending point to both of their stories. 

The title comes from a collection of newspaper advertisements from the late 1800’s, where former enslaved people wrote to find lost relatives, sold away from their families or lost in the Civil War. Hannie finds herself trying to save her adopted family’s crop sharing deed, hard won after 10 years work, and in so doing embarks on an adventure to Texas with Lavinia (the daughter of her former owners) and Juneau Jane, Lavinia’s illegitimate Creole half sister. Along the way, Hannie realizes that her family may be out there, somewhere, and instead of returning home among the dangers of the Reconstruction South, presses on. She and Juneau Jane collect Lost Friend advertisements from the people they meet promising to publish them if they can. 

Benny, an English teacher at the town high school in 1987, stumbles upon the old plantation house with a library full of books she feels can motivate her students. With the help of the present owner, she begins a project which not only brings history to life, but does the same for her students as well. Tensions arise among town residents who would rather keep Augustine’s history buried. Benny has to find a way to get past this without losing everything she’s worked for. I wont go into much more detail than this. In the end, various threads (some of which you didn’t even realize existed) are, for the most part, neatly tied up. As you are reading, pay special attention to the advertisements at each chapter’s beginning. The author’s use of these advertisements is her way of bringing the message of the book home. It’s very effective. 

The Book Of Lost Friends is another gem from Lisa Wingate. Timely, sad, infuriating and uplifting all at the same time, it’s a window into an era of our history almost forgotten. It’s also a reminder that there is still a lot of work left  to do. And as Benny discovered, it’s left to us to do it.

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend, by Katarina Bivald

My, my. Has it really been two years since my last review? Must be all that life stuff that got in the way. Well, lucky readers, I'm back. And I'm reviewing The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald.

Set in the present time in Broken Wheel, Iowa, the book is a study in small town middle-American desolation brought on by the Walmarts of the world and the declining  farming industry. Sara Lundqvist is invited to visit Broken Arrow from Sweden by her elderly book and pen pal, Amy Harris. Anxious to leave a somewhat desolate life of her own, Sara takes Amy up on her offer to come stay with her. Upon arriving, Sara is surprised to find that her hostess is, shall we say, absent. The townspeople, anxious to return to a time when Broken Arrow was a vibrant farming and mercantile community, with a larger population, take Sara under their wing with the goal of having her stay there permanently.  Unaware of their endgame, Sara feels the need to repay the townspeople's kindness by opening a small bookstore on the main street, using Amy's library as a base for her inventory.  Several funny plots ensue to lure customers to the store and to the town in order to induce Sara to stay, but with time running out on her visa, the wackiest scheme of all to keep Sara in America turns out to be not so wacky after all.

Filled with colorful characters and their stories, The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend pulls you in and keeps you there. Ms. Bivald uses the major issues of today as well as literary references from the past to make the point that we are not all that different from each other, and a community that cares is the best antidote to whatever ails society today.

Highly highly recommend.

Sandlands, by Rosy Thornton

I would imagine that it must take a very special creative ability to put together a book of short stories that holds the attention of readers who normally love their novels long and involved. The secret to a successful compilation of short stories under one cover must be that each individual narrative tell its complete story in what would normally be one chapter of a regular novel. It must draw the reader in and keep them there, and include character and story line development in a matter of just a few pages. Rosy Thornton has successfully mastered this art in Sandlands. Each story's end was like closing the back cover of a full novel. I had that satisfaction that comes from a good read over and over again in reading this book.

Each short story in Sandlands reveals some aspect of Suffolk life. The only way I am familiar with this part of England is actually through a series of detective stories written by Elly Griffiths, so this was an interesting way of rounding out my education, so to speak.  Ms. Thornton brings the Suffolk countryside to life in each and every story.  Nature is an ongoing theme throughout the book, and each story hits on a different aspect of life in this part of the country. Stories of flora, fauna, history, family, generations, myths and legends, war and peace, witches and the occult, are covered in individual and engaging ways. There are certain locales, like Silly Hill and The Ship tavern that run in and out of the narratives, and the stories on the whole give the reader an excellent feeling for what life is like here, both past and present.

My favorite stories revolved around generational themes, especially those drawing on the history of the area during World War II. Each taken on its own merit engages the reader into thinking about things that seem magical and make-believe, but in this corner of the world, might actually be possible.

It's a highly recommend from this convert to the short story format.

Everyone Brave is Forgiven, by Chris Cleave

The two conflagrations that defined the first half of the last century have become my new reading fodder. I've read Erik Larsen's brilliant send up of the sinking of the Lusitania, Dead Wake (highly recommend by the way), a few historical fiction pieces from post WWI, including Jennifer Robson's After the War is Over and Moonlight over Paris (two more I highly recommend) and have just finished this amazing effort by Chris Cleave, an award winning British novelist who captures the essence of war time 1940's  London as if he were there, and his readers right along with him.

Everyone Brave is Forgiven is, at the surface, a love story.  Mary North, daughter of an aristocratic family, feels the call of service when World War II breaks out in Europe, and signs up for what she thinks will be an active role in keeping the home front safe. She is, instead, assigned the task of filling in for teachers called up to fight. At the age of 19, she is asked by her supervisor and lover, Tom Shaw, to establish a school for the children left behind in the evacuation from London. These children are the "undesirables," unwanted by the country folk asked to house them, and she gladly takes on the task. When her efforts run up against the London Blitz, it spells dire consequences for all.

At the same time, the story follows Alistair Heath, Tom's roommate, who joins the British Army, spends time fighting in France and after a hasty retreat brought on by the German insurgence, finds himself stationed on Malta, during the siege which lasted from 1940-1942. Starved and injured, he can't forget the one girl who wasn't his to remember.

The juxtaposition of the Blitz with the siege, and the devastation wrought by both is the backdrop to the social lessons Cleave imparts with his writing. Race, friendship, and class are all fair game here. And through his characters, Cleave very cleverly asks these questions: Is there any positive outcome of war? Does it change society? Does it make people more tolerant, more open to differences among them? More willing to forgive? More willing to help and get involved?

Cleave's flowing prose and anecdotal phrases make the reader stop, think, and try to answer those questions. This is the perfect example of a novel that is, on the surface, an arresting fictional account of a few lives during a very trying period of time, but is in reality, a more thorough dissertation on humankind's tolerance for hate, evil and war.


Highly, highly recommend.

Cold-Hearted Rake, by Lisa Kleypas

Like Lisa Kleypas' return to both writing historical romance and Avon books, her publisher in 1992, to my return to her new historical romance series and her latest novel, I feel like I've come full circle. Back in 2007, some new friends decided to start a long distance book club. I won't bore you with our original mission. Suffice it to say that the first book undertaken was a Lisa Kleypas romance, and before too long, discussions via email, Skype and other means of long ago technology were put to use to pick apart and discuss this author's earlier efforts. She's remained a favorite of mine since, not only because she can certainly write, but because she was truly a catalyst in cementing a long-lasting circle of friendship.

Cold-Hearted Rake, set in Victorian England, is the story of Kathleen, Lady Trenear, and Lord Devon Ravenel, the new Earl of Trenear, who inherits after Kathleen's first husband inconveniently dies after three days of marriage.

Kathleen, brought up by the highest sticklers in polite society, has very distinct and non-negotiable ideas about mourning and proper behavior. With the responsibility of her three younger sisters in law on her shoulders, she is faced with the very real possibility of losing her home. And when her cousin by marriage arrives, preceded by his reputation as London's most notorious rake, her fears reach new heights. Devon has no plans to put the estate back in financial order at first. Disheartened by his inheritance at the end of nobility's golden era, and burdened by his change in lifestyle, Devon must make a decision.  When confronted with the reality of Kathleen and his cousins, his tenants and staff, he is reminded of the responsibility that is now his, whether he wants it or not.

Against the backdrop of their burgeoning attraction, Devon and Kathleen, with help from Devon's brother West, each change and reform enough to begin to make a success of the burden they have taken on. The tale is not without its conflicts. There were parts of this story where I could honestly say I didn't like either of the protagonists. Kathleen probably took the brunt of that more than Devon. She's just so rigid, bossy and opinionated at times. And Devon, who does live up to the title of the book, does not get a pass; not until well into the novel. The changes in both these characters, when they do come, are hard won, and you are all the more appreciative for it. And like the long ago book we read in 2007, no one can write a love scene like Lisa Kleypas.

With the added tie-in to her next in this series, Marrying Mr. Winterborne, there's plenty here for her fans to appreciate. I foresee a sequel for West Ravenel and the twins, Cassandra and Pandora, as well. I'm happy to follow this new cast of characters wherever Ms. Kleypas decides to take them. Welcome back! Highly recommend.

Heroes Are My Weakness, by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

This wonderfully quirky novel is the newest release by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Mix a semi-gothic story line with slightly damaged, yet attractive protagonists (one of whom is a ventriloquist), an isolated island setting and hardy, resourceful islanders, and you have a recipe for a fun, fast, late summer read.

Annie Hewitt has come to Peregrine Island to preserve a bequest given to her mother by her ex-stepfather. Annie must occupy Moonraker Cottage, a small house located on the grounds of the much larger Harp House, for at least 60 days a year in order to keep it. Having no other visible means of support, except her puppets, and no place to live, she comes to the island following her mother's death. She never expects Theo Harp, a childhood nemesis and possible psychopath disguised as a Stephen King-type novelist, to be in residence in his family's home. As teens, Annie was convinced that Theo tried to kill her, and nothing since then has changed her mind. When she's again drawn into Theo's circle, she begins to question her past and when things start to take a sinister turn, she turns to first Theo, then another childhood friend, Jaycie, for answers.

The mystery of the story pulls you in, but it's the characters that keep you coming back for more. Annie and Theo are drawn perfectly as two people committed to finding the worst in each other. We are allowed to watch that all slowly change, as secrets from the past are revealed. Jaycie and her mute daughter Livia, along with the Peregrine islanders are all an important part of the narrative.

Ms. Phillips signature humor is definitely evident. There were some lines in this novel that actually made me laugh loud enough to be heard in the next room. You'll know them when you read them. If you're in the mood to end your summer on a highly suspenseful, romantic and funny note, this is your Labor Day gem. Highly highly recommend.

A Memory of Violets: A Novel of London's Flower Sellers, by Hazel Gaynor

After reading The Girl Who Came Home, by the same author a year or so ago, I promised myself that if Ms. Gaynor wrote another historical fiction novel, I would run, not walk, to get my hands on it. A Memory of Violets is a worthy new addition to her repertoire.

The novel is the story of Matilda Harper, a young woman from the Lake District who has nothing to lose by leaving home in March of 1912 to take a position in London at Albert Shaw's Training Homes for Watercress and Flower Girls, also known as the Flower Homes. The Flower Homes are a group housing arrangement for poverty-stricken crippled and orphaned former flower sellers. The residents produce beautiful, life-like artificial flowers to sell for charitable causes. Tilly arrives and takes up her position as assistant house mother to twelve girls. Through a chance meeting on the train to London and a seemingly random room assignment, she is drawn into the mystery of two sisters, flower sellers both who were separated years ago. One made her home among the residents of the Flower Homes, while the other was presumably lost forever.

What transpires is the clever interweaving of historical fact and fiction (Albert Shaw's character is based on real-life British philanthropist John Groom). Tilly's character has a connection to the Flower Homes that she could not have possibly imagined. And the story of the two sisters becomes Tilly's story as well.

With clever dialogue, well-written prose, engaging characters, hints of supernatural intervention and many good and unpredictable twists and turns in this novel, Ms. Gaynor has presented her narrative in a heartfelt way. You can tell that this is a well-researched and well-loved topic for this author. The descriptive detail brings both the Victorian and Edwardian era to vibrant and fragrant life.    Released by William Morris in February of 2015. Highly recommend!