You know Her Momness loves historical fiction, right?
“If historical fiction was a flavor, it’d be raspberry white chocolate cheesecake! With double hot fudge!” croweth Mom.
Why she says this, I don’t know. I do know she’s breaking out her Happy Dance. Because we’re reviewing three sturdy historical fiction titles today! All set during World War II.
Break out some extra spoons for Lilac Girls, Irena’s War, and The Orphan’s Tale:
Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
From Army Scout to Outlaw, from Hero to Legend.
This is the story of a gifted man “suspended on a cross between two cultures” who became the best army Apache scout and the most feared outlaw in the southwest borderlands. And then disappeared.
Apache Kid opens in Aravaipa, Arizona in May 1871. Young Ohyessonna (“Hears something in the night”) is living with his family.
He survives the embers of the fires and murders at the Camp Grant Massacre of Apaches. Young Has-kay-bay-nay-ntayl (“brave and tall and will come to a mysterious end”) is known by many names growing up. But growing up in two cultures means choosing between loyalty and betrayal, choosing between his people and their overseers.
Kimber: Yo, Mom! What’s this ‘week’ stuff? Is that like wan Beef Bourguignon? Limp leg of lamb? Flimsy filet mignon?
Mom: No, Kimster. It’s w-e-e-k. As in, seven days.
Kimber: Great. Got it. What’s ‘seven days’?
Insert Mom eye roll here.
Kimber: Silly Mom. She’s probably ruminating on my beautimous brilliance and munificent magnificence. Or she wants to tell you about a brand new historical fiction thingy we just read. It’s like, Totally Pawsome! You know this is true because I say so. Got that, Cupcake?
Well. The book is Two Weeks Till Sunday. By indie author Caleb Backholm. Take it away, Momster! (That’s not a typo. In case you’re wonderin’, Cookie.)
Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
There’s plenty of both in this Double-Oh-Seven type drama set in 16th century England and the court of Queen Elizabeth.
Dr. Dee, an alchemist who doubles as “the original MI6 agent” is assigned a dangerous mission to re-create a weapon from antiquity. But if it falls into the wrong hands, it could threaten the crown and bring down the Empire.
Is this historical fiction thingy all it’s cracked up to be?
‘Hark! Methinks I heareth yon dragon in thy far-off forest.’ (You’ll get that if you read the book.)
Kimber Klue: If She Who Must Be Obeyed (sort of) has to invent ways to avoid finishing or resuming a book, that’s a sign. As in, nothing good. So it was with The Queen’s Men. Here’s the 4-1-1:
Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
“Go to the oldest part (of the hospital archives). It is there where time stands still, but history continues to move forward.”
Thomas Bauer, MD, PhD is an exhausted psychiatrist with a crumbling marriage and an estranged wife and young son. Thomas is also on the outs with the administration at Saint Elizabeths (sic) Hospital in D.C. And he’s trying to get out from under the shadow of his famous psychiatrist father, Dr. Harold Bauer. Thomas Bauer harbors nagging questions about his dad’s roll in some nefarious “research” at Saint E’s. Did Harold Bauer’s research partner, Dr. Matthias Levi, figure out a way to “send consciousness through time”? If so, at what cost? And what is “Case 47”?
“Secrecy always shrouded the tenure of Levi and his father. Mysteries that fueled a burning curiosity for years.”
Kimber the Magnificent here. Her Momness can’t come to the blog write now (that’s not a typo.) She’s being a lazy slug. Slacking on this post-y/bloggy thing. So I decided to step in and take over. After all, someone has to be the adult in the room. (And we all know who that leaves out, right?)
Anyway, the Slug and I? We’ve read like, 98 million books since our last post-y thing. Well. Okay. Maybe not “98 million.” Maybe only 97. But anyway. I wanted to tell ya about the last historical fiction thing-y we read. Cuz someone has to, Slugville notwithstanding. So here goes:
If you’ve been reading with us for any length of time – say, 20 minutes or so – you know that Mom and I are singularly unimpressed by the words “Best-selling author.” Or its kissing cousins, “(fill in the blank) Award Winner” and “Over a bazillion copies in print.” The fact that everyone and their neighbor’s cat is crowing about a new release impresses us about as much as a plate of overcooked arugula.
Yea, verily. We’ve heaped praise on unknown indie authors who’ve earned it. We’ve also panned Pulitzer Prize winners who deserved it. Ya just never know.
You know how Her Royal Momness and I love historical fiction, right? Could scarf it up with a spoon. Forget to eat breakfast. Lunch. And dinner. Stay up all night until The End. Forego another round of extra-crispy bacon.
Wait. Belay that last one. But suffice it to say that of the bazillion historical fiction titles we’ve read lately, Melissa Cole’s A Grain of Hope is one of the most compelling. In fact, we’re giving A Grain of Hope The Official Mom and Kimber Must-Read Stamp of Approval. Here’s why:
Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
“My friend, we live in a world where if good people do nothing, the things bad people do will only get worse and worse.”
That’s a central theme in Steve N. Lee’s latest historical fiction release, A Song of Silence: A Gripping Holocaust Novel inspired by a Heartbreaking True Story. It’s 100% riveting!
Here’s why:
Pages & Paws 