Three Words For Goodbye : A Novel by Hazel Gaynor

Three Words For Goodbye : A Novel by Hazel Gaynor-340 pages

New York, 1937: When estranged sisters Clara and Madeleine learn their grandmother Violet is dying, they agree to fulfill her last wish: to travel across Europe—together. They are to deliver three letters, in which Violet will say goodbye to those she hasn’t seen since traveling to Europe forty years earlier.

The eldest sister Clara sees the trip as an inconvenient detour before her wedding to millionaire Charles Hancock, but it’s also a chance to embrace her love of art. Younger sister Madeleine looks forward to the opportunity to develop her ambitions to report on the growing threat of the Nazi party and Mussolini’s control in Italy.

Constantly at odds with each other, through the sights of Paris and Venice, Clara and Madeleine wonder if they can fulfil Violet’s wish, until a shocking truth about their family brings them closer together. But as they reach Vienna to deliver the final letter, old grudges resurface and the sisters are at odds.  

Their final mode of transportation may be their last!  Lots of twists and turns.  I LOVED it.  Hazel Gaynor is now on the top of my list for historical authors. 

 

Miss Morgan's Book Brigade by Janet Skeslien Charles

Miss Morgan's Book Brigade by Janet Skeslien Charles-315 pages

Based on the true story of Jessie Carson, an American librarian who changed the literary landscape of WWI Paris.

Jessie Carson takes a leave of absence from the New York Public Library to work for the American Committee for Devastated France. Founded by millionaire Anne Morgan, this group of international women help rebuild devastated French communities just miles from the front. Upon arrival, Jessie strives to establish something that the French have never seen—children’s libraries. She turns ambulances into bookmobiles and trains the first French female librarians. Then she disappears.

1987: When NYPL librarian and aspiring writer Wendy Peterson stumbles across a passing reference to Jessie Carson in the archives, she becomes consumed with learning her fate. In her obsessive research, she discovers that she and the elusive librarian have more in common than their work at New York’s famed library, but she has no idea their paths will converge in surprising ways across time.

LOVED it...an exceptional read.

The Librarian of Burned Books by Brianna Labuskes

 

The Librarian of Burned Books by Brianna Labuskes-516 pages

This book is inspired by the true story of the Council of Books in Wartime.  For anyone who loves books and the freedom to read what we want just reading about the book burnings in Germany made me furious.

This book is about three women who are woven together by their love of the written word and preserving it for the future.  It was a slow start for me, so many characters and plots taking place on different continents.  I stuck with it though and I'm glad I did.  The author put a lot of research into this book and I learned things that I was not aware of.  It is well worth your time.

The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles

 

The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles-351 pages

Based on the true story of the heroic librarians at the American Library in Paris.  Another wonderful story about the power of books to unite us and bring us together in times of chaos and upheaval.  On the brink of WWII, Paris 1939.  Young Odile can't believe that she landed a job at the American Library.  As the war unfolds and days turn into years, it can change everything you hold dear; your family, friends, lovers.  Suddenly you find yourself not knowing who to trust and one misstep can change your whole trajectory in life.  Fast forward to Montana 1983.  We catch up with the much older Odile and her very inquisitive teen neighbor Lily.  Their love for each other grows as Odile helps  Lily navigate her teen years, loss of a loved one and a upheaval in her family life.  A slow start in the beginning, but once I got into it I enjoyed it very much.

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

 

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley - 360 pages

Jess needs a fresh start. She’s broke and alone, and she’s just left her job under less than ideal circumstances. Her half-brother Ben didn’t sound thrilled when she asked if she could crash with him for a bit, but he didn’t say no, and surely everything will look better from Paris. Only when she shows up – to find a very nice apartment, could Ben really have afforded this? – he’s not there.

The longer Ben stays missing, the more Jess starts to dig into her brother’s situation, and the more questions she has. Ben’s neighbors are an eclectic bunch, and not particularly friendly. Jess may have come to Paris to escape her past, but it’s starting to look like it’s Ben’s future that’s in question.

The socialite – The nice guy – The alcoholic – The girl on the verge – The concierge

Everyone’s a neighbor. Everyone’s a suspect. And everyone knows something they’re not telling.

The book starts by introducing you to all of the characters, and the book continues with each chapter from different character's perspective.  I personally like this type of narrative; if it's not your preference I would still recommend you give this a try, you will not be disappointed.  This book has several twists and turns that keep you intrigued and drives you to keep reading because you just have to find out what the deal is with this apartment.  Just when you think you have it figured out you find out you do not!

Dragonfly by Leila Meacham

 Dragonfly by Leila Meacham--559 pages

This is a story about five amazing young people who are chosen for a top secret mission during WWII.  Excellent writing.  I enjoyed it very much.

 

The Book Supremacy by Kate Carlisle-322 pages

Bibliophile Mystery #13

Books, spies, escape rooms and a mystery..what's not to love?  And a line that any librarian could relate to "If only we could chain up anyone with an overdue book!"  Yes, a little extreme, but admit it you had that thought more than once!  I was looking for something a little lighter for a read and this fit the bill.  The characters are feasible and enjoyable.  And the main character Brooklyn is unrelenting in finding the killer.  I recommend it.

Forgiving Paris by Karen Kingsbury

Forgiving Paris by Karen Kingsbury 273 pages More than two decades ago, Ashley Baxter Blake made her most grievous mistake in Paris. Now, a forgotten voice brings new information about that terrible time, causing Ashley to see that experience in a new light. Can she finally lay down yesterday's pain and move on? In Paris, Alice Michel is having dinner with her son Gabe and his new friend, Jessie Taylor, an Indiana girl who is studying abroad for the semester. Alice's life is so good now, totally different than it was twenty-four years ago. As the dinner conversation goes on, Alice tells the young couple that her long-ago drug addiction nearly killed her. But then her life was saved by a conversation with an American artist. Alice can only remember the girl's name: Ashley. Back in Indiana, Ashley and her husband are about to take a eighteenth anniversary trip to Paris, where she will have her first French art show. But Ashley is hesitant. She has never forgiven herself for what happened there. This is a continuation of the Baxter Family story which I have read most of them. It was so good to find out the secrets that were hidden from the previous books. I enjoyed reading this book and finding closure to a few of the character's stories. But I think even if you haven't read the other Baxter stories you would enjoy this book because she gives a lot of details to what transcribed in the previous books without giving away the story. But of course if you want to read more of the story I would recommend any books by Karen Kingsbury. They are romance stories and family stories that are based on Christian principles and Bible teachings.

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick - 331 pages

Sixty-nine-year-old Arthur Pepper lives a simple life. He gets out of bed at precisely 7:30 a.m., just as he did when his wife, Miriam, was alive. He dresses in the same gray slacks and mustard sweater vest, waters his fern, Frederica, and heads out to his garden.

But on the one-year anniversary of Miriam’s death, something changes. Sorting through Miriam’s possessions, Arthur finds an exquisite gold charm bracelet he’s never seen before. What follows is a surprising and unforgettable odyssey that takes Arthur from London to Paris and as far as India in an epic quest to find out the truth about his wife’s secret life before they met—a journey that leads him to find hope, healing and self-discovery in the most unexpected places.

I See London, I See France by Sarah Mlynowski

I See London, I See France by Sarah Mlynowski - 378 pages

I see London, I see France, I see Sydney’s underpants.

Nineteen-year-old Sydney has the perfect summer mapped out. She’s spending the next four and half weeks traveling through Europe with her childhood best friend, Leela. Their plans include Eiffel-Tower selfies, eating cocco gelato, and making out with très hot strangers. Her plans do not include Leela’s cheating ex-boyfriend showing up on the flight to London, falling for the cheating ex-boyfriend’s très hot friend, monitoring her mother’s spiraling mental health via texts, or feeling like the rope in a friendship tug-of-war. 

As Sydney zigzags through Amsterdam, Switzerland, Italy, and France, she must learn when to hold on, when to keep moving, and when to jump into the Riviera…wearing only her polka-dot underpants.

Rook by Sharon Cameron

Rook by Sharon Cameron  456 pages

History has a way of repeating itself. In the Sunken City that was once Paris, all who oppose the new revolution are being put to the blade. Except for those who disappear from their prison cells, a red-tipped rook feather left in their place. The mysterious Red Rook a savior of the innocent, and a criminal in the eyes of the government.

Meanwhile, across the sea in the Commonwealth, Sophia Bellamy's arranged marriage to the wealthy Rene Hasard is the last chance to save her family from ruin. But when the search for the Red Rook comes straight to her doorstep, Sophia discovers that her fiance is not all he seems. Which is only fair, because neither is she.

As the Red Rook grows bolder and the stakes grow ever higher, Sophia and Rene find themselves locked in a tantalizing game of cat and mouse.

French Milk by Lucy Knisley

French Milk by Lucy Knisley-188 pages

I read An Age of License by Knisley during the travel month, but had to request this from a distant library, so I could not get it in time to read it for that month. I somewhat enjoyed reading this, although it definitely wasn't my favorite. I enjoyed An Age of License better. French Milk is a travelogue of Lucy Knisley's stay in a Paris apartment for a month to celebrate her birthday with her mom. Her dad and a friend also stay for a few days at different times. I was amused at her love of French milk, which is fresh and always whole. They don't drink skim milk. I would like to visit Paris and, especially, the Eiffel Tower someday. I really want to go to Europe. Overall, this was an okay graphic travelogue.

The Wright Brothers by David McCullough

The Wright Brothers by David McCullough-320 pages

I thoroughly enjoyed reading McCullough's account of Orville and Wilbur Wright (and their immediate family, especially their father and sister). McCullough chronicles their lives leading up to the invention of the airplane, but focuses mainly on the brothers' invention of the airplane and escapades in flight. McCullough's writing flows well and is very readable, which is why it is so interesting and enjoyable. I knew that the Wright Brothers were the first to invent and fly an "airplane," but I learned so much more about them while reading this book. I wanted to read this book for three reasons (mainly). The first is that it is written by David McCullough who is a much acclaimed historian and author. The second is that I wanted to learn more about the Wright Brothers and their escapades in flight (which as I said, I did). The final reason is that I share the same birthday with both Orville and Katharine Wright (though I only knew about Orville before reading this book). I find it interesting, amusing that Wilbur really liked France and felt a kinship to/with the French, but did not like Rome at all. I would really like to visit Italy. In conclusion, I am glad to have read this book and have a better understanding of flight and the Wright Brothers.

An Age of License: A Travelogue by Lucy Knisley

An Age of License: A Travelogue by Lucy Knisley-195 pages

Since this month's theme is travel, I decided to read some highly acclaimed graphic travelogues and this is one that was recommended. Lucy (the author) travels to Norway, Sweden, Germany, and France in September, 2011 and documents her travels in this graphic volume. Lucy is an acclaimed cartoonist/graphic novelist/artist who is invited to Raptus Comics Fest in Bergen, Norway which is the original reason for her travels, but she decides to visit friends/lovers in the other countries she travels to. It is an interesting, easy read and I would really like to take a trip like this someday.

Avenue of Spies by Alex Kershaw

Avenue of Spies by Alex Kershaw -286 pages

This is the true story of an American doctor, his wife, and teenage son who joined a Resistance network in World War II Paris. Dr. Sumner Jackson and his wife Toquette, lived on Avenue Foch alongside some of the city's wealthiest residents. In 1940, the Gestapo took over neighboring mansions. Dr. Jackson helped hide Allied airmen in the neutral American Hospital early in the war, and he and Toquette eventually used their home as a Resistance courier stop right under the nose of the Gestapo commandant. The final third of the book recounts the Jackson's capture and tragic price they paid as the conflict came to a close. The conclusion is bitterly ironic as their Nazi captors largely escaped justice.

The Magician by Michael Scott

The Magician by Michael Scott - 496 pages
The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel Book 2

In action just days from the start of the series, Flamel and the Newman twins find themselves in Paris still on the run from the nefarious Dr. Dee who is hunting for the missing pages of the Codex.  One of my favorite historical figures, Niccolo Machiavelli joins the hunt for the twins as well.  Loads of action and new monsters make for a fun addition to the series.

The Discreet Pleasures Of Rejection by Martin Page

The Discreet Pleasures of Rejection by Martin Page, 182 pages

This was one of the strangest books I have ever read.  But, I think that it may have been because it was translated from French to English.  Virgil is a young man living and working in Paris who comes home from work one day and finds a message on his answering machine from a girl, whom he has never met, breaking up with him. Virgil does not remember the girl or the relationship.  He spends the next few weeks searching for the girl and questioning his whole existence from where he lives to his job.  This is a book of  self discovery and extreme oddness.

The Paris Architect by Charles Belfoure

The Paris Architect by Charles Belfoure - 371 pages

The Paris Architect  is a gripping story about a pair who worked architectural marvels in Occupied Paris to protect French Jews.  The novel follows architect Lucien Bernard and industrialist Auguste Manet.  To the eyes of most Parisians and the Germans, Bernard and Manet appear to be collaborationists helping design factories for the German war effort.  Behind the scenes, Bernard designs cleverly disguised hiding spaces for Manet's Jewish friends enabling them to elude the Germans.

What I loved most about this book was the "cat and mouse game" Bernard and Manet played with the Germans to cleverly hide the Jews.

Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child

Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child

557 pages

Julia Child was a beloved American television personality from 1963 to 1985. She pioneered an entire genre of cooking shows well before the Food Network.

She was born Julia McWilliams on August 15, 1912 in Pasadena, California to a prominent land owner, John McWilliams Jr. and a college graduate mother, Caro (Weston) McWilliams. She was raised to be a debutant. She graduated from Smith College. After commencement, she was a free spirit and immature for her age. Her six feet, 2 inch frame and average looks didn’t help attract a husband. While all her friends were becoming engaged and marrying their sweet hearts, Julia struggled to find herself in the world.

During World War II she served in the Office of Strategic Services. There she met Paul Child. After a long friendship, they fell in love and married in 1946. Julia was thirty four years old and Paul was forty four.

After the War, Paul was stationed in Paris, France. Julia to occupy her time started taking cooking classes. Before long it became an obsession. She had finally found her niche. She went on to co-author a best-selling book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking and the rest was iconic television history.

Black County: Glory,Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real County of Monte Cristo

The Black County: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal and the Real Count of Monte Cristo

By Tom Reiss

414 pages

The Black Count is the story of a mixed race French general named Alexandre Dumas. The volume is rich in historical background of the French Revolution and the military expansion of the French Republic.  Alexandre was born to a French noble, Antonia de la Pailleterie, and a slave, Maria Dumas. He was born in the French colony which is now known as Haiti. His noble father favored his son and brought him to France when Alexandre was only fourteen. Dumas played an important role in the newly formed French Republic. He was a superb military strategist and logistics manager. His enemies called him the “Black Devil,” for he appeared to be unstoppable. However, he fell out of favor of Napoleon Bonaparte and everything changed. His son, also named Alexandre, became a novelist and wrote, the Three Musketeers, among other novels.