June Books

The Plum Tree by Ellen Marie Wiseman -- I've now read all three books that my library has from this author, and I like her. This book is somewhat the story of her own family. Her mom grew up in Nazi Germany, and the author depicted what an ordinary German family had to go through. Not everyone supported Hitler, but they suffered regardless.  I hate to think of people being drafted to serve that monster!  It gives a look inside Christine's family as they struggle through the war as Germans who do not support Hitler, but still must serve in the army and struggle to survive. 

The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier -- a very clever story behind these tapestries!  At first I wasn't so sure about this Nicolas des Innocents, but I grew to enjoy this story. I liked reading chapters by so many of the characters.

Brass Ring by Diane Chamberlain -- After Claire tries to talk a suicidal lady from jumping off a bridge, she starts having flashbacks that bring her pain. Meanwhile across the country in Seattle, her estranged sister Vanessa - whom she hasn't seen since their father took Vanessa with him when their parents divorced thirty years prior - struggles with her own demons. A rather interesting book.  I believe I have now read all the books by this author that my local libraries offer.

The Independence of Miss Mary Bennet by Colleen McCullough -- Rather odd, rather interesting at times...an amusing ending. This is the story of the Bennet sisters about 20 years after Darcy and Elizabeth married.  Mrs. Bennet finally dies and Mary is free from taking care of her mom.

Laura Ingalls is Ruining My Life by Shelley Tougas -- an easy read about a 12 year old girl who moves to Walnut Grove, MN, where her single mom tries her hand at getting inspiration from Laura to write about a girl on the prairie.  Charlotte takes us through her time of trying to fit in at school.  Pretty cute.

Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda --  After the loss of her first child due to the fact she was a girl, Kavita vows this will not happen again.  When she gives birth to another daughter, she tricks her husband and takes the infant to an orphanage many miles away.   Back in the US, a couple struggle with infertility and look into adoption.  This story speaks of life in both India and California; a pretty interesting look at one couple's struggle and one adopted daughter's outlook on life. 

Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters  -- a friend sent this to me for my birthday; it's an Amelia Peabody mystery which kept me entertained while at the beach and while Zach was playing nearby at the splash park yesterday (6/11) and hopscotch park today. I finished it there. 

Through the Heart by Kate Morgenroth -- this story is told with alternating voices of Nora, a thirty-something back home in Kansas, living with her ailing mother, and Timothy, the rich, progressive New Yorker (utterly a shallow jerk in my opinion - at least for much of the story.)  I chose this book because it looked short and easy to read, and it was.  And for the most part, I enjoyed it even if I didn't like Timothy much at all.

Child of the South by Joanna Catherine Scott -- Eugenia returns home to Wilmington after the Civil War; she tries to find out more about her true mother. Was it her father's wife - or a slave they called Tilde?  This story also talks about black people influencing the North Carolina constitution and being elected into the government. 

The Sea Before Us by Sarah Sundin -- The first in the Sunrise at Normandy series; this is the story of the "Wren" Second Officer Dorothy Fairfax, and a Texan named Wyatt Paxton who meet in London. Both make plans for the Navy's strategy off the coast of Normandy.

Instruments of Darkness by Imogen Robertson -- I enjoyed this book about a Mrs. Harriet Westerman in Sussex, and her rather reclusive neighbor, the local anatomist named Gabriel Crowther and how they joined forces to solve murder mysteries!  I see a couple more books featuring these two so I will check them out of the library soon.

The Promise Girls by Marie Bostwick -- I decided to take a break from her series and try this stand-alone book.  The Promise sisters -- Joanie, Meg, and Avery -- were famous in their younger years as their mom exploited their story (some of the first babies conceived via IVF); years later they deal with the aftermath of the fact that they didn't end up as the gifted artist, writer, and pianist as their mother Minerva had envisioned.  A pretty good book. 

They Did it with Love by Kate Morgenroth -- When her husband Dean asks her to consider moving to Greenwich from NYC, Sofie surprises him by agreeing right away.  In the "country" Sofie is invited to join Priscilla's book group - a group that read mysteries!  When one lady in the group is found hanging, Sofie puts her detective skills to work trying to figure out if the victim's husband is to be blamed.  I enjoyed this book!

Anatomy of Murder by Imogen Robertson -- another Westerman-Crowther murder mystery. This time they are in London where Mrs. Westerman's sailor husband is recovering from a terrible blow to his head while serving his country.  Harriet and Gabriel are asked to look into the murder of a guy from the theater who may be part of a spy ring.  (This takes place when the rebels across the Atlantic are fighting for independence from England.)

The Seakeeper's Daughters by Lisa Wingate -- While Whitney is struggling to keep her restaurants in Michigan open, she gets news about her stepfather being hospitalized so she travels to the Outer Banks in North Carolina where she deals with memories and family secrets.  Pretty good book.