September was a great reading month for me! It started with a short weekend trip away with my husband. He did a lot of planning for the next quarter while I did a lot of reading. It was glorious and much needed!!
I read a total of six books in September and I really liked all of them, although they were very different books. I like to vary the type and genre of books that I read to give variety to my reading life. I like to follow up a serious read with a lighter book. This works great for me!
Here are the six books that I read in September with some short thoughts.
Lost Roses
by Martha Hall Kelly
Summary: This is the story of three women during World War I: Eliza Ferriday, Sofya Streshnayva and Varinka. Eliza Ferriday is thrilled to be traveling to St. Petersburg with Sofya Streshnayva, a cousin of the Romanov’s. When Austria declares war on Serbia and Russia’s Imperial dynasty begins to fall, Eliza escapes back to America, while Sofya and her family flee to their country estate. In need of domestic help, they hire the local fortuneteller’s daughter, Varinka, unknowingly bringing intense danger into their household. On the other side of the Atlantic, Eliza is doing her part to help the White Russian families find safety as they escape the revolution. But when Sofya’s letters suddenly stop coming she fears the worst for her best friend. From the turbulent streets of St. Petersburg to the avenues of Paris and the society of fallen Russian emigre’s who live there, the lives of Eliza, Sofya, and Varinka intersect in profound ways in this novel set in this monumental time in history.
This was a super long book that my husband gave me for my birthday this year. I took it on our trip to the National Harbor and read it the entire time, finishing it before we left for our return home.
This story was captivating! I loved all of the characters and became emotionally involved in their story of survival.
Rating: 4/5 stars
Lilac Girls
by Martha Hall Kelly
So, Lilac Girls and Lost Girls are in the same series. Lilac Girls was actually written first, but I decided to read them chronologically, starting with Lost Girls set during WWI.
Summary: This historical novel also centers around three women during World War II: Caroline Ferriday, Kasic Kuzmerick, and Herta Oberheuser. New York socialite Caroline Ferriday (daughter of Eliza Ferriday in Lost Girls) has her hands full with her post at the French consulate and a new love on the horizon. But Caroline’s world is forever changed when Hitler’s army invades Poland in September 1939—and then sets its sights on France. Kasia Kuzmerick, a Polish teenager, senses her carefree youth disappearing as she is drawn deeper into her role as courier for the underground resistance movement. In a tense atmosphere of watchful eyes and suspecting neighbors, one false move can have dire consequences. For the ambitious young German doctor, Herta Oberheuser, an ad for a government medical position seems her ticket out of a desolate life. Once hired, though, she finds herself trapped in a male-dominated realm of Nazi secrets and power. The lives of these three women are set on a collision course when the unthinkable happens and Kasia is sent to Ravensbrück, the notorious Nazi concentration camp for women.
I was totally immersed in the story of this book. I didn’t think I could become more emotionally involved with characters than I was in Lost Girls, but this proved me wrong. I’m happy that I read Lost Girls first and had Eliza Ferriday and Caroline’s background set there.
It is important to note that this novel is inspired by the life of a real World War II heroine. I loved reading about the author’s research for her book.
Rating: 4/5 stars
This Tender Land
by William Kent Krueger
I received this in my September Book of the Month box and I am so thankful that I chose it as my selection. This book had everything that I love in a novel…family, orphans, struggle, faith, and beautiful writing. It gave me so much to think about and ponder as I read.
Summary: Forced to flee from the Lincoln School for Native American children, orphan Odie O’Banion and his brother Albert, their best friend Mose, and a brokenhearted little girl named Emmy steal away in a canoe, heading for the mighty Mississippi and a place to call their own. Over the course of one unforgettable summer, these four orphans journey into the unknown and cross paths with others who are adrift, from struggling farmers and traveling faith healers to displaced families and lost souls of all kinds.
This book was epic and I still don’t have the exact words needed to express all my thoughts about it. I’m still processing and will be for quite a while.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
If Only I Could Tell You
by Hannah Beckerman
This was an add-on to my Book of the Month box in September. It was a very emotional read that dealt with a lot of hard issues.
Summary: Audrey’s family has fallen apart. Her two grown-up daughters, Jess and Lily, are estranged, and her two teenage granddaughters have never been allowed to meet. A secret that echoes back thirty years has splintered the family in two but is also the one thing keeping them connected. As tensions reach breaking point, the irrevocable choice that one of them made all those years ago is about to surface.
I loved this book and wrote a review here.
Rating: 4/5 stars
American Predator
by Maureen Callahan
I added this book to my Book of the Month box for September thinking that my husband may enjoy reading it. It is different from my typical read, but I thoroughly enjoyed the investigative writing. I became fascinated with this story as well and couldn’t believe that I haven’t heard it before. I wouldn’t recommend starting this book at night, though. It threatened to give me a sleepless night.
Summary: When journalist Maureen Callahan first heard about serial killer Israel Keyes in 2012, she was captivated by how a killer of this magnitude could go undetected by law enforcement for over a decade. And so began a project that consumed her for the next several years–uncovering the true story behind how the FBI ultimately caught Israel Keyes, and trying to understand what it means for a killer like Keyes to exist. A killer who left a path of monstrous, randomly committed crimes in his wake–many of which remain unsolved to this day.
Rating: 4/5 stars
The Bride Test
by Helen Hoang
I am not typically a fan of romantic novels, but decided to pick this one up because I needed a complete change after reading American Predator. I enjoyed the story, but it was a little too “open door” romance for me.
Summary: Khai Diep thinks he has no feelings and is unable to love. He thinks he’s defective. His family knows better—that his autism means he just processes emotions differently. When he steadfastly avoids relationships, his mother takes matters into her own hands and returns to Vietnam to find him the perfect bride.
I read this quickly because it was a pretty quick-moving story. I loved the characters and loved the story, but the romance was a bit MUCH for me.
Rating: 3/5 stars