Rutabaga's Reads 2024: Part 10

Here’s the only adult fiction compilation post that I have for this year. Maybe next year, I’ll read enough for two compilation posts!

The Book of Lost Names (July 21, 2020) by Kristin Harmel.

<This is a standalone novel.>

Under dire circumstances, Eva Traube discovers she is skilled at forgery in 1942. She lives with her parents in Paris. While she was born in France and grew up speaking the language, it’s no secret that she and her parents are Jewish; her parents are Polish Jews. Tatuś is taken by French police. Eva and Mamusia flee to Aurignon in southern France, it being part of the Free Zone until it isn’t. Eva and her mom let a room from Madame Barbier. She’s part of an underground network helping people, mainly children, flee to Switzerland. She gets Eva in contact with Père Clément at the Église Saint-Alban, where she meets a handsome forger named Rémy Duchamp. Giving new names to those fleeing may help them survive, but Eva despises the idea that she’s erasing people; hence, The Book of Lost Names. The book itself is lost to the Nazis, and it’s in 2005 when Eva, now Eva Traube Abrams, sees a photograph in a magazine at her local library, where she works as a semi-retired librarian, now well into her 80s. She’ll fly to Berlin to reunite with the book. One thing lost to her is about to be returned, though so much and so many were lost to her during WWII, including Rémy, when the resistance cell they worked for was compromised. Eva’s son knows nothing of this part of her life. Is she ready to share it?

            It’s the title that caught my eye, and the story captured my interest from the first chapter. At turns heartfelt and heart-shattering, tender and devastating, this historical fiction novel is poignant, powerful and purposeful. Despite inhabiting a dark, terrifying time, the characters show bravery, courage and the resilience of the human spirit while walking amongst evil, much like far too many had to do in real life then and, sadly, are doing now. My first story by Harmel, and I was swept up in its emotion and realism. This story is thoughtful and compelling.

Happiness Falls (Aug. 29, 2023) by Angie Kim.

<This is a standalone novel.>

Their father is missing. The father is Adam Parson, and the mom is Dr. Hannah Park. Their biracial children are a mash-up of their names: twins Mia and John Parkson and Eugene Parkson, their 14-year-old brother, who’s six years their junior. Mia is the only one at home when Eugene comes running full speed ahead. He’s alone, disheveled and bloody with blood under his nails. Adam isn’t with him, not that Mia notices straight away, with her eyes shut against the sun. By the time Hannah and John have returned home from their respective workplaces, hours have passed. Eugene cannot tell them what happened to their father, as he’s unable to communicate orally or through writing. Eugene has both autism and the rare genetic condition called Angelman syndrome. When Eugene gets in trouble for accidentally assaulting a police officer, it becomes even more imperative to learn what happened to Adam. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, he’s fortunately able to be under house arrest at home instead of kept overnight in an unfamiliar environment (detention center) with complete strangers. As the rollercoaster search continues, it’s discovered that Adam had secrets of his own. Namely, the HQ (happiness quotient) and something major to do with Eugene. The clock is ticking in this investigation. What did Eugene witness?

            There is so much to this domestic drama that’s also a compassionate mystery containing themes of philosophical inquiry, the power of language and its role in perceived intelligence and human connection filled with emotionally rich storytelling. The story is told from Mia’s perspective. She’s hyper-analytical and very judgmental, and I struggled with her character. I can be as judgmental as the next person, but I was also raised to be compassionate. I can stand up for myself without coming across as disdainful. So, whereas John’s niceness as a narrator might’ve been easier to read, it’s Mia’s impertinent, over-thinking mind that moves the story along. I didn’t love this adult fiction novel, which I did read because of the hype – it’s a GMA Book Club Pick – but I can’t deny that it’s one of the smartest books I’ve read this year. It’s multi-layered and thought-provoking. This is a novel that shines with hope amidst heartache and wrests joy from tragedy.

The Sound of Sleighbells (June 27, 2023) by Janet Dailey.

*This is the sixth novel in a series.*

After divorcing her abusive husband, Ruth McCoy is looking to create happy memories and new holiday traditions for her kids: Skip (15), Janeen (6) and Tammy (4). Money may be tight, but she’s got a stable roof over her family’s heads and food on the table. Branding Iron, Texas, is Ruth’s hometown. It’s also Judd Rankin’s hometown, but she’s avoided him easily enough over the years. Her first love, she knows Judd’s history, of his time in jail, but Judd’s turned his life around. He owns a successful custom saddle-making business and Angus ranch. Skip’s friend, Trevor, convinces him to help him with a project out at Judd’s. Ruth is hesitant, worried that Judd and Skip will notice too much. When a blast from the past comes to Branding Iron, a man called Digger, Ruth fears it’s only a matter of time before her secret isn’t so secret anymore. Judd’s never truly gotten over Ruth, but will Ruth give him another chance?

            My first novel from the late author, I found this sixth in The Christmas Tree Ranch series to be sweet with tones of trepidation. While I read this one in the summertime, it’d be perfect for reading on a cold night, wrapped up in one’s favorite blanket with a generous mug of hot chocolate containing extra marshmallows. It is part romance and part intrigue. It’s a wholesome story for readers who love the magic of Christmastime any time of the year. I’m not big on romance novels, but this one with its multigenerational cast delivers good pacing and appeal for readers looking for chaste romance.

"Into the Starlight" by Amanda Cabot

Into the Starlight (July 16, 2024) by Amanda Cabot.*

<This is the third novel in a series.>

Returning home to Sweetwater Crossing after more than a year in Europe should bring joy. Instead, Joanna Vaughn Richter’s dreams of becoming a concert pianist have shattered, as battling scarlet fever and subsequent pneumonia have left her lungs unable to withstand the exertion of a hectic concert tour, and she’s mourning the double loss of her husband of one month and her grandmother, whom she was traveling with. The thought of her childhood home sustained her return to Texas, but now that eldest sister, Emily Ferguson, has turned Finley House into a boardinghouse, her home no longer feels like home. Dr. Burke Finley arrives with Aunt Della Samuels the same day that Joanna returns. Burke is the nephew of the late Clive Finley, who built Finley House for Della, his intended. After his partner and his fiancée blame him for a patient’s death, and his former flame falls out of love with him for said partner, Burke is happy to leave the practice he’d started in Samuels, Alabama. He knows he will not return there. A two-week trek to Sweetwater Crossing seems to be turning into an extended (permanent?) stay.

            Della is looking for answers into Clive’s disappearance. She believes he died after contracting dysentery. The Vaughn sisters (two of three who are now married) and their late parents believed that he left for the war without saying goodbye and was killed in battle. Secrets are coming to light and ghosts are coming to call. Burke is drawn to Joanna and not only because her music draws him closer. Joanna is likewise drawn to him, but she wonders if she has room in her heart to love another. Will secrets from the past and Burke’s uncanny resemblance to Clive take the sweet out of Sweetwater Crossing?

            Discovered secrets and a murky history give this Christian, historical fiction romance an intriguing mystery. Cabot treats readers to a smart plot with twists to keep one guessing, world-building to make us feel as though we’re walking the streets of Sweetwater Crossing, taking tea at Porter’s, grabbing food at Ma’s and visiting Della at the town’s small-but-cozy library, and characters to captivate us. She welcomes us back to town for the third Vaughn sister’s story. I’ve been fortunate to enjoy this gracefully well-crafted trilogy in its entirety. For those who enjoy historical page-turners under a Christian umbrella with suspenseful elements, this is for you!

            Book One: After the Shadows

            Book Two: Against the Wind

* Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are expressly my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

"The Warsaw Sisters" by Amanda Barratt

The Warsaw Sisters (Nov. 7, 2023) by Amanda Barratt.*

<This is a standalone novel.>

It is the eve of the Nazi invasion of Poland in 1939 when sisters Antonina (Tosia) and Helena (Hela) Dąbrowska bid goodbye to their father as he leaves to serve as an officer in the Polish army. The following day, bombs fall on Warsaw, annihilating the sisters’ beloved city and eventually destroying the home of their youth. They are able to move in with Aunt Basia, a physician and sister to their father, and they both find work, especially needed when Basia is executed. Antonina goes to work at a cafe, waitressing and playing the cafe’s piano, while Helena works as a secretary for a German official. Antonina eventually moves out, leaving Helena alone to find a new roommate.

            Antonina’s beloved Marek Eisenberg is forced behind ghetto walls with his family and Warsaw’s Jewish population. After hearing he and his entire family have been sent to Treblinka, Antonina turns her grief and anger into action, becoming one of a network of women risking their lives to shelter Jewish children. She meets Jolanta (the renowned Irena Sendler, an actual person from history). Meanwhile, Helena joins the ranks of Poland’s secret army, the Armia Krajowa, to fight to free her homeland from occupation. Their secrets are their own, not even shared with each other.

            My first story from Barratt is this Christian, historical fiction tale that is sincere and has heart. There is deep poignancy surrounding the sisters striving to survive in a country ravaged by the atrocities of war, and it’s no wonder that faith struggles in the face of those atrocities. It is apparent that Barratt has done extensive research, but there were parts that didn’t seem realistic. For example, how could Helena slap a German policeman’s hand away with no consequence? Fortunately, that doesn’t deter from the courage, sacrifice and resilience seen throughout the book (not only by the lead characters). Here’s a country that’s fighting to gain back its freedom and clinging to humanity in a deep, dark time. It’s not an easy story to read, but it is richly-plotted and emotively-written.

* Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are expressly my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Rutabaga's Reads 2023: Part 6

To balance the amount of YA novels that I read, here is a compilation of inspirational fiction novels. All authors included here are familiar-to-me authors.

The Orchard (Sept. 6, 2022) by Beverly Lewis.

*This is a standalone novel.*

The Hostetler family are orchardists in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and have been for generations. For Ellie, the orchard must be as beautiful as the Garden of Eden, such is her love of God’s beauty at work amongst the fruit trees. Her twin, Evan, as the youngest son, will one day manage the orchard that their Dat currently manages and their Dawdi before him. Once close siblings, Evan’s been continuing his Rumschpringe as Ellie’s about to be baptized. It’s 1970 and when Evan’s draft number is called up in the lottery for the Vietnam War, the family is shocked to learn that he never sought conscientious objector status, as would support the Old Order Amish belief in non-resistance and non-violence. The community reacts to this development with some community members and even some of their own relatives giving them the cold shoulder for Evan’s wayward ways. Though she’s seemed to catch the attention of another young Amishman, Ellie finds easy conversation with Sol Bontrager. Not only is he the brother of her best friend, Leah, he’s a conscientious objector and is already baptized. Sol’s steady presence is a balm in Ellie’s shifting world. With Evan serving in the Army, who will take over the orchard? Will Evan return home alive?

            With her peaceful, heartwarming, cleanly romantic, faith-based novels, it’s easy to see how Beverly Lewis continues as best of the best in Amish fiction. This novel explores ground I’ve not seen from her by adding a Vietnam War-era backdrop to the familiar Lancaster County setting. Her plot includes twists in Ellie’s relationships and the tumult that the Amish community endured because of their pacifism. The Hostetler family’s orchard is a gentle place of solitude, perfect for reflection or even falling in love, the story a soothing escape from the contemporary, despite characters facing uncertainty in a nation fractured by war. Another star story from my favorite author of Amish fiction.

To Disguise the Truth (Jan. 18, 2022) by Jen Turano.

*This is the final novel in a trilogy.*

The past is catching up to her. When Mr. Arthur Livingston arrives at the Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency in September of 1887 determined to hire them to locate missing heiress Miss Eugenia Howland, Eunice Holbrooke knows her gig might be up. Despite the widow’s weeds she’s worn for seven years and the veils over her face, secrets are going to come to light. She is Eugenia. Arthur’s goal is to be known as a leading mining industrialist, even though his family name precedes him as a member of the New York Four Hundred. Mason Mines has been successful with Arthur in the picture, but that picture changed somewhat seven years ago when Eunice’s patriarch grandfather, who was a tyrant, even to his relatives, was murdered. James Mason had not a compassionate bone in his body, so the list of suspects isn’t short. Eunice refuses to return to Butte, Montana, but she isn’t quick to share why. Arthur, an annoyingly handsome yet irksome man, may not be the “scourge of the earth” that Eunice describes him as. In fact, both of them may be more sensitive and romantic than the other thinks. It won’t be easy to discover with Eunice prepared to avoid him; she even takes an out-in-the-field assignment that lands her in Blackwell’s Island Insane Asylum, but Arthur is no ordinary gentleman. Confronting her past may set Eunice free, but it’ll be dangerous, as there’s still a murderer or murderess out there. Good thing Eunice is skilled with a gun and has boxing skills to boot.

            Turano’s stories are always a delight to read and this closing novel in The Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency trilogy is no exception. Turano has a flair for writing historical fiction that is true to the times as far as setting/fashions/etc., while giving readers captivating characters, especially strong, independent women, witty dialogue, chaste romance and potentially dangerous situations that you know the main characters will make it through to a satisfying ending. The women of the Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency are definitely women I’d want on my case if I needed their assistance. The story moves fluidly with its clever writing, bustling plot and the banter of the characters. I’ve been reading Turano’s books for years now, and I don’t plan to quit!

            Book One: To Steal a Heart

            Book Two: To Write a Wrong

To Treasure an Heiress (Jan. 4, 2022) by Roseanna M. White.

*This is the second novel in a series.*

Adventure can be found amongst the Isles of Scilly, and Elizabeth “Beth” Tremayne has always felt the pull of adventure. Adventure pulls at her now as she seeks more of a pirate (Mucknell) or pirate prince’s treasure (Prince Rupert), long thought to be tall tales and Tas-gwyn Gibson’s storied blustering. Turns out there is truth to all of those tales, evidenced by the old collection of letters and a map Beth has found (letters from 1650, and it’s now 1906) and the silverware recently found. She’d been searching on her own, but after mistaken identity pulls others into the fray, there are now too many hands in the cookie jar. One of those involved includes the 26-year-old Marquess of Sheridan, Theodore (Theo) Howe, a man that Beth finds insufferable. Beth’s big chip on her shoulder is that the beloved, inherited trinket box she entrusted to Lord Scofield – who’s a vile man – got sold to Sheridan instead of returned to her, and Sheridan refuses to return it to Beth. Sheridan loves a good archaeological adventure and inserts himself into Beth’s adventure. He’s enamored with her, and Beth doesn’t despise him quite so much as she’d like to think she does. With the villainous Scofields (father and son, Nigel) and their dastardly ways a real threat, will Beth’s impulsive choices and the call for adventure find her in a dangerous trap?

            The second installment in The Secrets of the Isles is as fresh as I imagine the air was in 1906. Crisp and refreshing, fitting for an adventure. Beth is headstrong and impulsive where her brother is calm and grounded and Sheridan is good-hearted and patient (and a bit incorrigible, too!). Sometimes Beth’s strong will had me picturing a petulant child and not a young woman, but it’s part of what makes Beth Beth. I love the humor, laughing aloud at Sheridan turning whatever Beth says into a proposal (“That’s brilliant.” “I do.” “You do what?” “Weren’t those your marriage vows?” p. 147). White is adept at creating historical fiction characters that are of the time, but the lead female characters are filled with spunk, independence and assertiveness. The plot isn’t mired in extra tangents, the story of  tragic love and piratical adventure melding with newfound love and island adventures mixing with a secondary character’s struggle to forgive herself and release her internal shame, which may then open her heart to accepting someone who truly loves her. It’s not a sappy story, though it does have moments that make the reader say, “Awww!” Another strong inspirational, historical fiction novel from White.

            Book One: The Nature of a Lady

Rutabaga's Reads 2022: Part 25

Where there is a YA compilation, so, too, will there be an inspirational fiction (InspFic) post following. Presenting my second InspFic post of 2022 as we’re almost at the year’s en

The Beginning (Sept. 7, 2021) by Beverly Lewis. 

*This is a standalone novel with a crossover character.*

Love cannot be unrequited when one doesn’t know love is present. That’s how it’s turning for Susie Mast. She cares deeply for her dear friend, Obie Yoder, but when Obie takes an apprenticeship with a relative 100 miles away, she feels the loss of his presence in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She goes out with Del Petersheim briefly, but the spark isn’t there. She ends things, but doesn’t share the news with Obie, especially after hearing that he’s soon to be engaged. She writes her final letter to Obie and that is that (or is it?). Meanwhile, her Old Order Amish life keeps her continually busy. From busily maintaining the house and homestead so Mamma - whose health has been suffering - need not worry over it and taking her turn with her mom’s little shop and accepting custom orders for her needlework family trees, there’s little time for much else, though concerns loom over her. Concerns regarding her mom, certainly, and news dropped by her older brother, Allen. The deaths of her close-in-age brother, Eli, and their dat continue to cast long shadows. She has her younger sister, Britta, who’s a hard worker, but Britta has been distracted here lately, too.

            Britta is adopted. She’s always known this. Unlike the blonde hair of her family members, hers is a rich brown and can be unmanageably wavy. She has been curious about her origin, though she tries to hide the extent to how desperately she wants information. When Mamma finally shares, Britta is floored. Will learning the truth affect how others view her? Will she become unworthy in the eyes of the People? Will she use her upcoming Rumschpringe to venture into the English world?

            Beverly Lewis’ books continue to enthrall me. I’m always impressed by how Lewis writes her characters with such solid faith, and they share Scripture and lift up prayers so naturally. It never feels forced. A running theme for multiple characters is forgiveness. It’s okay to struggle with it, and it’s okay to be frustrated, but one doesn’t want that frustration to turn to anger. As always, a strong sense of family and community is present. Reading Lewis’ stories are like being gently folded into a dessert; there’s such care. This book - and all of hers - are great for readers who enjoy Amish fiction, light romance and faith-based novels.

The Deadly Shallows (July 5, 2022) by Dani Pettrey.

*This is the third novel in a series.*

A CGIS graduation ceremony in Wilmington, North Carolina, is rocked by a devastating attack with multiple fatalities. CGIS Agent Noah Rowley and his team arrive on-scene to end the violent attack, but he’s injured in the process. Coast Guard flight medic Brooke Kesler witnesses the attack and feels the weight of that trauma, but she jumps into professional mode when she’s needed on medical flights. The first flight carries the only surviving gunman, and he whispers a word to her that is nonsensical to her, but which puts a target on her back. Noah’s hospital room becomes a command center, but he spends most of his time with Brooke when she becomes a patient (he doesn’t want to say she’s a victim). Noah wants to protect Brooke, but the more they investigate, the more they uncover. The shooting may have been a distraction from a grander plan that could have even more horrifying consequences in the wrong hands. It’s not the end. It’s only the beginning.

            When it comes to inspirational, romantic suspense, Pettrey is my favorite. Her thrill rides in literary form take sharp turns and drip with mal-intent, but her protagonists are the types of folks you want to be your friends and your neighbors, members of your church. This contemporary fiction novel is written with intense realism and contains a tight plot. The swings in tension are balanced with calm moments and trauma with the busyness of investigation and research. Burgeoning romance between Brooke and Noah and Caleb Eason and Austin Kelly add a layer of sweetness that bolsters the book’s masterful storytelling. Book Three in the Coastal Guardians series is another exhilarating gem. For me, Pettrey’s books are always five out of five stars!

            Book One: The Killing Tide

            Book Two: The Crushing Depths

To Write a Wrong (Aug. 3, 2021) by Jen Turano.

*This is the second​ novel in a series.*

Though the general public doesn’t know it, Miss Daphne Beekman is a mystery writer by day. She has a nom de plume, as her publisher doesn’t believe her famed mystery novels will sell if readers discover the writer’s a woman. She moonlights as a member of the Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency. She prefers to do behind-the-scenes work, well away from any danger. This changes when Mr. Herman Henderson seeks the services of the women of the agency. Herman, too, is a mystery writer, though, as a man, he doesn’t need to hide behind a pen name. While he may have overlooked it at first, he’s decided that someone is definitely trying to do him in. The close call that sends him to Bleecker Street is one in which he was almost run over. Despite the exciting novels he pens, he tends to lead a quiet life, not wanting to tempt himself with his own adventurous lifestyle, lest he perish on an expedition like his parents did when he was a youth. Daphne and her friends and fellow agents go undercover to Herman’s house, posing as Herman’s secretary (Daphne) and household staff, to flush out the person who wants Herman dead. The unfortunate part about working closely with the potential victim is that Daphne and her friends may become victims, too. Even with the danger, a clear attachment is forming between Herman and Daphne. Instead of crafting edge-of-your-seat fictional mysteries, the two must solve their own real-life mystery before they can write their own story. And a love story can be mysterious and adventurous, too.

            In this second installment in the Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency, readers are treated to a delightful story featuring female sleuths in a faith-themed, historical mystery that’s also part romantic comedy. It is as entertaining and quick-witted as Turano’s other stories that I’ve read. Like the skilled storyteller she is, Turano seamlessly blends elements of danger, the focus of an investigation, the percolation of new romance and snappy banter with faith and belief in prayer. Daphne prays for courage and wonders if courage has passed her by when, in fact, God has been working on her this entire time. It’s encouraging to see growth like that, even in a fictional tale. And I can always trust that writing a wrong is exactly right when the right writer writing is Jen Turano!

            Book One: To Steal a Heart​

Rutabaga's Reads 2022: Part 18

An unusual achievement for me, here is the second adult fiction compilation post for 2022!

A Spindle Splintered (Oct. 5, 2021) by Alix E. Harrow.

*This is the first novella in a series.*

It isn’t the spindle of a spinning wheel that will be Zinnia Gray’s downfall, but industrial pollution. Zinnia has Generalized Roseville Malady, and no person diagnosed has lived to turn 22 years old; Zinnia has just turned 21. It’s her last birthday, and her best friend, Charm (Charmaine Baldwin, “best/only friend”), has pulled out all the stops for Zin’s last birthday. It’s sleeping-beauty-themed (Zin’s a bit of an expert), complete with a tower (of the old state penitentiary), a plastic princess crown and a spinning wheel. When Charm dares her to prick her finger on the spinning wheel, she does – of course she does – but something happens. Someone calls out, “Help.” And Zinnia answers that call. It turns out sleeping beauties do exist, but their stories are not necessarily the stories one’s familiar with. Bits and pieces, yes, but not the entire narrative. In helping another sleeping beauty, will Zinnia be able to alter – or escape – her fate?

            If you’re looking for a fractured fairy tale, consider picking this one up. If you’re looking for a Disney-esque fairy tale, keep looking. “A Spindle Splintered” is the first in the Fractured Fables series. A feminist story that’s acerbic but sometimes sweet, subversive but still charming in a dark, twisted way, and entertaining despite its sometimes one-dimensional feel. (I think its one-dimensional feel came from its novella size, as opposed to a full-length novel where the author could better flesh characters out, especially supporting ones). It’s a story of sisterhood and stubbornness, imagination and fracture. It’s got a queer romance-in-the-making. It is a story gone rogue that still manages to be magical.

The God of Lost Words (Nov. 2, 2021) by A.J. Hackwith.

*This is the final novel in a trilogy.*

*Spoilers included if you haven’t read the previous books in the series.*

The Library of the Unwritten is in trouble. Malphas, general of Hell and the “Grandmother of Ghosts,” is a chief demon in Lucifer’s absence. Although Hell does not govern the Unwritten and Arcane Wings of Hell’s Library, Malphas has learned that the stories are souls. She will do whatever she can, through force and cunning, to harness those souls and gain more power. If that happens, it would mean obliteration for the Library. Arcanist and former Librarian Claire, Librarian and former muse Brevity, rakish Hero and the angel-Watcher Ramiel (Rami) will have to band together to outwit Hell and start a revolution. They will traverse the libraries of other realms to try to gain allies, but the effort seems futile. The Unwritten Wing’s Librarians’ log tends to hide entries until they are needed. That is how Claire discovers the entries of Poppaea Julia. She once rebelled against Hell and almost succeeded. Claire is on the lookout for “a realm, a guide, a library, a god.” That is what will purportedly keep them safe from Hell’s grasp forever. They’ve got to write the Library a new chapter.

            The concluding novel in an inventive trilogy, the fast-paced plot, intriguing world-building and the ​standout characters coalesce into a story that journeys to a hopeful yet bittersweet end. Hackwith’s writing is striking, the prose often thoughtful and deep, but inserts cheekiness as well. The action is both colorful and dark with plenty of emotion. There is queer representation, but what’s most poignant about all the characters, be they fallen, of an unwritten story, once a muse or once a living, breathing human, is that they are complex characters with wants and fears, brave fronts and self doubts, making them feel real to the readers. Though it may sound strange to say about a series titled Hell’s Library, this saga has been a delight to read. What a journey!

            Book One: The Library of the Unwritten

            Book Two: The Archive of the Forgotten​

            Favorite lines: “But that’s what stories did. Let enough impossible things pass through you and they gain a kind of reality. Stories grant the impossible emotional gravity, create new orbits – and your mental universe expands.” (p. 239)

Pachinko (Feb. 7, 2017) by Min Jin Lee.

*This is a standalone novel.*

“A woman’s lot is to suffer.” Kim Sunja is no stranger to this when her father dies when she’s 13, and she takes on more responsibility in helping her mom manage and take care of a boardinghouse. As a teenager in the early 1930s in Yeongdo, Sunja becomes pregnant with a married man’s child, and she refuses to be his mistress. Baek Isak, a kindhearted but frail minister, feels called to marry Sunja if she’ll have him and will give their child a name, though the baby isn’t his by blood. They marry and immigrate to Osaka, Japan, where Isak’s brother and sister-in-law live (Yoseb and Kyunghee). Sunja’s son, Noa (inspired by the Bible’s Noah), is her world, and later, so is Mozasu (inspired by Moses), her son with Isak. But life in Osaka is not easy. It is difficult for Koreans in Japan to find work, as it seems impossible to any of them that they could become Japanese citizens, so even with Noa and Mozasu being born in Japan, they are treated like foreigners or worse, like scum. The boys grow up and go different directions, having families of their own, and their dynamics are so different from each other. The story goes through 1989, when Sunja is in her 70s. Through these decades, never completely out of the picture is Noa’s birth father, Koh Hansu, who married into the second most powerful yakuza (gangster) family in Kansai (a region of Japan, which includes Osaka and Kyoto).

            As a National Book Award Finalist, I expected this book to be impressive, and it is. It is amazingly well-written, but the story is replete with hardship. It isn’t only about hardship and suffering with nothing else to go on, but hardship and love, suffering and family, sacrifice and ambition. From the dusty streets of the poor in Ikaino (the ghetto where the Koreans in Osaka live) to the pachinko parlors of the gambling-obsessed and from Korea to Japan to one character’s stint in New York for school, “Pachinko” is a multifaceted story filled with strong women, devoted families, moral crises, survival and anguish, even as the characters rise to thrive. It makes a reader think about history in a way that’s harsh but exquisite. It is haunting and brilliantly presented. Those who love Korea should read this, as should those who know nothing about Korea outside of K-dramas, K-pop, kimchi, Hyundai and Samsung, because, wow, this book has soul.

Rutabaga's Reads 2022: Part 9

If you know me, you know that when a YA compilation post has been recently published to my blog, there will be an inspirational (a.k.a. Christian) fiction post not too far behind. Here is the first post for 2022, even though I read these three books in early 2021 (and therefore should’ve posted this well before now).

A Blessing to Cherish (July 21, 2020) by Lauraine Snelling.

*From the author: This closes out the Red River of the North series*

Family, faith and hard work have been the cornerstones of Ingeborg Bjorklund’s life in Blessing, North Dakota. She is decades removed from the 20-year-old she was in Norway in 1878. It is now 1913. She’s had many years of widowhood, but contentment and fulfillment fills her life. Blessing continues to grow and thrive, expanded upon the foundation that Ingeborg and her family helped start. She has found a dear friend in David Gould, a wealthy, high-society businessman from New York City who seems to flourish in Blessing’s agrarian culture despite his big-city upbringing. David is also interested in Ingeborg as more than a friend. She cares for him dearly, but she worries that marrying him will deny her own children any of her inheritance (she has her own humble wealth, too). As for David’s children, “They had so much affluence and so little sense. They were useful for nothing; they could not put food on the table or love in the heart.”

            Ingeborg’s son, Thorliff, has been a widower and single father of two since his beloved Elizabeth passed away. Love for another hasn’t stirred in his heart until the arrival of the new schoolteacher, Louisa Gutenberg. But Louisa has a deep secret, and to share it would cost her the very job she loves. No matter that she’s charmed by the entire Bjorklund family and their extended relatives in the area, she doesn’t feel worthy of their love and support.

            As with the other stories I’ve read from Snelling, she writes charming, inspirational, historical fiction novels. The charlatan she throws in adds some spice to an otherwise gentle-flowing story. She also writes so realistically that a reader like me could easily think she needs to add more wood to the cook stove … except I don’t, because I have electricity. What I didn’t realize going into this story is that, while not marketed as such, this novel rounds out the Red River of the North series. It is extensive, because there are many Blessing books. The only series I’d read of Snelling’s prior to this single book was the Under Northern Skies series, and they take place in Minnesota (which is why I initially chose the first book). So, I did feel like I was missing a lot of backstories. A very likable novel, even if I did sometimes think David’s love for Ingeborg got a little pushy, but I wouldn’t tackle the Blessing books unless you’re ready to start at the very beginning.

A Portrait of Loyalty (Sept. 8, 2020) by Roseanna M. White.

*This is the final novel in a trilogy.*

One makes sense of what others may see as hodgepodge, the other can find simple beauty through the lens of a camera. 30-year-old Zivon Marin was one of Russia’s top cryptographers (and not a linguist, though he is that, too), but was forced to flee to save the life of him and his brother, Evgeni. They were separated after their train derailed. With no word at their decided-upon safe spot in Paris, Zivon concludes that Evgeni is dead. Zivon takes a job in Room 40 with the British Admiralty under Admiral Reginald (Blinker) Hall (the DID or Director of the Intelligence Division). He hesitates to seek any friendships, but finds allies with his Room 40 team (Margot de Wilde and Phillip Camden, for example), Lieutenant Theo Clarke and Captain Blackwell. Captain Blackwell’s family, especially 23-year-old daughter Lilian (Lily), take to Zivon. Lily works with the intelligence division without her mother’s knowledge of it. As far as Mrs. Blackwell is aware, Lily only works in the VAD (Voluntary Aid Detachment), but Lily’s real knack is in retouching and re-creating seamless photographs. Her mother would disapprove, seeing it as propaganda and an unseemly way to distribute art. When photographs are sent to the Admiralty that call into question Zivon’s loyalties, Lily is determined to help clear his name. Will a devastating loss stop Lily in her tracks and thus prevent her from being a portrait of loyalty?

            While all of the stories in The Codebreakers trilogy are historical fiction, they make fiction come alive and encourage interest in history. There’s so much going on in this tale alone: World War I is in its final year, the Russian Revolution is in its earlier stages, and the Spanish flu pandemic has begun. History was never my best subject, and honestly, it’s mostly because the teachers didn’t make it interesting, but White’s fictional account prompts me to want to know more. I am always impressed with her writing; her narratives are as seamless as Lily’s doctored photographs with themes that resonate with her readers. Her female characters are strong and independent, even when they appear to perpetuate societal norms of the time. There is a lot of upheaval in this story (rather like there is in our country today), but White’s writing is so deft that the plot never feels choppy and the outpouring of faith is steadfast but not overpowering like too much perfume. What a wonderful conclusion to another winning trilogy!

            Book One: The Number of Love

            Book Two: On Wings of Devotion

Storing Up Trouble (May 5, 2020) by Jen Turano.

*This is the final novel in a trilogy.*

It is September 1886 and progressive thinking is on the rise. The suffrage movement has been ongoing, and due to a couple incidents, Miss Beatrix Waterbury has been packed off for a stay with her Chicago aunt (Beatrix’s mother’s older sister), Miss Gladys Huttleston, who’s known about the city to be eccentric, though exceedingly wealthy. Although Beatrix is a member of the New York Four Hundred, her father of the Knickerbocker set, she hasn’t shared this with Chicago society, especially after Aunt Gladys tells her she’ll be working as a salesgirl at Marshall Field & Company. (Gladys believes it will bring more meaning to Beatrix’s involvement in the suffrage movement and that she’ll better understand the importance of the movement and not joining a cause for the sake of joining a cause.) Beatrix means to tell Mr. Norman Nesbit, a brilliant and unique gentleman devoted to his work in science, but then never does. And as for Norman, not only does he not have time for the feminine set, he also doesn’t seem to have time for his own relatives. Beatrix and Norman meet when a robber is trying to divest her of her belongings. The real target is Norman and his breakthrough research on electrical currents (which he will pontificate on, if given the chance, and not even realize it until Beatrix points it out). Unsurprisingly, Beatrix finds that her heart beats faster when Norman’s around, and Norman is surprised by how often Beatrix is on his mind. How will they form a romantic attachment with people of the criminal set disrupting their lives? And what will happen when Beatrix’s true financial status becomes known?

            The final in the American Heiresses trilogy is a delight. I am consistently charmed by Turano’s stories with her witty, oftentimes outspoken, females and the protagonist gentlemen that mean well and turn out to have very good hearts, even if they bumble around a bit. Reading all of Turano’s stories makes me happy with the occasional bursts of disdain for the criminals and the intermittent exasperations when the lead male says or does the wrong thing. This story also makes me laugh out loud. “Storing Up Trouble” is so utterly charming that I feel as though I should’ve read it on a sunny lawn under a large umbrella with an impressive mansion in the background, sipping daintily my drink while eating miniature sandwiches and petit fours. Delightful!

            Here’s what I find hard to believe, though … Beatrix and Norman meet for the first time, manage to fall in love and get married all in less than three months. Was this a thing back then? Because I find that hard to believe!

            Book One: Flights of Fancy

            Book Two: Diamond in the Rough

"The Red Palace" by June Hur

The Red Palace (Jan. 25, 2022) by June Hur.

*This is a standalone novel.*

“The more urgent a circumstance, the calmer we must be” is a line drilled into the nurses trained (and training) at the Hyeminseo by Nurse Jeongsu and which palace nurse (or uinyeo) Baek-hyeon (Hyeon) heeds regularly. In 1758, during the Joseon Dynasty, the 18-year-old is an illegitimate daughter, and while she knows Lord Shin (the Minister of Justice) is her father, he’ll never officially claim her and give her his last name, so Hyeon works hard and is meticulous in all she does. That is how she worked her way up as a palace nurse. She keeps her head down and seeks perfection in all she does in desperate hope of winning her father’s approval and seeks to be more to her mother than a girl she wishes were born a boy. (Baek-hyeon translates as “virtuous elder brother,” a strange name to therefore bestow upon a girl.)

            One night, there’s a massacre at the Hyeminseo. Four women killed. A lady of the court, a head nurse and two student nurses. There are rumors – and anonymous handbills – accusing Prince Jangheon of the murders, but it’s Nurse Jeongsu, Hyeon’s mentor and more a mother to her than her own mother, that is about to be tortured and convicted of this gruesome crime. Hyeon rallies herself to hunt for the truth and crosses paths with Seo Eojin. (Eojin is a half cousin to Hyeon’s closest friend, Jieun, also an illegitimate daughter of a concubine, but one claimed by her father. They are both of the cheonmin class, lowest of the low.) While she originally mistakes him for a pauper, he is, in fact, a jongsagwan, a police inspector. He’s a prodigy, too, being only 18 and already a jongsagwan. Unlike Commander Song, who likes to terrorize the weak and anyone he doesn’t like, Eojin seeks truth and justice, and he wants Hyeon’s help. He needs her help. They will look out for one another, deepening their unexpected connection, but that vigilance may not save either of them from bloodshed.

            An author whose works I’d never read prior, I was blown away by this YA novel. Like with Hyeon, Hur’s world-building is meticulous and sweeping, the story is complex and devastating, and the characters are gripping and authentic. It’s a fast-paced, murder-mystery with rich historical detail that is stunning to read. There’s a blossoming romance, a societal hierarchy whose historical truth drives me batty and culture taking the reader back over 250 years ago. For those who don’t know, the Joseon Dynasty was real, as was Crown Prince Jangheon, who was executed at the age of 27; it’s not make-believe, though this story is a work of fiction. Hur includes more in her Author’s Note, which is definitely worth reading. The entire cast of this novel is Korean, and I wholly admit that that felt amazing to read.