Review: A Plague Among Us by Deb Pines

A Plague Among Us

by Deb Pines

Publisher: 52Novels

Pages: 290

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  When Al Martin, the editor of a satiric newspaper in Chautauqua, N.Y., reportedly dies of COVID-19, the local consensus is: good riddance.

A sister suspects foul play. She wonders why Al was cremated in a hurry.

The police stay out of it.

So it takes reporter and relentless snoop Mimi Goldman to try to find which of Al's haters— including an estranged wife, three bitter siblings, a secretive caregiver, old enemies and the many targets of Al's poison-pen sarcasm—might be a ruthless killer.

Kritters Thoughts:  Al Martin is one of our siblings and has recently passed away and his has been added to the many who died due to complications from COVID-19.  His sister has come to town and she swears that he didn't die from COVID and insists that his death be investigated, so she asks the infamous newspaper ladies who in this 8th book in the series have a reputation for solving all sorts of crimes.  

While this is the 8th in a series, I was able to jump in here and only miss a few of the details that probably were revealed in pervious books.  Each crime is self contained in each book and there is minimal character development of the main characters in town from book to book.  After reading this book, I am intrigued to go back to the beginning and read them all, but don't be discouraged if this plot seems intriguing to you. 

Other than one non fiction, this was my first read to incorrupt COVID and it was a little eery as i feel as though we are still in the thick of it in the fall of 2021.  Reading this book with a little more knowledge of the future of the disease and our country's reaction to it was weird and interesting. 

While I enjoyed the mystery, I wish I had known a bit more about Al Martin before he died.  As I did jump into this series very mid stream, I wonder if Al was in previous books and if I had known more about him if I had read them before this one.  

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2021 Challenge: 119 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Partner in Crime Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: The Duchess by Wendy Holden

The Duchess

by Wendy Holden

Publisher: Berkley

Pages: 432

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  1928. A middle-aged foreigner comes to London with average looks, no money and no connections. Wallis's first months in the city are lonely, dull and depressing. With no friends of her own she follows the glamorous set in magazines and goes to watch society weddings. Her stuffy husband Ernest's idea of fun, meanwhile, is touring historic monuments.

When an unexpected encounter leads to a house party with the Prince of Wales, Wallis's star begins to rise. Her secret weapon is her American pep and honesty. For the prince she is a breath of fresh air. As her friendship with him grows, their relationship deepens into love. Wallis is plunged into a world of unimaginable luxury and privilege, enjoying weekends together at his private palace on the grounds of Windsor Castle.

Wallis knows the fun and excitement can't last. The prince will have to marry and she will return to Ernest. The sudden death of George V seems to make this inevitable; the Prince of Wales is now King Edward VIII. When, to her shock and amazement, he refuses to give her up--or recognize that they are facing impossible odds--her fairy tale becomes a nightmare. The royal family close ranks to shut her out and Ernest gives an ultimatum.

Wallis finds herself trapped when Edward insists on abdicating his throne. She can't escape the overwhelming public outrage and villainized, she becomes the woman everyone blames--the face of the most dramatic royal scandal of the twentieth century.

Kritters Thoughts:  Wallis Simpson is famous and infamous.  Her name is known by many and most people even know why she is famous.  In this book, we go back in time before she meets the Duke and before she is famous beyond her circle of friends and family and get to know her before the world tips upside down.  

I have read a book or two from this time period, but they had a focus on the Vanderbilt side of things and it was interesting to read something (fiction of course) that solely came from Wallis' point of view and to really hear her reaction of how a relationship with the Duke could change all sorts of lives.  I wondered often while reading the book where fact and fiction were and oh how I wish I could know the gory details of this whole time period.  

For me, this author presented Wallis as a well rounded character more than many of the other times I have read about her - maybe because this one unlike the others focused on her.  I appreciated that this author made me feel compassion for Wallis and understanding that she did try to do what was best for the royal family line and the country, but ultimately love took over.  

If you like to read all things royal, this is one to add to your bookshelf.  I would pair this one with The Woman Before Wallis by Bryn Turnbull as it is almost the prequel to this book and I was glad I had read it before this one.  I always love an insider look at royal life and this one made me feel like I was inside it all.  

Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Ebook 2021 Challenge: 118 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Berkley.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: My Daughter's Mistake by Kate Hewitt

My Daughter's Mistake

by Kate Hewitt

Publisher: Bookouture

Pages: 256

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  I look at my daughter. My darling girl. I remember her tiny hand in mine, her first smile. I recall her tears when she’d tumble over, healed instantly with a band-aid and a little kiss. I have to keep her safe. Even if it means someone else gets hurt…

In the pretty, privileged college town of Milford, New Hampshire, everyone is friendly, everything is safe. And on this cold autumn day, as red and yellow leaves begin to fall from the trees, and everyone wraps up for the first time, it would be easy to believe nothing bad could ever happen here.

Until a screech of tires is heard, a thud, a child’s scream. The crash that sees Jenna’s six-year-old daughter Amy Rose being hit by a car driven by seventeen-year-old Maddie.

Maddie’s mother, Ellen—a college professor with a warm, approachable reputation—insists it must have been an accident. Her daughter is always safe on the road—and she’s vulnerable herself.

But as Amy Rose lies unconscious in hospital, the town begins to take sides. With Ellen, who just wants to defend her daughter. Or with Jenna, a single mother with a past, whose child hovers between life and death…

The truth is that both mothers have secrets they’re trying to keep. And, with Amy Rose’s life hanging in the balance, one of them will stop at nothing to protect the person she loves—her daughter.

Kritters Thoughts:  Two mothers must deal with consequences of their own actions and their daughters in this mystery.  Jenna is a single mom trying to keep it all together, balancing two jobs and raising her daughter without the support of family.  Ellen is a wife, mother, a college professor and balancing raising her kids with a career has always been a tightrope walk.  She gets a call from her daughter that there has been an accident, but when she arrives on scene, it isn't the kind of accident she anticipated and she isn't sure if the family can recover from this one.  

What a fantastic book.  Told through both mother's perspectives as they are dealing with the incident that brings their worlds together, these women show two different sides of motherhood at two different points in life.  From a young child to a teenager, parenting at both ages is hard, but in very different ways, so it was interesting to read two mothers dealing with two ends of a tragedy with kids at different ages.  

While the synopsis gives the basics of the story, I was glad that it didn't give the whole thing and there was so much more to these women, these mothers and these daughters as they go through this moment in time.  Kate Hewitt created a great cast of characters and dropped them into a heartbreaking moment and watching them all live through it was entertaining.  

I have many Kate Hewitt books on my TBR and hope to get to them real soon!

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2021 Challenge: 117 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Bookouture.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

It's Monday, What are you Reading?

With taking a few days off and a small medical procedure, stuck in bed reading for a few days!

A meme hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. 

Finished this past week:

A Plague Among Us by Deb Pines

My Brain Has Too Many Tabs Open by Tanya Goodin

His Loving Wife by Miranda Smith

A Lighthouse Christmas by Jenny Hale

Twelve Days to Save Christmas by Elizabeth Neep

Currently Reading:

The Ice Coven by Max Seeck

Next on the TBR pile:

The Woman at the Front by Lecia Cornwall

Review: What She Did by Carla Kovach

What She Did

by Carla Kovach

Publisher: Bookouture

Pages: 236

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Marissa lives alone in her tiny one-bed apartment. It’s quiet and safe; all she’s ever wanted since the night her mother was killed in front of her. But when the police knock on her door with the news that her last remaining family member has been murdered, she comes face to face with the trauma she has spent a lifetime running from.

A witness saw her car outside his house that day, but Marissa knows she’s innocent. She hasn’t seen her uncle in years and remembers going to bed in her own home that night. But she’s had blackouts before and can’t always trust her memory.

Days later, Marissa’s neighbour is found dead in his home with stab wounds all over his body, exactly like her uncle. It was no secret that Marissa didn’t get on with her neighbour, but she’d never want to see him hurt. How can she convince the police that she isn’t a killer? And, as the secrets from her past take hold of her present, is there anyone in her small world she can trust?

As you read, you’ll believe every word Marissa says. You’ll think you know where to draw the line between innocence and guilt. But blame is a dangerous thing, and nothing is ever what it seems…

Kritters Thoughts:  Marissa lives alone in her apartment and is still haunted by her memories of the night her mother was murdered in front of her and she has always looked over her shoulder for the killer who may want her dead too.  But when both her uncle and a frustrating neighbor are killed, she feels as though the killer is closing in and she can't trust anyone, but we, the reader, can we trust her?

I typically don't love reading books where I can't trust the words of the main character, so I was thankful that even in the synopsis we were advised that this main character may not be so trustworthy and we are getting the story through her tainted point of view.  It made me question her every word and that became a part of the reading experience.  

I did not predict the ending to this book and I am so glad I didn't catch it too early.  While the clues were given, I was so excited the way it unfolded and the author hit it right with this one.  I may have even shivered when the killer was unmasked - no spoiling, but the reveal was good!

My first Carla Kovach read, but mostly certainly not my last.

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2021 Challenge: 116 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Bookouture.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: The Happy Accidents by Jamie Beck

The Happy Accidents

by Jamie Beck

Publisher: Montlake

Pages: 336

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Three women wake up to the consequences of one impulsive pact in an insightful novel about friendship, love, and fulfillment by Wall Street Journal bestselling author Jamie Beck.

While at a casino to celebrate her birthday, Jessie Clarke proposes a pact to her reserved sister, Liz, and their childhood friend Chloe: the three women will say yes to any adventure that comes their way. Jessie is mourning her recent divorce, so the other two reluctantly agree. Twelve hours later, they awaken to the shocking consequences of their behavior.

A viral video throws Liz’s career and reputation into question. A major loss at the craps table rocks the foundation of Chloe’s staid marriage. And Jessie’s desperate bid to unblock her artistic creativity results in a life-changing choice. Staring down the crossroads, each woman finds her relationships—with herself, with each other, and with loves both old and new—tested. At every turn, they struggle not to let fear decide their fates. Will they give in, or will their misadventures lead to the greatest fulfillment of all?

Kritters Thoughts:  Three women are in Las Vegas and one presents a challenge where they say yes and maybe end of doing things they typically wouldn't.  This is just the first chapter and sets the story down a path where the remainder of the book is the women having to live with the consequences of what went down in Vegas.  

What I loved most was that the author gave each woman a voice and all three took turns telling their part of the story.  Each woman was dealing with a different life problem, but nothing felt dramatic or over the top, they each felt like everyday problems that any woman could be facing.  I could see myself in each of these women as they were making tough life choices that could alter the paths for themselves and those they love.  

The other thing that I appreciated in this book was that while there were struggles dealing with romantic relationships.  I loved that their friendship and the ups and downs of female friendships were shown in this book.  The women were mostly supportive of each other, but within their female to female relationships they were overcoming obstacles as well.  

While this book had great plot, the characters drove the story and Jamie Beck created three great main characters and then a broad cast of supporting characters that orbited these women throughout the novel.  

For as many books as Jamie Beck has published, I have very few and after reading this one, I want to remedy that and quick!

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2021 Challenge: 115 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from SparkPoint Studio.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: When Sparks Fly by Helena Hunting

When Sparks Fly

by Helena Hunting

Publisher: St Martin's Press

Pages: 320

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Running the Spark House, a hotel/event space that has been in her family for years, has been Avery Spark’s lifelong dream. After years of working hard and making personal sacrifices, Avery and her two younger sisters have turned the Spark House into the premier destination in Colorado Springs. Avery is living her best life—she works with her sisters and loves every minute of it, she has a great group of friends, and she lives in a fantastic condo with her best friend Declan. She might not have any love in her life, but she's happy.

But everything comes to a screeching halt when Avery is in a car accident, leaving her immobile for weeks. After nearly losing Avery, Declan insists that he will be the one to take care of her while she recovers. However, as Declan becomes Avery’s caretaker, lines begin to blur.

Avery and Declan have been best friends since college and always had an attraction to one another, but when she ended up dating his best friend, Sam, they successfully stamped down any feelings they may have ever had for one another. Now, as Declan and Avery spend more time together, they each begin to wonder what would’ve happened if she'd dated him instead of Sam. What starts as a friend helping out another friend turns into foreplay and, before they realize it, they recognize how deeply they care for one another. But when things get serious their past threatens to destroy everything they have built.

Kritters Thoughts:  Avery and Declan have been friends for years and even roommates for the last couple of years and events in college perfectly solidified them in the friend zone, they have been fine until a car accident sets all sorts of things in motion!

I will always love a romance where it is a rekindling of an old flame or a kindling of someone the main character already knows.  Because there is a past, it is easy for the book to stay far away from instalove and a from hello to bedroom too quickly!  Because Avery and Declan have years of a past of friendships and the situation the author puts them in, it can easily go from 0 to 60 mph in a few chapters.  Also I loved these characters - that helped.  

Avery and her sisters were fun characters and I loved that we got to follow them in this book and watching how they balanced their business while Avery was out of commission was a fun dynamic to add to the book.  I love when an author includes some real details and events about a character's job, makes them feel more well rounded and like a full human being!  

This was my first Helena Hunting read and I hope to read more because I love the way she wrote the characters and the events of the story.

Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Ebook 2021 Challenge: 114 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from St Martin's Press.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

It's Monday, What are you Reading?

An incredibly quiet week and weekend with lots of time to curl up with good books!

A meme hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. 

Finished this past week:

When Sparks Fly by Helena Hunting

The Happy Accidents by Jamie Beck

What She Did by Carla Kovach

My Daughter's Mistake by Kate Hewitt

The Duchess by Wendy Holden

Currently Reading:

A Plague Among Us by Deb Pines

Next on the TBR pile:

The Ice Coven by Max Seeck

Review: The Perfect Daughter by Kerry Wilkinson

The Perfect Daughter

by Kerry Wilkinson

Publisher: Bookouture

Pages: 272

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Rain pounds the windscreen in the pitch-black evening. She knows this winding country road like the back of her hand, dodges the potholes with ease. But then she hears a crunch. A thud. She slams on the brakes.

Since Katie’s dad left it’s just been the two of us, but we’re a team – singing in the kitchen at cheesy pop songs, tackling her homework. My teenage daughter is everything to me.

But one night, as we’re curled up in front of the TV, the messages start. I keep my phone away from Katie so she can’t see the terrifying words: I know what you did. Now you’re going to do something for me…

I have no choice but to obey. Because if I go to the police, come clean about what I did to protect my girl, all the questions and prying eyes would soon discover Katie’s secret too. And that would tear her life apart.

So I drive where they tell me, do what they say, send the photo evidence they want. I feel sick when they ask me to cause someone harm, and it’s clear they know everything about our lives. I thought I was keeping a secret to keep my girl safe. But have I actually put her in even more danger?

Kritters Thoughts:  Jen is running late to pick up her daughter as most parents feel as though they are shuttle drivers always running late!  But a decision Jen makes while on the way will forever alter both her life and others as she made a decision that could cost her her life or someone else's.  

I liked that Jen was neither unreliable or reliable as a character.  I both questioned and believed her when she was describing the events in this book.  The author nicely danced the line of presenting her as a reliable mother who cares for her daughter, but is also possibly going through something that could affect her reacting to events in the best way. 

I love when a book surprises me until the very end and while I thought I had it all figured out a quick turn at the end made me second guessing myself and I enjoyed that I wasn't so sure until the final page!  I appreciate when a mystery book makes me want to immediately reread it so I can look at the clues through a different lens and wonder if I would make a different guess earlier with more knowledge.  This was an eery ride that I enjoyed and would suggest for a great fall weekend during the upcoming spooky season.  

This was my third Kerry Wilkinson read and have enjoyed each of them, so I am close to declaring fan status and hope for many more to come from this author.  

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2021 Challenge: 113 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Bookouture.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: A Most Clever Girl by Stephanie Marie Thornton

A Most Clever Girl

by Stephanie Marie Thornton

Publisher: Berkley

Pages: 416

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  1963: Reeling from the death of her mother and President Kennedy's assassination, Catherine Gray shows up on Elizabeth Bentley's doorstep demanding answers to the shocking mystery just uncovered about her family. What she doesn't expect is for Bentley to ensnare her in her own story of becoming a controversial World War II spy and Cold War informer...

Recruited by the American Communist Party to spy on fascists at the outbreak of World War II, a young Bentley--code name Clever Girl--finds she has an unexpected gift for espionage. But after falling desperately in love with her handler, Jacob Golos, Elizabeth makes another unexpected discovery when she learns her lover is actually a Russian spy. Together, they will build the largest Soviet spy network in America and Elizabeth will become its uncrowned Red Spy Queen. However, once the war ends and the U.S. and U.S.S.R. become embroiled in the Cold War, it is Elizabeth who will dangerously clash with the NKVD, the brutal Soviet espionage agency.

As Catherine listens to Elizabeth's harrowing tale, she empathizes with her, that is, until she uncovers startling revelations that link the two women's lives in shocking ways. Faced with the idea that her entire existence is based on a lie, Catherine realizes there can be many sides to the truth. And only Elizabeth Bentley can tell her what that truth really is. 

Kritters Thoughts:  Elizabeth Bentley is only one of the many names that she went by.  As she "fell" into the Communist party in America she ended up with many more names and oh so many secrets!  She became a part of the biggest Russian spy organization in America, but I won't tell her story because the way the book is presented - she tells it herself!

First, I love how this story is told.  Catherine Gray a woman enters Elizabeth's home and wants answer and wants them quick, so Elizabeth must tell her story to Catherine and share all the secrets of the past - but do spies always tell the truth!  While I don't typically like an unreliable narrator, it was fun to follow the twists and turns of the story and wonder if and when Elizabeth was telling the whole truth.  

I always love when stories are based in fact and love when a book makes me want to google and see where the author infused some fiction and this book did that.  While there were moments where the story slowed down for me and I wanted some action, in the end, I loved how Elizabeth told her story and where it all ended.  

One of the things I loved was the small special guest appearance of Ethel Rosenberg as I had just finished a whole non fiction book about her and her husband Julius, so to see them arrive in this book and the potential link between them and Elizabeth Bentley was a fun surprise.  I love it when the books I read work well with each other and compliment each other - it makes the reading life even more fun!

I was a fan of Stephanie Marie Thornton and while this book isn't my favorite of hers, I still appreciate her for her focus on women in history and spotlighting women who may not always get all the air time.  

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2021 Challenge: 112 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Berkley.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: The Last Chance Library by Freya Sampson

The Last Chance Library

by Freya Sampson

Publisher: Berkley Books

Pages: 336

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  June Jones emerges from her shell to fight for her beloved local library, and through the efforts and support of an eclectic group of library patrons, she discovers life-changing friendships along the way.

Lonely librarian June Jones has never left the sleepy English village where she grew up. Shy and reclusive, the thirty-year-old would rather spend her time buried in books than venture out into the world. But when her library is threatened with closure, June is forced to emerge from behind the shelves to save the heart of her community and the place that holds the dearest memories of her mother.

Joining a band of eccentric yet dedicated locals in a campaign to keep the library, June opens herself up to other people for the first time since her mother died. It just so happens that her old school friend Alex Chen is back in town and willing to lend a helping hand. The kindhearted lawyer's feelings for her are obvious to everyone but June, who won't believe that anyone could ever care for her in that way.

To save the place and the books that mean so much to her, June must finally make some changes to her life. For once, she's determined not to go down without a fight. And maybe, in fighting for her cherished library, June can save herself, too.

Kritters Thoughts:  June Jones returned to her home town to help take care of her mother as she was dealing with a medical hurdle, and when she died June Jones stayed and maybe was a little stuck in one place.  And June Jone had been living that life until the town council announces their intentions to close the library she works at and her and the regular patrons are going to fight hard to stop them.  

A fun cast of characters and a reminder to book lovers of the importance of a library for the community no matter if you, yourself visit it or not.  I loved how the author painted such a fun cast of characters who visit the library and are thankful to have a place that can meet their needs - no matter what they are!  It was so heartwarming to see these people through June Jones' eyes as she appreciated each of her patrons.  

While there were for sure parts of the book that were predictable, it didn't take away from the heart of the story.  I may have called a few of the plot points before they occurred, but it didn't ruin things for me.  I would recommend this sweet book to any reader who loves a love letter to reading and readers.   

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2021 Challenge: 111 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Berkley.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: Machiavelli for Women by Stacey Vanek Smith

Machiavelli for Women

by Stacey Vanek Smith

Publisher: Gallery Books

Pages: 224

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Women have been making strides towards equality for decades, or so we’re so often told. They’ve been increasingly entering male-dominated areas of the workforce and consistently surpassing their male peers in grades, university attendance, and degrees. They’ve recently stormed the political arena with a vengeance. But despite all of this, the payoff is—quite literally—not there: the gender pay gap has held steady at about 20% since 2000. And the number of female CEOs for Fortune 500 companies has actually been declining.

So why, in the age of #MeToo and #TimesUp, is the glass ceiling still holding strong? And how can we shatter it for once and for all? Stacy Vanek Smith’s advice: ask Machiavelli.

Using The Prince as a guide and with charm and wit, Smith applies Renaissance politics to the 21st century, and demonstrates how women can take and maintain power in careers where they have long been cast as second-best. Based on the latest research, tips from successful women across many industries, and experiences from Smith’s own life, Machiavelli for Women is a powerful, entertaining, and inspirational guide for a new generation of successful women.

Kritters Thoughts:  A women's empowerment book that uses the book The Prince for inspiration to create lessons to show women what they can do to move the needle to more of an equitable society.  (Not that women should be doing all the work) But lessons for women to ask for what they want and need in a way that uses the skills that women typically possess to get the outcomes they want.  

While the author includes the references needed from The Prince to show her points, for me, I wish I had recently read it and was a little more educated in the source material and I think the book would have been a smoother and more enjoyable read for me.  

The thing I loved about this book was the moments where the author used general traits about women and flipped the script to show women how to use these general traits that we typically have because we are women and use them to our advantage.  The chapters that I will be referencing a lot in the future are two and three with money and confidence.  It was so eye opening to read why women don't ask for a promotion as we want to be 100% ready for that next step in the career and I can understand that and that we will accept less pay because sometimes we are just darn happy to be employed!  

While The Prince references were great and an interesting way to present the material in a new way because I am not familiar it didn't quite do it for me, but as said before I could see myself enjoy that if I was more aware of the material.  

Rating: enjoyable, but didn't leave me wanting more

Ebook2021 Challenge: 110 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Simon and Schuster.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: The Slow March of Light by Heather B Moore

The Slow March of Light

by Heather B Moore

Publisher: Shadow Mountain

Pages: 368

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Sometimes all you have is hope.

In the summer of 1961, a wall of barbed wire goes up quickly in the dead of night, officially dividing Berlin. Aware of the many whose families have been divided, Luisa joins a secret spy network, risking her life to help East Germans escape across the Berlin Wall and into the West.

Bob Inama, a soldier in the US Army, is stationed in West Germany. He’s glad to be fluent in German, especially after meeting Luisa Voigt at a church social. As they spend time together, they form a close connection. But when Bob receives classified orders to leave for undercover work immediately, he doesn’t get the chance to say goodbye.

With a fake identity, Bob’s special assignment is to be a spy embedded in East Germany, identifying possible targets for the US military. But Soviet and East German spies, the secret police, and Stasi informants are everywhere, and the danger of being caught and sent to a brutal East German prison lurks on every corner.

Kritters Thoughts:  Two main characters make up this story - Bob Inama, a true person who gave the author hours of interviews in order to create his story and then gave the inspiration for Louis Voigt the other main character who had a little more fiction involved in her story.  Bob was a solider with the US Army stationed in West Germany during the very hard time as the Berlin Wall was being constructed and the borders were affecting the people of both Berlin and Germany.  Louisa was a German resident, a daughter of a police officer and a recent graduate of nursing school who was watching her home country fall apart.  

Switching back and forth between Bob and Louisa's point of view, this book focused on a time and place that isn't often represented in books - post World War II as countries are occupying Germany and the country is trying to heal from a war that split the population into several pieces.  Before reading this book, I was more familiar with the news of the Berlin wall coming down, while I was young when it happened, I have been more aware of the anniversaries and the news of those events, so to read about the people before it went up and the months after it was built was educational.  

While the events were interesting to me while reading this book, the characters were built a way that it was hard to put this down as you follow both of them through the ups and downs of the volatile events of the day.  Louisa's parts were my favorite, maybe because I am married to a police officer or maybe because I hope I would react like she did and step up and risk my life to help people, but her parts were riveting.  I appreciated that Bob's story was so close to fact, but that also made reading his part of the story hard because I knew that his story wasn't far from fiction and there were moments where his story was hard to read.  

This was my second book I have read by Heather B Moore and I have loved both, so I want to dive into her backlist and anticipate what she has coming next.  

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2021 Challenge: 109 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Shadow Mountain Publishing.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.