Katerina

This one came highly recommended. Still, I was skeptical. I still remember this authors memoir which turned out to not be a memoir. Jay wants to be a writer, drops out of college and moved to Paris. How does he afford it?  By selling everything he owns and a few profitable drug deals, of course. He spends most of his time in Paris not writing, but drinking and a little drugging. He falls in love and then implodes. He moves on to London, then back home to the USA. The book switches from the early 1990s to present day every other chapter. Jay writes his book, becomes successful, straightens his life up. What happened to his Parisian love?
Took me a while to get hooked on this one, about half way through. But when it does, you can't put it down. Didn't want it to end so abruptly.

The Lost Girls of Paris

Eleanor Trigg lives in England and sis working with an organization fighting the German invasion in WW2. She is given charge of a group of girls recruited to go to Paris and send radio transmissions back to England. Marie Roux has sent her daughter to live with a relative in the English countryside. She stays in London to earn money to support them. She is recruited by Eleanor and sent to France. Will she make it home?

Grace is working in a lawyers office in NYC after losing her husband in an accident. One day while walking through Grand Central Station, she discovers a suitcase. This leads to the discovery of what really happened to Eleanor and her girls. Intriguing. Enjoyed this one as I love WW2 stories. 

The Unwinding of the Miracle

Julie was born blind to Chinese parents exiled in Vietnam. Her grandmother arranged for a herbalist to give her a death potion as a child since she was born defective.  Her parents were reluctant and were relieved when the herbalist refused. They immigrated to the USA.    At age 4, a surgeon at UCLA restored a small portion of her sight. She went on to excel academically and became a lawyer. She had a beautiful life with her husband and 2 young daughters. At age 37 she was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer. This book is about her journey throughs illness until death. It is beautifully written and heartfelt.

The Mister

I had to read this one because it’s written by E L James. I enjoyed the 50 Shades trilogy. So, this one should be good, right?  Not!  The story is far-fetched and difficult to believe. A Lord, who is one of the most handsome eligible bachelors, falls for his maid who is an illegal immigrant that can barely speak English. The relationship is all about chemistry. The only thing they seem to have in common is their love of classical music. Just not very interesting or believable.

The Night Tiger

A story of Chinese folklore. Magical, mystical with a story of romance. I learned so much about the Malaysian culture. Life can be hard, times can be tough. Not everyone has the best life or grows up in the best circumstances. There are things we must overcome, but there are some kind people in this world also. 

Make Something Good Today

I love Ben and Erin’s show on renovating old homes in Laurel, MS, so I just had to read their book. They have a strong faith and live meaningful lives. They are open and honest about life. Such an inspiration to all!  I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Thursdays at Eight

I originally started reading Debbie Macomber’s books because she included knitting patterns. This story intrigued me because it was about 4 women of different ages and backgrounds who came together as the result of a journal writing class. All 4 achieve happily ever after. Big dose of chick lit, sugary sweet. The kind of book I read when I need something mindless.

The Paris Seamstress

I debated for months whether i should read this one or not. One friend loved it and one didn't. I did enjoy all of the details pertaining to sewing. My favorite genre is historical fiction. I was excited when I saw it was set around WW2. However, there were few details about the war and war time experiences. The characters were superficial and could have been better developed. Overall, the story was griping and held my attention. While I thought the story far fetched, the author explains how the story is based in reality.