I love historical fiction, so this caught my attention. It is book one in a series called "Flappers" about the 1920s. When it started, I thought hmmm, but it quickly drew me in as I got to know the characters. One is Gloria, a bored little rich girl, engaged to someone she doesn't love, who tries sowing some wild oats. She is accompanied by her friends, Lorraine and Marcus. Meanwhile, at home, her cousin Clara arrives, supposedly from the country to help with Gloria's wedding. Well the plot thickens from there and I am already into the sequel Ingenue. Good story, but not completely accurate language for the time.
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Another great Flavia de Luce mystery. She is easily my favorite detective, bar none. This one takes place during the Christmas holiday, when a movie company moves in and plans on shooting a movie at Buckshaw, the family estate. Of course, a murder is discovered by none other than Flavia, who brilliantly solves the case, but not without some thrilling moments and very witty deductions ons
Wow! What a gripping tale. If you like murder mysteries, you need to check this one out. Our heroine, Aurura (Rory as she prefers) goes to a private school in London for her senior year. She encounters some very interesting and exiting adventures while there. I don't want to give anything away, but this is very well written, and I admit my usual "guessing" abilities were useless. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
For all the lovers of mixed up & modernized fairy tales, this is for you. I LOVED Beastly by her, and enjoyed this one, although not as much. There are too many fairy tales involved for my tastes, but it was still a fun story. Nice quick read.
This is actually a middle school book, so it is a quick read, and it is so wonderful, especially for horse lovers like me. I got it because the movie is coming out at Christmas, and students will be asking for it. (It is also a Broadway play). It is told by Joey, a horse, about his experiences in World War I. He is brought up by Albert, a young English boy, and sold to the British army for battle in France. He describes the horrors and hardships of the war first hand. It is beautifully done. Highly recommend.
This is another great example of historical fiction & romance combined. 16 year old, Molly Fraser, manages to sneak on board a ship headed for Balaclava, and the Crimean War with Florence NIghtingale. She has a special ability to calm and heal just by touching the sick and wants to become a nurse. She has many dramatic episodes and meets a couple of men who she is attracted to, but what happens next is up to the reader to find out. I liked this book and found myself doing some outside reading about the Crimean War and Florence Nightingale.
The Glass Castle is an autobiography of Jeannette Walls who is a regular contributor to MSNBC.com. If you ever find that might be feeling sorry for yourself and your life - read this book. She had an extremely difficult childhood, but managed to overcome, time and time again, and find happiness. Even though most of us might label her parents as really "horrible," she presents them as loving, but both dysfunctional. She really is a wonderful writer and makes us feel so happy for her successes.
She followed up with Half-broke Horses which is the story of her grandmother and the trials of her life. Because she tells the story from the first person, the book is labeled fiction, but, again, she relates a wonderful, strong and moving story. Good stuff. Another wonderful book in the "Flavia de Luce" series. I loved this (as I have all of them), but I think this is my favorite. Flavia gets involved with a a couple gypsies, and then a murder or two. Owing to her unique skills, she is able to solve it masterfully. She is growing up in some ways; coming to grips with her situation in life, and that is fun to see happen.
I am really hoping for more from Bradley with Flavia as the star. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. CeeCee is a child of the sixties, but her early life in an Ohio town is extremely difficult. Her father is a traveling salesman, and her mother has lost all touch with reality. She spends most of her time avoiding people, since everyone knows about her mother. She ends up moving to Savannah, Georgia where life is the exact opposite for her. It is funny and very moving as CeeCee begins to change her entire life - really good, quick read.
The second book in the new series about Flavia de Luce, chemist extraordinaire and master sleuth. She is so much fun! This time she gets involved with a five year old murder mystery and witnesses a new one. She, of course, sees things that the normal person misses; she is a scientist and observer after all. I highly recommend these two books to anyone, especially if you are a mystery fan.
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