September 11th, 2001 The Day The World Changed Forever

August 21, 2021August 21, 2021 Openly BookishLeave a comment

It’s a day no one can ever forget. It was a regular day until it wasn’t. It splashed on the TV on repeat. The images on our TV seared into our brains, never to be removed. Two planes fly right into the Twin Towers. Buildings that appear sleek, tall, majestic, part of the NY city skyline. I’ve personally never seen them in person, but from images you can see their grandness. These tall towers couldn’t take it and they fell like stones. Almost 3,000 lives were lost. People who went to work there or people visiting gone in mere moments.

The aftermath of this horror spawned a war against the terror that was inflicted on America that day. What would it be like to be in a different country looking from the outside? When you’ve heard your own country’s view on a life alerting event it’s refreshing to hear how the same event is seen from a different perspective. This graphic novel is from the viewpoint of a French woman who was just a young teen when September 11th happened. This is her story of how this event affected her and the events that occurred after to her own country.

This graphic novel is thorough in going over the events of September 11th, the war that happened after and the other life changes that occurred because of this act of terrorism. It’s been over 20 years since that day. This book is a great recap. The artwork is modern and brings it to life. This topic is important and it’s something we never want to forget, but it’s definitely for a more mature audience. I wouldn’t recommend it for elementary school age. I believe it would be a good conversation piece for older junior highers and definitely high schoolers.

I received my complimentary digital copy of September 11th, 2001 The Day The World Changed by Baptiste Bouthier and Illustrated by Héloise Chochois from Europe Comics, care of NetGalley. The views are mine and my own choice. If you want to grab a graphic novel that makes reading about history not boring, encourages a discussion and an important read, then I’d grab a copy later this summer.

The Socialite

May 23, 2020May 23, 2020 Openly BookishLeave a comment

If you love war romance novels then you are in for a treat. Enter the world of Katherine Whitfield who is determined to bring back her wayward sister, Eleanor from Nazi occupied France. Kat just wants to get convincing her sister to come back home over and done quick, but a handsome stranger seems to drop in the night Kat arrives to confront Eleanor. Who is this handsome man?

Barrett Anderson runs a local bar and seems to pop up anytime Kat needs help with Eleanor, but the person holding her sister back is Eric, her dashingly handsome Nazi boyfriend. This man makes Kat sick, but Eleanor seems blinded by Eric’s good looks and money.

Will Kat be able to get through her sister’s head how dangerous Eric is? Will this handsome stranger ever explain himself as to why he seems to be swimming in the same circles as Eleanor and Eric, but isn’t a Nazi, but a Scotchman with the brogue to boot. The more Kat tries to convince Eleanor to come back home to England the more Eric tries to block their goal. Will the sisters ever make it out of Paris?

I received my complimentary copy of The Socialite by J’Nell Ciesielski from Thomas Nelson, care of TLC Book Tours. The views are mine and of my own choice. To grab a stunning copy of your own support Thomas Nelson and to check out more about the author. This novel is rich in atmosphere, characterization and even has snippets of humor. The cover of this novel is beyond gorgeous. The dress the main character has on just ripples with elegance and the fashionable way her hair is coifed makes a woman want to throw on some classic candy red lipstick. It makes me wish for the classic beauty of that era.

Book Review · Books

Discovery

June 22, 2018June 22, 2018 Openly BookishLeave a comment

I enjoy historical fiction and Christian historical fiction sounded different from what I normally read. This short novel is about the relationship between Dr. Giselle Gelis and Dr. David Rettig who are both researching Maria Madeline. Giselle from a Christian view point and David from his skeptics, archeologist stance. It mirrors their relationship with Abbe Francois Berenger Sauniere and Marie, whose the daughter of the family he stays with. Both couples want to discover the truth about Maria Madeline.

Giselle Meets David at a biblical conference where they both sense there is a romantic spark between them. Giselle is reserved at first because of being burnt by men in her past. David is thrilled, but understanding that they have opposite spiritual views.

I have never done any research on Maria Magdalena, but reading this novel makes me want to do more research about her. She has been known as the prostitute in the Biblical narrative. When Abbe Francois Berenger Sauniere begins to rebuild the church named after her he discovers more than he bargained for. When he asks to have what he’s discovered to be translated he realizes that he’s being kept quiet. Who would see what he discovered as a threat to the church and why?

I received my free paperback copy of Discovery by Leslie Schweitzer Miller for free from Smith Publicity in exchange for my honest feedback on this novel. My feedback is strictly my own. This novel is sweetly written, humorous at times, romantic, fascinating and makes the world of France come alive both in modern times and the 19th century.

Book Review · Books

The Other Alcott

September 28, 2017June 22, 2020 Openly Bookish7 Comments

Growing up I read Little Women by Louisa May Alcott and of course saw the modern movie of it. This novel is about the life of Louisa May Alcott’s youngest sister, May. She is the fairest one of the family and loves to draw. When she gets a bad review of her artwork featured in Little Women, May decides to buckle down in seriousness regarding her artwork.

Follow May on her journey from struggling artist in Massachusetts to her move to London, France and back again to study art. May is torn between pursuing her artistic career or returning home to help Louisa care for their mother who is aging. Family duty or career advancement? No matter what year it is all of us have experienced the quandary of listening to a family member’s request or sticking to our own plans. It’s a tight rope that’s not easy to walk along.

This novel covers many topics from sibling rivalry to being a single woman on your own stuck in a man’s world, trying to be taken seriously. This book has great descriptions of France, London and Massachusetts. I am not the most educated when it comes to art and art terms, but this book gavies quite the primer. I enjoyed this novel. The only thing I didn’t like is that it’s, too long. If it was about half the length I think it might be more appealing.

I received my free ARC copy of The Other Alcott by Elise Hooper from TLC Book Tours for my personal review. If you are interested in learning more about May Alcott via this in depth historical novel click here to get this book from HarperCollins. If you are interested to learn more about Elise Hooper click here to connect with the author. Happy reading!

Book Review · Books

The Space Between Words

August 31, 2017November 12, 2017 Openly Bookish10 Comments

I normally don’t read Christian fiction. I’ve found it can come across as cheesy. The Space Between Words, is a Christian fiction novel set in France where the main character Jessica is visiting her best friend Patrick with their friend Vonda. On the last night of their visit in France Vonda decides she wants to go to a concert rather than go to a boring museum. Jessica agrees to go while her while Patrick goes off to the museum. The night of the concert changes their lives forever when there is a terrorist attack.

Jessica survives. After she’s had some time to mend, Patrick insists she still go with him on his journey across France. Still fragile and recovering Jessica agrees to tag along. On one of their many stops to look at antiques Jessica finds an old sewing box. Later on after it’s purchased Jessica discovers a secret compartment in the sewing box that contains old journal papers. Jessica is intrigued. Why would someone have hidden pages of the Bible? With the help of her B&B hosts, Mona and Grant, Jessica is determined to find out what has become of the author of the journal, a French Huguenot refugee.

This book covers topics that aren’t easy to stomach. Sadly since Sept 11th America knows what terrorism is like. I have no clue even on a fictional level what it would be like to be in a foreign country and go through what Jessica did. Her journey to discover what happened to the journal author’s life is fascinating and scary. History is interesting, but will finding the future end point be worth it?

I received the ARC of The Space Between Words by Michele Phoenix from NetGalley, care of Thomas Nelson for free in exchange for my honest review. This book is fast paced, sweet, tense, fascinating and heartbreaking, I don’t know anything about the Huguenots, but if the parts about the Huguenots in France are based somewhat on fact it would be interesting to research their history further.