Book Review · Books

A Sister’s Courage

Ever since Lorraine was little she wanted to be a pilot. Her mother, a French woman won’t hear of it. A lady had very distinct roles in life and doing a man’s dangerous job of flying was not one of them. Thankfully her father was supportive and understanding. How to change mother’s mind was going to be a challenge.

One of the pilot’s Doug takes a shine to her and offers to give her flying lessons. Thankfully Lorraine snags a job at the local airfield to help pay for her lessons.

The day Lorraine earns her pilot’s license is a dream come true, but she knows her mother won’t hear of it. Her sisters, Suzy and Ronnie are both supportive of her dreams to fly. Can she change her mother’s mind?

When she goes to inquire about the ATA (Airport Transit Auxiliary), her boss gives her the impression that she doesn’t qualify due to not enough flying hours. Lorraine is crushed. This doesn’t stop her from reaching out to the head lady of the ATA to inquire herself. What she finds out is that her boss isn’t supportive of women being pilots.

What will the head lady of the ATA respond with? Will Lorraine’s dream of being an official pilot be snuffed out even with a war going on? Will she be stuck at home with Ronnie and Suzy?

This novel tackles women’s challenges to be seen as equal to men as pilots and how they could help with the war effort. It also, touches on the social expectations of a woman to stay at home even if an unmarried adult, to help out with their family.

I received my complimentary copy of A Sister’s Courage by Molly Green from HarperCollins, care of TLC Book Tours. The views are my own and of my own choice. To grab a gorgeous copy click here for HarperCollins. This novel brought to light the era of World War II from the British perspective and the intricacies of the aviation industry and how women broke the flying glass ceiling by being pilots.

Book Review · Books

Something Beautiful Happened


If you have a grandparent still alive and willing to tell you their life story don’t hesitate to listen. If we don’t listen and write down the rich history we are provided it will be lost forever. Yvette thinks about all the times she could have spent time with her grandmother, but instead chose to do other things. There were so many more stories she could have heard, family history provided. Yvette didn’t even have to ask, her grandmother would have shared with her, but when you are young you think you have next time.

If you like to read about World War II, then I highly recommend, Something Beautiful Happened, by Yvette Manessis Corporon. This memoir is about the author’s search to find out the truth behind her grandmother’s story of helping save a Jewish family during the Holocaust on the small Greek island of Erikousa. Yvette grew up visiting the island and her grandmother during the summer, so she knew the island well. Her grandmother told her that the whole island kept this family a secret from the Nazi’s. Yvette decided she wanted to find the descendants of this family, to find out what had become of them.

Yvette’s journey takes many twists, turns, some of them heartbreaking, yet still rewarding. I’ve read countless memoirs on World War II, but this one packs an important punch.  Yvette writes in such a way  that you feel as though you are actually there on the island, at her grandmother’s house. I have never been interested in Greece before, but after reading this book I would like to go visit the island of Erikousa.

I was provided the e-book ARC of Something Beautiful Happened by Yvette Manessis Corporon for free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This book was breathtaking.