All the Broken Places is a gripping historical fiction novel that tells the story of Gretel Fernsby, whose father oversaw one of the Nazi’s worst concentration camps during World War II. Gretel’s brother was Bruno, one of the main characters in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Continue reading
Category Archives: Historical Fiction
Audio Book Review: Chenneville by Paulette Jiles, Narrated by Grover Gardner
With Chenneville, author Paulette Jiles, who also wrote News of the World, delivers another immersive, Civil War era historical fiction novel. This one is centered on John Chenneville, a Union officer who wakes up in a Virginia hospital after suffering a severe head injury during a battle. The story follows John as he returns to post-Civil War Missouri, discovers his beloved sister and her family have been murdered, and hunts the killer across Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Continue reading
Audio Book Review: The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin, Narrated by Saskia Maarleveld
The Last Bookshop in London is a historical fiction novel set in London during the German blitzkrieg of World War II. The story explores how the power of a good book can temporarily soothe anxiety during a crisis and transport readers away from dangerous realities. The novel also has strong themes of love, relationships, duty, human decency, and perseverance. Continue reading
Audio Book Review: Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith, Narrated by Dennis Boutsikaris
In Stalin’s Russia, thoroughly investigating a murder could be considered its own subversive crime, especially if the outcome tarnishes the State’s narrative of being a communist Utopia where citizens are so content that they never turn to crime. Against this backdrop, Leo Demidov, a member of the much-feared State Security Force (MGB), risks everything to track down a serial killer who is viciously preying on children. Continue reading
Audio Book Review: The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger, Narrated by CJ Wilson
The River We Remember is another terrific historical fiction mystery from author William Kent Krueger. Set in a small Minnesota town in the late 1950s, the novel tackles meaty topics such as prejudice, PTSD, family, and redemption, as well as being a smart murder mystery. Continue reading
Audio Book Review: The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey, Narrated by Therese Plummer
The Snow Child is a magical tale about love, loss, and family. The novel’s story of an older, childless couple surviving the Alaskan wilderness and befriending an ethereal mountain girl is imaginative and evokes the essence of a fairytale. Continue reading
Audio Book Review: The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri, Narrated by Sarita Choudhury
The Namesake explores the experiences of an Indian family that moves to America and tries to maintain some of their native culture while also adopting some of the traditions of their new country. A multi-generational view of the immigrant experience provides an insightful perspective about the impact on families, but the slow-moving plot and plentiful details about everyday life may not appeal to readers who like stories with more action. Continue reading
Audio Book Review: The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes, Narrated by Julia Whelan
The Giver of Stars is engaging historical fiction written by bestselling author Jojo Moyes. The novel tells the story of Alice – an English bride – and her “traveling library” colleagues as they deliver books to isolated families in depression-era Kentucky. Continue reading
Audiobook Review: The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, Narrated by Jenna Lamia
The Secret Life of Bees is a charming coming of age story set in South Carolina in 1964. The story follows young Lily and her black nanny, Rosaleen, as they escape an oppressive household and seek information about Lily’s dead mother. Continue reading
Audiobook Review: The Women by Kristin Hannah, Narrated by Julia Whelan
The Women by Kristin Hannah is a phenomenal historical fiction novel that tells the story of one woman’s experience as an Army nurse during the Vietnam War and her struggles to overcome PTSD and an unwelcoming nation upon her return home. Kristin Hannah does a much-needed service to all women Vietnam veterans by sharing their unique war experiences in such a raw and ultimately hopeful way. Continue reading
Book Thoughts from Bed 