Book Review with Featured Author: The Mozart Code by Rachel McMillan

The Mozart Code by Rachel McMillan

 

 

Publisher & Release: Thomas Nelson, March 15, 2022

Setting:  1946-1947, Vienna, Austria

Genre: Historical Fiction

Length: 367 Pages

Rating: 3.5 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

No matter how you might try to hide in a war to escape your past, it is always close at hand.

Lady Sophia Huntington Villiers is no stranger to intrigue, as her work with Alan Turing’s Bombe Machines at Bletchley Park during the war attests. Now, as part of Simon Barre’s covert team in post-war Vienna, she uses her inimitable charm and code name Starling to infiltrate the world of relics: uncovering vital information that could tilt the stakes of the mounting Cold War. When several influential men charge her with finding the death mask of Mozart, Sophie wonders if there is more than the composer’s legacy at stake and finds herself drawn to potential answers in Prague.

Simon Barrington, the illegitimate heir of one of Sussex’s oldest estates, used the previous war to hide his insecurities about his past. Now, he uses his high breeding to gain access to all four allied quarters of the ruined city in an attempt to slow the fall of the Iron Curtain. He has been in love with Sophie Villiers since the moment he met her, and a marriage of convenience to save Simon’s estate has always kept her close. Until now, when Sophie’s mysterious client in Prague forces him to wonder if her allegiance to him—and their cause—is in question. Torn between his loyalty to his cause and his heart, Simon seeks answers about Sophie only to learn that everything he thought he knew about his involvement in both wars is based on a lie.

 

Buy Links:

 

Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Mozart-Code-Rachel-McMillan-ebook/dp/B08BYZ8VNJ

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-mozart-code-rachel-mcmillan/1137257379

KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-mozart-code-1

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Rachel_McMillan_The_Mozart_Code?id=tdTtDwAAQBAJ

Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Mozart-Code-Audiobook/0785253416?qid=1647308391&sr=1-1&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1&pf_rd_p=83218cca-c308-412f-bfcf-90198b687a2f&pf_rd_r=E2FQTATM34FY6M4VFK8R

 

 

Add to Goodreads & BookBub:

 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54350812-the-mozart-code

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-mozart-code-by-rachel-mcmillan

 

Vikki’s Musings

 

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary digital copy of The Mozart Code by Rachel McMillan. I voluntarily agreed to read and review this book by publication. My opinions are my own, and nothing has influenced my rating.

 

The Mozart Code is a well-researched novel set in the aftermath of WWII. As the British and American fight Russia’s determination to spread communism across eastern Europe. Austria is teetering on the edge and must be saved. The characters are intriguing, and the plot is complicated. 

 

Unfortunately, the tale is so enmeshed in historical details in the first half of the book and told without enough emotion, I almost gave up on it. I’m glad I continued reading. The second half of the book is much better. The pacing picked up and drew me into the story, and I became vested in the characters.

 

Sophie Huntington Villiers is a complex character. Her parents only see her as a pawn in their game, wanting her to marry someone who would raise their social standing. Her grandmother made her vow to never give her heart. That caused her to deny her love for Simon.

 

Simon Barrington is our hero and spymaster of this tale. He’s loved Sophie for years and when they marry, he means every word he pledges, but he realizes he must not let Sophie know. I enjoyed his emotional struggle.

 

The romance between Sophie and Simon is strong, and I wanted them to find their happy ending. However, this novel is not supposed to be a romance, but historical fiction with plenty of espionage and suspense. For me that fell short until the last quarter of the book. I’m a true lover of history and have become entranced with WWII novels, so I’m surprised I didn’t become drawn into that aspect of the book. 

 

If you enjoy well-researched historical fiction set in the aftermath of WWII as the allies race to stop Russia from increasing their stranglehold on Europe, then The Mozart Code may be the book for you. Happy reading!

 

Author Bio:

Rachel McMillan is the author of The Herringford and Watts mysteries, The Van Buren and DeLuca mysteries, The Three Quarter Time series, The London Restoration and The Mozart Code. Her non-fiction works including Dream Plan Go: A Travel Guide for Independent Adventure and A Very Merry Holiday Movie Guide. Rachel lives in Toronto, Canada and is always reading.

 

Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rachkmc1

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rachkmc

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/rachel-mcmillan

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14165949.Rachel_McMillan

 

Book Review with Featured Author: Warsaw Fury by Michael Reit

Warsaw Fury by Michael Reit

 

Publisher & Release: Independently published, October 8, 2021

Setting:  WWII Poland

Genre: Historical Fiction

Length: 431 Pages

Rating: 5 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

Warsaw, 1939
We mustn't let darkness win.

Natan Borkowski has it all. In line to take over the successful family business, his future is set.

Julia Horowitz lives in poverty. The daughter of a shoemaker, she dreams of a different life—a different world.

Everything changes when Hitler’s armies invade Poland. Natan’s future is ripped away by the flick of a switch of a Luftwaffe pilot. When the smoke clears, Julia and her family find themselves locked within the walls of the newly-formed Jewish ghetto.

On opposite sides of the wall, Natan and Julia’s lives are not so different anymore. As the Nazis unleash a reign of hunger, terror, and death across the city, they must now decide what’s more terrifying:

To die on their knees, or go down fighting?

Based on true events, Warsaw Fury is a story of love, courage, and resilience in the face of unimaginable evil.

 

Buy Links:

 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Warsaw-Fury-Polish-Resistance-Events-ebook/dp/B099YG9ZLJ

 

FREE on Kindle Unlimited

 

Add to Goodreads

 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58883860-warsaw-fury

 

Vikki’s Musings

 

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary digital copy of Warsaw Fury by Michael Reit. I voluntarily agreed to read and review this heart-wrenching novel prior to publication. My opinions are my own, and nothing has influenced my rating.

 

Warsaw Fury is a riveting novel set in Poland during the WWII. The characters are compelling and the plot enthralling. The pacing pulled me into the story from the first and I stayed enmeshed until the last. 

 

Natan Borkowski is the male protagonist, and he’s a careless seventeen-year-old at the start of the book. He is more concerned with sports than working at his father’s business. As the plot unfolds, Natan faces horrific losses and must grow up fast. His character development is amazing and enriched the story.

 

Julia Horowitz is the female protagonist, and she’s determined to rise above the limits for women to keep them from finding success in what has always been a man’s occupation. Her eyes are opened to what she’ll face if she wants to become an attorney. All that turns to ash when Germany invades Poland, and she and her family are herded into the Jewish ghetto. She too must grow up fast to survive. When her family disappears with no warning, I could feel the devastation that tears through her when she returns home to find them gone. 

 

I enjoyed the growing comradeship between Natan and Julia and loved watching as it turns into an abiding love. They are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for each other if it comes to that. Although there are so many issues to keep them apart, I wanted them to find a way to make it work.

 

The horror of what they go through is visceral and sent chills through me. I became Julia as she leads the children through the sewer. The author shows Natan’s bravery as he fights for his life against the German soldier. I loved his astonishment when he survives the attack and why.

 

If you enjoy historical fiction with complex character, and a plot that will keep you captivated, then you will love Warsaw Fury as much as I did. This is the first book I’ve read by Mr. Reit, and I plan to read his other book soon. Happy reading!

 

Author Bio:

 

Michael Reit is an independently-published author. That means he likes to do everything himself, but he doesn't identify as a control freak. An avid fan of history and historical fiction, and intrigued by WWII, Michael spent years researching lesser-known events, locations, and people to produce his debut novel Beyond the Tracks. He's currently working on his next novel on the Polish Home Army, one of the largest resistance networks in Europe during World War II. Born in the Netherlands, he now lives in beautiful Vienna, Austria, with his partner Esther, daughter Bibi, and Hungarian Vizsla Maggie. 

 

Social Media:

Website: http://michaelreit.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michaelreit

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MichaelReit

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelreit/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/michael-reit

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20489852.Michael_Reit

 

Book Review with Featured Author: The Secrets of Latimer House by Jules Wake

The Secrets of Latimer House 

by Jules Wake

 

Publisher & Release: One More Chapter, Harper Collins, August 30, 2021

Setting:  WWII 1943, England

Genre: Historical Fiction

Length:  Full Length

Rating: 3.5 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

In the war against Hitler every secret counts…

 

Society heiress Evelyn Brooke-Edwards is a skilled interrogator – her beauty making her a non-threat in the eyes of the prisoners.

Farm girl Betty Connors may not be able to type as she claimed, but her crack analytical skills soon find her unearthing covert connections.

German ex-pat Judith Stern never expected to find herself listening in to German POW’s whispered conversations, but the Nazis took her father from her so she will do whatever it takes to help the Allies end this war.

Billeted together in the attic of Latimer House – a place where secrets abound – Evelyn, Betty and Judith soon form a bond of friendship that carries them through the war. Because nothing is stronger than women united.

Tucked away in the Buckinghamshire countryside, Latimer House, a grand country estate, stands proudly – a witness to some of greatest secrets of WW2.

Used by the SOE to hold Nazi prisoners of war, this stunning historical novel is inspired by the untold story of the secret listeners of ‘M Room’ who worked day and night to help the Allies win the war. A must-read for fans of Dinah Jefferies, Fiona Valpy, Elaine Everest, Jean Fullerton and Deborah Burrowes.

 

Buy Links:

 

Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Secrets-Latimer-House-gripping-historical-ebook/dp/B093D2DCJ7

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-secrets-of-latimer-house-jules-wake/1139348297

KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-secrets-of-latimer-house

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Jules_Wake_The_Secrets_of_Latimer_House?id=qAkrEAAAQBAJ

Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Secrets-of-Latimer-House-Audiobook/B09DGNX2PW?qid=1630325006&sr=1-1&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1&pf_rd_p=83218cca-c308-412f-bfcf-90198b687a2f&pf_rd_r=GV9V35GFCMG55SX1864Y

 

 

Add to Goodreads & BookBub:

 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58181149-the-secrets-of-latimer-house

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-secrets-of-latimer-house-by-jules-wake

 

Vikki’s Musings

 

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary digital copy of The Secrets of Latimer House by Jules Wake. I voluntarily agreed to read and review this novel prior to publication. My opinions are my own, and nothing has influenced my rating.

 

The Secrets of Latimer House is a well written novel, and the central theme is based in part on a true historical fact regarding the “M Room”, and I enjoyed that. However, the execution of this was a bit superficial. The basis of the story is the friendship between three young women and how the war affected them with a great deal of emphasis on their love life.

 

Whenever multiple characters are primary, the depth of them is less than what is found in most novels, whether they are historical fiction or romance. It becomes a bit convoluted to follow multiple characters. It helped that the three women come from vastly different backgrounds.

 

While I enjoyed the romantic elements involving the three women, there wasn’t as much heart pounding action I’ve come to expect in most of the WWII novels I read, and I’ve read quite a few of them this year.

 

If you enjoy historical fiction set during WWII with engaging characters and an interesting plot, then you will like The Secrets of Latimer House. This is the first book I’ve read by Ms. Wake, and from what I can tell, her other works are romances, which explains why this novel leans heavily on that aspect of the story. I love romance, but the book description is a bit misleading since it focuses on the women and their work at Latimer House. Nonetheless, this was an enjoyable read, and I will check out the author’s other books. Several of the book descriptions sound delightful. Happy reading!

 

Author Bio:

 

Jules Wake's earliest known declaration that she planned to be a writer came at the age of ten. Along the way she was diverted by the glamorous world of PR and worked on many luxury brands, taking journalists on press trips to awful places like Turin, Milan, Geneva, Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam and occasionally losing the odd member of the press in an airport. It gave her the opportunity to eat amazing food, drink free alcohol as well as providing opportunities to hone her writing skills on press releases and to research European cities for her books.

Eventually the voices in her head persuaded her it was time to sit down and write the novel she'd always talked about. Her debut novel in 2014, was quickly followed by the bestselling From Italy With Love, published by One More Chapter, HarperCollins, which reached number 1 in the Amazon Kindle charts. 

 

Social Media:

Website: http://juleswake.co.uk/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jules.wake

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Juleswake

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juleswakeauthor/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/juleswake/_saved/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jules-wake

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7289627.Jules_Wake

 

Book Review with Featured Author: I'll Be Seeing You by Rosie Archer

I’ll be Seeing You by Rosie Archer

 

Publisher & Release: Quercus Publishing, 08.05,2021

Setting: WWII, England 

Genre: Historical Fiction

Length: 352 Pages

Rating: 4 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

A World War 2 saga to warm the heart. Three women become friends when working in their local picture house. When life is so tough for everyone, a trip to the pictures is the perfect way to escape, to dream of romance and hope for the good things peace will bring.

It is 1943 on England's war-weary south coast where the conflict seems never-ending. After the heartache of the previous year, Connie Baxter now appears to have everything a girl could want. There is Ace, a man who loves her. She enjoys an enviable lifestyle despite the deprivations of war. She has friends and a job she adores as an usherette at the Criterion cinema. But appearances can be deceptive and Connie is struggling in more ways than one.

Then, to compound Connie's problem, her nemesis, Cousin Marlene, returns home. Secrets come to light, revealing jealousies that could shatter Connie's world once more, and Connie realizes that Ace isn't the man she thought he was. 

In the darkest days of war, the glamour of movies and their stars can lift the bleakest of moods, while friends make the good times better and the bad times bearable.

 

Buy Links:

 

Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Ill-Be-Seeing-You-nostalgia-ebook/dp/B08X4B1ZMG

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ill-be-seeing-you-rosie-archer/1138875872

KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/i-ll-be-seeing-you-32

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Rosie_Archer_I_ll_Be_Seeing_You?id=jGAfEAAAQBAJ

 

Add to Goodreads:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57176353-i-ll-be-seeing-you?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=l4acs8Z7G3&rank=1

 

Vikki’s Musings

 

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary digital copy of I’ll be Seeing You by Rosie Archer. I voluntarily agreed to read and review this novel. My opinions are my own, and nothing has influenced my rating.

 

I’ll be Seeing You is a well written historical novel with engaging characters and an enthralling plot. The pacing pulled me into the story from the beginning and kept me enmeshed until the end. I enjoyed the history of cinema during WWII. I can vaguely remember going to the movies as a very young child, watching the organ rising from below, the cartoons, and news reels playing on the big screen. 

 

Connie Baxter is the main protagonist, and I enjoyed her character a great deal. She has a bit of a whimsical side, especially at the start. She shows a great deal of growth, giving her more depth. She’s a loyal, willing to help her friend, Queenie, deal with grave life decisions. I also loved her relationship with her aunt.

 

Ace, the man in her life is not the hero in this tale. I found him a fascinating character, even though he’s not really a good man. Ace does have a great deal of kindness, so it’s hard to not develop a soft spot for him.

 

What I liked the most about this story was that it shows how ordinary people deal with the horrors of war. It shows how life goes on, even when the world is falling apart. While the moral compass in these characters is not stellar, their flaws make the plot believable.

 

If you enjoy historical fiction with a fantastic array of characters, and a plot that takes you back to a different time than you have lived, then you will enjoy I’ll be Seeing You as much as I did. Rosie Archer adds plenty of tidbits of what it must have been like to live during WWII. Happy reading!

 

 

Author Bio:

 

Rosie Archer was born in Gosport, Hampshire, where she still lives. She has had a variety of jobs including waitress, fruit picker, barmaid, shop assistant and market trader selling second-hand books. Rosie is the author of several Second World War sagas set on the south coast of England, as well as a series of gangster sagas under the name June Hampson. 

 

Social Media:

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/rosie-archer

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/12334146.Rosie_Archer

 

Book Review with Featured Author: The Girls from the Beach by Andie Newton

The Girls from the Beach by Andie Newton

 

 

Publisher & Release: Aria, July 8, 2021

Setting:  WWII, Germany & France

Genre: Historical Fiction

Length: 261 Pages

Rating: 5 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

In 1944, four American nurses disappeared for five days. No one knew what happened to them. Until now. 

 

When Kit and Red set foot on French soil during the Normandy landings, they know they have to rely on each other. As they head for the battlefield, their aim is simple: save lives. But when they're called away on a top-secret mission to patch up a few men behind enemy lines, everything changes.

Alongside fellow nurses, Roxy, and Gail, they're told to prepare for the worst, trading in their nurses' fatigues for civilian clothes and hiding medical supplies under their skirts. But it's a lie. Their real mission tasks them with the impossible – to infiltrate the Reich and steal something the Nazis desperately need to win their losing war.

In an ultimate test of courage and comradeship, each woman must decide what she is prepared to risk and what she has to live for.

 

Buy Links:

 

Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Girls-Beach-emotional-historical-bestselling-ebook/dp/B08QBYD575

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-girls-from-the-beach-andie-newton/1139345967

KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-girls-from-the-beach

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Andie_Newton_The_Girls_from_the_Beach?id=oTAOEAAAQBAJ

 

Add to Goodreads & BookBub:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56797882-the-girls-from-the-beach

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-girls-from-the-beach-by-andie-newton

 

Vikki’s Musings

 

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary digital copy of The Girls from the Beach by Andie Newton. I voluntarily agreed to read and review by release day. My opinions are my own, and nothing has influenced my rating.

 

The Girls from the Beach is a riveting historical fiction novel set during WWII and follows four American nurses who are given a top-secret mission. Ms. Newton’s vivid descriptive writing had me glued to my Kindle, breathlessly waiting to see if they would survive. There’s no doubt that Ms. Newton is a true historian because she manages to make the history in this novel exciting!

 

Kit and Red are a team, and both show immense courage and determination. They literally put their lives on the line on numerous occasions as they make their way into enemy territory. It’s easy to understand the close bound they share.

 

Roxie and Gail are the other duo, and they too show amazing courage and will do what they must to not only survive but complete their mission. I thoroughly enjoyed the friendship that develops between them. What a horrifying ordeal they go through! I adored the amazing ending.

 

If you enjoy tale with strong female protagonist and a nail-biting plot, then you will love The Girls from the Beach as much as I did. While this is the first book, I’ve read by Ms. Newton, it will not be the last. Happy reading!

 

Author Bio:

 

Andie Newton is the USA Today bestselling author of The Girl from Vichy.

All her books are fast-paced female-driven spy stories set in WWII. The Girl I Left Behind was her debut, and her forthcoming release, The Girls from the Beach, will be released in July 2021. She holds a bachelor’s degree in History and a master’s in teaching. Andie lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband, her two boys, and one very lazy cat.

 

Social Media:

Website: https://andienewton.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/newtonauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AndieNewton

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andienewtonauthor/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/andie-newton

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19387576.Andie_Newton

 

Book Review with Featured Author: The Girl from Venice by Siobhan Daiko

The Girl from Venice by Siobhan Daiko

 

Publisher & Release: BooksGoSocial, June 29, 2021

Setting:  WWII, Italy

Genre: Historical Fiction

Length: 223 Pages

Rating: 5 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

From Siobhan Daiko, international bestselling author of The Orchid Tree, comes an epic new novel of love, betrayal, and finding where you truly belong. Set in Italy during World War II and the present day.

Perfect for readers of Dinah Jefferies, Kate Furnivall and Rhys Bowen.

Lidia De Angelis has kept a low profile since Mussolini's laws wrenched her from her childhood sweetheart. But when the Germans occupy Venice in 1943, she must flee the city to save her life.

Lidia joins the partisans in the Venetian mountains, where she meets David, an English soldier fighting for the same cause. As she grows closer to him, harsh German reprisals and Lidia’s own ardent patriotic activities threaten to tear them apart.

Decades later in London, while sorting through her grandmother’s belongings after her death, Charlotte discovers a Jewish prayer book, unopened letters written in Italian, and a fading photograph of a group of young people in front of the Doge’s Palace.

Intrigued by her grandmother’s refusal to talk about her life in Italy before and during the war, Charlotte travels to Venice in search of her roots, There, she learns not only the devastating truth about her grandmother’s past, but also some surprising truths about herself.

 

Buy Link:

Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Girl-Venice-heart-breaking-page-turner-actual-ebook/dp/B093SRRM5D

 

FREE on Kindle Unlimited

 

Add to Goodreads & BookBub:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58013905-the-girl-from-venice

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-girl-from-venice-a-heart-breaking-page-turner-based-on-actual-events-in-italy-during-word-war-ii-by-siobhan-daiko

 

Vikki’s Musings

 

Thanks go to the author and Net-Galley for the complimentary digital copy of The Girl from Venice by Siobhan Daiko. I voluntarily agreed to read and review this outstanding novel prior to publication. Sorry I missed that date, but life happens. My opinions are my own, and nothing has influenced my rating.

 

The Girl from Venice is a well written novel set during WWII and Germany’s occupation of Venice and in current times in 2010. The pacing pulled me in from the first page and kept me enthralled to the last. I enjoyed reading about this period of Italy’s history, and it’s clear Ms. Daiko did a tremendous amount of research.

 

Lidia De Angelis is the central character, and I enjoyed the steel in her backbone that helps her survive against all odds. Her determination to fight with the resistance is admirable, and her softer side comes through when she saves two young boys. What she suffered at the hands of the brown shirts is horrific, but she does not let it destroy her.

 

Charlotte is another primary character. She is Lidia’s granddaughter and is fascinated when she finds a Jewish prayer book and unopened letters, along with a photo of her grandmother and her friends, while going through Lidia’s belongings after her death. She’s as fiercely determined as her grandmother and sets out on a journey of discovery when she travels to Venice to learn why Lidia never talked of her experiences during WWII and her life in Venice.

 

While this is not a romance, it does have two emotional love stories interwoven through the plot, and I enjoyed both. Ms. Daiko’s writing is vivid and detailed. I could feel Lidia’s pain and anguish throughout her part of the story. I also enjoyed Charlotte’s character growth.

 

It you enjoy historical fiction set during WWII and like learning of another part of the devastation caused by Natzi Germany and Mussolini’s Fascist regime, then you will love The Girl from Venice as much as I did. I highly recommend this amazing novel. Happy reading!

 

Author Bio:

 

Born in Hong Kong, Siobhan Daiko is a British author and lover of all things Italian, She lives in the Veneto region of northern Italy with her husband, a Havanese puppy and two rescue cats. When not writing or researching historical fiction, Siobhan spends her time travelling around Europe whenever possible and enjoying the local food and wine. 

 

 

Social Media:

Website: https://siobhandaiko.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AsolandoBooks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/siobhandaiko

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/siobhandaiko_asolandobooks/?hl=en

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.it/SiobhanDaiko/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/siobhan-daiko

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7091256.Siobhan_Daiko

 

Book Review with Featured Author: Out of the Mountain's Shadow by Rose Alexander

Out of the Mountain’s shadow 

by Rose Alexander

 

 

Publisher & Release: Canelo Saga, June 10, 2021

Setting:  WWII, Albania

Genre: Historical Fiction

Length: 247 Pages

Heat Level: 1 Sweetheart

Rating: 4.5 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

A secret from the war with the power to change one woman’s future… 

1939: War has broken out, and in Albania Bekim’s family take in a Jewish family fleeing from Nazi Austria. The years of war will shape his life in unimaginable ways as Bekim grows to love Hannelore, doing everything in his power to protect her. But will he be enough to keep her safe?

2019: Following a shock redundancy, Ruth is taking an extended holiday in southern Italy where she befriends local Zak. When Zak’s dying father asks them to solve a mystery from his past, Ruth leaps at the chance. Journeying through his homeland of Albania, Ruth and Zak race to find the sacred artefacts hidden in the mountains during the war.

 

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Out-Mountains-Shadow-emotional-historical-ebook/dp/B091BZFNT3

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/out-of-the-mountains-shadow-rose-alexander/1139134576

KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/out-of-the-mountain-s-shadow

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Rose_Alexander_Out_of_the_Mountain_s_Shadow?id=IOEmEAAAQBAJ

 

Add to Goodreads & BookBub:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57826301-out-of-the-mountain-s-shadow

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Vikki’s Musings

 

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary digital copy of Out of the Mountain’s Shadow by Rose Alexander. I voluntarily agreed to read and review this book prior to publication. My opinions are my own, and nothing has influenced my rating.

 

Out of the Mountain’s Shadow is a well written novel with engaging characters and an emotionally charged plot. This book is written in dual timelines, one in 2019, and the other in WWII Albania. I thoroughly enjoyed this aspect of the book.

 

Ruth is the main character in the story set in 2019 in southern Italy. She’s on holiday where she meets Zak and agrees to help him solve a mystery for his dying father. I enjoyed her character a great deal. Her caring ways with her landlord’s young son stole my heart, and her determination to find Bekim’s first love made me love her even more.

 

Bekim is the main character in the story set in war-torn Albania and follows him from a young boy when he befriends Hannelore, a young Jewish child. As the war is fought around them, he falls in love while his family hides her family to keep them safe from the Natzi soldiers. He becomes a resistance fighter and fights to win his country’s freedom.

 

There are dual love stories in this book. Zak and Ruth are well matched, and I enjoyed their relationship a great deal. Then Bekim and Hannelore are wonderful. My heart wept for them when Hannelore leaves Albania bound for America.

 

This is a very emotional book, and it shows the stark reality of the brutal occupation of Albania by Natzi Germany. I loved learning about the resistance fighters and the fierce battle to protect their country.

 

If you enjoy historical fiction with amazing characters and an intriguing plot, then you will love Out of the Mountain’s Shadow. This is the first book I’ve read by Ms. Alexander but it will not be the last. Happy reading!

 

Author Bio:

 

I've had more careers than I care to mention and am currently working full-time as a secondary school English teacher. I write in the holidays, weekends and evenings, whenever I have a chance, although with three children, a husband, a lodger and a cat, this isn't always as often as I'd like. My book is the result of much hard work, research and patience. The greatest reward possible would be my readers' enjoyment, so I hope it does it for you!

 

Social Media:

Website: https://www.rosealexander.co.uk/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rose.alexander.98434

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RoseA_writer

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/rose-alexander

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3219717.Rose_Alexander