Books & Graphics by Sharlene

My passion is reading books and creating images about books.

The Art of Inheriting Secrets by Barbara O'Neal

  

I enjoyed this book greatly. 
The mystery kept me turning page after page quickly.
Memorable characters and you will feel transported to
the English countryside. Will recommend to friends
and I give this book 5 stars.

Love and Ruin by Paula McLain

Love and Ruin - Paula McLain
I am at a loss for words, to convey how amazing Paula McLain's 
Love and Ruin is. While I have read Ernest Hemingway's novels,
I had no idea what a troubled life he lived.
Totally fascinating and so well written that I felt
sure Mrs McClain was with Hem and Martha, when all this took place.
Definitely 5 stars from page one to the end.
Her author notes had me in tears.
I highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys historical fiction.

The Silent Woman by Terry Lynn Thomas

The Silent Woman - Terry Lynn Thomas
I love a good WWII genre book 
and this is one I truly enjoyed.
The author made me feel the
pressure of living in London right
before WWII and not knowing
what was coming next.
The mystery of 'who done it"
was an extra bonus in a well told story. Well developed characters that you will
love and some you will hate.
I would recommend this book to friends
and give it a 5 star rating.

In The Shadow of 10,000 Hills

In The Shadow of 10,000 Hills - Jennifer Haupt

In the Shadow of 10,000 Hills is a deeply moving story that takes you from the strife of Atlanta during the Civil Rights Movement, through the struggle in post-genocide Rwanda. The book is a riveting page-turner. One that is not easily put down and definitely not easily forgotten Memorable characters will make you feel a part of their lives as they deal with family conflict, love and profound loss. I would highly recommend this book.

AS BRIGHT AS HEAVEN

 

This book is historical fiction set in Philadelphia in the early 1900s. From the first page, this book pulled me in. I loved reading from each character's perspective of what was happening to each of them. I did not know that much about Spanish flu, and had no idea it was such a factor in the lives of Americans and especially Philadelphia. I felt the author really made me feel in the story and become a part of their world in Philadelphia in that time period. This is a novel about overcoming tragedy, hardship and even death to loved ones. It will tug at your heartstrings and you will shed a tear as you come to love each of the characters and cheer for them. I could not put this book down and did not want it to end. Definitely 5 stars for this one. 

 

A Duke Like No Other

A Duke Like No Other - Valerie Bowman

I love a great second chance romance and this is one of them. I adored both the hero and heroine and the adventures between them. Through in some mystery and flashbacks to their first meeting, made for an enjoyable read that kept wanting to read on. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that wants a fun historical romance.

The Luck of the Bride

The Luck of the Bride - Janna MacGregor Another fun read from author Janna MacGregor. Her characters never disappoint and March and McCalpin were a delight. This is a great book about how even dealing with hard times can lead to a great love. I would recommend this book to friends.

White Houses

White Houses - Amy Bloom A very interesting novel about the relationship between Eleanor Roosevelt and her long time friend, Lorena Hickok. This is a story about a great friendship that becomes a great love of many years. I enjoyed the book.

The Summer of New Beginnings: A Magnolia Grove Novel

The Summer of New Beginnings: A Magnolia Grove Novel - Bette Lee Crosby This is a great novel about the relationships of sisters during times of family strife. Their father has recently passed and they are faced with many challenges to save his business. Both are facing personal challenges as well, with Tracy dealing with motherhood and Meghan, trying to deal with her feelings for a stray pup she found.
I would recommend this book for anyone that loves a good family based fiction novel. The characters were likable and easy to relate to. I would recommend this book to friends and give it a 5 star rating.

The Ocean Liner

The Ocean Liner - Marius Gabriel Historical fiction set during WWII and takes place on the ocean liner Manhattan as it sails to New York City. I enjoyed the stories of the cousins Masha and Rachel Morgenstern. Their is an interesting cast of characters on board and learning about their stories was intriguing. I would recommend this book to friends and give it a 4 star rating.

Lady Helena Investigates

Lady Helena Investigates - Jane Steen I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was intrigued by the characters and well developed historical details. I would recommend this book to friends and gave it 4 stars. I will be looking forward to future books from the author.

The Forgotten Ones

The Forgotten Ones - Steena Holmes Be prepared for this book to keep you up late reading, for once you begin it is very hard to put down. A meeting with her grandfather who she believed to be dead for year, leads to Elle trying to decipher family secrets that have filled her with a sense of dread for many years. Character development is excellent and you will be rushing through the book to discover where does the truth really lie.
Another successful novel from author Steena Holmes. Put this one on your to be read list as it is definitely a 5 star read.

The Heart of the Garden

The Heart of the Garden - Victoria Connelly Mazes have always fascinated me. When the owner of the remarkable garden dies her will sets everything in motion and the town on it's heels. I also love a multi-generation novel This was a great book, that I would highly recommend to others.
#arcNetGalley

House of Shadows

House of Shadows - NICOLA CORNICK Can not say enough about how much I enjoyed this book. Great book for mystery and historical fiction fans. I enjoyed the three time periods and could not put this book down as I wanted to know what was going to happen in each.
I would recommend this book to friends and looking forward to the next book by this author.

In Farleigh Field: A Novel of World War II

In Farleigh Field - Rhys Bowen A great WWII book. I love historical fiction and totally enjoyed this book from page one. The added mystery element was very enjoyable. Would highly recommend this to friends.

The Summer Wives

The Summer Wives - Beatriz Williams Quite possibly the best Beatriz Williams novel yet. I fell in love with all the characters and felt drawn into their lives. I felt their sorrows and celebrated their joys. This one kept me up reading very late, as I could not put this book down. The ending was one of the best.