4/20 The Book of Lost Names- Kristin Harmel-Set during World War II, tells the story of a young woman who is forced to flee Paris and disguise her true identity. Through her forged documents and a secret code, she helps thousands of Jewish children escape to safety. The book explores themes of resilience, identity, and the power of words. Great read, I really enjoy reading her books.
5/20 The Royal Nanny- Karen Harper- A young nanny who arrives to be an undernurse to take care of princes, Bertie and David. Her name is Charlotte and will soon answer to the name, LaLa a nickname given to her by the young Bertie. Witnessing an act of cruelty she is soon made head nursemaid and will give up her life to care for this young royal family.
6/20 Out of the Dust- Karen Hesse- A poem cycle that reads as a novel, Out of the Dust tells the story of a girl named Billie Jo, who struggles to help her family survive the dust-bowl years of the Depression. Fighting against the elements on her Oklahoma farm, Billie Jo takes on even more responsibilities when her mother dies in a tragic accident. Saw someone else read this, and thought it would be interesting, it was. Super quick read.
7/20 Winemaker's Wife- Kirstin Harmel-When Céline recklessly follows her heart in one desperate bid for happiness, and Inès makes a dangerous mistake with a Nazi collaborator, they risk the lives of those they love—and the champagne house that ties them together. Great read!
8/20 Remarkably Bright Creatures- Shelby Van Pelt- a book revolving around a mischievous giant pacific octopus in a small town aquarium, attended by a lovely old lady who cleans it. The two unlikely friends navigate their individual isolated lives, as both deal with heartbreak and other tensions that everyone is familiar with. This book was wonderful, I definitely recommend it.
9/10 Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet- Jamie Ford- Set in Seattle, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet tells of the forbidden friendship between a Chinese-American buy and a Japanese-American girl during the Second World War who become friends. This was a school book that one of my kids had to read, I enjoyed this book. I haven't read books around this time and thought it was interesting in regards to the Japanese-Americans and Chinese-Americans living here during this time.