Book Review - The Queen's Coronation by Jennifer Ryan

My Review

The Queen's Coronation is a historical novel set in 1952 England, as Queen Elizabeth is preparing for her coronation.  The story is told from the viewpoint of three women:  Caroline Brimstone, a dresser to the queen, is unhappily married and the mother of a young daughter;   Miranda Miller is an American journalist who has taken an office job at the palace in order to covertly write articles "behind the scenes";  Lucy Jones is a young wardrobe assistant who wants to be a singer.

I wanted to read this novel because I love Jennifer Ryan's historical fiction.  Her book The Chilbury Ladies Choir is one of my all time favorite novels.  I love the fresh perspective she bring to life in England during World War II.

It took me a few chapters to get to know the three protagonists in this book.  I found Caroline immediately sympathetic, found Miranda's story interesting, and was often exasperated with Lucy's naivete and very poor decisions with men.  As the book went on, their stories became more entwined and I became fully engrossed in the storytelling.  

The historical details in this book are lovely.  It was unique and interesting glimpsing the coronation from the viewpoint of everyday women working at the palace.  I especially loved the glimpses of excitement in the larger community about the coronation, like the big street festival in the neighborhood where the women lived, with Caroline's young daughter dressed up as queen.

I really enjoyed The Queen's Coronation and recommend this book for other historical fiction fans.  Readers who have an interested in Queen Elizabeth II and the British royal family will be particularly interesting.  (And yes, fellow dog lovers, there are several Corgi sightings in the book!)

Thanks to Random House and Netgalley for an advanced reading copy of this book.

Book Review - The Chateau on Sunset by Natasha Lester

My Review

In 1957, a young, recently orphaned girl named Aria Jones finds herself at the Chateau Marmont, moving in with her aunt, a former actress that she doesn't really know.  She makes friends with two young starlets living at the hotel and is shocked on a regular basis by how different life in 1950's Hollywood is from the quiet life she was used to in New York.  The book flashes between Aria as a young girl and later as a young woman in the 1960's.  It is loosely inspired by Jane Eyre.

I wanted to read The Chateau on Sunset because I love novels with a Mid-Century setting.  I'm interested in old time Hollywood, and Jane Eyre is one of my favorite books.

This novel has so many interesting things going on at once -- it is a coming of age novel, a love story, a mystery.  It deals with some darker aspects of life for young women in Hollywood long before the Me Too movement.

The historical details are vividly captured, and the writing is beautiful, verging on poetic, with passages like:

"But it’s raining as heavily as one of those Manhattan summer storms that would pour down from a sky that had been bright blue a moment before, magicking up puddles and umbrella hawkers where there’d once been dull concrete and souvenir stands" (eBook location 2482).

At the heart of the story there is Aria, who feels invisible as an ordinary girl in this star touched world.  There is also the story of Aria and Theo, a rock star living at the Marmont with his young daughter. 

I read this book late at night, staying up to read just another chapter, waiting for the next twist or surprise that was sure to come (and it did, it always did).

I recommend The Chateau on Sunset for readers who enjoy historical fiction, and especially old time Hollywood.  The Jane Eyre references (and divergences) are sure to interest fans of that classic book as well.

Thanks to Ballantine Books and Netgalley for an advanced reading copy of this book.

Book Review - On the Book Train to Paris by Norie Clarke

My Review

On the Book Train to Paris is a story of three women in Edinburgh who are looking for a new start.  They are all living at an old family bookstore.  Carly is a young woman at a crossroads, not sure if she wants to write or run a bookshop or teach yoga.  Her mother Fran is a famed romance author who has writer's block and is feeling insecure in her marriage.  Elsa is an older family friend who is caring for her husband who has dementia.  When they have the opportunity to go to Paris on a book train, promoting books and authors, they travel and the trip changes their lives.

I wanted to read this book because I love fiction set in Paris, I love trains, enjoy bookstore settings, and the idea of a book train sounds amazing!

This is a charming, leisurely read.  I loved the way the stories unfolded.  Carly meets two men on the train trip and has feelings for them both.  Fran finds a book and some mementos that belonged to her long lost love, and this propels her travels ... even more so when she unexpectedly sees him again.

Elsa's story involves a lot of armchair psychology, as she is interested in pursuing studies to be a counselor.  There were a number of New Age aphorisms attached to her storyline, which made it a bit less engaging to me than the other two women's stories.

I recommend On the Book Train to Paris for fans of women's fiction and especially for anyone interested in Paris and bookstore settings.

Thanks to Headline Books and Netgalley for an advanced reading copy of this book.

Book Review - In the Spirit of French Murder By Colleen Cambridge (An American in Paris Mystery Series)

My Review

In 1950, Tabitha Knight is enjoying life in Paris with her "messieurs" - her grandfather and uncle, and her friend (and fellow ex-pat) Julia Child.  She has a startling encounter with a medium.  Then she attends a dinner for former Resistance fighters along with her messieurs, and witnesses the aftermath of a murder.  Tabitha becomes involved in solving the mystery, with the help of Julia, and also her crush, Detective Merveille.  

I wanted to read In the Spirit of French Murder because I have loved the earlier books in this series.  It has so much that I enjoy - historical fiction, a cozy mystery, and life in Paris!  I love the atmosphere in this series, with passages like:

"We were silent on the short walk back to his car. The night had turned colder, and the air was still, carrying only the faintest tinge of cigarette smoke. A spray of stars glittered above, joined by a chunk of moon that had dipped lower since we’d walked along the quai hours ago." (eBook location 191).

Tabitha is a wonderful amateur detective.  She has sharp intuition and often discovers clues even before Merveille.  I especially enjoyed the scenes of their forays into Paris at night, looking for clues in quirky and unexpected places.  And of course I enjoyed their chemistry - they both seem to want to get together, but they are also both reticent.

Julia Child is a delightful character in this book.  I love her rhapsodies about fresh strawberries and the produce market, and her excitement to try new recipes and new cooking techniques.  The food descriptions in this series are unparalleled!

The mystery aspect of this book was interesting, with a glimpse back at the French resistance movement, and several plausible suspects.  The murderer took me by surprise!

I highly recommend In the Spirit of French Murder, and this series, for other fans of historical mysteries, cozy mysteries, Paris settings - and Julia Child.  Five stars!

Book Review and Giveaway - A Necessary Death by Terri Karsten

My Review

In 1763, Penelope Corbitt travels with her two children and her brother-in-law on the way to his house.  She has lost her husband and her home and is reluctantly resettling.  They get stranded at an inn run by the town constable and Penelope finds a body in the outhouse.  The inn's owner, Miles, is also a recent widower and needs help at the inn's tavern.  Penelope starts cooking and helping ... while she juggles taking care of her children and working to solve the murder mystery.

I wanted to read A Necessary Death because the 1760's setting was intriguing.  I am interested in early American history but had never read a mystery set during this time period.

The first few chapters really set the scene of how different life was during this time period.  The conditions were very basic and challenging and danger was unexpected.  (An animal lover, I had to skip the chapter involving a beloved dog's death.) As Penelope settled in more at the inn, sleuthing - and a slow, reluctant friendship with Miles - became more central to the story.

The historical details in this book are very interesting.  The author did a wonderful job with this sense of history.  I enjoyed the details of historic food and cooking, which included several recipes (i.e. Dead Cakes, Mince Pies, Dauphiny Soup).

The mystery aspect of the story was well plotted, with several people confessing to the murder, a very surprising twist, and real danger lurking.

A Necessary Death is a unique read of interest to historical fiction readers, and especially to readers interested in early American history.

Book Synopsis

With Penelope Corbitt in the kitchen, the tavern will never be the same.

Penelope Corbitt can turn a lump of meat and a bit of flour into a mouth-watering pie or make a tasty meal of cabbage and vinegar. But all her skill can’t save her family in the spring of 1763, when she loses everything to pay off her missing husband’s debts. Walking a tightrope between the freedom of poverty and the confines of propriety, she must accept her stingy brother-in-law’s reluctant charity to keep her family fed and her children close. The miserable journey north from Philadelphia is interrupted when the coach crashes in the mud. Penelope and her children are stranded at a run-down tavern. Penelope doesn’t think things can get worse.

Then she finds a dead man.

Author Bio

Living in the shadow of the Mississippi River bluffs, Terri Karsten has been a writer and educator for many years. She grew up in sunny San Jose, California, playing amid the cherry orchards that soon gave way to houses. In her search for education and adventure, she lived in Iowa and Wisconsin, Mexico and France, before settling into a hundred-year-old house in Winona, Minnesota. She spends most days in her tiny office, surrounded by  books, papers, and good memories.

With more ideas than time, Terri writes a bit of everything, ranging from historical fiction novels to picture book folktales to dozens of short stories and articles in magazines, encyclopedias, and newspapers.

When she is not writing, Terri loves poring over old cookbooks and recreating dishes from long ago, especially medieval, Renaissance, and colonial  foods. Always ready for the next adventure, she enjoys camping, hiking, and traveling. Her latest goal is to visit National Parks in every state. Only 13 states to go!

Author Links

• Webpage: https://terrikarsten.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/terrikarsten
• Substack: https://historicalcookery.substack.com/
• GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7343260.Terri_Evert_Karsten
• Purchase Links – Amazon  B&N

Giveaway