Category Archives: Historical (60s)

April 21, 2023 · 12:01 am

Review: The Year of Jubilee by Cindy Morgan

Title: The Year of Jubilee by Cindy Morgan
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Genre: Historical (60s), Fiction
Length: 363 pages
Book Rating: A

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through LibraryThing

Summary:

The Year of Jubilee is a lyrical coming-of-age novel set against the backdrop of the turbulent South in the early 1960s.

The Mockingbird family has always lived peacefully in Jubilee, Kentucky, despite the divisions that mark their small town. Until the tense summer of 1963, when their youngest child, Isaac, falls gravely ill. Middle sister Grace, nearly fourteen, is determined to do whatever it takes to save her little brother. With her father and mother away at the hospital, Grace is left under the loving but inexperienced eye of her aunt June, with little to do but wait and worry. Inspired by a young teacher’s mission for change, she begins to flirt with danger—and with a gifted boy named Golden, who just might be the key to saving Isaac’s life. Then the unthinkable happens, and the world as she knows it shifts in ways she never could have imagined. Grace must decide what she believes amid the swirling, conflicting voices even of those she loves the most.

From gifted songwriter Cindy Morgan comes this lyrical, tender tale of a girl standing at the threshold of adulthood, learning the depths of the human heart and the bonds of family that bend, break, and bind together over and over again.

Review:

The Year of Jubilee by Cindy Morgan is a thought-provoking novel with an undertone of sadness.

Written from thirteen-year-old Grace Mockingbird’s perspective, this moving story of life in small Kentucky town is incredibly engrossing. Grace is devastated by her younger brother and best friend Isaac’s illness. Her older sister Sissie is causing the family problems with her unexpected rebellion. While their parents are at the hospital with Isaac, their Aunt June stays with them and provides minimal yet loving supervision.

In the midst of their family’s turmoil, the civil rights movement comes to the forefront as the local Ku Klux Klan becomes more active. One of Grace’s teachers is instrumental in introducing Grace to her neighbors who just happen to Black. For the first time in her life, Grace finally finds unconditional friendship but will there be a price for and her family to pay?

With a subtle undercurrent of faith, The Year of Jubilee is a poignant novel that is beautifully written with relatable characters. Grace easily captures the reader’s heart. All of the characters are extremely well-drawn and vibrantly life-like. The small-town setting springs vividly to life as do its residents. The storyline is engaging and provides an intimate peek into the Mockingbird’s household and the tragedies they have experienced. Cindy Morgan brings this heartfelt novel to an uplifting, realistic conclusion.

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Filed under Cindy Morgan, Fiction, Historical (60s), Rated A, Review, The Year of Jubilee, Tyndale House Publishers

April 10, 2022 · 12:01 am

Review: Sister Stardust by Jane Green

Title: Sister Stardust by Jane Green
Publisher: Hanover Square Press
Genre: Historical (’60s), Fiction
Length: 311 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

In her first novel inspired by a true story, Jane Green re-imagines the life of troubled icon Talitha Getty in this transporting story from a forgotten chapter of the Swinging ’60s

From afar Talitha’s life seemed perfect. In her twenties, and already a famous model and actress, she moved from London to a palace in Marrakesh, with her husband Paul Getty, the famous oil heir. There she presided over a swirling ex-pat scene filled with music, art, free love and a counterculture taking root across the world.

When Claire arrives in London from her small town, she never expects to cross paths with a woman as magnetic as Talitha Getty. Yearning for the adventure and independence, she’s swept off to Marrakesh, where the two become kindred spirits. But beneath Talitha’s glamourous facade lurks a darkness few can understand. As their friendship blossoms and the two grow closer, the realities of Talitha’s precarious existence set off a chain of dangerous events that could alter Claire’s life forever.

Review:

Sister Stardust by Jane Green is a fictionalized novel that sweeps readers into the glamorous but tragic world of Talitha and J. Paul Getty Jr.

It is the late 60’s and Claire Collins dreams of leaving her small town behind for a glitzy life in London. Lucking into jobs in popular clothing stores, she meets a man whose involvement in the up-and-coming music scene leads to an unexpected meeting with Talitha Getty. Claire impetuously journeys to Morocco with a band that knows Talitha and she is soon living a wild and free life at the Getty’s home in Marrakesh. Claire’s drug-filled and free-love time with Talitha ends with tragedy but will their friendship endure?

Claire and her brother Robbie’s life after their mother’s untimely death is even more miserable after her father remarries. Neither want or need a stepmother and their homelife with their father’s cold new wife becomes untenable once they are of age. After a vicious row, Claire leaves for London where she is finally able to break free of her formerly staid life. She is definitely not expecting what awaits her in Marrakesh but she and Talitha become close friends.

Talitha and Paul split their time between Morocco and Rome. She is social butterfly who loves the parties while Paul would rather spend time alone. Morocco is her chance to indulge in her love of the limelight and she seizes every opportunity to entertain their friends. Talitha enjoys having Claire with her Marrakesh but are either of them prepared for what awaits them?

Sister Stardust is a captivating novel that vibrantly depicts the music scene and wild party vibe of the 1960s. Claire is an eager participant in her time in Marrakesh but is she fready for the crazy life that Talitha enjoys?  Talitha and Paul’s story arc is an accurate portrait of their marriage and decadent lifestyle in Marrakesh. The storyline easily captures the reader’s attention and tightly holds it until Jane Green brings the novel to a poignant conclusion.

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Filed under Fiction, Hanover Square Press, Historical, Historical (60s), Jane Green, Rated B+, Review, Sister Stardust

February 1, 2022 · 12:01 am

Review: The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain

Title: The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Contemporary, Historical (60s), Women’s Fiction
Length: 346 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

A community’s past sins rise to the surface in New York Times bestselling author Diane Chamberlain’s The Last House on the Street when two women, a generation apart, find themselves bound by tragedy and an unsolved, decades-old mystery.

1965

Growing up in the well-to-do town of Round Hill, North Carolina, Ellie Hockley was raised to be a certain type of proper Southern lady. Enrolled in college and all but engaged to a bank manager, Ellie isn’t as committed to her expected future as her family believes. She’s chosen to spend her summer break as a volunteer helping to register black voters. But as Ellie follows her ideals fighting for the civil rights of the marginalized, her scandalized parents scorn her efforts, and her neighbors reveal their prejudices. And when she loses her heart to a fellow volunteer, Ellie discovers the frightening true nature of the people living in Round Hill.

2010

Architect Kayla Carter and her husband designed a beautiful house for themselves in Round Hill’s new development, Shadow Ridge Estates. It was supposed to be a home where they could raise their three-year-old daughter and grow old together. Instead, it’s the place where Kayla’s husband died in an accident—a fact known to a mysterious woman who warns Kayla against moving in. The woods and lake behind the property are reputed to be haunted, and the new home has been targeted by vandals leaving threatening notes. And Kayla’s neighbor Ellie Hockley is harboring long buried secrets about the dark history of the land where her house was built.

Two women. Two stories. Both on a collision course with the truth–no matter what that truth may bring to light–in Diane Chamberlain’s riveting, powerful novel about the search for justice.

Review:

The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain is a captivating dual storyline novel set in rural North Carolina.

In 2010, Kayla Carter and her young daughter Rainie are preparing to move into their new home. The move is bittersweet due to the accidental death of Kayla’s husband, Jackson. They designed the house together and she is not looking forward to living in such a secluded area. Kayla’s uneasiness is compounded by the troubling visit by a mysterious woman who knows too much about her family. When frightening occurrences continue at the house, Kayla discovers shocking details about the history of her new property.

In 1965, twenty-year-old university student Ellie Hockley becomes a civil rights activist who is helping Black residents in the South register to vote. She is assigned close to home and she finally becomes cognizant of the poverty and racism she has not noticed until now. Ellie is compassionate and cares deeply about the people she is trying to assist exercise their civil rights. Because of her activism, she is becoming estranged from her parents and brother, Buddy. Her family is concerned about her welfare, but Ellie is passionate about the work is doing.

In 2010, the women’s lives unexpectedly intersect when Kayla moves into her new home. The Hockley family still lives in their farmhouse which is close to Kayla’s property and the new subdivision. Ellie is caring for Buddy as his health continues to deteriorate. Her mom is also currently living with them although she and Ellie do not get along. As Kayla and Ellie begin to get to know one another, long buried secrets and the town’s appalling history will soon be unearthed.

The Last House on the Street is a compelling novel that highlights the tumultuous civil rights movement. Kayla and Ellie are wonderfully drawn characters that are very relatable. The dual times lines are absolutely fascinating and come together in a very shocking denouement. Ellie’s work with registering voters becomes increasingly dangerous as the local KKK ratchets up their effort to drive out the civil rights activists.  Kayla’s grief is still fresh and she is worried about her and Rainie’s safety. With jaw-dropping plot twists, Diane Chamberlain brings this mesmerizing novel to an unanticipated conclusion.

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Filed under Contemporary, Diane Chamberlain, Historical, Historical (60s), Rated B+, Review, St Martin's Press, The Last House on the Street, Women's Fiction

July 1, 2021 · 12:01 am

Review: Moon Lake by Joe R. Lansdale

Title: Moon Lake by Joe R. Lansdale
Publisher: Mulholland Books
Genre: Historical (60s & 70s), Mystery, Suspense
Length: 352 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

From an Edgar award-winning author comes the gripping and unexpected tale of a lost town and the dark secrets that lie beneath the glittering waters of an East Texas lake.

Daniel Russell was only thirteen years old when his father tried to kill them both by driving their car into Moon Lake. Miraculously surviving the crash—and growing into adulthood—Daniel returns to the site of this traumatic incident in the hopes of recovering his father’s car and bones. As he attempts to finally put to rest the memories that have plagued him for years, he discovers something even more shocking among the wreckage that has ties to a twisted web of dark deeds, old grudges, and strange murders.

As Daniel diligently follows where the mysterious trail of vengeance leads, he unveils the heroic revelation at its core.

Review:

Moon Lake by Joe R. Lansdale is an atmospheric Southern mystery set in West Texas during the late ‘60s and ‘70s.

Daniel Russell has been an orphan since his father drove into Moon Lake and his mother walked out on the family. Daniel was in the car with his dad but he was rescued by Veronica “Ronnie” Candles. He lived for a brief time with her family which caused a bit of an uproar since he is white and they are Black. After his mother’s sister is located, he lives with her through the rest of his teen years. Now in his mid-twenties, Daniel learns his father’s remains have been found. And intriguingly, there are also bones in the trunk of his father’s car. Daniel returns to his childhood hometown of New Long Lincoln in hopes of finding out who the bones belong to.

Daniel is surprised to discover Ronnie is now the lone Black and female police officer. Chief Dudley is in charge of the local police department and he is quite solicitous with Daniel. While Daniel accepts the bones inside the car are his father’s, he insists the bones in the trunk do not belong to his mother. She had gone missing before his dad drove them into Moon River. With Moon River dried up due to drought, Daniel and Ronnie decide to explore Moon Lake, which is also an old town that was flooded to create the lake.  They also find other cars and a rather grisly discovery.

Someone makes it obvious to Daniel that he is not welcome in Long Lincoln. He is not one to take kindly to threats or physical violence so when newspaper owner Christine Humber offers him a job, Daniel agrees to write a few pieces about the town. Deciding to look deeper into New Long Lincoln’s history, Daniel uncovers shocking corruption and a horrific legacy that stretches back through a few generations. With the help of Ronnie, his temporary landlady, a kindly tow truck operator, and the town’s loner, will Daniel unearth the truth about what has been occurring in Long Lincoln?

With slight horror elements, Moon Lake is a riveting mystery with a unique voice and clever storyline. Daniel is tenacious as he tries to find out exactly what has been going on in New Long Lincoln. The plot is intriguing and does not downplay the underlying racism in the small Texas town. , Joe R. Lansdale brings this engaging story to an adrenaline-laced conclusion.

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Filed under Historical, Historical (60s), Historical (70s), Joe R Lansdale, Moon Lake, Mulholland Books, Mystery, Rated B, Review, Suspense

September 21, 2020 · 11:58 pm

Review: Eli’s Promise by Ronald H. Balson

Title: Eli’s Promise by Ronald H. Balson
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Historical (’30s, 40’s, 60s), World War II, Fiction
Length: 342 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

A “fixer” in a Polish town during World War II, his betrayal of a Jewish family, and a search for justice 25 years later—by the winner of the National Jewish Book Award.

Eli’s Promise is a masterful work of historical fiction spanning three eras—Nazi-occupied Poland, the American Zone of post-war Germany, and Chicago at the height of the Vietnam War. Award-winning author Ronald H. Balson explores the human cost of war, the mixed blessings of survival, and the enduring strength of family bonds.

1939: Eli Rosen lives with his wife Esther and their young son in the Polish town of Lublin, where his family owns a construction company. As a consequence of the Nazi occupation, Eli’s company is Aryanized, appropriated and transferred to Maximilian Poleski—an unprincipled profiteer who peddles favors to Lublin’s subjugated residents. An uneasy alliance is formed; Poleski will keep the Rosen family safe if Eli will manage the business. Will Poleski honor his promise or will their relationship end in betrayal and tragedy?

1946: Eli resides with his son in a displaced persons camp in Allied-occupied Germany hoping for a visa to America. His wife has been missing since the war. One man is sneaking around the camps selling illegal visas; might he know what has happened to her?

1965: Eli rents a room in Albany Park, Chicago. He is on a mission. With patience, cunning, and relentless focus, he navigates unfamiliar streets and dangerous political backrooms, searching for the truth. Powerful and emotional, Ronald H. Balson’s Eli’s Promise is a rich, rewarding novel of World War II and a husband’s quest for justice.

Review:

Eli’s Promise by Ronald H. Balson is a poignant novel that takes place during three distinct time periods.

In 1939, Eli Rosen and his family are happy and prosperous. Eli works with his father Jakob in the family business. His wife Esther is a nurse who works in a local hospital. They are very proud of their young son Izaak. But trouble is on the horizon as Adolf Hitler begins his invasion of Poland. Eli rather naively believes Hitler’s troops will never reach their town, but Esther is correct in her assumption that it is only a matter of time before the Nazis arrive. They watch with shock and dismay as the Nazis systematically target the Jewish community and force them into work camps and ghettos. With their business seized by the Nazis, Eli and his father have no choice but to cede control to the Germans and Maximilian Poleski. Eli pays Max to keep Jakob, Esther and Izaak safe, but the opportunistic profiteer betrays the Rosens in the worst possible way.

After the war has ended, Eli and Izaak live in an American run displacement camp.  Eli and his son are anxiously awaiting a visa so they can begin their life anew, but the emigration process is plagued by quotas in most countries. He is working with camp leaders  to expand housing when he hears that someone is selling visas on the black market. The description of the man who is illegally selling the visas leads Eli to believe Max is behind the scam. Will he and the others locate Max who has answers that Eli has desperately been searching for?

In the mid 1960s, Eli is living in Chicago just as the Vietnam War is just beginning to ramp up. His landlady Ruth Gold and her daughter Mimi are extremely curious about their newest tenant and wildly speculate about his job. Mimi and Eli are on friendly terms and when he needs assistance with a possible corruption scandal, he enlists her aid. Will they succeed in their plan to bring down a lucrative enterprise?

With chapters seamlessly alternating between the various time periods, Eli’s Promise is an engrossing novel. The Nazi atrocities against the Jewish citizens in Poland are absolutely heartrending. The aftermath of the war is equally difficult as the Jewish survivors struggle to find new homes amidst harsh living conditions. Eli’s plight is heartbreaking but he remains steadfast in his quest for justice. Ronald H. Balson brings this historically accurate novel to a very satisfying conclusion.

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Filed under Eli's Promise, Fiction, Historical, Historical (30s), Historical (40s), Historical (60s), Rated B, Review, Ronald H Balson, St Martin's Press

August 23, 2020 · 11:58 pm

Review: The Heatwave by Kate Riordan

Title: The Heatwave by Kate Riordan
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Historical ’90s, 70s, 80s Mystery, Suspense
Length: 330 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Under the scorching French sun, a tense homecoming unearths a long-buried family secret in this deliciously propulsive beach read of a mother’s greatest fear brought to life.

Elodie was beautiful. Elodie was smart. Elodie was manipulative. Elodie is dead.

When Sylvie Durand receives a letter calling her back to her crumbling family home in the South of France, she knows she has to go. In the middle of a sweltering 1990’s summer marked by unusual fires across the countryside, she returns to La Reverie with her youngest daughter Emma in tow, ignoring the deep sense of dread she feels for this place she’s long tried to forget.

As memories of the events that shattered their family a decade earlier threaten to come to the surface, Sylvie struggles to shield Emma from the truth of what really happened all those years ago. In every corner of the house, Sylvie can’t escape the specter of Elodie, her first child. Elodie, born amid the ’68 Paris riots with one blue eye and one brown, and mysteriously dead by fourteen. Elodie, who reminded the small village of one those Manson girls. Elodie who knew exactly how to get what she wanted. As the fires creep towards the villa, it’s clear to Sylvie that something isn’t quite right at La Reverie . . . And there is a much greater threat closer to home.

Rich in unforgettable characters, The Heatwave alternates between the past and present, grappling with what it means to love and fear a child in equal measure. With the lush landscape and nostalgia of a heady vacation read, Kate Riordan has woven a gripping page-turner with gorgeous prose that turns the idea of a summer novel on its head.

Review:

The Heatwave by Kate Riordan is an atmospheric domestic mystery set in the French countryside.

In 1993, Sylvie Durand and her thirteen year old daughter Emma return to the family estate in France. Sylvie has not been back since fleeing from the home ten years earlier.  She and her now ex-husband Greg were at one time blissfully happy but their marriage eroded due their oldest daughter Elodie’s disturbing behavior.  Emma has no memories of the older sister she idolizes and Sylvie fears her youngest daughter’s forgotten few  years in France will rise to the surface.  What is Sylvie keeping from Emma?

Chapters flashback to various times spanning from the late sixties to the early eighties.  After their marriage, Sylvie and Greg are excited about the impending birth of their first child. But over the years, Sylvie becomes more and more troubled by Elodie’s actions but Greg does believe there is anything to worry about. But Greg is gone more often than he is home and Sylvie is exhausted by Elodie’s exploits. And she is very careful to keep a close eye on Emma.

Narrated by Sylvie, The Heatwave is a slow burning (in more ways than one) mystery. Sylvie’s account of their years in France are harrowing and a heavy pall hangs over her return with Emma. With unexpected plot twists and plenty of tension,  Kate Riordan brings this mystery to an intriguing conclusion. I enjoyed and recommend this suspenseful mystery to readers of genre.

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Filed under Grand Central Publishing, Historical, Historical (60s), Historical (70s), Historical (80s), Historical (90s), Kate Riordan, Mystery, Rated B, Review, Suspense, The Heatwave