The Historical Fiction Shelf

Basque Poppies: Survival Under the Swastika
Francine Kosla
Dorrance Publishing Company
585 Alpha Drive, Suite 103, Pittsburgh, PA 15238
www.dorrancepublishing.com
9798887290201, $19.00, PB, 234pp

https://www.amazon.com/Basque-Poppies-Survival-Under-Swastika/dp/B0BZXZH459

Synopsis: Joseph Vienney, his wife and teenaged daughters were patiently re= signed to wait out the German occupation until conscience, opportunity and = the enemy arrived at their door. Shackled by the Nazis living under his own=
roof, Joseph engineered one of the most ingenious missions of WW II. But u= nless he could flawlessly choreograph events, the reprisals against the Bas= que population could only result in its genocide.

Critique: Although a work of fiction, "Basque Poppies: Survival Under the S= wastika" by Francine Kosla is based on the true accounts of a French Basque=
family during World War II. Enhanced for the reader with a section of blac= k/white photos, "Basque Poppies" is a simply riveting read from cover to co= ver and, given today's resurgence of neo-Nazi and ethnic driven genocides, =
is a novel that holds lessons of the past that must not be forgotten least = they drown the world in war once again. Of special value to readers with an=
interest in World War II Histories & Biographies, "Basque Poppies: Surviva=
l Under the Swastika" is especially and unreservedly recommended for person=
al reading lists and community/academic library Historical Fiction collecti= ons.

The Old Lion
Jeff Shaara
St. Martin's Press
https://us.macmillan.com/smp
9781250279941, $30.00, HC, 480pp

https://www.amazon.com/Old-Lion-Novel-Theodore-Roosevelt/dp/1250279941

Synopsis: With the publication of "The Old Lion: A Novel of Theodore Roosev= elt" author Jeff Shaara accomplishes what only the finest historical fictio=
n can do -- he brings to life Theodore Roosevelt who was one of the most co= nsequential figures in U.S. history and peels back the many-layered history=
of the man, and the country he personified.

From the mid-nineteenth century to the early twentieth century, from the wa= ning days of the rugged frontier of a young country to the emergence of a m= odern, industrial nation exerting its power on the world stage, Theodore Ro= osevelt embodied both the myth and reality of the country he loved and led.

From his upbringing in the rarefied air of New York society of the late 19t=
h century to his time in rough-and-tumble world of the Badlands in the Dako= tas, from his rise from political obscurity to Assistant Secretary of the N= avy, from national hero as the leader of the Rough Riders in the Spanish-Am= erican War to his accidental rise to the Presidency itself, Roosevelt embod= ied the complex, often contradictory, image of America itself.

In gripping prose, Shaara tells the story of the man who both defined and c= reated the modern United States.

Critique: Although a work of biographical fiction, Jeff Shaara's "The Old L= ion: A Novel of Theodore Roosevelt" stays true to the non-fiction elements =
of the life, problems, and achievements of Theodore Roosevelt. The result i=
s a riveting and memorable read and one that is unreservedly recommended fo=
r community and academic library Biographical/Historical Fiction collection=
s. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Old Lion: A Nove=
l of Theodore Roosevelt" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle=
, $14.99).

Editorial Note: Jeff Shaara (https://jeffshaara.com) is the author of seven= teen novels, including Rise to Rebellion and The Rising Tide, as well as Go=
ds and Generals and The Last Full Measure - two novels that complete his fa= ther's Pulitzer Prize-winning classic, The Killer Angels.

Through Bitter Seas
Phillip Parotti
Casemate Publishers
www.casematepublishers.com
9781636243085, $24.95, PB, 286pp

https://www.amazon.com/Through-Bitter-Seas-Casemate-Fiction/dp/1636243088

Synopsis: Assigned to U.S. Navy Rescue Tug, the ATR-3X, not long after the = German surrender in North Africa, Ensign Hal Goff and four other officers m= ust support the Allied invasion of Sicily and Italy, shepherding navy ships=
to and from the bitter fighting. With the Allied advance finally stopped c= old along the Winter Line beneath Monte Cassino, Hal and his ship become pa=
rt of the grueling invasion of Anzio and the seemingly endless stalemate ac= ross Anzio's bloody beaches.

Critique: With an impressive and genuine flair for a distinctive and narrat= ive driven storytelling style, Phillip Parotti's new novel, "Through Bitter=
Seas" will provide his readers with deftly crafted and gripping World War =
II naval action thriller set in the Mediterranean Sea. While also available=
for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.49), "Thr= ough Bitter Seas" is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for co= mmunity library World War II historical fiction collections.

Editorial Note: Phillip Parotti (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phillip_Paro= tti) grew up in Silver City, New Mexico, graduated from the U.S. Naval Acad= emy in 1963, and served four years at sea on destroyers, both in the Pacifi=
c and the Atlantic, before exchanging his regular commission for a commissi=
on in the U.S. Naval Reserve. In addition to a number of short stories, ess= ays, and poems, Parotti has published three well received novels about The = Trojan War.

Starring Adele Astaire
Eliza Knight
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
www.blackstoneaudio.com
9780063209206, $18.99, PB, 400pp

https://www.amazon.com/Starring-Adele-Astaire-Eliza-Knight/dp/0063209209

Synopsis: Adele Astaire was a glittering, glamorous star, dancing with her = brother, Fred, endearing herself to audiences from New York to London. But = although she is toasted by royalty and beloved by countless fans, Adele Ast= aire has dreams of a loving husband and a houseful of children. And when sh=
e meets Lord Charles Cavendish, her wishes may just come true -- but at wha=
t cost?

Ever since Violet Wood could walk she's wanted to dance on the London stage=
.. Befriended by Adele, filled with ambition, she is more than willing to ma= ke the sacrifices it will take to becomes a star herself, and her rags-to-r= iches hopes are within reach. But the road to fame is never easy.

From the fast-paced world of roaring 20s New York to the horrors and sacrif= ice of wartime London, Adele's and Violet's lives intertwine, and each must=
ask themselves is fame worth the price you must pay?

Critique: A masterpiece of biographical fiction based on the life of the le= gendary Fred Astaire's relatively obscure sister, "Starring Adele Astaire" = author Eliza Knight plays fair with the non-fiction aspects of Adele's life=
.. An entertaining, even fascinating read from cover to cover, "Starring Ade= le Astaire" is an especially recommended addition to community library Hist= orical/Biographical Fiction collections. It should be noted for the persona=
l reading lists of anyone with an interest in women's fiction that "Starrin=
g Adele Astaire" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99=
) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9798212689= 946, $41.99, CD).

Editorial Note: Eliza Knight (https://elizaknight.com) is an award-winning = and USA Today bestselling author. She is a member of the Historical Novel S= ociety and Novelists, Inc., and the creator of the popular historical blog,=
History Undressed.

In Feast or Famine
Mesu Andrews
WaterBrook Press
http://waterbrookmultnomah.com
9780593193785, $17.00, PB, 448pp

https://www.amazon.com/Feast-Famine-Novel-Egyptian-Chronicles/dp/0593193784

Synopsis: After four-year-old Asenath's mother is murdered by Egypt's forei=
gn rulers, the child is raised to be a priestess by her overprotective fath=
er who is the high priest of Ra, Egypt's sun god.

For fifteen years, Asenath is sequestered in the upper levels of Ra's templ=
e, convinced it is her destiny to heal the land by becoming queen to the ne=
xt Egyptian pharaoh. But when Egypt's foreign king instead gives her as a b= ride to the newly appointed vizier (a Hebrew named Joseph) her entire world=
is shaken.

Beyond the walls of her tower, Asenath discovers treachery, deceit, and con= spiracy that combine in forcing her to redefine her destiny and weigh where=
her true loyalties lie. Can she still trust the gods of Egypt? Or is Elohi=
m, the foreign God of her husband, the one who will heal her nation during = the feast and famine to come?

Critique: The newest addition to novelist Mesu Andrews simply outstanding '= The Egyptian Chronicles' series, "In Feast or Famine" is a compelling and i= nherently fascinating story that will have a particular appeal to readers w= ith an interest in Biblical Fiction. Deftly crafted, entertaining, memorabl=
e, "In Feast of Famine" is unreservedly recommended, especially for communi=
ty library Historical Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal = reading lists that "In Feast or Famine" is also available in a digital book=
format (Kindle, $11.99).

Editorial Note: Mesu Andrews (https://mesuandrews.com) is the Christy Award= -winning author of numerous inspirational novels including the Treasures of=
the Nile series, the Prophets and Kings series, and "Potiphar's Wife", the=
first book in the Egyptian Chronicles series. Her deep understanding of an=
d love for God's Word help her to bring the biblical world alive for reader=
s.

Shadows We Carry
Meryl Ain
https://merylain.com
SparkPress
c/o Spark Point Studio
www.gosparkpress.com
9781684632008, $17.95, PB, 296pp

https://www.amazon.com/Shadows-We-Carry-Meryl-Ain/dp/1684632005

Synopsis: "Shadows We Carry" is the eagerly anticipated sequel to Meryl Ain=
's award-winning post-Holocaust novel "The Takeaway Men". It follows Bronka=
and JoJo Lubinski as they find themselves on the cusp of momentous change = for women in the late 1960s. With the United States in the grip of politica=
l and social upheaval, the twins and a number of their peers, including a C= atholic priest and the son of a Nazi, struggle with their family's ancestry=
and how much influence it has on their lives. Meanwhile, both young women = seek to define their roles as women, and as individuals.

Critique: Enlightening and evocative, "Shadows We Carry" by Meryl Ain deftl=
y explores the experience of navigating deeply held family secrets and bloo= dlines, confusing religious identities, and the scars of World War II in th=
e wake of revolutionary societal changes. Original, exceptional, fully enga= ging from cover to cover, "Shadows We Carry" is a compelling, thought-provo= king, and entertaining read from cover to cover and unreservedly recommende=
d for community library Jewish literature, family/women's domestic life fic= tion collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Shado=
ws We Carry" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).

Editorial Note: Meryl Ain (https://merylain.com) is a writer, author, podca= ster, and career educator. "The Takeaway Men" (her award-winning post-Holoc= aust debut novel), was published in 2020. Her articles and essays have appe= ared in numerous publications and she is the author of two nonfiction books=
.. A member of The International Advisory Board for Holocaust Survivor Day, = she is the host of the podcast People of the Book, and the founder of the F= acebook group "Jews Love To Read!" She holds a BA from Queens College, an M=
A from Columbia University, and a doctorate in education from Hofstra Unive= rsity.

The Secret Book of Flora Lea
Patti Callahan Henry
Atria Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
www.simonandschuster.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
www.blackstoneaudio.com
9781668011836, $28.99, HC, 368pp

https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Book-Flora-Lea-Novel/dp/1668011832

Synopsis: In the war-torn London of 1939, fourteen-year-old Hazel and five-= year-old Flora are evacuated to a rural village to escape the horrors of th=
e Second World War. Living with the kind Bridie Aberdeen and her teenage so=
n, Harry, in a charming stone cottage along the River Thames, Hazel fills t= heir days with walks and games to distract her young sister, including one = that she creates for her sister and her sister alone -- a fairy tale about =
a magical land, a secret place they can escape to that is all their own.

But the unthinkable happens when young Flora suddenly vanishes while playin=
g near the banks of the river. Shattered, Hazel blames herself for her sist= er's disappearance, and she carries that guilt into adulthood as a private = burden she feels she deserves.

Twenty years later, Hazel is in London, ready to move on from her job at a = cozy rare bookstore to a career at Sotheby's. With a charming boyfriend and=
her elegantly timeworn Bloomsbury flat, Hazel's future seems determined. B=
ut her tidy life is turned upside down when she unwraps a package containin=
g an illustrated book called Whisperwood and the River of Stars. Hazel neve=
r told a soul about the imaginary world she created just for Flora. Could t= his book hold the secrets to Flora's disappearance? Could it be a sign that=
her beloved sister is still alive after all these years?

As Hazel embarks on a feverish quest, revisiting long-dormant relationships=
and bravely opening wounds from her past, her career and future hang in th=
e balance. An astonishing twist ultimately reveals the truth in this transp= orting and refreshingly original novel about the bond between sisters, the = complications of conflicted love, and the enduring magic of storytelling.

Critique: Original, eloquent, riveting, memorable, "The Secret Book of Flor=
a Lea" deftly showcases author Patti Callahan Henry's literary talents as a=
novelist with a genuine and impressive flair for the kind of narrative dri= ven and imaginative storytelling talents that keep the reader's rapt and co= mpulsive page turning attention from cover to cover. A novel that will ling=
er in the mind and memory of the reader long after th book itself has been = finished and set back upon the shelf, "The Secret Book of Flora Lee" is hig= hly and unreservedly recommended addition to community and academic library=
History Fiction and Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted that = "The Secret Book of Flora Lee" is also available in a paperback edition (Si= mon & Schuster, 9781668023136, $24.99), in a digital book format (Kindle, $= 14.99), and as a complete an unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 97817= 97156002, $44.99, CD).

Editorial Note: Patti Callahan Henry (https://www.patticallahanhenry.com) i=
s the author of fifteen novels, including the historical fiction (writing a=
s Patti Callahan) Becoming Mrs. Lewis: The Improbable Love Story of Joy Dav= idman and C.S. Lewis". In addition, she is the recipient of The Christy Awa=
rd -- A 2019 Winner "Book of the Year"; The Harper Lee Distinguished Writer=
of the Year for 2020 and the Alabama Library Association Book of the Year = for 2019, and the RNA UK finalist for Romantic Historical Fiction. She is a= lso the co-founder of the Facebook weekly show Friends and Fiction.

Finding Home (Hungary, 1945)
Dean Cycon
Koehler Books
3705 Shore Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23455
www.koehlerbooks.com
9798888240755, $21.95, PB, 378pp

https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Home-Hungary-1945-Cycon/dp/B0BYTPXKT1

Synopsis: For nine months in Auschwitz, eighteen-year-old Eva Fleiss clung =
to sanity by playing piano on imaginary keyboards. After liberation, Eva an=
d the five remaining Jews of Laszlo, Hungary, journey home, seeking to rest= art their lives. Yet the town that deported them is not ready to embrace th= eir return. Their former neighbors and friends resist relinquishing their n= ewfound status and property, and they struggle with their roles as perpetra= tors, enablers, and bystanders during the Holocaust.

Longing for connection to her old life, Eva agrees to clean her former home=
, now the mayor's home, in return for practice time on her piano. As her pr= ofound experiences allow her to access music at a depth she didn't know exi= sted, Eva's performances begin to affect those around her - with unexpected=
consequences.

Critique: Original, intriguing, deftly crafted, "Finding Home (Hungary, 194= 5)" is all the more impressive when considering that this is author Dean Cy= con's first novel. With a special appeal to readers with an interest in Wor=
ld War II fiction and Jewish literature, "Finding Home (Hungary 1945)" is e= specially and unreservedly recommended for community, college, and universi=
ty library literary fiction collections. A novel that will linger in the mi=
nd and memory long after it has been finished and set back upon the shelf, =
it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Finding Home (Hungary 1= 945)" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.49).

Editorial Note: Dean Cycon (https://www.koehlerbooks.com/writer/dean-cycon)=
is an author, lawyer, human rights advocate, and social entrepreneur who h=
as lived and worked in over sixty countries. A passionate explorer of cultu=
re and history, Dean seeks out unexamined corners that illuminate the human=
condition. He has previously published Javatrekker: Dispatches from the Wo= rld of Fair Trade Coffee, which was awarded the Gold Medal for Best Travel = Essay by the Independent Publishers Association and has been translated int=
o Chinese, Korean, and Spanish.

Coyote Weather
Amanda Cockrell
https://www.amandacockrell.com
Northampton House Press
https://northampton-house.com
9781950668168, $19.95, PB, 374pp

https://www.amazon.com/Coyote-Weather-Amanda-Cockrell/dp/1950668169

Synopsis: Coyote weather is the feral, hungry season in California, when ev= erything is drought-stricken and ready to catch fire. It's 1967 and the Ame= rican culture is violently remaking itself while the country is forcing its=
young men to fight in a deeply unpopular war in Vietnam.

Jerry has stubbornly made no plans for the future because he believes that,=
in the shadow of Vietnam, the Cold War and atomic bomb drills, there won't=
be one. Ellen's determined to have a plan, because nothing else can keep t=
he world from tilting. And the Ghost just wants to go home to a place that = won't let him in: the small California town where they all grew up.

Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and against a expertly re-created backg= round of what it was like to be young adults in the American social, cultur= al, political, and economic turmoil back in the day. The characters are inh= erently interesting, the plot has more twists and turns than a Disney Land = roller coaster, and the narrative storytelling style of novelist Amanda Coc= krell will keep the reader's rapt and compulsive page turning attention fro=
m cover to cover. While available for personal reading lists in a digital b= ook format (Kindle, $8.99), "Coyote Weather" is an extraordinary and unrese= rvedly recommended addition for community and academic library Literary Fic= tion collections.

Editorial Note: Amanda Cockrell (https://www.amandacockrell.com) is the for= mer director of the MFA program in children's and adolescent literature at = Hollins University. She's received fellowships from the National Endowment = for the Arts and the Virginia Commission for the Arts.

Reclaiming Mni Sota
Colin Mustful
History Through Fiction
https://www.historythroughfiction.com
9781736499092, $29.95, HC, 316pp

https://www.amazon.com/Reclaiming-Mni-Sota-Alternate-History/dp/1736499092

Synopsis: Samuel Copeland was just a teenager in 1859 when he and his famil=
y left Vermont for the promise of a new life in Minnesota. But life is hard=
er and more dangerous than he expected. Devastated by the loss of his fathe=
r at the hands of Indians and seeking to protect his brother, Samuel joins = the Union army believing he'd be safe on the frontier.

WaabiskiMakwa was still a boy in 1850 when his father perished at Sandy Lak=
e because of the negligence of U.S. government officials. Seeing his way of=
life crumbling around him, WaabiskiMakwa leaves his home to mourn his fath=
er and seek a new way, one that includes his lost-love, Agnes.

Seeking their own solutions, neither Waabi or Samuel could see the collisio=
n course their paths had been set upon by a world in conflict. War was in t= heir future and it was inevitable. But when war breaks out, and their cultu= res collide, so do their individual paths. Though they can't stop the war, = maybe they can help each other.

Fueled by years of mistreatment and seeing the opportunity provided by the = War with the South, Dakota spokesman Little Crow and Ojibwe leader Bagone-g= iizhig, join forces in an effort to reclaim their Native lands. Spurred by = early victories over Fort Ridgley and New Ulm, the Dakota-Ojibwe Alliance h= eads north to Fort Snelling, the beacon of American strength in the region.=
Once thought impenetrable, the fort and its small group of volunteer milit=
ia fights to hang on when a new enemy arrives from the West.

With the publication of "Reclaiming Mni Sota: An Alternate History of the U= ..S. - Dakota War of 1862" by novelist Colin Mustful the true and lasting re= sults of history are challenged. Acting as individuals, striving to protect=
ourselves and our families, it's impossible to understand our role and imp= act in the much larger march of time. The United States is an abundant, bea= utiful land filled with wealth and opportunity, but its history is scarred =
by inequity and loss. What if the defeated became the victors? What would t= hat mean for the world today and how would that illuminate the wrongs of th=
e past?

Critique: Simply stated, "Reclaiming Mni Sota: An Alternate History of the = U.S. - Dakota War of 1862" is an inherently fascinating read from first pag=
e to last. One of those unusual novels that will linger in the mind and mem= ory of the reader long after the book has been finished and set back upon t=
he shelf, "Reclaiming Mni Sota" is an especially and unreservedly recommend=
ed addition to community and academic library Historical Fiction, Native Am= erican Fiction, and Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for pe= rsonal reading lists that "Reclaiming Mni Sota" is also available in a pape= rback edition (9781736499085, $17.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle,=
$9.49).

Editorial Note: Colin Mustful (https://www.colinmustful.com) is an independ= ent historian, author, and publisher. His work, which includes five histori= cal novels, focuses on the tumultuous and complicated periods of settler-co= lonialism and Native displacement in American history. He has a Master of A= rts degree in history and a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing.=
He is the founder and editor of History Through Fiction, an independent pr= ess that publishes compelling historical novels that are based on real even=
ts and people. As a traditional publisher, he works with authors who want t=
o share important historical stories with the world.

Lockett and the Devil's Path
T.J. Johnston
Vivus Historical Press
9798218066765, $13.99 Paper/$3.99 Kindle

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C12JXTRC

The Lockett Civil War series of novels continues to expand with the latest = volume, Lockett and the Devil's Path, which moves through battles in Tennes= see as it presents a historical reenactment of Civil War events. A historic=
al background section at book's end (and a shorter introduction which place=
s this volume in perspective) details the dramatic events and twists of the=
Tullahoma Campaign of 1863 in Tennessee. Captain Lockett is in charge of a=
ragtag band of men who face impossible challenges during the war. He comma= nds an odd but effective group that has a reputation for a kind of diversit=
y neither North nor South has seen in military companies. Intrigue, involve= ments between conscripted men and civilians of both sexes, and traps and tr= eason affect these mercurial relationships as battles shift balances of pow=
er and impact lives.

Lockett walks a dangerous path with little chance of success, yet he refuse=
s to give up. His perseverance creates both a legend and a conundrum as he = sticks his neck out for others and defends those who seem undeniably guilty=
for their trespasses. From secret meetings with Confederate officers to fa= cing the life and death moments of battle, Lockett's world comes alive ... =
as does Anna Tucker, who finds herself in the strange position of being a C= onfederate spy enamored with a Yankee soldier a year after she is saved fro=
m a Union trap by his efforts. T.J. Johnston builds his story on the firm f= oundations of historical fact, adding the emotional connections and relatio= nships that give history a realistic, compelling flavor. These connections = allow even non-historical fiction readers to access and enjoy the scenarios=
and conundrums that test men and women attempting to survive and engage wi=
th each other during Civil War times.

Clashes of belief and heart set the stage for another drama in which Anna, = James, and others find their convictions and attractions tested. Libraries = and readers seeking Civil War novels firmly rooted in history and spiced wi=
th vivid events will find Lockett and the Devil's Path both enhances the se= ries as a whole and stands nicely alone for newcomers to Lockett's adventur= es.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promo= ting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no fund=
s from authors or publishers. Full permission is given to post any of these=
reviews on thematically appropriate websites, newsgroups, listserves, inte= rnet discussion groups, organizational newsletters, or to interested indivi= duals. Please give the Midwest Book Review a credit line when doing so.

The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines "Califo= rnia Bookwatch", "Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwat= ch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available=
for free on the Midwest Book Review website at www (dot) midwestbookreview=
(dot) com

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugal= muse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publish= er, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number=
, and list price).

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review

--- MBSE BBS v1.0.8 (Linux-x86_64)
* Origin: ---:- FTN<->UseNet Gate -:--- (3:633/280.2@fidonet)