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My name is Ardis and I am an avid reader and budding writer. I want to share my love of books with others. I work with kids and am interested in finding and creating books that will ignite the reader in everyone. Contact me at: ardis.atkins@gmail.com

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MsArdychan's bookshelf: read

I Owe You One
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Love, Hate & Other Filters
The Wartime Sisters
The Belles
The Gilded Wolves
Hey, Kiddo
Blackberry and Wild Rose
Queen of Air and Darkness
Firestarter
The Retribution of Mara Dyer
The Evolution of Mara Dyer


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Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Audio ARC Review: The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40700317-the-secrets-we-kept?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=eCAKuQOKUL&rank=1
Please Note:  I received an advance audio copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):
A thrilling tale of secretaries turned spies, of love and duty, and of sacrifice—inspired by the true story of the CIA plot to infiltrate the hearts and minds of Soviet Russia, not with propaganda, but with the greatest love story of the twentieth century: Doctor Zhivago.

At the height of the Cold War, two secretaries are pulled out of the typing pool at the CIA and given the assignment of a lifetime. Their mission: to smuggle Doctor Zhivago out of the USSR, where no one dare publish it, and help Pasternak's magnum opus make its way into print around the world. Glamorous and sophisticated Sally Forrester is a seasoned spy who has honed her gift for deceit all over the world--using her magnetism and charm to pry secrets out of powerful men. Irina is a complete novice, and under Sally's tutelage quickly learns how to blend in, make drops, and invisibly ferry classified documents.

The Secrets We Kept combines a legendary literary love story—the decades-long affair between Pasternak and his mistress and muse, Olga Ivinskaya, who was sent to the Gulag and inspired Zhivago's heroine, Lara—with a narrative about two women empowered to lead lives of extraordinary intrigue and risk. From Pasternak's country estate outside Moscow to the brutalities of the Gulag, from Washington, D.C. to Paris and Milan, The Secrets We Kept captures a watershed moment in the history of literature—told with soaring emotional intensity and captivating historical detail. And at the center of this unforgettable debut is the powerful belief that a piece of art can change the world.


Review:
Historical Fiction is one of my favorite genres.  I love how people's lives are affected by world events.  The Secrets We Kept, by Lara Prescott, takes place during the Cold War among spies, paranoia in America, and the brutal suppression of dissent in the Soviet Union.  Add to that the backstory of the great literary classic, Doctor Zhivago, and you have the makings of an intensely riveting novel.

What I Liked:
Settings:
The book alternates between the lives of Poet Boris Pasternak in the Soviet Union, and CIA headquarters in Washington D.C.  Both places are full of intrigue.  In the USSR, even being associated with Pasternak gets people thrown in prison.  The brutality of the Communist government makes the point of how dangerous it is to challenge the system.  The novel details the great lengths to which the Soviet government went to suppress even the hint of dissent.

In Washington D.C., the end of WWII is a time of transition for those involved in espionage.  Women are "retired" to the typing pool, while the men get to continue their spy games.  But a few of the women are still used as couriers.  Even those low-level activities are filled with danger.  America in the 1950's comes alive with all the male chauvinism of the era.  It is infuriating to read what these women had to endure.

Characters:
Most of the action is told through the eyes of the women of the story.  In Washington, Irina (a Russian-American) joins the secretarial pool at the CIA.  Her beauty, and Russian language skills, are put to good use as she is recruited into being a spy.  I loved Irina and her fierce determination to lead a better life.

Sally is a more experienced spy who trains Irina.  As they become closer, it's clear that both Sally and Irina have other secrets that are just as dangerous as espionage.  Their affair is both lovely and heart-breaking.

In Russia, we follow Olga, Pasternak's fellow poet and mistress.  Olga pays a high price for her relationship with Boris when she is torn from her children and thrown in prison.  I liked Olga's determination to protect her children, but still support Boris.  But she was far from a love-struck woman.  As the years progress, Olga begins to notice how Boris has little regard for the danger he has put her in.  He chooses to be oblivious about how brutal Olga's prison experience was.  And this has an effect on her love for Boris.

In both worlds, women seem to pay a steeper price for their choices.

Narration:
The novel is performed by a full cast.  This makes for a very enjoyable and easy listening experience. 

Story: 
The story is based on actual events and people, following the creation and publication of Boris Pasternak's novel, Doctor Zhivago.  If not for a few brave people, the world may never have heard of this book, which sharply criticizes the Soviet revolution.  This was also a golden opportunity for the U.S. to broadcast the fact that not all Soviet citizens were enthusiastic about communism.  Not surprisingly, the Americans don't seem too concerned if Pasternak and his family are persecuted for the book.

In Washington D.C., we get a glimpse of female office workers who moonlight as spies.  While the women do get to lead dangerous and exciting lives, they are primarily used for their youth and beauty.  When those things fade, their usefulness evaporates and the women are thrown aside.  It's amazing (and sad) to read how oppressed these patriotic women were.

Rating: 




Release Date:  September 17th, 2019

Author:  Lara Prescott

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Audio Publisher:  Random House Audio

Audio Length:  10 Hours, 56 Minutes

Print Publisher:  Knopf

Page Length:  368 Pages 
 
Source:  Random House Audio

Format:  Audio Book

Recommendation:  A compelling historical fiction filled with spies at the height of the Cold War.  Very enjoyable.
  
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Tuesday, December 3, 2019

ARC Review: Meg & Jo by Virginia Kantra

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45899334-meg-and-jo?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=hREYQnEQ8l&rank=1
Please Note:  I received an advance copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):
The March sisters—reliable Meg, independent Jo, stylish Amy, and shy Beth—have grown up to pursue their separate dreams. When Jo followed her ambitions to New York City, she never thought her career in journalism would come crashing down, leaving her struggling to stay afloat in a gig economy as a prep cook and secret food blogger.

Meg appears to have the life she always planned—the handsome husband, the adorable toddlers, the house in a charming subdivision. But sometimes getting everything you’ve ever wanted isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

When their mother’s illness forces the sisters home to North Carolina for the holidays, they’ll rediscover what really matters.

One thing’s for sure—they’ll need the strength of family and the power of sisterhood to remake their lives and reimagine their dreams.


Review:
With the upcoming release of another cinematic version of Little Women, it is fitting that a novel inspired by the Louisa May Alcott classic is coming out as well.  Meg & Jo, by Valerie Kantra is not a true retelling of Little Women.  But it does have many of the elements of the original.  I really enjoyed this book.  It was a very modern novel concerning four sisters and their hopes and dreams, and addressed one of the biggest problems with the original piece.  But be forewarned, this is not a YA novel.

What I Liked:
Setting:
I loved the North Carolina setting and the Jo's New York life.  In North Carolina, the family's lives are centered around their farm and small town. Even though several of the girls have moved away, they all are drawn back to their warm memories of their childhoods, and their strong mother, Abby. 

Characters:  
The personalities of the four sisters remain very similar to those in the original novel.  Beth is rather shy, but determined.  Amy is a young woman used to men admiring her.  Meg is the dutiful daughter.  Ever restless, Jo is reaching for the stars.  It was fun to see these characters in a modern setting.

I also really liked that the book delved into the relationship between the March parents.  I was always troubled that the father was not just out of the picture, but that the women had to fend for themselves.  In this story, the father enlists in the military after 9/11.  He is always prioritizing his service to others over his obligations to his family.  This was infuriating, but also really thought-provoking.

Story:
The story centers on how the girls handle the news that their mother, Abby, is having health issues.  Abby is used to being self-reliant, and has trouble accepting help from others.  The one who should be helping her is her husband, but he is (as usual) distant and unsupportive.  Each sister responds in their own unique way.

Another part of the story revolves around Jo and her attraction to an older man in New York.  This mirrors the original book but with more modern (and mature) situations and consequences.

Romance:
I enjoyed the romance in the book and appreciated that the love scenes were not explicit.  Even without a blow by blow of the action, the scenes were sexy and fun.

What I Was Mixed About:
Although I loved the characters, everyone was a little too amazingly talented.  Jo is a gifted writer, Meg's a super mom, Amy is a Paris designer, while Beth is a rising music star.  This was all too much, and made the story less believable.


Rating: 




Release Date:  December 3rd, 2019

Author:  Virginia Kantra

Publisher:  Berkley Press

Genre:  Contemporary Fiction

Page Length:  400 Pages

Source:  Netgalley

Format:  E-Book

Recommendation:  A fun, modern novel inspired by Little Women.  Very enjoyable.


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