The Mill Girls by Tracy Johnson

"Mill Girls" is a compilation of four separate memoirs before and during WW2. It's an interesting read, though not a riveting one. I thought it was noteworthy that in almost every story, all members of the households who were of age, worked. There were no Susie Homemakers here. There wasn't that luxury. And even with several wages coming in, life was stark.

The most memorable passage in here, to me, was in story one, where the woman talked about "making do" with liquid paraffin in place of butter since they were only rationed 2oz per week. That just floored me. But the author stated that with saccharin and a bit of jam it wasn't half bad. (!) I just can't get my mind around that...

Sometimes the stories ran together since they were all describing the same scene (although from different angles and personality) so at times it felt a little repetitive. But overall it's a quick enjoyable read.

MY RATING: PG (for mild profanity)

*I received a free ecopy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

O' The Brave Music by Dorothy Evelyn Smith

3 1/2 Stars

I have a really hard time rating and classifying this. I think if it were written today it would be YA, since the main character starts out at age 7 (I think), stays around 10 years old for ages and finally in the last few pages reaches 14.

It's a good book but I'm not used to reading about such young characters. I think if I were of the YA age range I would have liked this a lot more than I did. Its a very sweet, gentle read but I kept wondering, "Where are we going with this?" and the answer was, "We're not. We're just enjoying the ride".

And for the most part you do enjoy it, although I couldn't help wondering why the author saw fit to kill off so many people. I think I counted nine deaths. That's quite a lot by any standards but pretty over the top for a book written for younger audiences. And yet I can't say it's morbid. Most of the characters that got killed off were pretty unmemorable cardboard-type figures, and I got the feeling that once they served their purpose the author was just as bored with them as we were so... POP goes the weasel.

The friendship/love between Ruan and David was probably one of the sweetest Ive read (although at one point I could have smacked him. I suppose he couldn't be completely perfect). The ending leaves you satisfied but wanting an epilogue.

Recommended for lovers of old fashioned, quaint, cozy reads. This is my second DES, and I have to say I enjoyed her book The Lovely Day a lot more.

CONTENT:

SEX: None
PROFANITY: Very mild (Ds)
VIOLENCE: None
PARANORMAL ELEMENTS: None
THEMATIC ELEMENTS: Death, family abandonment, unwed pregnancy vaguely hinted at

MY RATING: G

Sabrina by Madeleine A. Polland

3 1/2 Stars

Sabrina is a girl torn between love and duty in pre WW1 Ireland. While Sabrina and her siblings have many dreams for their futures, it is "the Mama " who holds the cards and deals their hands, one for the land, one for a wife, two for the church etc etc.

I did like this but I didn't love it. I won't say its depressing exactly, but it is frustrating, so be warned. And yet I can see why a lot of people really love this story, the plot is excellent and really holds a lot of potential.

For those who care, yes, there is a HEA but it came at a point where I had been frustrated for so long I was like, "whatever. good. I don't care anymore."

In saying that, I think it would make a pretty good movie if it didn't dwell too much on the nunnery (which was probably the biggest "Nooooooo!!!"" of the book) and if it allowed us a few more tender moments. I think Sabrina and Gerrard had great chemistry and I wanted to see them together more.

CONTENT:

SEX: None
VIOLENCE: None
PROFANITY: Religious cussing (G, JM,&J, J, JG etc)
PARANORMAL ELEMENTS: None

MY RATING: PG (for profanity)

The Nigtingale Nurses by Donna Douglas

4 1/2 Stars

Another juicy episode in the melodramatic soap opera that is... "the Nightingale". :) Pure brain candy. There's happy moments, heart wrenching moments, "Oh no you didn't" moments, "Turn around!" moments..."Nooooooo!" moments...*sigh* I love this.

"Nightingale Nurses" is probably the most exciting book so far in the Nightingale series. The Blackshirt uprisings are well under way and Dora's brother has joined them. But no one can predict the far reaching consequences of those itching for change.

And Dora and Nick...Nick is now married to Ruby (through her scheming but its his own fault) and while his heart still belongs to Dora, he must be a man and make the best of a bad situation in his new life with Ruby. But when Nick's mentally disabled brother overhears Ruby and her mother Lettie spilling secrets and making plans across the garden path...well, things can get messy and anything can happen...

Donna Douglas is a great writer and so far I have loved this series. Well Recommended.

CONTENT:

SEX: None (one "almost" rape, talk of past indiscretions)
VIOLENCE: some attacks as a result of the Blackshirt uprisings.
PROFANITY: Pretty mild. B,D, J
PARANORMAL ELEMENTS: One patient is a Romany and tells fortunes to any who will give her the time of day.

MY RATING: PG

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my free ecopy to review

The Far Cry by Emma Smith

This book was first published in 1949 and resurrected by Persephone books. Yay! It really is a little gem and I'm so glad its back in circulation.

In a nutshell, 14 year old Teresa is dragged off to India by her father so that his exwife can't have her ( though if the truth be known, neither of them want her anyway). At its crux, this is a story of a dysfunctional family and at times no character is very likeable, although we can understand why they act the way they do.

I cant say the novel is a cheerful one but its not a depressing read either. (for those who need a HEA you can rest assured that it does end with hope). Its largely character driven rather than plot driven and in this case India itself is one of the characters. I would call it slice of life.

The author was so observant of personality, foibles, mannerisms, culture and scenery (see my updates for examples of this) that I'm left feeling satisfied and slightly awed.

Why not 5 stars?
I would have liked just a little more sunshine in this child's life. Still, it's a story that stays with you long after the final pages are turned and so, for its masterful storytelling alone, I feel that it deserves at least 4 stars.

CONTENT:
SEX: None
VIOLENCE: None
PROFANITY: Very mild

MY RATING: G

Black Roses by Francis Brett Young

2.5 Stars

If you're new to Francis Brett Young I wouldn't start with "Black Roses ". It is so different from his usual style and in my opinion, not his finest work. In fact, if I didnt know FBY wrote this, his name would never have crossed my mind.

The setting is Naples, before, during, and after the cholera epidemic in the 1880's that killed thousands. Our male protagonist is a struggling artist and his caddish friend, a doctor.

The female in the story is a tortured "kept" woman (not a prostitute, more of an imprisoned mistress) much older than Paolo who runs the boarding house. Their relationship is strange, and I'm not talking about the age difference (that means nothing to me); Its strange in that it's so unclear. Is it friendship? Is it pity? Is it respect? Love? What kind of love? Our hero is at times enraptured by Christina and just as frequently repelled by her. For my part, well, I never really warmed to her. She is clingy and frightened and possessive and overall trudged upon. One can pity her but ...love? I'm not feeling it.

Apparently FBY wrote this story based on the memories a friend who experienced the cholera plague first hand. That I think is what makes this novel ever so slightly miss the mark. It never felt like his own and therefore just didn't quite speak to me in the way his other stories had.

But I'm glad I read it. It was unusual.

CONTENT:

SEX: alluded to but not shown
VIOLENCE: Not an issue
PROFANITT: Very Mild
PARANORMAL ELEMENTS: None

MY RATING: G-PG

The Nightingale Sisters by Donna Douglas

This is the second book in the Nightgale series and in some ways I enjoyed it even more than the first. By the second book we already know the characters and their pasts, secrets, fears, family situations etc so this book could carry on at full speed.

We don't hear as much from Helen this time, instead her spot is "replaced" (although she is still there) with Night Nurse Violet Tanner; a woman with a secret past ready to catch her out and catapult her and her son into danger.

As with book one, book two's story is gripping and moves quickly. The way the chapters switch POV with each main character really works here and kept me interested, much like a TV series keeps you loading the next episode even after your eyes are bugged out. You just have to know what happens next.

I'm looking forward to book three: "The Nightingale Nurses".

*I received an ebook from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion

CONTENT:

SEX: There are some racy scenes and off screen sex. SPOILER: [ One character seduces another in her effort to "keep him". She undresses in front of him and then the scene fades to black. Another character has premarital sex and another character nearly dies from a botched back street abortion ]
VIOLENCE: Domestic abuse (the violence is not shown to reader but the results are)
PROFANITY: B, D, H, J

MY RATING: PG-13