Eva Marie Everson: The One True Love of Alice-Ann

By Kelly Bridgewater

Living in rural Georgia in 1941, sixteen-year-old Alice-Ann has her heart set on her brother’s friend Mack; despite their five-year age gap, Alice-Ann knows she can make Mack see her for the woman she’ll become. But when they receive news of the attack on Pearl Harbor and Mack decides to enlist, Alice-Ann realizes she must declare her love before he leaves.

Though promising to write, Mack leaves without confirmation that her love is returned. But Alice-Ann is determined to wear the wedding dress her maiden aunt never had a chance to wear―having lost her fiancé in the Great War. As their correspondence continues over the next three years, Mack and Alice-Ann are drawn closer together. But then Mack’s letters cease altogether, leaving Alice-Ann to fear history repeating itself.

Dreading the war will leave her with a beautiful dress and no happily ever after, Alice-Ann fills her days with work and caring for her best friend’s war-torn brother, Carlton. As time passes and their friendship develops into something more, Alice-Ann wonders if she’ll ever be prepared to say good-bye to her one true love and embrace the future God has in store with a newfound love. Or will a sudden call from overseas change everything?

From Amazon

My Thoughts:

World War II historical fiction is one of my two favorite genres to read. Second to suspense and thrillers. The One True Love of Alice-Ann by Eva Marie Everson is a coming of age story set during the four years of World War II. I really liked Everson's attention to detail like the lack of pantyhose from women and the hurt of the people who were left behind. Majority of stories take place with the action from World War II, but Everson created a touching story about the citizens that didn't go to war. I enjoyed Alice-Ann and how she changed from the childish sixteen-year-old child to a woman at nineteen at the end of the novel. The hero, Colten, is a swoon-worthy man who does everything is his power to make Alice-Ann happy. I really liked him. As for the plot, I enjoyed the story, and it didn't move too slow for me. I liked immersing myself in World War II culture of Georgia. Everson wove a lesson of God's plan for our futures are already laid out, and we need to trust and wait for his purpose in our lives. To conclude, The One True Love of Alice-Ann by Eva Marie Everson is a wonderful coming of age novel about allowing God to control our paths in our lives. With rich characters and a great setting, I really got lost in the story. I wished there was more or a sequel to show what happens to other characters.

I received a complimentary copy of The One True Love of Alice-Ann by Eva Marie Everson, and the opinions stated are all my own. 

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

What makes your favorite genre? Do you try everything in that genre or do you like to hop around and find more genres to your taste?

Kristy Cambron: A Sparrow in Terezin

By Kelly Bridgewater

Back Cover Copy:

Bound together across time, two women will discover a powerful connection through one survivor's story of hope in the darkest days of a war-torn world.

Present Day—With the grand opening of her new art gallery and a fairytale wedding just around the corner, Sera James feels she's stumbled into a charmed life—until a brutal legal battle against fiancé William Hanover threatens to destroy the perfectly planned future she’s planned before it even begins. Now, after an eleventh-hour wedding ceremony and a callous arrest, William faces a decade in prison for a crime he never committed, and Sera must battle the scathing accusations that threaten her family and any hope for a future.

1942—Kája Makovsky narrowly escaped occupied Prague in 1939, and was forced to leave her half-Jewish family behind. Now a reporter for the Daily Telegraph in England, Kája discovers the terror has followed her across the Channel in the shadowy form of the London Blitz. When she learns Jews are being exterminated by the thousands on the continent, Kája has no choice but to return to her mother city, risking her life to smuggle her family to freedom and peace.

Connecting across a century through one little girl, a Holocaust survivor with a foot in each world, these two women will discover a kinship that springs even in the darkest of times. In this tale of hope and survival, Sera and Kája must cling to the faith that sustains and fight to protect all they hold dear—even if it means placing their own futures on the line.

My Review:

Becoming a World War II historical fiction obsessed fan lately, I was drawn to Kristy Cambron’s first novel, The Butterfly and the Violin. It was an enjoyable read and quick to devour. I couldn’t wait to jump right in and lose myself in the flow of Cambron’s writing. My expectations were truly met.

From the first moment at Serene and William’s wedding, the story takes off with a number of surprises and keeps piling higher as the story unfolds. The dueling plots, which flowed seamlessly in The Butterfly and the Violin, return in A Sparrow in Terezin. Moving from present day to the 1940’s is an easy transition with no jarring jumps from period to period. I have only one issue with the pacing of the story, and it is how long it took to introduce the connection between the two time periods. In The Butterfly and the Violin, the two timeline’s association is shown in the first chapter, whereas, in A Sparrow in Terezin, readers did not know the link until about forty percent through the book. Not that it ruined the story, but it would have been nice to know why the story of Kaja is important to Serena near the beginning. Cambron’s love of World War II and art history associated with the children’s art in Terezin bled from every page, making the original and unpredictable story world come to life for me.

Serena and William, who are the main characters in the present day timeline from The Butterfly and the Violin, returns with more mystery to the story they began in the first book. Serena still tries to figure out how to fit into the Hanover family while William finally learns a valuable lesson in forgiveness. I enjoy returning to familiar characters who I have loved from the first book. On the other hand, the 1940’s timeline iss populated with Kaja and Liam, new characters who work in a newspaper office where their love sparks and blossoms. Their romance made me sigh and smile. I truly love how Cambron makes a pair of historical characters who tug at my heart. I hope Cambron brings their story back to life in another book.

The conflict in the 1940’s timeline reminds me of why I have fallen in love with the genre. I learn more about what went on during World War II without being preached out and bored to tears like a history lesson taught in a monotone voice at school. As I watch the tension with the guards interacting with the children, my heart aches for the harm to these innocent children.

Cambron shows why she’ll be around for a while with her command of the English language. Her prose strengthens the internal monologue and dialogue of each individual character. I felt like a reporter behind the camera, watching the horror from the characters’ eyes and listening in on their personal train of thoughts.

Fans of Sarah Sundin, Kate Breslin, Cara Putnam, or Liz Tolsma will not be disappointed by this story. Just as a warning, there is a moment of a man being beaten on a line, so if younger readers are enjoying the story, adults might have to answer why this happens. However, it shows the reality of this horrible time in human history, and I believe it is necessary to strengthen the story.

Overall, Kristy Cambron’s A Sparrow in Terezin is an engaging tale, showing the horrors of Terezin under the Nazi rule while creating gripping characters that stays with the readers long after the story comes to a satisfying ending.

I receive a complimentary copy of A Sparrow in Terezin from Thomas Nelson through Net galley and all my opinions are my own. 

This review first appeared on The Christian Manifesto on April 3, 2015.

From Kristy Cambron's Amazon Author Page

How to Connect with Kristy Cambron:

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Where to Purchase A Sparrow in Terezin:

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What draws your attention to the World War II genre? 

Liz Tolsma: Remember the Lilies

By Kelly Bridgewater

Back Cover Copy:

Interred by the Japanese, missionary Irene Reynolds comes across a mysterious note while working at the censor’s office. She memorizes the parts she must black out and delivers it to wealthy nightclub owner Rand Sterling. Before she knows what’s happening, she’s drawn into a web of secrets and danger.
Rand Sterling wants nothing more than to reopen his nightclubs once the war ends. But slimy Frank Covey wants his hand in the till—and has news that could threaten Rand’s reputation if it became public. More importantly, beautiful and intriguing Irene Reynolds cannot discover this information if he expects to persuade her to become his wife.
When Irene is attacked by a sinister Japanese guard and their secrets are exposed, they must learn the true meaning of forgiveness—if they can stave off starvation until the American troops bring freedom.

My Review:

Liz Tolsma is still a new voice in Christian fiction, but she has worked her way into the World War II historical romance fiction genre pretty well. Remember the Lilies is Tolsma’s third book with Daisies are Forever and Snow on the Tulips being her first two novels. While the first two books take place in Nazi occupied lands of World War II, Remember the Lilies actually takes part in Philippines in Manila, which is the area where two of my grandfathers fought. The covers for these three books and the genre Tolsma writes in is what drew me to her writing.

The writing was right on the money. I could see the hurting of the characters and understand from their perspective what it was like to actually starve. Starve enough that their knees and joints were aching from all the malnutrition. I felt really bad for the characters of Irene, Mercedes, Tessa, and Rand. Tolsma does a good job at staying in the one character’s head without head hopping. Nothing ruins a good story like jumping around from one point of view to the next without alerting your reader that you are.

As for the historical romantic tension in the story, Tolsma grabs her readers by the first chapter and doesn’t let go. Tolsma places her characters in the middle of a Japanese shanty and allows them to roam around, wanting to leave while they obey the Japanese soldiers in order to not die or worse, be tortured for hours or days on end. Tolsma’s research into the horrors of the Japanese prisons during World War II was evident in how realistic the story felt. As for the romantic tension between Irene and Rand, it was unique. They both come from different backgrounds and wanted different things after the war ended. But as the story progressed, Rand started to see the love of God from Irene and decided to follow him. Rand pursued Irene, even after he learned the secret Irene had kept from him.

The beginning scene where Rand gets tortured and has his fingers broken could be kind of hard for younger audiences to take, but it was a quick part of the book that the mature audiences could read it and not feel grimace in pain. I think the chapter adds to the horror of the Japanese and should stay in the book.

Liz Tolsma creates a realistic portrayal of the Japanese shanties during World War II with realistic dilemmas, a harrowing hero, a meek heroine, and a shade of romance to lighten the harden subject.

I received a ebook copy of Remember the Lilies by Liz Tolsma from Thomas Nelson Publishers in the way of Netgalley and all the above opinions are my own.

From Tolsma's About Me section on her website

How to Connect with Liz Tolsma:

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Liz+Tolsma

Facebook: www.facebook.com/liztolsma

Personal Webpage: www.liztolsma.com

Where to purchase her books:

Amazon

Christianbook.com

Barnes and Nobles

Wherever books are sold