The Exiles

 

“The Exiles” by Christina Baker Kline

Published by William Morrow

Finished 4/26/21 – 4/5 stars

 Another enjoyable historical fiction with strong female characters and their struggles to overcome many obstacles life throws at them.  This story takes place during the 19^th century when England was shipping their convicts off to prisons in Australia.  It centers around female convicts Evangeline and Hazel during their journey on the ship, time in prison, and then a touch of life after prison.  There are also the stories of Ruby who was born on the ship and sent to an orphanage and of Mathinna, an orphan Aboriginal girl mistreated by the English Governor who essentially wanted to civilize her and put her on display like a trophy.  Not all characters get the happy ending but that is pretty expected based on the times and what they had to endure.  Overall, well written book with good storylines and characters.  Definitely recommend.

My Own Words

 

“My Own Words” by Ruth Bader Ginsburg with Mary Hartnett and Wendy W Williams

Published by Simon & Schuster

Finished 4/15/21 – 3/5 stars for the book, 5/5 stars for the legend

I wanted to love this book as much as I loved Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and all she stood for but it fell a little short for me.  I still enjoyed reading it but I think I would have enjoyed a typical biography format more.  This book is a collection of her writings and speeches spanning her career as well as a couple editorials from her teens.  I definitely learned more about her involvement and beliefs through these writings but I feel we are missing out on her full personality by doing it this way.  I always saw her as a little firecracker, fighting for the underdog, and making sure women got fair and equal opportunities in life.  The firecracker piece just doesn’t come through in these writings.  You get a better insight into the lawyer and justice side of her but not as much insight into her as a person.  I still recommend it though.

RIP Justice Ginsburg.  Thank you for all you have done to better my life, the lives of my daughters, and the lives of others throughout the USA.

Beyond the Point

 

“Beyond the Point” by Claire Gibson

Published by William Morrow

Finished 4/10/21 – 3/5 stars       

 

Based on the average rating and some of the reviews I had seen, I was expecting a better read.  The storyline was good but I didn’t find the writing to be anything special.  There weren’t over the top descriptions, the character development could have been better, and the events that could have been suspenseful, just weren’t.  It was just on overall OK read.  Having been to West Point once for a tour with my daughter and then twice again with friends to see their son play football, I greatly enjoyed all the parts of the story taking place there.  It is an absolutely beautiful campus and I enjoyed “going there” again via the story.  But a walk down memory lane isn’t enough to bring my rating up.   

 Please know, I think this book should be labeled as being in the Christian genre.  There are a lot of biblical references throughout the book so if you feel that would bother you, don’t pick this one up.

When the Stars Go Dark

 

“When the Stars Go Dark” by Paula McLain

Published by Random House

Finished 4/6/21 – 4/5 stars

This isn’t just the story of girls who have gone missing and the search to find them.  It is also the story of a detective trying to heal from a recent tragedy in her life that has brought her back to the town where she was most at peace as a teenager.   Returning to town brings up another tragic event from her early childhood that haunts her still.  So while searching for these missing children in hopes of saving them, she is also searching to save herself.  And of course, there are other characters that need healing from past events as well.

The various storylines interact seamlessly and easily flow from past to present without confusion.  There were a couple offshoot characters whose storylines didn’t come full circle to let us know how things turned out in the end but that’s OK.  Sometimes you just have to use your own imagination to create happy endings for characters.  I prefer that rather than when an author will try to cram everything in at the end and tie it up with a bow.

When you finish the story, make sure to read the Author’s Note at the end as well.  It will give you a little more insight into the historical part of the story and the pieces of herself that Paula McLain has included as well.

 Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.  I truly enjoyed reading it and will recommend it to others.