I always share what I'll be reading throughout the month so here's what's on my list for August! Read along with me and stay tuned for the rest of my reviews!
The Address
Two stories from two completely different times are interwoven into this novel. Sara Smythe is working in a highly regarded London hotel in 1884 and is working her way up the ranks when a nearly catastrophic situation leads to the offer of a lifetime. Theodore Camden, an architect of a newly finished New York apartment house, offers Sara passage to the United States and a position in the new building as head housekeeper.
Bailey Camden is living in 1985. Fresh out of rehab she tries to piece her life back together after being let go from the interior design firm she was working at after humiliating herself and the company in her last drunken stupor before entering the program. With no prospects, she is thrilled when her "cousin" Melinda Camden offers Bailey a job renovating The Dakota, the apartment building her great-grandfather built. Bailey's grandfather was a ward of Theodore Camden and therefore has no genetic link to claim the inheritance he left behind so she is at the mercy of her cousin when she decides she want to strip the building of all its history and character.
I was drawn to this book because of my love of historical fiction and it did not disappoint. This is the first one I have read by Fiona Davis and I will definitely be adding more to my list. She did a beautiful job describing intricate details that transport you straight back in time and leave you feeling like you witnessed exactly what she described. The story itself was somewhat predictable, but had enough little twists to keep it interesting. The two main characters were likable and added to the story in their own way without distracting from the other. The Address by Fiona Davis is a solid book for lovers of historical fiction and an even bigger treat for those that enjoy architecture and its preservation
Two stories from two completely different times are interwoven into this novel. Sara Smythe is working in a highly regarded London hotel in 1884 and is working her way up the ranks when a nearly catastrophic situation leads to the offer of a lifetime. Theodore Camden, an architect of a newly finished New York apartment house, offers Sara passage to the United States and a position in the new building as head housekeeper.
Bailey Camden is living in 1985. Fresh out of rehab she tries to piece her life back together after being let go from the interior design firm she was working at after humiliating herself and the company in her last drunken stupor before entering the program. With no prospects, she is thrilled when her "cousin" Melinda Camden offers Bailey a job renovating The Dakota, the apartment building her great-grandfather built. Bailey's grandfather was a ward of Theodore Camden and therefore has no genetic link to claim the inheritance he left behind so she is at the mercy of her cousin when she decides she want to strip the building of all its history and character.
I was drawn to this book because of my love of historical fiction and it did not disappoint. This is the first one I have read by Fiona Davis and I will definitely be adding more to my list. She did a beautiful job describing intricate details that transport you straight back in time and leave you feeling like you witnessed exactly what she described. The story itself was somewhat predictable, but had enough little twists to keep it interesting. The two main characters were likable and added to the story in their own way without distracting from the other. The Address by Fiona Davis is a solid book for lovers of historical fiction and an even bigger treat for those that enjoy architecture and its preservation
Emma and her sister Cass go missing without a trace one night and for years everybody is left scratching their heads wondering what really happened until 3 years later when one returns. Cass comes home with a story that surprises everybody and leads them on the hunt of finding Emma with whatever clues she can remember. This story sends you, and the detectives, on a complete emotional rollercoaster. Who are the perpetrators? Who are the victims? What is the truth? Wendy Walker did a great job creating a psychological thriller that delves into the minds of narcissists and their effects on their families.
This is a story about healing and forgiveness between a mother and daughter who barely had any type of relationship in over 20 years. The two come together out of tragedy and necesity and learn to trust and love in this beautiful story by Kate Hewitt. While at times a little bit slow, Kate did a wonderful job creating a narrative that made the two women relatable in their insecurities and hurt feelings that can at times make two fully grown adults act immaturely. This book creates hope of fixing broken relationships and hurt from the past
The House of Shadows is a story connecting 3 women from 3 completely different times through an antique mirror. The Winter Queen in 1662, Lavinia in the 19th century and Holly in the present day all have something in common and Holly seeks to find what it is in order to try to find her brother Ben who disappeared doing exactly that. She seeks to find the truth at Ashdown House in Oxfordshire that was passed down through her family and finds the diary of Lavinia that she hopes will help shed some light on what strange happenings have caused her brother to disappear.
Nicola Cornick has written a compelling story and brought such realism and detail to every character and time period we visit throughout the book. The House of Shadows is a wonderfully written historical fiction novel weaving three very different women into one story in the most seamless and page turning way. No wonder this woman is an international best seller!
