Julie's Review: Sold on a Monday

Sold on a Monday
by Kristina McMorris

Author: Kristina McMorris
Series: None
Publication Date: August 28, 2018
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Pages: 352
Obtained: Great Thoughts,Great Readers Book Salon
Genre:  Historical Fiction
Rating: 4.5/5
Bottom Line: Heartbreaking story but with hope
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Summary: 2 CHILDREN FOR SALE The sign is a last resort. It sits on a farmhouse porch in 1931, but could be found anywhere in an era of breadlines, bank runs and broken dreams. It could have been written by any mother facing impossible choices. For struggling reporter Ellis Reed, the gut-wrenching scene evokes memories of his family’s dark past. He snaps a photograph of the children, not meant for publication. But when it leads to his big break, the consequences are more devastating than he ever imagined. At the paper, Lillian Palmer is haunted by her role in all that happened. She is far too familiar with the heartbreak of children deemed unwanted. As the bonds of motherhood are tested, she and Ellis must decide how much they are willing to risk to mend a fractured family.Inspired by an actual newspaper photograph that stunned the nation, Sold on a Monday is a powerful novel of love, redemption, and the unexpected paths that bring us home. ~amazon.com  

Review: This story begins with a cub reporter, Ellis, taking a picture of 2 children in front of a sign that says CHILDREN FOR SALE. This picture will catapult his career but it also changes the trajectory of 3 lives: a mother, a son and a daughter. Lily is the Editor's secretary but she also has career aspirations of her own but she's also hiding a secret that no one at the newspaper knows about. She's afraid it would change how people view her. She's also the person who put Ellis' photo in front of the editor; so in some ways she's responsible for the change in paths of people's lives as well.

The picture being published and the story that Ellis wrote around it gets him a job in NY but not before he starts to wonder what happened to the kids in the picture. So being the investigative reporter he starts to ask a few questions. Lily also inserts herself into helping Ellis. Ellis and Lily make a formidable team with their inquisitive minds and the fact they won’t give up until they have their answers and feel that a wrong is righted. I loved how the mystery unfolded and how even the subplots were connected where they didn’t seem like they would be.

The story takes a few turns that I didn't expect with some of the players who were involved and how they ended up being a part of the story. Ellis and Lily were both interesting characters who's past shaped who they were and how they viewed the world. Lily helped guide Ellis to use his integrity to help resolve returning the children to their mother.

Ms. McMorris’s writing continues to be insightful, emotional and at times gritty. Sold on a Sunday is a story you won’t want to miss!

 
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Julie's Review: The Edge of Lost

Author: Kristina McMorris
Series: None
Publication Date: November 24, 2015
Publisher: Kensington Books
Pages: 352
Obtained: via author
Genre:  Historical Fiction
Rating: 5/5
Bottom Line: Enthralling
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Grab!

Summary: On a cold night in October 1937, searchlights cut through the darkness around Alcatraz. A prison guard's only daughter--one of the youngest civilians who lives on the island--has gone missing. Tending the warden's greenhouse, convicted bank robber Tommy Capello waits anxiously. Only he knows the truth about the little girl's whereabouts, and that both of their lives depend on the search's outcome. Almost two decades earlier and thousands of miles away, a young boy named Shanley Keagan ekes out a living as an aspiring vaudevillian in Dublin pubs. Talented and shrewd, Shan dreams of shedding his dingy existence and finding his real father in America. The chance finally comes to cross the Atlantic, but when tragedy strikes, Shan must summon all his ingenuity to forge a new life in a volatile and foreign world. Skillfully weaving these two stories, Kristina McMorris delivers a compelling novel that moves from Ireland to New York to San Francisco Bay. As her finely crafted characters discover the true nature of loyalty, sacrifice, and betrayal, they are forced to confront the lies we tell--and believe--in order to survive. ~amazon.com

Review: The Edge of Lost is a novel to get lost in and to explore. It is a novel that you won't want to put down until you know how the opening prologue relates to the events that Ms. McMorris unfolds in the beginning of the novel. It isn't hard to put the names together but what you long to figure out is how they got to where they are.

It is so easy to get caught up in Shan's story and adventure. Luckily for him he happens upon the Capello family that takes him in and treat him as their own. He slowly begins to form a bond with Mr. and Mrs. Capella, Lina and Nick become the siblings he never had in Ireland. He's a studious young man and ingratiates himself to the family by working with Mr. Capello. Nick on the other hand isn't particularly studious and would rather work at a club making money. Of course you know that the club Nick works in isn't on the up and up and will get him into trouble eventually.

What Ms. McMorris does is an excellent job of demonstrating how family is who we deem it to be at times. Shan's immediate family was lost to him and his extended family wasn't kind to him, so the Capello's ended up being the family he always wanted. He gave up the search for his father shortly after coming to America.

Even though it's pretty clear to the reader early on how things are related, there are a few twists and turns that were not expected by me. I closed the book completely happy with how she deftly weaved everything together! It isn't often an author can take me by surprise, especially when I thought I had figured it out. I had but not fully put all the pieces together.

The Edge of Lost is a novel that will have you turning the pages until the very end and as you close the book you will be wholly satisfied. I wish my review was longer but honestly if I talk more about the book, I'll ruin it for you. You don't want to miss out on this one though.


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Julie's Review: Grand Central

Author: Various
Series: None
Publication Date: July 1, 2014
Publisher: Berkley Books
Pages: 368
Obtained: publisher
Genre:  Historical Fiction, Anthology
Rating: 4.5/5
Bottom Line: Must read for those who like stories about WWII era
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Grab!

Summary: A war bride awaits the arrival of her GI husband at the platform… A Holocaust survivor works at the Oyster Bar, where a customer reminds him of his late mother… A Hollywood hopeful anticipates her first screen test and a chance at stardom in the Kissing Room… On any particular day, thousands upon thousands of people pass through New York Citys Grand Central Terminal, through the whispering gallery, beneath the ceiling of stars, and past the information booth and its beckoning four-faced clock, to whatever destination is calling them. It is a place where people come to say hello and good-bye. And each person has a story to tell. Now, ten bestselling authors inspired by this iconic landmark have created their own stories, set on the same day, just after the end of World War II, in a time of hope, uncertainty, change, and renewal…. ~powells.com

Review: Grand Central: Original Stories of Postwar Love and Reunion is a beautiful collection of short stories set after World War II. Each story has its own flow, its own stamp on the book but are intricately woven together to bind them together. The parts of this anthology are gorgeous but it's the sum that make it stand out.

As if you couldn't tell from the previous paragraph, I loved this anthology of stories. I don't read a lot of short stories but they were written by some of my favorite authors, I couldn't pass it up. I am so happy I read this. This book will make the rounds in my book lending circle. It is well worth the read. You could read them all in one sitting or you could savor them, which is what I did.

There are always stories that resonate with a reader and for me these were Sarah Jio's "I'll Be Seeing You", Erika Robuck's "I Walk Alone" and Melanie Benjamin's "The Kissing Room". Each one brought out a different emotion in me. It's not to say that the rest weren't wonderful because they were, it's just these are the ones that stick with me.

I also loved how Sarah McCoy brought us back to her novel with her story, "The Branch of Hazel". It touches a subject matter that she writes in about in her wonderful novel The Baker's Daughter.

You can feel the love the author's have for this time period through their stories. It is obvious they did research for particular aspects of them. For most of them I have a feeling that their stories came from something personal, perhaps family history and that is also what makes these stories hit home. 

I realize that you can't cover all aspects of the time period but I feel that to give it a well-rounded view a story about either the Tuskegee Airmen or about the black soldiers fight when they got back from the war.

If you have a love for this time period, then you shouldn't pass up reading this wonderful anthology, you might just learn something new or discover new authors like I did. 




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Julie's Review: The Pieces We Keep

Summary: In this richly emotional novel, Kristina McMorris evokes the depth of a mother's bond with her child, and the power of personal histories to echo through generations... Two years have done little to ease veterinarian Audra Hughes's grief over her husband's untimely death. Eager for a fresh start, Audra plans to leave Portland for a new job in Philadelphia. Her seven-year-old son, Jack, seems apprehensive about flying — but it's just the beginning of an anxiety that grows to consume him. As Jack's fears continue to surface in recurring and violent nightmares, Audra hardly recognizes the introverted boy he has become. Desperate, she traces snippets of information unearthed in Jack's dreams, leading her to Sean Malloy, a struggling US Army veteran wounded in Afghanistan. Together they unravel a mystery dating back to World War II, and uncover old family secrets that still have the strength to wound — and perhaps, at last, to heal. Intricate and beautifully written, The Pieces We Keep illuminates those moments when life asks us to reach beyond what we know and embrace what was once unthinkable. Deftly weaving together past and present, herein lies a story that is at once poignant and thought-provoking, and as unpredictable as the human heart. ~powells.com

Review:  The Pieces We Keep is a powerful emotional story about how far a mother will go for her son. Audra and her son, Jack are still grieving the loss of their husband/father when Jack starts to have violent night terrors. In addition to the terrors, he's also changed into a introvert boy who doesn't smile much these days. If it wasn't for his journal, night terrors and a sudden interest in World War II, Audra might just think he's grieving for his dad.

We also learn the story of Vivian who is in London as war is declared and in love with a man she hardly knows. I imagine that Vivian was like most young women during WWII, where their current relationship takes on an immediacy and intimacy that it might not have if not for the imminence of war.  It is the actions of Vivian that have a lasting effect on those in this story.

How these stories are connected is brilliantly woven by Ms. McMorris. I swear I had it all figured out and then she gently drops a sentence that changes the whole course of the mystery. Each of these characters is easy to become attached to throughout the novel. That isn't to say that you don't want to shake them at times, but you feel their pain through the words.

As a mother, I can only imagine what Audra was going through and then to have something else tragic happen while she and Jack are trying to heal is devastating.  You want Audra to find the strength and faith she needs to help Jack sort out his pain as well as hers.

The Pieces We Keep is ultimately about family bonds, love, loss, forgiveness and healing. If you are a fan of World War II novels, this is one you won't want to miss. If you just like well-written novels, then you will want to pick this one up.

Final Take: 4.75/5

The Pieces We Keep will be released on 11/26/2013

Thanks to Kristina McMorris for my copy of the novel!

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Julie's Review: Bridge of Scarlet Leaves

Summary: In this poignant and evocative novel by acclaimed author Kristina McMorris, a country is plunged into conflict and suspicion—forcing a young woman to find her place in a volatile world. Los Angeles, 1941. Violinist Maddie Kern’s life seemed destined to unfold with the predictable elegance of a Bach concerto. Then she fell in love with Lane Moritomo. Her brother’s best friend, Lane is the handsome, ambitious son of Japanese immigrants. Maddie was prepared for disapproval from their families, but when Pearl Harbor is bombed the day after she and Lane elope, the full force of their decision becomes apparent. In the eyes of a fearful nation, Lane is no longer just an outsider, but an enemy. When her husband is interned at a war relocation camp, Maddie follows, sacrificing her Juilliard ambitions. Behind barbed wire, tension simmers and the line between patriot and traitor blurs. As Maddie strives for the hard-won acceptance of her new family, Lane risks everything to prove his allegiance to America, at tremendous cost. Skillfully capturing one of the most controversial episodes in recent American history, Kristina McMorris draws readers into a novel filled with triumphs and heartbreaking loss—an authentic, moving testament to love, forgiveness, and the enduring music of the human spirit. ~kensington.com

Review: American history class never talks about the fact that the US rounded up Japanese and Italian immigrants during WWII. It is woefully swept under the rug. It wasn't until I read Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet that I even knew about this black spot, how sad is that?! Bridge Of Scarlet Leaves again brings this travesty to light in the story of Lane and Maddie.

This story stirs up so many emotions throughout the book. You root for Maddie and Lane even though you know that it won't be an easy road ahead for them. You root for TJ and hope that the chip on his shoulder some how gets removed. You have feelings of patriotism because Ms. McMorris brings you back to that time so vividly. And yet as you read about the travesties against the Japanese-Americans, you can't help but feel sick to your stomach. These were citizens of our country that were rounded up and treated like traitors for no reason at all, except because they were all of Japanese heritage.

What I loved about this book was the growth and change that all the characters went through. Maddie had to become a young wife and daughter in law sooner than she would have liked. Lane had to take on the responsibilities of his family when his dad was taken away. TJ had been responsible for Maddie for so long he had forgotten what it was like to just look out for himself.

I enjoyed reading how Maddie's relationship with her mother-in-lase Kumiko evolved over time. I loved how Kumiko became a woman who opened her heart instead of keeping it closed off. You came to respect who she was and why she was closed off after revealing something of her past.

The book had one of three ways to end and I knew that Ms. McMorris wouldn't take the easy road. I'm not sure how she decided on the ending but it was the only ending that made sense. Did it break my heart? Absolutely. Was it realistic? Absolutely. It was the final chapter/final scene that had me bawling like a baby.

It is obvious that Ms. McMorris did her research and this story meant a great deal to her. She is a wonderful storyteller and makes the time period come to life. I loved her infusion of various societal situations: the Japanese obsession with baseball and the Women's baseball league. Music is also a very important part of the book. It is what Maddie turns to when things in her life seems out of hand. It is was rescues her in some ways in the end of the book too.

I will definitely be check out her novel Letters From Home at some point in the future. I can't recommend Bridge Of Scarlet Leaves enough for any one who enjoys a good WWII novel or just a wonderful family story.

Final Take: 4.75/5