The Paris Dressmaker

 

***

PG

{L} {SM}

Possibly Not Recommend

I admit, the cover is half the reason I wanted to read this book :)

I also have liked Kristy Cambron in the past though and thought this would be a good pick.

I was a bit disappointed for a couple of reasons...

There were a few instances of the Lord's name taken in vain {Language} and also, a good portion of the book revolved around women who became mistresses to German soldiers during the war {Subject Matter}.  It's not looked upon as a good thing and it does show some consequences, but still...

This is also a time period shifting book.  There's only a 4.5 year difference in the periods and that almost made it a little more confusing.  There are 2 different women the story focuses on so you are basically going between 4 stories...Woman A/Time Period A, Woman B/Time Period B, Woman A/Time Period B, Woman B/Time Period A.  I like the way the past catches up to the present and how the story forms but it was kind of frustrating every time I started a new chapter and had to try and remember what happened to that woman in that time period the last time I saw her.

Anyway, good story, good characters...I just wish those couple of things weren't present so I could give this a 4 star review and feel comfortable recommending it.

Castle on the Rise

***

PG

{UM} {L}

Could Possibly Recommend

I really wanted to LOVE this book since I liked the first one in the series so much.

Three different time periods are jumped between...like in the first.  The subject matter in the two oldest periods were so heavily political that I kind of struggled understanding everything.  I was able to follow the basic story but I definitely felt in the dark through so much of it.

There is just one {Uncomfortable Moment} that I can think of and a few times the Lord's name is used not to my liking {Language}.

The present day period was the one I liked the most...but sadly, I felt like I was counting the pages until I reached the next present day chapter instead of enjoying the historical chapters for what they were.  So basically, even though the objectionable content rating is the same as The Lost Castle (I added the {L} this time), I did not feel as eager to recommend this book.

If, unlike me, someone is an Irish history buff, then they will most likely enjoy it very much :)

The Illusionist's Apprentice

****
PG

{L?} {BSt}
Very Recommendable

Wow!  This was quite the book!  Very captivating from the very beginning!
The only reason I gave it the Language rating was because there were a few instances of the Lord's name in ways I wouldn't feel comfortable using it but wouldn't necessarily be categorized as "in vain" either.  There is a minor Backstory that doesn't play a big part in the book as well.
I did have one significant problem though...I was confused!
It's a bit of a mystery and the whole book is leading up to this wonderful conclusion, but, in the end, I didn't get it :(  There were parts I understood, but the whole web of connections and who did what and why ended up not being very clear to me.
I'm sure it's my problem and not the author's though so I will heartily recommend this book to those who are in search of a clean mystery!

The Ringmaster's Wife

****

PG

{L?}

Recommendable

I was super excited about this one...and only slightly disappointed.

The only real gripe I had about content was that in several places, God's name is used in a way that I wouldn't feel comfortable using it but I don't know that it's necessarily in vain either.

I loved the story although I did feel that it was a bit anticlimactic.

The fact that it stayed clean when it could have gone south several times made me very happy :)

It was fun reading about behind the scenes circus life and I loved that real characters such as the Ringlings were a large part of the story as well.

The Lost Castle

****

PG

Easily Recommend

Kristy Cambron is a master of jumping back and forth between time periods in her stories...expertly weaving them together until they all connect and make sense in the end.

I think the other two books I have read of hers only had two different stories to keep straight but this one had three; the french revolution, WWII and present day.  That did make it a bit harder to follow.  When each new chapter started I had to refresh my memory of how that particular story had left off two chapters before.

I did not give it a {L} rating but there were a few instances where God was referenced in ways I wouldn't use myself but wouldn't necessarily say it was in vain either...

A very fascinating and attention keeping book...and I am oh so happy that it was so clean :)

The Butterfly and the Violin & A Sparrow in Terezin

     Aren't these covers gorgeous?!?!?! 

I saw the Butterfly and the Violin in my library years ago and was drawn to it but at the time was not looking for books in that genre.  However, I knew it would always be there waiting for me when I was ready for it.

Recently I decided it was time.

I'm going to review them in the same post although I did rate them a bit differently...

These are WWII books.  I have always been fascinated (in a non morbid way) by this period of history.  As a youth I read books like Number the Stars, As the Waltz was Ending, Searching for Shona and Alicia: My Story.

Kristy Cambron puts an interesting twist in these books as she weaves in a modern day story along with the history.  It is not time travel/unrealistic stuff but tastefully and beautifully done.

****

PG

{GS}

Easily Recommend

{GS} There are graphic ideas involved...much of it takes place in a concentration camp... but I felt like she handled them well and was not overly detailed.

I definitely cried...seriously gripping and emotional.

***1/2

PG

{GS} {L}

Probably Recommend

In the Butterfly and the Violin, I came to the conclusion that all the addresses to God were prayers...not so sure in this book.  Some of them seemed more in vain than anything. {L}  This disappointed me because other than that I thought it was a great book.

I think I liked the story a bit more in The Butterfly, but this one was also touching and well done.

One other thing bothered me, and it really shouldn't have because it's trivial, but I pick up on adjectives used repetitively.  When the same adjective is used too closely in multiple instances or too often in the book as a whole, it is an annoyance to me.  

Kristy uses the word "embattled" probably 8-10 times throughout this book.  It's a great word but I think she overused it :)  I know, silly!

Anyway, conclusion...

These are tear jerkers but beautiful WWII novels with a modern day story braided in.

Kristy has a few other novels that I am anxious to try!