I am a true lover of Southern Fiction and Glory Road by Lauren K. Denton has all the hallmarks of a great Southern Fiction novel.  The cover itself had me before I even turned a page.  

We have three strong female characters: Jessie, Evan and Gus.  38 year old Jessie McBride runs her own garden shop but thinks it's too late for love in her life.  Suddenly she finds herself questioning that when her high school love is back in town and she's also being courted by the dashing and wealthy Sumner Tate.  Jessie's mother Gus is growing more concerned about her own recent lapses in memory.  Is it just normal aging or something else?  Jessie's daughter Evan is just entering high school and testing her limits. To complicate matters, she has developed a crush on Nick who happens to be the son of Ben Bradley, her mother's high school love.  

Glory Road develops all three of these narratives so well and I was equally engaged in all of them. I appreciated the three strong female characters all at different points in their lives but connected by their family bond.  This is the third novel I have read by Lauren K. Denton and I have truly enjoyed them all.  A strong four star read for me.  

I received this book courtesy of Thomas Nelson in exchange for an honest review.  

Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres to read and The Huntress by Kate Quinn earns a top spot on my historical fiction shelf.  I've read many World War II novels but The Huntress provided a unique perspective and was steeped in historical accuracy.  

Told in three narratives, The Huntress introduces us to Nina Markova, a Russian female bomber pilot; Ian Graham, a British journalist who tracks down war criminals for prosecution; and Jordan McBride, a 17 year old aspiring photographer who doesn't quite buy into the persona her new stepmother is putting forth.

The character development throughout the novel is phenomenal.  I too vacillated back and forth between whether Jordan's stepmother was truly evil or just misunderstood.  The ending of the book really solidified the entire story for me and I particularly enjoyed the author's note detailing her research.  It was a truly captivating story that provided me with another viewpoint into the war and all the lives touched by it.  A solid four star rating from me.

I received this book courtesy of William Morrow/Harper Collins through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.  

Lisa Gardner never disappoints with a suspenseful twisty thriller and Never Tell hits all the right marks.  How can you go wrong when you combine three of her best characters - Detective D.D. Warren, kidnapping survivor turned vigilante Flora Dane and a surprise appearance by FBI agent Kimberly Quincy - into one fast paced novel? 

I'm always hooked from the first page of a Lisa Gardner book and Never Tell kicks off with a bang, actually 15 shots. Evie returns home and finds her husband shot three times while sitting in front of his computer. This brings Evie back immediately to the scene of her father's death, when she happened upon the gruesome find in their family's kitchen. Evie and her mother believed her father had killed himself and after being persuaded by her mother to claim Evie had accidentally shot her father, her life was forever altered by the stigma of that claim. At the scene of her husband's death, she grabs the gun and fires 12 rounds directly into the computer. The case has Detective D.D. Warren questioning her earlier assessment of Evie from the case involving the father's death. Then Flora Dane drops a bombshell that Evie's husband had connections with Jacob, Flora's abductor.

The case quickly twists and turns in several different directions as Detective Warren, Flora Dane, Agent Quincy and Evie herself all try to track down the killer and figure out exactly what Evie's husband and Jacob have in common.  

Anytime I'm looking for an engaging crime thriller that will have me guessing until the very last page, I can count on Lisa Gardner to deliver.

I received this book courtesy of Penguin Dutton Group through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.   

The Wizard of Oz is one of those timeless classics, and I think every young girl has dreamed of being Judy Garland with those magic slippers.  For all those reasons, I was so intrigued by Finding Dorothy by Elizabeth Letts.

In this wonderfully researched novel, we are provided a look into the lives of Frank and Maud Baum, how their lives together formed the classic novel and the inspiration behind some of those memorable characters.  I also particularly enjoyed the sections with interactions set during the movie filming between Mrs. Baum and Judy Garland.  The descriptions of the movie set were so vivid that I could visualize each scene.  

I was not familiar with the backstory of the Baums and found their history very engaging.  It was interesting to learn more about women's suffrage and life in the Dakotas as well.  

This was a four star read for me that I would recommend to historical fiction fans or anyone who grew up on the Wizard of Oz.  I received this book courtesy of Ballantine Books Random House Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

The Secret of Clouds is a powerful novel that I knew was going to have me in tears at points, but the journey was so fulfilling that I could not put the book down.  

Maggie teaches 6th grade English and is preparing for the school year when the principal calls her into the office to ask her to tutor a young boy who is undergoing some health issues.  Maggie initially is resistant to the idea due to a situation from her past that she hasn't quite moved past but she agrees to tutor young Yuri at his home.  As their path together evolves throughout the school year, we are also provided glimpses into Yuri's parents past life in Ukraine and the role Chernobyl played as well. 

The Secret of Clouds is one of those novels that I will be thinking about for some time to come.  It is quite simply a beautifully written book that I didn't want to step away from.  To me, it is a testament of how we all impact each other's lives in ways both large and small.  It's also a tribute to the importance of the relationships between teachers and students.  

This was a very strong four star read for me and I highly recommend it.  I received this book courtesy of Berkley Publishing Group through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

Castle on the Rise is a richly detailed and engaging story that unfolds over three different time periods with three unique women at the forefront of each timeline.  

Laine has traveled to France to attend her best friend's wedding and is bringing along some additional baggage in terms of her failed marriage that she hasn't yet shared news of with her best friend.  While she is trying to keep up the charade, she finds herself intrigued by and drawn to Cormac, the groom's brother.  The setting of the novel shifts from the wedding in France to Ireland where Cormac and his family have inherited a mysterious castle. Laine and Cormac begin digging deeper into the castle's history and also unearth more about their interest in each other.  

Issy loves to take photographs, whether her parents see the value of it or not, but also finds herself drawn into the uprising for Irish freedom in 1915.  Her brother Rory and his friend Levi are in great danger and Issy soon finds out that Sean, whom her heart cannot forget, is equally in a precarious area of Ireland.  She does the only thing she knows to do, which is venture into the fray with her camera at her side to capture the strife as it happens.

Maeve finds herself lady of the castle with her brother away and her father simply not acting to manage the estate.  She discovers Eoin and believes him a traitor and enemy of her family, however he is gravely injured and she simply cannot refuse him care.  Eion begins to earn her trust and she learns that those she trusted before may not have her best interests in mind.  Maeve also finds herself embroiled in a battle between the English and Irish in 1797.

Each one of these narratives is so well told, with vivid details and interesting characters.  I felt myself enjoying each woman's storyline so much that I could not pick a favorite among them.  This is the second novel I have read by Kristy Cambron and I very much appreciate how well her novels are researched and the true readability of the books.  

While this novel is listed as a sequel to The Lost Castle, I believe each book could be read independently.  I received this book courtesy of Thomas Nelson through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

Sophie Kinsella books have something special that makes you both laugh and cry while ultimately warming your heart.  I've enjoyed both her Shopaholic series and her stand alone novels like I Owe You One.

Fixie Farr has this irresistible impulse to fix things, whether its straightening the stock shelves at Farrs, her family business, or even when its sometimes overstepping by brushing lint off a complete stranger.  To a certain extent, Fixie serves a 'doormat' for her siblings Jake and Nicole, picking up the slack for them at the family business and at home, unable to ever say no or speak her mind. During a visit to her local coffee shop, a gentleman asks her to watch his laptop while he steps out to take a phone call. Fixie agrees and ends up barely avoiding disaster. The gentleman is so appreciative he writes an IOU on a coffee sleeve and gives Fixie his business card. While she doesn't initially intend to call in a favor from a near stranger, circumstances change and Fixie finds herself rethinking her position.

Fixie is such an endearing character. It's almost like a romantic comedy where you cheer for her at times and then at other times, want to point her in the right direction. I really enjoyed this cast of characters and the way the plot unfolded. The family dynamic was well written and I enjoyed the interaction between all the characters.  

I received this book courtesy of Dial Press/Random House through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

Life in 1950s North Carolina requires hard work, but 12 year old Martha "Sonny" Creech feels most at home alongside her father in the cotton fields.  Sonny shares with her father the gift of divining water. This special bond between them draws the relationship even closer. That is all shattered in an instant and life for the Creech family takes a dramatic turn.  Soon their neighbor Frank Fowler begins coming around and its clear he truly is a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde type. His influence in their lives brings a definite change to the entire Creech family.  

The Forgiving Kind is a coming of age story that also deals with some other weighty topics.  I found myself drawn into the book at times, but then found the pacing of the novel dragging at other times. It could be due to the heavy topics being handled, and also the just genuine meanness of some of the characters. So to that note, I would say character development was indeed very well written.  

I received this book courtesy of Kensington Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

The Lost Girls of Paris grabbed me from the very beginning.  Grace Healey is drawn to an abandoned suitcase in Grand Central station and somewhat out of character for her, she opens the suitcase to find, among other items, 12 photographs of young women.  She takes the photos and finds herself on a quest to determine who these women are and what has become of them.  Her search leads to her discovery that the suitcase belonged to Eleanor Tripp, who was a leader of young women sent into the war as secret agents.  Grace begins following the threads of this story to weave together the full picture of the women and their fates.  

The story of Eleanor and the other young female agents is so engaging and truly had me turning pages at a quick pace.  I loved this group of strong, intelligent, courageous female characters.  The writing transports you right into the middle of Occupied Europe and the intensity of the situation.  I highly recommend this book which was a five star read for me.  I loved how Grace unraveled the story and brought it full circle.  

I received this book courtesy of Park Row though NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

The Wartime Sisters is a very engaging story about two sisters Ruth and Millie and their tenuous relationship that at times nearly destroys them both.  While the story begins in Brooklyn, the heart of the plot develops at the Springfield Armory during World War II.  Ruth has always been known for her brains and responsible behavior, sometimes to the point of being termed a 'cold fish.' Millie, on the other hand, was known for her beauty and was always indulged by her mother.  These two differing views pitted the sisters against each other at an early age.  As in any instance, there are always two sides to a coin and people also grow and change.  The Wartime Sisters takes a look at their strained relationship with a well crafted story that also highlights two other strong and memorable female characters Lillian, the commanding officer's wife and Arietta, the cook/singer.  

I loved this story of complex women and their relationships with each other and their families.  Each character was so well written and deeply developed.  I would find myself empathizing with Ruth and then the next chapter completely understanding where Millie was coming from.  I also thought the stories of Arietta and Lillian added so much to the novel.  I think this book would make a marvelous book club selection as there is so much to discuss.  This was most surely a five star read for me.  It made me search out the author's previous novel to add to my reading pile.  

I received this book courtesy of St. Martin's Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.