1--- A Light Beyond The Trenches - Chemical warfare was in the initial stages of use during WWI and the number of blinded soldiers was high. Anna found herself as a trainer in a school for the blind and their use of guide dogs. Following the progress of her assigned veteran and a dog she rescued, makes for a wonderful read.Mia was a German Shepard that originally was an Ambulance Dog. She developed pododermatitis and was placed as possible guide dog if healed.
I love historical fiction and anything with a dog I was hooked.
2---The Bookbinder- It started very slowly and to be honest I wasn't convinced, but suddenly I was deeply engaged with the characters and the time and place.
Peggy and Maude are twin sisters that work in a book bindery. Maude is different than Peggy, she likes to fold paper and repeat sentences and is eternally innocent. Peggy has always dreamed of going to university. Peggy is told to fold the pages and not to read the books. War happens and of course everyones life is turned inside out. I think this book is about both of the sisters finding their independence and reaching their potential.
3---The Mad Woman's Ball LOVED this book! Well written. Well paced. Rich atmospheric setting. A simple but engaging plot. Intriguing characters.
4--The Scandalous Hamiltons: A Gilded Age Grifter, a Founding Father's Disgraced Descendant, and a Trial at the Dawn of Tabloid Journalism-- If you like history, mixed with scandal and drama, this book's for you!
5--The Matchmakers Gift- this was so light and cute, just what I needed.
6- Miss Eliza's English Kitchen- It's a history of food and cooking, but it's also the history of classes, and of how upper class kitchens were the realm of servants or hired help. . .until it wasn't. Based on the life of Eliza Acton, author of the first modern cookbook, a woman ahead of her times.
The early 1800s in England saw few opportunities for women beyond securing a good marriage, raising children and managing the household. For those who were poor, attaining a job as a servant to a wealthy family was their only chance for security. When Eliza's father bankrupts their family, Eliza seeks to have her poetry published in hope of finding a source of income. She is turned down, but does receive a commission to write a cookbook. She delves whole heartedly into the venture and finds a passion for testing and perfecting recipes for English housewives.
Ann Kirby comes from humble means with a lame father and a mother suffering from dementia. Her brother works in a London kitchen for a famous French chef, inspiring Ann with his tales of the food they prepare. When Ann is fortunate enough to be hired by Eliza as a kitchen assistant, she draws strength and a sense of purpose from her, discovering her own ambitions.
