What are you reading?

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

What book are you reading right now? Doesn't have to be Early 20th Century, but let us know if it is!

[[deleted user]]

Comanche Moon......

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

I'm reading Dangerous Allies, and I was sucked in by the first page. The heroine is an actress of Russian heritage who is in Nazi Germany working as a spy for the British. Very intense so far.

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

I'm reading The House at Tyneford: A Novel right now, and it's very good. It's the look at a young Jewish exile from Vienna who goes to work in England as a housemaid. It's already evoking sympathy as I have a feeling many of her acquaintances from Vienna will end up in the extermination camps.

[Julianna]

I'm reading Danube in Candlelight, a paranormal romance that's set in post-WWI Hungary. I'm just getting started, so I don't know how good it is yet, but I've enjoyed the author before.

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

That sounds interesting, Julie. Let us know what you think of it when you finish it.

[Julianna]

I finished it a couple of days ago, and I've been having a somewhat difficult time putting together my thoughts about it. I think I'm going to give it 3.5 stars. It's not that I didn't like it. The story was a pleasant and easy one, but perhaps a little too easy. The conflict if rather minimal, and the only "bad guy" is really more misunderstood than truly bad. I think maybe all the characters were a little too likable if that makes any sense. It was a next-generation story in the series, and I liked it enough to go back and read the parent's books.

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

Sorry you didn't enjoy it more, Julie.

[Julianna]

I'm now reading The Hungarian, the first in the series. It takes place in turn-of-the-century England and Hungary. I'm enjoying it more, because there have been lots of romantic interactions between the hero and heroine. They are the parents of the heroine from Danube.

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

I'm glad you're enjoying this one more, Julie.

[HJ]

I've just read two very good, newly published books both set in Kenya in the 1920s.

A Spear of Summer Grass by Deanna Raybourn begins in Paris 1923 but swiftly moves to a farm in Kenya. There is a prequel novella on Kindle which I recommend reading first: Far in the Wilds - it isn't essential, but it certainly adds to the enjoyment. I really enjoyed Summer Grass, especially as I've read a great deal about Kenya in this time period and I think it is very accurate. It has an element of mystery and of romance, but I don't think either predominates. And if you like it, and are prepared to move out of the early twentieth century and into the Victorian era, then Deanna Raybourn's Lady Julia series is also excellent: Silent in the Grave.

The other book is also by an author whom I know for her nineteenth century books, her Pink Carnation Napoleonic spy stories - Lauren Willig. Her Kenya book, The Ashford Affair, is a time slip novel with the story shifting between late 1990s Manhattan, early 1900s London, and Kenya in 1926. The common factor is Addie, who we see first as a very old lady and then as a young child. There is less of Kenya than in Summer Grass, but it is equally accurate. I enjoyed it very much, and am still thinking about the ending!

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

Hi Hj. I enjoyed The Ashford Affair as well. Looking forward to reading A Spear of Summer Grass.

[HJ]

Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress wrote: "Hi Hj. I enjoyed The Ashford Affair as well. Looking forward to reading A Spear of Summer Grass."

Hope you enjoy it too!