Under the Java Moon by Heather B. Moore

 

Based on a true story, this gripping WWII novel captures the resilience, hope, and courage of a Dutch family who is separated during the war when the Japanese occupy the Dutch East Indies.

Java Island, 1941

Six-year-old Rita Vischer cowers in her family’s dug-out bomb shelter, listening to the sirens and waiting for a bomb to fall. Her charmed life on Java—living with other Dutch families—had always been peaceful, but when Holland declares war on Japan and the Japanese army invades Indonesia, Rita’s family is forced to relocate to a POW camp, and Rita must help care for her little brother, Georgie.

Mary Vischer is three months pregnant when she enters the Tjident women’s camp with thousands of other women and children. Her husband, George, is somewhere on the Java Sea with the Dutch Navy, so she must care alone for her young children, Rita and Georgie, and her frail mother. The brutal conditions of the overcrowded camp make starvation, malaria, and dysentery a grim reality. Mary must do everything she can to keep her family alive.

George Vischer survives the bombing of his minesweeper but feels little hope floating on a small dinghy in the Java Sea. Reaching the northern tip of the Thousand Island would be a miracle. Focusing on the love of his life, Mary, and his two children, he battles against the sea and merciless sun. He’ll do whatever it takes to close the divide between him and his family, even if it means risking being captured by the Japanese.

Under the Java Moon highlights a little-known part of WWII history and the impact of war on Indonesia, its people, and the more than 100,000 Dutch men, women, and children who were funneled into prison camps and faced with the ultimate fight for survival.

 * Goodreads * Deseret Book * Amazon *

First, book cover love!!  The cover on this book may just be one of my favorites this year so far.  It's gorgeous and I absolutely love it.  The picture is pretty but the cover in real life is even more beautiful.  

Next, the story.  Wow.  Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres and this book is exactly the reason why.  I love learning about events in history told like a story filled with emotion and personal connections.  Author Heather B. Moore knows just how to weave a story that fills my mind with vivid pictures and heartfelt emotion.

I listened to a podcast (All In, April 5th) with Maria Vischer Elliott (Rita) before I read this book.  I was interested because I knew I was going to be reading this book and what a treat to hear her voice and tell bits of this story in her own words.  It really gave me an emotional base and interest before I even started reading.

War is horrible.  What war does to people is horrible.  I wish it never had to happen.  But stories like this are a testament to how resilient people can be, especially when driven by love and hope.  I hadn't even heard the story of the people of the Dutch East Indies during WWII so this was all new to me.  My heart is both saddened and grateful.  The Vischer family is a real family, whose lives were torn apart by war.  They are one of so many.  I'm so glad for authors who tell stories like this so we can honor them and remember.

Content:  war time elements of peril, abuse and violence.  

- I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All opinions expressed are my own.

The Opera Sisters by Marianne Monson

 

Based on the true story of the Cook sisters, who smuggled valuables out of 1930s Nazi Germany to finance a daring, secret operation to help Jews find hope for a new life in England
 
British sisters Ida and Louise Cook enjoy their quiet, unassuming lives in south London. Ida writes romance novels, and Louise works as a secretary. In the evenings, the sisters indulge in their shared love for opera, saving their money to buy records and attend performances throughout England and Europe, becoming well-known by both performers and fellow opera lovers.

But when Hitler seizes power in 1933, he begins targeting and persecuting German Jews, passing laws that restrict their rights and their lives. The sisters continue their trips to the German opera houses, but soon, Jewish members of the opera community covertly approach the sisters, worried that they will be stripped of their wealth and forced to leave their homes and the country. Danger looms on the horizon, threatening to spill across all of Europe’s borders.

Ida and Louise vow to help, but how can two ordinary working-class women with limited means make a difference?

Together with their beloved opera community, the sisters devise a plan to personally escort Jewish refugees from Germany to England. The success of the plan hinges on Ida and Louise’s ability to smuggle contraband jewelry and furs beneath the watchful eyes of the SS soldiers guarding various checkpoints. But how many trips can they make before someone blows a whistle? Or before the final curtain falls on Germany’s borders?

The Opera Sisters is a riveting and inspiring novel of two unlikely heroines whose courage and compassion gave hope to many Jews desperate to escape Nazi persecution.

 * Amazon * Goodreads * Deseret Book *

I absolutely love historical fiction and when it is based on real people?  Even better.  I was so excited to read about these two sisters, Ida and Louise Cook, who bravely changed and saved people's lives during WWII.

It was fascinating to read about Ida and Louise's path that led them to helping so many people from Germany.  The opera and a love for music started it all.  A love for humankind and kind hearts led to the rest.  Ida sacrificed so much and honestly, it was very touching.  Stories like this remind me of the good people in the world.  

The harder part for me was how the story was told.  There were SO many people, it was sometimes hard to keep track of them all.  Because of this, I had a harder time connecting emotionally.  Of course I cared about what was happening and the people spoken of, but it was more in a general type of way and not an individual connection.  The way the story jumped from the sister's story to other stories took some getting used to.  I didn't really love the format.  

I feel like I learned something and of course I was reminded of the atrocities of war and most specifically, the atrocities against the Jewish people.  Heartbreaking.  But so important to remember.  What a great tribute this book is to these to these people.

Content:  peril and wartime violence.  Nothing in great detail.

Beneath the Bellemont Sky by Ranee S. Clark + $25 and Book Giveaway!

As WWII draws to a close, war widow Vera Larsen Trumbell knows all too well the sacrifices of those left on the home front. Working on her family's farm has sustained Vera and her young children, but she now yearns for a sense of normalcy. The end of the war has been bittersweet for the Larsen clan as they and the residents of their small Wyoming town continue to pick up the pieces of their former lives.

Navigating the complexities of a postwar world, Vera and her family face the changing ideals swirling around them. From rising controversy surrounding women's presence in the workplace to the town's cold reception of the newest member of the family—a beautiful French freedom fighter—the American dream of days gone by has been thrown off balance. Even Vera's own life is set spinning when, despite her better judgment, she feels a growing attraction for the brooding and mysterious local schoolteacher.

As the Larsen family and their neighbors tread on thorny territory, will the people of this small town find the strength to embrace an unfamiliar and extraordinary future?

 * Amazon * Goodreads * Deseret Book *

Oh, I love historical fiction and I especially love reading about the WWII era.  I think it's because my grandparents were in the heart of it living in England and I have stories from them that link my heart to that time through them.  

This story takes place in the aftermath of WWII.  It follows a family in small town Wyoming, trying to put lives that have forever changed, back together again.   Each sibling in the Larsen family is trying to forge their own path into a changed world.  They are dealing with slightly different struggles, but also carry the burden of some of the same struggles as members of the same family.  The author did a grand job of making me feel like I knew these characters and was a part of their lives.

I loved the sweet and gentle nature of this book.  The story wrapped itself around me and just felt so good.  I really loved it.  It had a feel similar to "The Waltons" or "Little House on the Prairie".  I'm sure I just dated myself there (I watched reruns of those!) but there it is.  😊

Content:  clean

- I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.  All opinions expressed are my own.

 Schedule: 

*March 5th: https://www.rockinbookreviews.com/, http://mybookaday.blogspot.com/ 

*March 6th: http://www.blogginboutbooks.com/, http://heidi-reads.blogspot.com/, http://minreadsandreviews.blogspot.com/

*March 7th: http://booksaresanity.blogspot.com/, http://reviewsfromtheheart.blogspot.com/, https://brightlystreet.com/category/book-reviews/

*March 8th: http://katiescleanbookcollection.blogspot.com/, https://ldsandlovinit.blogspot.com/

*March 9th: http://whynotbecauseisaidso.blogspot.com/, http://gettingyourreadonaimeebrown.blogspot.com/, http://literarytimeout.blogspot.com/, http://www.wishfulendings.com/, https://www.singinglibrarianbooks.com/adults

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Defiance by A.L. Sowards + $25 and Book Giveaway

Eight years after immigrating to the United States, German-born Lukas Ley embodies the American dream: successful athlete, gorgeous girlfriend, loving family. But beneath the surface, eighteen-year-old Lukas is driven by ambition, resolved to avenge the murder of his father at the hands of the Nazi regime. Unfortunately, a failed physical throws his plans for flight school off course. Unlike his war-hero older brother, Lukas’s purpose is unclear. He can’t fly, and in the eyes of the military, he’s good for only one thing—the front lines.

From the foxholes of war-ravaged Luxembourg to the devastation of an enormous German offensive, Lukas’s journey is fraught with peril. But when he’s taken as a prisoner of war, he realizes life is about to get much worse. In the enemy camp, Lukas is viewed as a German fighting for the wrong side. Ripped from the innocence of an idealistic youth, he becomes a man beaten by the horrors of war. Now his only hope of survival is to hold tightly to his faith in God and his love of family and home. But even if he manages to make it out alive, can he ever be whole again?

Sometimes survival is the ultimate act of Defiance.

 * Goodreads * Amazon * Deseret Book *

First, I love this cover.  The picture within the picture is awesome and I feel like it fits the story so well.

I love reading books by A. L. Sowards.  You can tell that she does her homework because her stories come to life.  They feel meaty, real and emotional.  One of my favorite genres is historical fiction- just like this.

War is never an easy subject to read about.  While I loved this book, I had to read it in doses because my heart just couldn't take it all in one sitting.  I had so many emotions reading this book- gratitude, heart break, anger, sadness, pride, hope, relief, but mostly gratitude.  So many people have given so much- everything, really, to defend humanity from tyrants, to ensure freedoms and to defend what is right.  It's humbling.  This book brings all of this to the forefront for me.

Content:  War violence.  LDS Fiction, (some references to things specific to the LDS religion, but mostly general talk about morals, praying and finding forgiveness)

- I received a copy of this book from the publisher.  A positive review was not required and all opinions expressed are my own.

My grandpa served in WWII in England.  He married my grandmother in the middle of that war.  He told my grandma to tell him which church to be at and when and he would do his best to make it there to marry her.  He hitchhiked on his two day leave and barely made it to the church on time.  Actually, he was late.  Roads were bombed out and with all the detours, he had a hard time getting there.  He spent one short night with my grandma before heading back to his base.  She had to give him money to get back there!  There was a bombing raid the night before the wedding and my grandma tells of running downstairs to make sure her cake was okay.  A bombing raid.  And she was worried about her cake.  Brides.  <sigh> They saved a lot of sugar rations for that cake and it was important! 

 

Schedule: 

*April 17th: https://atransparentmom.com/, https://joyinthemoments.wordpress.com/

*April 18th: http://mybookaday.blogspot.com/, http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/, http://rockinbookreviews.com/, http://empowermoms.net/

*April 19th: http://ilovetoreadandreviewbooks.blogspot.com/, http://ldsandlovinit.blogspot.com/, http://whynotbecauseisaidso.blogspot.com/, http://thethingsilovemost.com/ 

*April 20th: http://www.singinglibrarianbooks.com/, http://gettingyourreadonaimeebrown.blogspot.com/, http://katiescleanbookcollection.blogspot.com/, http://literarytimeout.blogspot.com/ 

*April 21st: http://melsshelves.blogspot.com/, http://www.wishfulendings.com/

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Winter Sky by Chris Stewart

In a bombed-out Polish village during World War II a young resistance fighter finds that he is suddenly alone and trapped between two opposing armies. He is one of Poland's "Devil's Rebels" fighting desperately to save his homeland, but an injury has erased his memory and his only possession is a torn photograph of a couple he assumes are his parents. The woman appears to be holding the hand of a young child whose image has been ripped off. Could the child be him?

Caught in the crosshairs of the retreating German army and the advancing Russian forces, the village holds nothing but destruction and despair until a mysterious young woman offers a small glimmer of hope that may represent his last chance - news of a refuge train departing from a nearby town headed for American installations at the border. But complications arise when the resistance fighter is betrayed by his own countryman and hunted by German SS Officers who are determined to kill him before they retreat. Desperately searching for a home and family he can't remember he is persuaded to rescue two children who are doomed to die without his help.

As time runs out the former rebel is faced with an impossible choice. Standing at the crossroads of saving himself or risking his life for strangers, what would motivate a young man at the brink of salvation to make one more sacrifice?

 * Amazon * Goodreads * Deseret Book *

I have been reading a lot of Christmas books lately but none like this one.  This book is not fluffy or even sweet.  It was actually really hard for me to read and I'll tell you why.  War is ugly and awful.  The devastation and loss pulls at my heart and just makes me sad.  This book depicts so much of the realities of war and I'll be honest in saying that I struggled reading it.  But, as with most of the most awful things in the world, you find stories of men and women who display courage and kindness.  They shine in the darkness that surrounds them.  That is what happens in this book.

This book takes us back to WWII and the less focused on Polish people.  A people caught in the cross hairs of the battle between Germany and Russia.  For one young man, a rebel resistance fighter, this is his own personal nightmare.  He is strong and he is brave.  He is fighting to stay alive.  It's an amazing tale of heroism and sacrifice.

This book is on the shorter side and didn't take me long to read.  I had a hard time putting it down because the story is so compelling, but I had to because my emotions were battered.  As a mother, a wife and a daughter, I cannot even begin to imagine some of the horrors described in this book.  But out of this book also comes the emotion of gratitude for what I have.  Much of what I have comes at a price that I didn't pay.  I am a recipient of freedom and prosperity because of many others and I am indebted and grateful.

Winter Sky is not your typical Christmas story, but it will bring to a better place in the end.  I'm so glad I had the chance to read it.

Content:  Violence

- I received a copy of this book, free from the publisher.  I was under no obligation to post a positive review.  All opinions expressed are my own.

By the Stars by Lindsay B. Ferguson

 

When Cal finally gets a chance with Kate, the girl he's loved since grade school, their easy friendship quickly blossoms into a meaningful romance. Spirited and independent, Kate keeps a guarded heart due to a painful past, and Cal wants nothing more than to gain her trust. But World War II soon cuts their time far too short, and Cal prepares to part from her – possibly for good. After he's gone, what Kate does next changes everything.

In the suffocating jungles of the Philippines Cal encounters the chilling life of a soldier and deadly battles of war. With Kate's memory willing him on, Cal must put his trust in God to survive if he hopes to ever return to her. Inspired by a true story, By the Stars is a romance that stands the test of time and the most intense obstacles.

 * Goodreads * Amazon *

Historical Fiction is one of my favorite genre's.  I love traveling back in time to places and events that helped shape our world.  This is a simple story of an ordinary man who accomplishes extraordinary things just because of his goodness.  This book is inspired by a true story and I loved reading the afterword by the author.  

We take a journey back through Cal's life starting with events from his eighth grade year in school.  Cal is a small town farm boy who works hard alongside his family.  He is quiet and a bit shy but he is also kind.  I would call him a gentle soul.  It was so easy to fall into the book and get swept away into Cal's life.  He lived through so many horrific things with WWII and yet still kept intact his gentle kindness.

This has, at it's heart, a love story that spans decades.  It was a great story and one I'm glad I read.

Content:  Some war violence, at times descriptive.  LDS fiction (some religious content and references to things specific to the LDS religion)

The Spider and the Sparrow by A.L. Sowards + $25 and Book Giveaway

May 1915. After tragedy strikes during the Second Battle of Artois, Frenchman Julian Olivier will do anything to get out of the trenches. So when British Intelligence recruits him to spy behind enemy lines, he jumps at the opportunity. Just before he begins, however, he has a chance encounter with a young French woman who leaves his heart marked for the remainder of the war—even if he doesn’t know her name.

Warren Flynn is a Canadian airborne hero, and dogfights with the Germans are all in a day’s work. Second only to his love of flying is his fascination with Claire Donovan, the daughter of an American munitions manufacturer living in Paris. Warren flies Julian into Germany and soon receives orders to post the Allies’ newest operative—an attractive peasant woman named Evette—in Claire’s home.

As a dangerous ring of spies and saboteurs threatens to turn the war against the Allies, Julian discovers goodness in his enemies’ hearts. But even if he survives, will he ever be reunited with the woman whose memory he can’t erase? Will Warren survive the war, and will Evette unearth the infiltrator in her own territory before it’s too late?

 * Amazon * Goodreads * Deseret Book *

Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres.  I love when stories are based on real events in history and take me to a place I've never been before.  I think it's so important to remember events like WWII and the people who fought and lost so much.  It was such a terrible time in history- so much suffering.  

This book brings in characters from several countries and follows them in their separate plights that eventually all link together.  It incorporates the ground battles, the air men and their dog fights, and the spies.  The author does a fantastic job of making the characters so human and real- on all sides of the war.

I wouldn't say this book is a desperate page turner as the story progresses in a more gentle, fluid way.  Things develop slowly but I was never bored or feeling impatient.  The people and places were set up vividly in my mind and I enjoyed the gradual coming together of the events and characters.

Content:  war violence, abuse

Feb. 15th: http://www.singinglibrarianbooks.com/index.html, http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com/, https://joyinthemoments.wordpress.com/

Feb. 16th: http://ldsandlovinit.blogspot.com/, http://www.littlelightdesigncollective.com/, http://thethingsilovemost.com/ 

Feb. 17th: http://www.wishfulendings.com/, http://mybookaday.blogspot.com/

Feb. 18th: http://katiescleanbookcollection.blogspot.com/, http://melsshelves.blogspot.com/, http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/

Feb. 19th: vhttp://gettingyourreadonaimeebrown.blogspot.com/, http://literarytimeout.blogspot.com/, http://seekingwithallyurheart.blogspot.com/, http://www.rockinbookreviews.com/ 

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The Berlin Candy Bomber by Gail S. Halvorsen

The Berlin Candy Bomber is a love story-how two sticks of gum and one man's kindness to the children of a vanquished enemy grew into an epic of goodwill spanning the globe-touching the hearts of millions in both Germany and America.

In June 1948, Russia laid siege to Berlin, cutting off the flow of food and supplies over highways into the city. More than two million people faced economic collapse and starvation. The Americans, English, and French began a massive airlift to bring sustenance to the city and to thwart the Russian siege.

Gail Halvorsen was one of hundreds of U.S. pilots involved in the airlift. While in Berlin, he met a group of children standing by the airport watching the incoming planes. Though they hadn't asked for candy, he was impressed to share with them the two sticks of gum he had in his possession. Seeing how thrilled they were by this gesture, he promised to drop more candy to them the next time he flew to the area.

True to his word, as he flew in the next day, he wiggled the wings of his plane to identify himself, then dropped several small bundles of candy using parachutes crafted from handkerchiefs to slow their fall. Local newspapers picked up the story. Suddenly, letters addressed to "Uncle Wiggly Wings" began to arrive as the children requested candy drops in other areas of the city.

Enthusiasm spread to America, and candy contributions came from all across the country. Within weeks candy manufacturers began donating candy by the boxcar.

In May 1949, the highway blockade ended, and the airlift ended in September. But the story of Uncle Wiggly Wings and the candy-filled parachutes lives on-a symbol of human charity.

 * Amazon * Goodreads * Cedar Fort *

Sometimes you read books to escape from reality and go someplace far, far away.  Sometimes you read books to learn something new.  Sometimes you read books to be inspired.  This book gave me all the previous mentioned things plus more.

I love reading stories about ordinary people who do extraordinary things.  These things come about because people like Gail Halvorsen choose kindness when a situation is placed before them.  Gail's kindness led to more kindness.  People saw his kindness and wanted to be a part of it.  From there it ballooned into something grand that involved people all over the world.  All because one man extended a kindness one day to a few children who desperately needed some kindness and care.  I love that.

Gail Halvorsen has roots right where I live today.  It was fun to read of his early years in Bear River Valley.  I could imagine him flying right over my house as he trained to be a pilot.  My kids attend the same high school he attended.  It's a small world after all.

I learned more about the events and details leading up to Gail Halvorsen's part in the war efforts and about his life.  I loved all the pictures in the book.  They really helped give me a sense of how things were.  There were lots of pictures!  This book is a great reminder to me that kindness matters.  You never know when a kind act can change the life of someone else.  Kindness is contagious.  People respond to kindness.  Kindness matters.  A lot.

I am grateful for people like Gail Halvorsen.  I'm grateful for their examples that inspire me to be better and do better.  I pay honor Uncle Wiggly Wings and I thank him for telling his story.  I loved it.

How Much Do You Love Me? by Paul Mark Tag

Lovers James and Keiko marry quickly before James goes to World War II and Keiko to an internment camp. Sixty years later their daughter Kazuko, born in the camps, uncovers a secret that could overwhelm the family. Discover the very definition of human love and self-sacrifice in this saga of war, mystery, and romance.

This is the story of a young couple and their families set during WWII when the Japanese Americans were sent into internment camps.  The history behind this book is sad.  There is just no other way to describe the awful treatment of all Japanese Americans during this time in our American history.  It should never have happened.

I appreciate the story itself.  It is a good reminder of a past mistake that hopefully never happens again.  There is emotion and depth.  It is a good tribute to those who should be remembered.

The story moved along very slowly for me.  It was hard to stay focused and engaged.  The very last bit of the book picked up as Kazuko finally puts the missing puzzle pieces together to solve her family mystery but otherwise the book kept a very sedate pace.  I read another blogger's review of this book and she said that the whole book held an overall sadness.  I completely agree.  Sadness but love too.

Overall "How Much Do You Love Me" was a nice, pleasant read.  It wasn't gripping or charged in a way that sucked me in and kept me engaged but it was nice.  It felt like a good representation of what really could have happened during this time period.

You can purchase this book at Amazon.  My thanks to the publisher, Cedar Fort, for allowing me to read and review this title for them.

The Mind's Eye (SYNSK #1) by K.C. Finn

A girl with a telepathic gift finds a boy clinging to his last hope during the war-torn climate of Europe, 1940.

At fifteen, Kit Cavendish is one the oldest evacuees to escape London at the start of the Second World War due to a long term illness that sees her stuck in a wheelchair most of the time. But Kit has an extraordinary psychic power: she can put herself into the minds of others, see through their eyes, feel their emotions, even talk to them – though she dares not speak out for fear of her secret ability being exposed.

As Kit settles into her new life in the North Wales village of Bryn Eira Bach, solitude and curiosity encourage her to gain better control of her gift. Until one day her search for information on the developing war leads her to the mind of Henri, a seventeen-year-old Norwegian boy witnessing the German occupation of his beloved city, Oslo. As Henri discovers more about the English girl occupying his mind, the psychic and emotional bonds between them strengthen and Kit guides him through an oppressive and dangerous time.

There are secrets to be uncovered, both at home and abroad, and it’s up to Kit and Henri to come together and fight their own battles in the depths of the world’s greatest war.

I'm happy today to be featuring another book from Clean Teen Publishing.  I was originally going to review a different book but then I went to the Clean Teen Publishing website and thanks to their content guide, realized that that book was not going to be a good fit for me.  Instead, I picked this book which I found free on Amazon and already had in my stash.  :)  

I love Clean Teen Publishing and I'll tell you why.  They are not censoring books, they are giving information on content so I can make decisions about the books that will be the best fit for me.  They give me knowledge.  I love that.  Here's the picture of content for The Mind's Eye .  

You can go to their website and read the full disclosure.  You can do this for any book they publish.  With pre-teen and teenage readers in my house, this is such a useful tool.  Everyone has different comfort levels regarding content and it's nice to know I can know I can find out content before I read.  Yay for Clean Teen Publishing!

The Mind's Eye is set during WWII.  Kit and her brother have been sent off to live with another family in Wales for their protection during the war.  Kit is in a wheelchair, struggling with a debilitating disease which gives the story an added element depth and interest.

Kit is a strong girl.  She gradually comes to realize her strength as she pushes herself to do hard things- both mentally and physically.  It's always nice as a reader to feel like a character is growing in some way.  Kit's was a marked growth and it was so satisfying to see.  

This book created real images in my head that played out much like a movie.  The story held my interest and I wanted to keep reading until I was done.  There was a simple, sweet innocence to this story.  Kit's relationship with Henri was one of growing friendship, loyalty and eventually love.  The supporting cast of characters were all fantastic.

I love historical fiction and I loved that element in this book.  The ending leaves off with room for a sequel, but didn't leave me utterly hanging, which I really appreciated.  I love me some happy endings.  :)

As I mentioned above, I picked up this kindle book free on Amazon.  Hopefully it will still be free when you read this.  And hopefully we will get a sequel to this great book.