Total Books: 2 Total Pages: 873 Longest: 443 Shortest: 430
Genres: 1 (Historical Fiction – 2)
Our Montana Adventure took up most of my time this month – traveling the first couple of weeks, then trying to process photos and write the blog the rest of the month and into August. I was still somewhat surprised to see that I only finished 2 books in July, both Historical Fiction.
American Sky by Carolyn Dasher
American Sky is an Amazon First Reads selection by new novelist Carolyn Dasher. From Amazon: Three generations of indomitable women navigate life on their terms in an epic and inspiring historical novel about love and war, family secrets, and mothers and daughters finding the freedom to fly.
Spanning from the turn of the 20th Century through the Vietnam War, Dasher’s multiple protagonists find themselves seeking to balance their expected roles in society with finding the freedom to enjoy what they loved. The characters are complex and so are the decisions they each face in their lives.
The Briar Club by Kate Quinn
I have previously read The Alice Network and The Rose Code by Kate Quinn. The Rose Code was one of my favorite reads from last year (see Note 52 and Note 61).
The Briar Club is set during post-WWII amidst McCarthyism. A group of disparate women living at a Washington, D.C. boarding house bond around weekly Thursday night dinners over a 3–4-year period. But how well do they really know each other? And when one boarder’s past comes back to haunt her, how do the others respond?
The characters are well-developed, and the history of the period is well-researched as usual for Quinn which had me chasing a couple of rabbits to learn more. It made me realize that while I know generally about this time frame, I’ve not read a whole lot about it (maybe an idea for a future read). Quinn doesn’t disappoint fans with this one, but I still enjoyed The Rose Code more.
Until next time, read what pleases you!
Notes By Nancy 
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