Reviewed by Tiffany Ferrell for Readers' Favorite

Life changes dramatically for fifteen-year-old Ella Kühn in August of 1961 in Leah Moyes' book Berlin Butterfly: Ensnare. Berlin is divided by a wall that East Germany is building to keep its residents in. Unfortunately, Ella and her dying father get stuck while she sends her little brother and sweetheart ahead to the west and to freedom. After the death of her adoptive father, Ella gets employment with the wealthy well-to-do mortician Herr Franke in order to pay off the debt of the burial she couldn’t afford. The Franke household is a world of its own with its owners lacking for nothing while chaos erupts as people are killed while desperately trying to seek freedom in the west. The lady of the house is cruel and the older son seems determined to torment her as well. Ella never gives up hope that one day she’ll be able to get past that wall to the family that awaits her. As the months of her servitude continue, things change, people change, and Ella finds herself conflicted between the need to escape or staying with a boy she has come to forgive and love.

I was absolutely captivated by this book from the first page. I admit my history is a bit rusty when it comes to after WWII and what happened to Germany when the wall went up. I was a year old when it finally fell; my father-in-law was there with the US army when it happened. It’s so refreshing to read historical fiction from a period not written about much in that sense. Leah Moyes has done a fantastic job in telling the at times heartbreaking story of Ella Kühn and those first couple years the wall was up and what occurred in East Germany. There are so many colorful and amazing characters that I can’t really choose one that I liked the most. I am anxiously looking forward to the second book and what the future holds for Ella, Anton, and the Franke family.

Reviewed by Ioana Drever for Readers' Favorite

In the Company of Like-Minded Women by Elaine Russell follows the lives of three sisters over six weeks in summer 1901, against the backdrop of a developing city - Denver - and the Colorado women’s efforts to advocate and implement political and social reforms. Elizabeth (Lida) Clayton is a widow who is working hard to support her two children. She’s recently qualified as a doctor, fighting against prejudice and trying to balance her studies and being a mother. She’s even converted to Catholicism in order to secure a job. Lida hasn’t seen her sisters in eleven years, but she is very happy to welcome to Denver the much younger Eva who is recovering from scarlet fever and with whom she’s kept in touch, as well as her older sister Mildred with whom she once was very close but who decided to take their mother’s side in a family rift a long time ago. Many things change during their six-week visit - their perspectives, their determination to follow (or not) their hearts, as well as their relationships.

Elaine Russell creates very believable characters. I like that each chapter is written through the voice of a different person, showing things from varying perspectives. The setting - Denver and its surroundings - is vividly described and transports the reader into that time and place. Elaine Russell has clearly done a lot of research into the topography, the fashion, the approach to religion and the topical issues of 1901. I liked the historical references to the fight for women’s rights and the (maybe) lesser-known movement of temperance. If you’re after an easy read with some substance, you will enjoy this book.

Reviewed by Shrabastee Chakraborty for Readers' Favorite

“History is written by victors.” So, who can tell if the well-known accounts of the Trojan war reflect the actual truth? In The Fall of the Phoenix, Daniel Kelly incorporates historical events mentioned in Homer’s Iliad and Virgil’s Aeneid and weaves them together to present an alternative version of history. The book starts with the famous duel between Hector and Achilles, ending with the fall of the once-mighty Trojan empire. The ten-year-long siege had exhausted Troy while the Trojan horse succeeded in breaching their hitherto impenetrable walls. However, in Kelly’s version, the Trojans ended the war on their terms, ensuring the downfall of the Greeks with their dying breaths. I would implore you to read the first installment in the saga of these unsung heroes and be a part of their last battle.

I loved how each character came alive under Daniel Kelly’s skilled writing. Priam the Trojan king’s kindness shone brightly in contrast to the endless greed of the Greek king, Agamemnon. Kelly described Achilles, the great hero, as a human being full of compassion, and at times, uncertainty and grief. Apart from the famous heroes, Kelly also introduced many commanders from Troy and Myrmidon, whose feats of bravery left lasting impressions. Diomedes, a Trojan orphan taken captive by Achilles, made me realize how oppressive it must have been for the commoners to live under the siege. Entire generations grew up knowing nothing but a state of war along with a scarcity of essential supplies. Kelly described the Trojan war with vivid details, thus transporting readers to a different era. He also envisioned an ending that deviated from the legendary epics yet seemed even more intriguing. I would recommend The Fall of the Phoenix, a masterpiece of speculative fiction, to any reader interested in history and mythology.

Reviewed by Keith Julius for Readers' Favorite

In The Serpent and the Eagle: Book One in the Tenochtitlan Trilogy, author Edward Rickford takes us back in time 400 years. It is 1519, and Captain Hernandez Cortes has just landed on the Yucatan Peninsula at the start of what will be his conquest of Mexico. With him is Father Aguilar – a Spanish castaway who has spent the last eight years as a captive of the Mexica people; Pedro de Alvarado – a trusted military advisor to Cortes; and Vitale – a reluctant soldier in the invading army. Along the way, the invaders come across a slave girl named Malintzi, who becomes a trusted part of the expedition when her skills as a translator become known. Interestingly enough, even though Cortes is the individual that most influences the events of the story, we are never privy to his thoughts and inspirations. Rather we view his actions from a distance and wonder at the force that drives him so much to succeed. Likewise his rival leader – Motecuhzoma, the ruler of the Triple Alliance that dominates the One World of the native people – remains elusive, as we follow his generals and counselors but see little of the man himself.

The Serpent and the Eagle is a finely crafted story that will captivate anyone interested in history, and it is obvious Edward Rickford has heavily researched the subject. This is no dry retelling of a 400-year-old story, but rather a lively and entertaining look at people and the greed that drives them. Much of the action is of necessity supposition, but it is presented in a masterful manner where you come to believe the people involved and get drawn into the story of this pivotal time in the history of the Americas. The story concludes in a manner obviously intended by the author to set us up for the next installment of this gripping tale of heroism, greed, and man's inhumanity to man as one race subjugates and overwhelms another because of their misguided sense of superiority. I enjoyed this book immensely.

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

When We Were Brave is a work of historical fiction penned by author Karla M. Jay, which focuses on events taking place during the Second World War. In a multi-perspective novel, we find ourselves following the lives of a collection of individuals stuck in Europe during wartime, and how their fates interweave as the story progresses. An SS officer tries to spread the word about the horrifying reality of the death camps, whilst young Izaak finds his life as a Jew getting more difficult by the moment, and an American family with German roots are sent back into the belly of the beast and left to their own devices to survive.

Combining excellent historical research with a compelling storyline, the hard work of author Karla M. Jay really pays off the more deeply involved you become with the characters in her plot. I found Wilhelm’s story to be the most compelling for me, as he was right in the spotlight and going through some fantastic emotional turmoil as a disillusioned SS officer trying to make things right for himself, and for the world. Jay really pays attention to the emotive aspect and motivations of all her characters, making them leap off the page with reality and endearing them to readers, which is what makes their hardship all the more harrowing to read about. As the plot threads and connections slowly come together, the conclusion marks the realities of war and sticks in your mind for a long time after. When We Were Brave is a highly recommended historical read.

Reviewed by Thomas A. Peters for Readers' Favorite

It’s November of 1944 in Germany and adept American OSS agent Lilian Saint James has just been handed the perfect opportunity to insert herself into the home of a leading Nazi tactician, after saving the German army colonel’s young daughter from being run down by a car. After passing an investigation, she is sent to be a nanny in the Oberndorf home, where she begins to gather intelligence and take pictures of strategic maps of munitions factories, air fields and static U-boat locations that she hopes to pass on to the Allies. Her hopes are dashed, however, when the only two contacts available to her are neutralized by the SS. Fearing that her cover is blown, Lily must find a way to escape west past the battle lines into liberated France where, with the help of American Army troops, her undercover efforts are brought to fruition. After an all too brief recovery period, the ever-intrepid Lily, who refuses to be relegated to a desk job while the war continues, is requested to return to Germany to help rescue a downed British pilot and she jumps at the chance. Following this death-defying success, it would appear Lily’s days of intrigue are over, but again she manages to shrewdly insert herself into the action and, in the waning days of the European war, she arrives at the captured concentration camp of Buchenwald where she makes a discovery instrumental in identifying its horrific commanding officers who fled before the Allied arrival.

Seasoned author Ellen Butler’s first foray into historical fiction with the World War II spy novel, The Brass Compass, is a magnificent success filled with characters that remind the reader again and again why the moniker “greatest generation” is so aptly applied. The carefully constructed first-person narrative, perfectly in vogue with the vernacular and popular culture of the era, is flavored seamlessly with the many tongues that the multi-lingual Lily must use to navigate in a dangerous world where it seems no one can be trusted. On its own, as a novel of intrigue and espionage, The Brass Compass would stand as quite an achievement, but the story truly hits the high notes with the romance between its Ingrid Bergman look-alike protagonist and Milwaukee gentleman-turned-army major. Physical beauty aside, it is the internal thoughts, and moreover, the impetus to “do something more” for the war effort which simultaneously drive Lily and the reader forward in discovering the horrors of combat and the triumph of love.

Reviewed by Sarah Stuart for Readers' Favorite

Touching the Wire by Rebecca Bryn is a story of all the women of the Holocaust. Miriam, a Jewish nurse, steps down from a cattle wagon and into the heart of Chuck, a young doctor, but saving her from the gas chamber exposes her to the full horror of camp life. Their relationship blossoms and together they save lives, joining the camp resistance and risking execution daily. At liberation, they are separated, Chuck stealing damning evidence that he dare not reveal for fear of harming his post-war family. Part Two takes place after his death. His granddaughter, Charlotte, fighting her own demons, seeks to uncover the past her grandfather wouldn’t speak of, and solve the mystery of what happened to Miriam, his lost love.

Rebecca Bryn has a way with words I have found in no other writer: “she’d left footprints in his heart, trodden deep and clear.” Beautiful, but the true meaning behind them is hidden for a long time in Touching The Wire. A powerful and unforgettable story of life in Auschwitz, it is a testament to the courage of those that survived; touching the electric fence that surrounded the camp was the fastest way to commit suicide. I can only admire Ms Bryn for undertaking what must have been challenging research, and recommend this superbly written book to all. The horror of man's inhumanity to man and the love story between Walt and his “sepia girl” combine to make a nail-biting read that will leave you looking for more books by this talented author.

Reviewed by Kimberlee J Benart for Readers' Favorite

If you enjoy historical fiction inspired by the myths and legends of indigenous people, Along the Waterways, book two of the Dreamtime Mysteries trilogy by Jenni Barnett is for you. Although a sequel, it stands on its own. Set in Australia, it follows two timelines: modern-day Rex Graham, a twenty-year-old mixed-race university student, and the stories about his Aboriginal grandmother’s people. Barnett makes clear that these aren’t a retelling of traditional myths or legends but her own creation, though inspired by her respect for and appreciation of Aboriginal culture. The narrative is divided into seven “books” accompanied by illustrations. Story characters and their family and clan relationships are identified at the start of each book. A glossary of language and an index of character names is also provided at the end.

In Along the Waterways, Barnett gives us a fascinating collection of stories about an intriguing people. The cast of characters can seem daunting at first, but as you make your way through the tales, just as some of them make their ways along the rivers, the characters become real and relatable. It’s as if you’ve popped back in time to the Australian bush before the arrival of Europeans and are watching the panoply of human interactions at tribal, clan, and personal levels. Adventurous journeys, heroic characters, challenges, power struggles, first romances, births and deaths, sadness and joy fill the pages against a backdrop of cultural traditions, a spiritual integration with nature, and an orderly culture with defined roles. Secrets are revealed and Rex will encounter the meaning and purpose of his life. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Divine Zape for Readers' Favorite

Lena Kulkova is a Czech with known socialist connections, a Jewish woman uprooted from her country because of political tensions. When she meets Otto, a refugee from Hitler’s Germany, she follows him to Paris. They have come to Paris to give their support to the Republicans in the Spanish War, but something deadlier awaits humanity. Compelled by the war to remain in Paris, Lena has no news of her family, now living in a Nazi-occupied country. Otto and Lena won’t be together for long as Otto flees to England where he expects Lena to rejoin him later. But Lena can’t get a visa.

The reader follows their gritty story until the two finally reunite, but they are met with a lot of hostilities and discrimination from those not ready to welcome refugees. Follow her as she embraces a new romance and plunges into a political path that will transform her life and allow her to play a role in the overthrow of Churchill. When It's Over: A Novel by Barbara Ridley is inspired by real life events, a story that explores the dangerous climate of WWII, a woman’s quest for love, and the joys and perils of refugees.

Barbara Ridley is a great storyteller with a unique gift for character and setting. I enjoyed her characters very much and it was interesting to see how they fitted into the political setting of the novel. The themes of family, war, love, solitude, and hope are beautifully woven into the fabric of this spellbinding story. When It's Over: A Novel features strong historical references, and follows great public figures, without losing sight of the characters involved in the story. Well-written with awesome dialogues and arresting prose, this story will both entertain and inform readers about what it feels like to be a refugee.

Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite

Growing up in a colonial fortress in the mid-1700s had the usual restrictions and class distinctions. For Marie and Pierre, and Marie’s twin brother, Nic, and her best friend, Elise, the powers that controlled their lives were more than just the threat of English invasion. Nestled in a prime location on Île-Royale, now known as Cape Breton Island, the Fortress of Louisbourg was not only France’s pride and powerful stronghold in the new world, but also the lure that attracted England to conquer it, not once, but twice.

Marie and Nic were under the guardianship of their uncle, Claude, a brutal man who never wanted them in the first place and took his hatred and frustration out on the two whenever he had the chance. When Louisbourg first fell in 1745, Marie and Elise were sent to France with the other Louisbourg residents. Her brother, Nic, in the army, was imprisoned in New England. Pierre had escaped and was making a new life for himself in Quebec. With the peace treaty, the English left and the French returned, but not for long. Just long enough for personal strife to enter the foray and make the growing love between Marie and Pierre that much more of a challenge. After the final siege of Louisbourg in 1758, the two escape, though not without further difficulties.

Frieda Watt has written an epic historical romance set in the famed and doomed Fortress of Louisbourg during the final years of French dominance in the new world. The Displaced traces the lives of four young people as they struggle to make their lives together in a world fraying at the seams. The setting is well depicted and the reader instantly feels like they are walking the streets of Louisbourg with these four young people, Marie, Nic, Elise and Pierre. The difficulties the residents of Louisbourg faced, during the siege and before and after, is evident as the struggles to survive are paralleled with the attempts to nurture a relationship in a difficult time, under stressful circumstances. This is a heartrending, passionate story, though fictional, about a real place, a real time and a real struggle. A powerful story of love and survival.