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The Chocolate Lady (94 KP) rated The Only Woman in the Room in Books
Oct 5, 2020
If you've never heard of Hedy Lamarr, that's fine, she was just an actress, but she also invented something we use in technology every day. To find out more, you can read my #bookreview of this biographical, historical, women's fiction novel about her, "The Only Woman in the Room" by Marie Benedict, on my blog now https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2019/01/25/the-beauty-of-genius/
The Chocolate Lady (94 KP) rated Temptation Rag in Books
Oct 7, 2020
Ragtime. The only thing I know about it was that Scott Joplin was one of its composers. So learning about this era of American musical history, and the genre through a biographical, historical fiction novel was truly tempting! Find out what I thought of this book in my newest #bookreview on my blog now. https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2018/12/07/the-rise-and-fall-of-ragtime/
The Chocolate Lady (94 KP) rated The Last Train to London in Books
Oct 5, 2020
4.75/5 to be precise! Author Meg Waite Clayton’s newest novel is a biographical, historical, women’s fiction novel about Geertruida Wijsmuller, aka “Tante Truus” who was instrumental in getting thousands of children out of Nazi Germany via the Kindertansport. This powerful and important novel was just released and I hope you’ll read my #bookreview of it on my blog now. https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2019/09/13/saving-a-whole-world/
The Chocolate Lady (94 KP) rated Lady Clementine in Books
Oct 5, 2020
Some women prefer to stay behind the scenes to help the men they marry achieve greatness. Others put themselves at their husband's side, and sometimes even move to the center stage in their own right. You will find out which kind of woman Clementine Churchill was in the biographical, historical, women's fiction novel “Lady Clementine” by Marie Benedict, and my #bookreview of this recently released book on my blog here. https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2020/01/10/more-daring-than-darling/
The Chocolate Lady (94 KP) rated Mistress of the Ritz in Books
Oct 5, 2020
When it comes to the French Resistance of WWII, the names Blanche and Claude Auzello aren’t all that well-known. Thankfully, Melanie Benjamin has just written a biographical, historical fiction novel about them, and especially about Blanche, who during the Nazi occupation of Paris, was known as the “Mistress of the Ritz” and she was the wife of the hotel’s manager, Claude. You can find my review of this amazing book on my blog here (Thanks for the free book, @PRHGlobal/@prhinternational.) https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2019/05/24/puttin-on-the-resistance/
The Chocolate Lady (94 KP) rated The Kennedy Debutante in Books
Oct 7, 2020
(Thanks for the free book, @PRHGlobal / @prhinternational) The name Kennedy is known worldwide, and descendants of that famous family are in the public eye to this day. However, there’s one Kennedy who we know little about, mostly due to her early demise. She was named Kathleen, but everyone knew her as Kick. Kerri Maher’s debut book “The Kennedy Debutante” is a biographical historical fiction novel about this fascinating woman, and you can read my review of it on my blog now. https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2018/10/27/home-again-kathleen/
The Chocolate Lady (94 KP) rated The First Emma in Books
Oct 7, 2020
4.5/5 stars
If you've never heard of Emma Koehler, then you know nothing about the beer industry in San Antonio Texas. But even if that subject matter doesn't interest you, Emma should, because she had both a fascinating and tragic life. Camille Di Maio does a lovely job of taking little to no information about this real-life personality and turning it into a biographical, historical, women's fiction novel. Read more about it in my #bookreview here https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2020/05/08/lady-bastion-of-beer/
If you've never heard of Emma Koehler, then you know nothing about the beer industry in San Antonio Texas. But even if that subject matter doesn't interest you, Emma should, because she had both a fascinating and tragic life. Camille Di Maio does a lovely job of taking little to no information about this real-life personality and turning it into a biographical, historical, women's fiction novel. Read more about it in my #bookreview here https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2020/05/08/lady-bastion-of-beer/
The Chocolate Lady (94 KP) rated Gold Digger: The Remarkable Baby Doe Tabor in Books
Oct 6, 2020
The Colorado Gold Rush of the late 1880s both made and broke many people. Among them was Horace Tabor. But the jewel in Tabor's crown wasn't one of his mines, it was the woman he fell in love with, known as "Baby Doe". This biographical, historical, women’s fiction novel is about how Elizabeth McCourt from Oshkosh WI goes to Colorado as Harvey Doe's young bride, and how she ends up as "Baby Doe Tabor". You can read my #bookreview of "Gold Digger: The Remarkable Baby Doe Tabor" by Rebecca Rosenberg on my blog now! https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2019/10/31/marriages-of-the-mines/
Booksnthreads (19 KP) rated What Would She Do? 25 True Stories of Trailblazing Rebel Women in Books
Jun 4, 2018
My classroom library is somewhat lacking when it comes to non-fiction. I often have a difficult time finding non-fiction that is engaging for a middle school audience.
While I think that this will interest my students, as an adult reader, it's a bit lacking in depth.
I like the bite-sized chunks of information and the bold illustrations of each woman profiled in the book. The biographical information is just the right amount for this age group.
What I really objected to was the attempt to provide life advice from each woman. After each biography, the author imagines a modern real life question readers might have and then attempts to answer that question as the woman who was just profiled might. The whole thing feels incredibly contrived and, at times, not even loosely connected to the woman who was just profiled. I think I actually cringed with some of them because of how cliche and didactic they are.
While I think that this will interest my students, as an adult reader, it's a bit lacking in depth.
I like the bite-sized chunks of information and the bold illustrations of each woman profiled in the book. The biographical information is just the right amount for this age group.
What I really objected to was the attempt to provide life advice from each woman. After each biography, the author imagines a modern real life question readers might have and then attempts to answer that question as the woman who was just profiled might. The whole thing feels incredibly contrived and, at times, not even loosely connected to the woman who was just profiled. I think I actually cringed with some of them because of how cliche and didactic they are.
Micky Barnard (542 KP) rated Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood in Books
Oct 6, 2018
Funny and poignant
BORN A CRIME was engaging from start to finish. I have to recommend the audio of this book because you get Trevor Noah as the narrator and that truly was everything. The narration, the amusement and feelings that his own narration evoked, enhanced this book ten-fold.
So many issues and topics were covered in this book but most of all, I’ve been educated. I grew up with apartheid being reported daily on the news, I remember the celebration at it’s demise but being a close spectator to life in Soweto and other places, beginning to understand Trevor’s position as not black and not white was truly eye-opening. All this could be such a heavy topic, but actually Trevor brings his naughtiness as a child, the funny side of things and the very tragic too.
Both my kids listened to chapters of this with me in the car and thoroughly enjoyed it. My eldest commented on it being relevant both to her politics and sociology classes, my youngest just loved the ride, especially the tale of Fufi the dog. Some of the book wouldn’t have been suitable for my youngest, but I will be buying it for him when he’s older.
Even if you’re not a biographical or non-fiction reader, give this a go. I think you’ll find yourself unable to look away.
So many issues and topics were covered in this book but most of all, I’ve been educated. I grew up with apartheid being reported daily on the news, I remember the celebration at it’s demise but being a close spectator to life in Soweto and other places, beginning to understand Trevor’s position as not black and not white was truly eye-opening. All this could be such a heavy topic, but actually Trevor brings his naughtiness as a child, the funny side of things and the very tragic too.
Both my kids listened to chapters of this with me in the car and thoroughly enjoyed it. My eldest commented on it being relevant both to her politics and sociology classes, my youngest just loved the ride, especially the tale of Fufi the dog. Some of the book wouldn’t have been suitable for my youngest, but I will be buying it for him when he’s older.
Even if you’re not a biographical or non-fiction reader, give this a go. I think you’ll find yourself unable to look away.