July 2021 – Courtney Grice

I finished reading Alice’s Journey West: Finding Her Way before the month of May ended. Knowing I only had a few days between time periods to continue Crystal Caudill’s Unlocking the Past Reading Challenge, I decided I would read her novella Banking on Love.

I have been a subscriber of her blog since January which is how I was able to receive her novella. She has offered it as a welcome gift in the past for new subscribers, so if you’re interested in it, please feel free to visit her blog and sign up for her mailing list.

Why I liked the book
This was a short story, so it was easy to read in a short amount of time. I easily finished it in a few twenty to thirty-minute reading segments.

Eunice’s desire to help her brother, out of trouble quickly led her into trouble of her own. Crystal does an excellent job of showing the strained relationship of the siblings while also showing the desire Irvin has to protect his sister. I was drawn into the story quickly as I was able to not only read it but also felt like I was watching it unfold.

Favorite Characters

Eunice was definitely a favorite. It was fun to see her no-nonsense personality quickly moved to compliance in order to help her brother.

Eunice’s future husband, Arnold, was also a favorite of mine. Even though he was on the other side of the situation, they understood each other enough to communicate without words, and he was able to see his mission to completion without causing her harm.

This was such a fun piece to read. If you’d like to read her novella, you may download a copy at https://bookhip.com/RGLTQF after signing up for her newsletter.

One of the most rewarding parts of this journey is contacting authors. So far, those I have reached out to have been very helpful in allowing me to use their book cover photos. Crystal has been a wonderful encouragment. I’m excited to be able to invite you to her title reveal party of her new book and series.

Join Crystal for her Debut Novel’s Title Reveal

“You’re invited to a TITLE REVEAL PARTY!!!!
Crystal Caudill invites you to come party with her on her website and discover the titles of her debut series and novel. Come and stay as long as you like to pick up your free goody bag, play two fun title games, and enter to win a book from Crystal’s book giveaway pile. Don’t want to stay, but just want to know the titles? Come and you’ll find the link to her official titles without the fuss of a game to figure it out. Party runs from July 13th to July 20th (11:59 pm EST).
www.CrystalCaudill.com/TitleRevealParty”

Shadows of the White City book cover courtesy of jocelyngreen.com

Continuing Crystal Caudill’s Unlocking the Past Reading Challenge, I chose another Jocelyn Green book. June’s book was to be set in the 1870s- 1890s. For this portion of the challenge, I chose Mrs. Green’s newest release, Shadows of the White City. When I saw the dates for June’s book choice, I immediately knew this was the one.

This is the second book in her Windy City Saga. If you have not read the first book, Veiled in Smoke, I recommend that you do. It’s not necessary to understand the storyline of Shadows of the White City, but it does help to understand some of the backstory of the characters.

I received Veiled in Smoke as a Christmas gift. I enjoyed it so much that I preordered Shadows of the White City and read it as soon as I got it in the mail. There are not many books that I read twice, but this one was an exception.

My copy of Shadows of the White City with a cup of peppermint tea.

What’s it about?
Shadows of the White City follows Sylvie Townsend through the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893. Sylvie took in and raised a young Polish immigrant named Rose Dabrowski who is seventeen at the time of the story. When Rose goes missing, Sylvie seeks the help of her tenant, friend and Rose’s violin instructor, Kristof Bartok, to help in the search.

Why I liked this book
The setting is so much fun. The fair gives as much of a thrill as the action taking place. Sylvie’s tours are so detailed that I feel as though I’m right there with her.

My Favorite Characters
It’s always hard for me to choose only one favorite character. For me, Sylvie and Kristof are my favorites.

Sylvie Townsend
Sylvie’s personality shines through as she guides her tour groups through the fair. Her friendships with her tenants is great to see. She also has a close bond with her family.

Kristof Bartok
Kristof is first violin in the Fair’s orchestra. Though I have never played violin, I did play the French horn from middle school through college, so I found many areas of Kristof’s orchestra scenes I could identify with. It’s always fun for me to find those types of aspects in a story.

My Recommendation
Anyone who enjoys history, suspense, or is curious about the Chicago World’s Fair would enjoy this book. There are so many fun scenes at the fair, especially in the Midway.

I highly recommend this book for your reading pleasure. For more information on Jocelyn Green’s books, please visit her website at www.jocelyngreen.com.

Month: July 2021

Banking on Love by Crystal Caudill

Shadows of the White City