Happy Thursday, friends! This week I’m a day behind because I lost track of the days! There’s just something about Summer where you end up in survival mode because all the routines are off, haha. Our family is trying to get outside first thing in the morning, as currently our forecast has 90* and up for the next week. And unfortunately I don’t see that changing after either. Apparently the Almanac predicted this would be one of the hottest Summers on record, and I believe it!
Oppressive heat makes me want to do absolutely nothing, so I haven’t been reading as much (I feel like this is a theme here currently….). However, I did manage to finish two books this past week! One I had been reading for a while, and the other was for bookclub. I’m not diving in to a quick thriller in the hopes of finishing one more book before the month’s end. Is it hot where you are? How is that affecting your reading life?
REVIEW: The Secret Book of Flora Lea
Years after the war that tore her family apart, Hazel Linden stumbles across a manuscript with connections to her tumultuous past. For years it’s been thought that her sister, Flora, drowned. Yet this book suggests that may have not been the case which causes Hazel to pursue any lead she can in order to find her sister.
Patti Callahan Henry knows how to write and weave a tale you get invested in. She incorporated characters that felt real, and a story that was intriguing. I loved the world she created, and it reminded me somewhat of Narnia. I read this book fairly slowly, and I think it would have made more of an impact finishing it in quicker succession. It was an enjoyable read, but not one I think will stick with me for a long time. One aspect that worked extremely well for this story was the dual timeline. Following Hazel’s current quest along with the memories of her childhood made a spellbinding story.
I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy WWII fiction, fairytale lands, and tales of sisterhood.
Content Warnings: child loss, war stories, death