Angel Reads

23 Apr

Top Ten Thought-Provoking Books

Posted by angelreads Features, Top Ten Tuesday 7 Comments

I haven’t done a Top Ten Tuesday, in quite some time. So today I thought I would mix it up a little and share my top ten thought-provoking books. This is next weeks topic, but I thought I would share mine today. Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and Bookish and is hosted by The Artsy Reader Girl.

I love reading books that blow my mind. The books that make me really think. About everything that I know and then everything I want to learn. Sometimes I stumble upon these books without even knowing. And other times I have an idea of what I’m going into to. So today I am sharing the books that made me think. The books that have changed the way I look at things. Like always these are in no order. You will also notice that nearly half of these books are set during or around the time of world war II.

The Love That I Have by James Moloney: The Love That I Have is a very confronting novel, it explores a different side of WWII that we don’t let see a lot. And while I really enjoy it, gosh was it brutal. This novel follows Margot Baumann as she reads the letters from people imprisoned in Sachsenhausen concentration camp during WWII her whole life changes. She starts to really understand the horrific circumstances that the prisoners are going through. It’s then how she learns about Dieter Kleinschmidt. Through the beauty of his letters, she wants to save him, help him.

All the Rage, Some Girls Are and Cracked up to Be by Courtney Summers: Okay, I know that I am slightly cheating here. But I just couldn’t choose one of Courtney Summers books. All three of these books are harrowing and heartwrenching. But what makes these books so thought-provoking is the fact that things that happen throughout the novel, can and very much do happen. Each of these books has hit me in a different way. They all look at different things that can happen to a teen, especially girls and it’s heartbreaking. I really want to do a re-read of all of those and recommend that if you haven’t picked any of these three up you do.

When Michael Met Mina by Randa Abdel-Fattah: I try and recommend this book to any teens that come into my store because I believe that it needs to be read by everyone. When Michael Met Mina should be on every high school book list in the country. The younger generations need to know that sometimes the government and media lie and manipulate the sense of asylum seekers. They need to know that most of these people are not illegal or jumping the queue, they are just simply people looking for freedom, safety and peace. It’s an important story to write and share.

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys: Beautiful, captivating and extraordinary. Salt to the Sea is a gorgeous novel that brings to light a catastrophe that seems to be forgotten. With stunning writing and intriguing characters, Ruta Sepetys brings a novel that tells a story that everyone needs to read. Salt to the Sea set in, 1945 in Germany, tells the journey of protagonists; Joana, Emilia and Florian whos lives cross paths on their way to the ill-fated Wilhelm Gustloff. They are forced to unite. They find strength, courage and trust in both themselves and one another. And They are tested even when they think they are safe. | Full Review

The Yearbook Committee by Sarah Ayoub: In The Yearbook Committee that teens are flawed too, and everything doesn’t work out to how you planned it to be. We witness insecurities, heartbreak and everything that comes along with your final year of school, and being a teen in general. And this is what makes this one so thought-provoking. It’s a very real and honest look at teens in their final year of school. | Full Review.

The French Photographer by Natasha Lester: This utterly breathtaking read will make you cry, laugh and warm your heart. With a dual narrative, Lester is able to navigate the war zones of 1942 and the more modern world of 2005. A tale of feminism during a time when the ‘male hero’ was prominent. Jessica May embodies a woman that is smart on her feet. She doesn’t let men tell her what to do and isn’t afraid to be in the thick of things.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas: I don’t think I need to talk about this one all too much. The Hate U Give is a brilliant and powerful story. It’s heartbreaking, poignant and so so true. It’s a book that everyone should read, and understand. The Hate U Give explores family, friendship and what is right. I wanted to cry, scream and hurt. So I beg you please pick up this book, read it, take it in and understand. | Full Review.

Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley: A poignant, beautiful story with fleshed out characters, gorgeous writing and a concept that is for every book lover. It’s about love, friendship, family and grief. You are taken on a journey through up’s and down’s and pulled into pieces. This isn’t your average thought-provoking read, this one looks at life more deeply and that is why I loved it.

The Pearl Thief by Fiona McIntosh: A powerful novel about a young women’s survival when her whole world is torn apart. It’s about sheer determination, heartbreak, and the power that a small group of people has. It’s about survival, death, and fighting for what is right. If you are looking for an insightful, thought-provoking and page-turning read, then this one is for you.

Paperweight by Meg Haston: A powerful, heartbreaking and beautiful, contemporary. With beautiful writing from Meg Haston and a story that could be real for anyone. Paperweight follows seventeen-year-old Stevie and her journey in a treatment centre and man this book is hard to read. This one isn’t forever, but it also makes you think a lot.

***

And that is it for this post. Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? What are some of the books that have really made you think? Let’s Chat!

21 Apr

Book Review: The French Photographer by Natasha Lester

Posted by angelreads Book Reviews 2 Comments

The French Photographer by Natasha Lester

Pages: 448
Publish date: March 26th 2019
Publisher: Hachette Australia
ISBN: 9780733640025
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – QBD

Manhattan, Paris, 1942: When Jessica May’s successful modelling career is abruptly cut short, she is assigned to the war in Europe as a photojournalist for Vogue. But when she arrives the army men make her life as difficult as possible. Three friendships change that: journalist Martha Gellhorn encourages Jess to bend the rules, paratrooper Dan Hallworth takes her to places to shoot pictures and write stories that matter, and a little girl, Victorine, who has grown up in a field hospital, show her love. But success comes at a price.

France, 2005: Australian curator D’Arcy Hallworth arrives at a beautiful chateau to manage a famous collection of photographs. What begins as just another job becomes far more disquieting as D’Arcy uncovers the true identity of the mysterious photographer — and realises that she is connected to D’Arcy’s own mother, Victorine.

The French Photographer:

Over the last two years, I’ve started to read more and more out of my comfort zone per se. And picking up The French Photographer by Natasha Lester was differently that in a way. While historical fiction, both protagonists were adults. In saying all this, I adored this one and I could not put it down.

I was immediately taken, as soon as I read the synopsis for this one. It’s rare that I see world war II books that also look at feminism, and I couldn’t wait to see how The French Photographer looked into that. Lee Miller inspired this book, being one of the first female photojournalist, Lee Miller. I found this totally fascinating.

The French Photographer follows two female protagonists from two different timelines. Jessica May from 1942, while at the peak of her modelling career, she packs up her life and travels to Europe working as a photojournalist for Vogue. But when she arrives the men around her make it as difficult as possible. But Jess discovers friends along the way, and they help and encourage her to bend the rules and write what she thinks is important. Then there is D’Arcy in 2005, who arrives in France to manage a collection of photographs. But it isn’t just the photographs that she discovers, but something so much more.

Chris Karidis

Jessica May was hard to get along with right from the start, but as the novel went on I really enjoyed her strength, resilience and the fact that she never gave up. It was really cool seeing a different role of a female during the war. For the most part, nurses were really the only role that I knew a lot about. I was totally intrigued by the role of women being a photojournalist during the war. The French Photographer really looks into this through Jess and I loved it. As the novel went on Jess became someone that I admired and really grew to cheer for. But while she was making these steps in the right direction, she is still a woman in the 1940s.

There were some moments throughout the novel that were really hard to read. I had to put the novel down, take a few breaths and then pick the book back up again. It wasn’t just the way that Jess was treated by the males, but some of the atrocities of war that Jess had to witness and even go through herself. While they were hard to read at times, I’m glad that Natasha Lester didn’t hide away from having this in the novel. It made The French Photographer feel even more real. I really liked seeing the different ways that males reacted to females on the front line. While some scenes and interactions were harder to stomach than others, it showed the progression of everyone.

D’Arcy was such an interesting character. I really enjoyed getting to know her through her scenes. I loved that she was a curator and from the start, the audience can see that she loves what she does. When D’Arcy arrives in France she doesn’t know what to expect. But as she finds out more about the photographers that were taken, she finds out more about the history of her family. While I did guess things that did happen throughout the novel, I was still as shocked as D’Arcy when she found out.

Mario Calvo

The French Photographer does deal with the war, but there were many other themes that do stand out. Friendship and family is one of those. I adored and I mean adored Jess relationship with Victorine. Victorine melted my heart. The way that she treated everyone around her, just put a massive smile on my face. The way that Jess and Victorine connected, was beautiful. I loved seeing their relationship form and turn throughout the novel. I cried a lot because of the scenes between these two. Some were happy tears, but there were others that torn my hear.

Like I said before, there were some really hard scenes to read throughout The French Photographer. I tried to keep it together, but towards the end – oh wow. The ending torn me apart a little bit. Really the last 80 pages or so did. When I thought that everything was going to be good, it turned me on my head. I loved that I couldn’t tell what was going to happen, but gosh did it hurt me.

I really enjoyed the writing style of Natasha Lester. This was the first book that I read by her, but I really enjoyed it and I think I might pick up some more soon. I really liked that she seamlessly intertwined both Jess and D’Arcy’s story together. I didn’t feel that one took over the other. While I loved getting to know Jess more, D’Arcy’s story needed to be told, for Jess’s to be finished.

Nil Castellví

This utterly breathtaking read will make you cry, laugh and warm your heart. With a dual narrative, Lester is able to navigate the war zones of 1942 and the more modern world of 2005. A tale of feminism during a time when the ‘male hero’ was prominent. Jessica May embodies a woman that is smart on her feet. She doesn’t let men tell her what to do and isn’t afraid to be in the thick of things.

While also heartbreaking, The French Photographer is also very real. It shows the effects the war had on not only the lives of people but also their relationships and how trying to move on from the war. If you are looking for a historical fiction that embodies feminism, strength and seeing the war from the female perspective then this is for you.

Have you read The French Photographer by Natasha Lester? What did you think of it? Are you planning on reading? What are some of your favourite world war II novels that deal with a different side of the war? Let’s Chat!

14 Apr

Last 10 Books Added To My TBR

Posted by angelreads Discussions, TBR 2 Comments

Today I thought I would share the last 10 books I’ve added to my Goodreads TBR. I always like finding new books that I want to read. So I thought I would share some of the books that I’ve recently found that I cannot wait to read.

I use my Goodreads ‘to read’ shelf to add books that I’ve heard amazing things about, or can’t wait to read. In saying that I don’t own most of these books. I know a lot of people use it as a list of books they own and need to read, but that just wasn’t working for me. So whenever I hear or see a book that I want to read – I add it to my list. Like always this list is in no particular order.

How We Roll by Natasha Friend: I don’t know how this book slipped by me. How We Roll came out mid last year and follows Quinn who is living life until she’s diagnosed with a condition called alopecia and all her friends abandon her. Then there is Nick who was the football star until an accident caused him to lose both his legs. Now Quinn and Nick and maybe they can believe in themselves again. The paperback comes out in June so really excited.

Splinters of Scarlet by Emily Bain Murphy: This is another very recent find. This is a historical fantasy that is said to be a mix of Downton Abbey with magic. Set in Copenhagen, this one follows an orphaned seamstress who goes to work with a retired ballerina. There she uses her magic to investigate her father’s death while working with the same family.

The Arrival of Someday by Jen Malone: Born with a rare liver disorder, Amelia Linehan was living her life pretty well. She is getting ready for college, about to start a mural she’d been commissioned to paint and winning at roller derby. But a flare of her liver disorder throws her whole life array. With no guarantee of a viable organ transplant, everything Amelia’s been sure of has been turned on its head. And then Will turns up. A friend from the past that just seems to make all the bad things disappear for a while. But that won’t last forever.

Sick Kids In Love by Hannah Moskowitz: This one just called out to me so much. It follows Isabel, Jewish and chronically ill advice columnist who breaks her no-dating rule. She breaks this rule for a sick boy in the hospital. But when a family secret threatens their new romance, she must choose between breaking his heart or saying with him and learning to live with the consequences. Hannah is the author of books like Teeth and Break.

Fix Her Up (Hot and Hammered #1) by Tessa Bailey: A new romance series from Tessa Bailey. After an injury ends Travis Ford baseball career his life is a mess. He has returned to his home town and has started to work for his best friends house flipping business. But it isn’t just those reminding him of his best bits in town that is making life a little difficult. It’s also Georgie, his buddy’s little sister, who is definitely not a kid anymore. Travis just wants to get on with this life. But somehow Georgie makes him feel whole again.

Letters to Molly (Maysen Jar #2) by Devney Perry: I read the first book in this series last year and really enjoyed it, so this was a quick addition to my TBR. And I was fascinated by Molly and Finn Alcott, and now we get their story. Molly and Finn seemed to have the perfect marriage, but then it all falls apart. And when the news of their divorce starts to spread, Molly has to find comfort with her kids and try and find a new perfect. But then a letter shows up. A letter Finn wrote after their first date. Week after week more letters appear, and slowly Molly starts to heal. It would be perfect if Finn was the one sending them.

Held Against You by Season Vining: I don’t even know how this one ended up on my TBR, it just sounded interesting. While getting mixed reviews, I think I need to read this one myself. Kat is on the run. Accused of a horrible crime, Kat moves from town to town with only the clothes on her back. And then he catches her. This bounty hunter never fails to capture his prey. But then there is someone about Kat that stops him in his tracks. Now they are driving across the country together and they can’t deny the spark.

A Heart So Fierce and Broken (A Curse So Dark and Lonely #2) by Brigid Kemmerer: Yes, yes, yes. A Curse So Dark and Lonely has to be one of my favourite reads so far this year. So you can bet that this one was added right to my TBR. I don’t know how I am going to wait the year for this one, I really don’t. Especially with how the first book finished. Holy.

The Great Unknowable End by Kathryn Ormsbee: When everything falls apart, Stella has to pick up the pieces. Galliard has always lived his life with the Red Sun. They accept him for his tics and everything that comes with it. But then he is denied the resident artist role and for the first time starts to think of his life out of the compound. When Stella and Galliard met, what follows is something very strange. Red rain, storms out of nowhere and a countdown clock. But no one knows what will happen when the clock hits zero. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that includes a protagonist that has Tourette’s and that makes me so so excited.

Rafe: A Buff Male Nanny by Rebekah Weatherspoon: This just sounds like a fun read. And sometimes I need that, so adding it to my TBR was easy. When Dr Sloan Copeland live in nanny bails without any notices, Sloan needs to find someone to watch her twin girls fast. And Rafe Whitcomb comes in for the rescue. Not only does he win over Sloan’s daughter, but also Sloan herself. And it doesn’t take long for the Copelands to invite Rafe into their home.

And this is it! Those are the last 10 books I’ve added to my TBR. From fantasy to romance, this list really shows the range of books that I love to read. What are the books that you’ve last added to your TBR? Have you added any more now? Let’s Chat!