I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A young woman with dreams of working in medicine is forced out of her home and into the wild after she becomes pregnant out of wedlock in early 20th century Saskatchewan in author Anne Lazurko’s “Dollybird”.
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The Synopsis
Housekeeper—or whore?
Twenty-year-old Moira, the daughter of a Newfoundland doctor, dreams of becoming a doctor herself; but when she becomes pregnant out of wedlock, she is banished to the bleak landscape of southern Saskatchewan in 1906. There, she must come to terms with her predicament, her pioneer environment, and her employment as a “dollybird,” a term applied to women who might be housekeepers, whores—or both.
A saga of birth, death, and the violent potential of both men and the elements, Dollybird explores the small mercies that mean more than they should under a vast prairie sky that waits, not so quietly, for people to fail.
The Review
This was a visceral, captivating, and engaging historical fiction read. The author did a wonderful job of using imagery and atmosphere to their advantage, taking readers deep into the past to experience the hardships and struggles of life in the west. The grit and harsh conditions of the atmosphere during those times added to the wealth of struggles the protagonist faced, and really brought the era to life in the reader’s mind so perfectly.
Yet it was the powerful themes of double standards found between the expectations of men and women during those times, and how misogyny has plagued our world for so long, that really drew me into the narrative. The violence and cruelty of men and the unfair expectations placed upon women to fit a particular mold in society and live a certain way to be considered “civilized” was felt through every chapter of this book, and it was through protagonist Moira that the reader really felt the strength and resilience of her journey. The way she fought for what she believed in and made her own way in the world despite her “banishment” and yet found the means to learn the skills to survive in the wilds of the frontier made this a compelling read.
The Verdict
Visceral, captivating, and entertaining, author Anne Lazurko’s “Dollybird” is a must-read historical fiction novel. The twists and turns in the narrative will keep readers hanging onto the author’s every word, and the memorable themes will resonate with readers today in a very profound and heartfelt way. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Anne Lazurko is an award-winning novelist, a no-awards farmer and a sometimes poet. As the youngest of six daughters born to Dutch immigrants, she grew up with a nuanced view of people and their stories.
‘What Is Written on the Tongue’ (April/22 ECW Press) was shortlisted for the Glengarry Book Award. Her first novel ‘Dollybird’ won the Willa Award for Historical Fiction and Anne received a 2018 Saskatchewan Foundation for the Arts Literary Award.
A graduate of the Humber Creative Writing program, Anne is published in literary magazines and anthologies. An active editor, mentor and teacher in the prairie writing community, she writes from her farm on Treaty 4 territory in Saskatchewan.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A young Asian American family must learn to survive and endure in the wake of the prejudices found in the United States after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1940s America in author Shirley Miller Kamada’s “No Quiet Water”.
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The Synopsis
After the U.S. declares war on Japan in 1941, all persons of Japanese descent in the Western U.S. come under suspicion. Curfews are imposed, bank accounts frozen, and FBI agents search homes randomly.
Despite the fact that two generations of the Miyota family are American citizens, Fumio and his parents and sister Kimiko must pack meager belongings and are transported under military escort to the California desert to be held at Camp Manzanar, leaving their good friends and neighbors the Whitlocks to care for their farm and their dog, Flyer.
The family suffer unimaginable insults, witness prejudice and violent protests, are forced to live in squalor, and are provided only poor-quality, unfamiliar food which makes them ill. Later, they are transferred to Idaho’s Camp Minidoka, where Fumio learns what it means to endure and where he discovers a strange new world of possibility and belonging.
Lyrical, visual, and rendered with strict attention to historical accuracy, No Quiet Water, shines a poignant light on current issues of racism and radical perspectives.
The Review
This was such a unique and special read. The author does an incredible job of crafting a narrative for readers that feels accessible on a large scale to a multitude of readers while also diving deeply into the heart of the narrative and the themes that they explore, which feel personal and painfully intimate to the characters involved. The themes took on a serious tone as the author delved into some serious subject matter, including themes of racism and mistrust in the wake of tragedies, and the way fear and doubt warp people’s perception of others, something that is happening even now in our own modern times, which made this story feel tragically more relatable than ever before.
The heart of this narrative was the rich character development and the multi-POVs that the story takes on. The heartbreaking and enduring story of Fumio and his family create that emotional relatability between the reader and the narrative that a historical fiction of this magnitude has while also creating a unique perspective through the eyes of the family dog who is forced to be left behind on the family farm in the care of neighbors gave this story the YA and middle-grade genre twist that will make the narrative accessible to a broader audience.
The Verdict
Captivating, emotionally driven, and memorable, author Shirley Miller Kamada’s “No Quiet Water” is a must-read historical fiction Japanese and United States historical fiction read. The heart and passion for which the author wrote, as well as the important themes that touched upon some of our society’s most vital issues that need to be addressed, showcased how we need to learn from our past and the power that resides within us all as we discover who we are in moments of great tragedy and crisis. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Shirley Miller Kamada grew up on a farm in northeastern Colorado. She has been an educator in Oregon, Idaho, and Washington, a bookstore-espresso café owner in Centralia, Washington, and director of a learning center in Olympia, Washington. When not writing, she enjoys casting a fly rod, particularly from the dock at her home on Moses Lake in Central Washington, which she shares with her husband and two spoiled pups.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A young woman works to keep her family together as she grows into a stronger role within her family and she begins to be courted by British nobility in author David Bowles’s “Children of the Revolution”, the third book in the Westward Sagas series.
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The Synopsis
Children of the Revolution is the story of the progeny of patriot Adam Mitchell, who fought during the American Revolution at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse on March 15, 1781. This pivotal battle culminated in his cornfields, which adjoined the one-acre site of the first Guilford County, North Carolina courthouse.
The hundred-year odyssey of the Westward Sagas is not about war, but about how it affected the Mitchell family. Children of the Revolution: Book 3 in the Westward Sagas Series takes up where Adam’s Daughters: Book 2 left off-in Tennessee shortly after statehood. The series continues with the next generation of the Mitchell Family. Peggy, the protagonist in Adam’s Daughters, takes on a stronger role as she matures into a confident woman courted by British nobility. Children of the Revolution uncovers the untold reason North Carolina never ratified the U.S. Constitution. Adventure, intrigue, romance and tragedy are woven into the story of the first generation of Americans.
The Review
This was an engaging and emotional addition to this captivating historical fiction series. The author did an incredible job of showcasing the realities of war and the psychological effects that these battles had on the survivors and the innocent people caught in the crossfire as a decisive battle that would eventually turn the tide of the war effort left deep scars on the land and those who worked it. The imagery really did an incredible job of breathing life into this rich setting as it not only showcased the hardships of life on the frontier, but early life in pre-American lands ravaged by war.
The heart of this narrative came in the author’s ability to bring a dash of emotion and heart to the character’s evolution along with the historical elements that made this story feel alive and vibrant on the page. The exploration of this family saga and the evolution of Peggy’s story in particular were fascinating to behold, and the strength of her character and her choices made the impact of those choices feel that much more prevalent.
The Verdict
Captivating, engaging, and thoughtful in its approach, author David Bowles’s “Children of the Revolution” is a fantastic continuation of the Westward Sagas and the story of the Mitchell family. The history and culture of the era kept the story flowing smoothly, and the rich character development will keep readers invested in this growing historical fiction series. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
David Bowles is the fifth generation of his family to be born in Austin, Texas. Both parents are from pioneer settlers. His great grandmother Elnora Van Cleve was the first child born in Austin on April 14, 1841. His stories are based on many years of historical and genealogical research. He and Becka his yellow lab travel extensively telling the stories of the Westward Sagas. A prolific writer Bowles has written hundreds of stories about history and the true-life characters he has met. The fifth book in the Westward Sagas will be released in the Spring of 2023.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A young woman who has always sought something more in life saves a man from a shipwreck, and discovers a new path that leads away from her comfortable home and into the world of immortals in author K.E. Bonner’s “Witching Moon”.
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The Synopsis
Every once in an eon, when the Earth eclipses the moon on a winter solstice, an immortal is born under a witching moon. Anne has always had the strangest feelings—memories she couldn’t place; strangers she inexplicably yearned for. After she rescues the enigmatic Phillip from a shipwreck, her comfortable life on the island of Cusabo is shattered, and the mystery of her destiny starts to fall into place. Anne leaves behind the life she’s always known and sets out with Phillip on an arduous journey to Amaranth, where her ancient family awaits her. But the path is dark and daunting, and Anne’s powers have only just begun to manifest.
The Review
This was an incredible blend of YA Historical Fiction meets YA Sword & Sorcery Fantasy! The world-building the author goes through in this book is incredible, as the author delves both into the tail-end of the American Civil War in South Carolina and quickly delves deeper into this fantasy world of magic and power beyond imagination. The imagery and adventurous tone the author strikes keep readers on the edge of their seats as the story becomes more and more engrossing.
The way the author was able to capture the era for which this narrative hails and balance it with fantastic character development was what really kept me invested in this story. The wonderment that protagonist Anne views this new world through after leaving behind the only place and life she’s ever known made this story so profound, and the coming-of-age tale of this young woman discovering her power was both inspiring and entertaining to read and see come to life on the page.
The Verdict
Captivating, engaging, and harrowing, author K.E. Bonner’s “Witching Moon” is a must-read fantasy meets historical fiction YA novel. The magical nature of the narrative blends well with the protagonist and her historical era upbringing, and the twists and turns in the character’s arc will keep readers glued to their books as the story winds down. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
K. E. Bonner, author of Witching Moon,was always the first kid to sit down during a spelling bee. It wasn’t until she was an adult that she was diagnosed with dyslexia, which explained why she always had to study three times harder than her peers. Being dyslexic taught her perseverance and kindness, her two favorite attributes. She lives in Georgia with her husband, two sons, and two dogs. When not writing, she loves to read, swim, explore new places, and meet fascinating people. If you have a dog, she would love to scratch behind its ears and tell it what a good pup it is.
Learn more about K.E. Bonner on her website or follow her on Instagram @kebonnerwrites.
December 19th @ The Muffin Join WOW as we celebrate the launch of K.E. Bonner’s blog tour of Witching Moon. Read an interview with the author and enter to win a copy of the book! https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com
December 20th @ Mindy McGinnis’s blog Stop by Mindy’s blog to read “Release the Idea of Getting Rich or Published and Focus on Your Craft.” by K.E. Bonner https://www.mindymcginnis.com/blog
December 30th @ Author Anthony Avina’s blog Revisit author Anthony Avina’s blog to read “The Best Writing Advice I Received” by K.E. Bonner. http://www.authoranthonyavinablog.com
January 10th @ World of My Imagination Stop by Nicole’s blog where K.E. Bonner is a guest for “Three Things on a Saturday Night.” https://worldofmyimagination.com
January 16th @ the Freeing the Butterfly blog Visit Freeing the Butterfly to read “Life is Short, Do What You Love” by K.E. Bonner. https://www.freeingthebutterfly.com/blog
January 18th @ Jill Sheets’s blog
Stop by Jill’s blog to read her interview with K.E. Bonner.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Two boys grieving the loss of their parents nine years earlier venture into their own futures amidst the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis in author David b. Seaburn’s “Give Me Shelter”.
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The Synopsis
The dual challenges of the 1962 Cuban missile crisis that threatens the world and the unexplained loss of parents that threatens a family are the driving forces behind the lives of two boys and their grandfather.
Willie, Denny and their grandfather, Pop, have lived together for nine years, ever since the boys’ parents died in an accident that remains a mystery to the boys. Denny reluctantly leaves for college, while Willie enters sixth grade, fearful of the menacing missile crisis and curious about his parents’ fate.
Willie’s best friends are Lucy and Preston. Lucy wonders about the ‘man in the suit’ who seems to be everywhere she goes. Her mom, Trish, grapples with unemployment. Preston is burdened by the trauma his father is experiencing due to his military service. Denny meets his first-ever girlfriend at college, Lucy, who has one leg that’s shorter than the other. Good neighbor, Robert, is building a bomb shelter in the back yard. Muriel, his mother is a shoot-from-the-hip older adult with dementia.
Over time, the connections between them create the shelter they need for their common journey. Seaburn again tells a story of human vulnerability, endurance, secrets, truth, loss, humor, resilience and love.
The Review
The author has done an incredible job once again finding just the right balance between the genre of the novel and the emotional weight of the character’s journey. The historical fiction aspect of this novel showcasing the tense atmosphere of the missile crisis was brought to life perfectly on the page, showcasing the heart-pounding fear and paranoia that so many were forced to live in on a daily basis for so long. The intimate look into these characters’ lives and how their past and present circumstances are impacted by this crisis was amazing to get lost in.
The emotional character development and vivid imagery the author used to bring these settings to life made the story soar. The realism that the author utilizes in their writing style and narrative not only adds relatability to the story but kept readers invested in these character’s lives as they dealt with everything from loss and grief to caring for a parent in their elderly years and living in a state of fear and trying to find the hope to combat that fear.
The Verdict
Heartfelt, captivating, and engaging, author David B. Seaburn’s “Give Me Shelter” is a must-read historical fiction meets drama novel. The imagery almost reminded me of the nostalgia and style of Blast From the Past with a more mysterious and intriguing tone to the narrative, and the realism of the characters and their individual plights will help readers feel more invested as the story winds down. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
David B. Seaburn’s first novel, Darkness is as Light, was published in 2005. He followed with Pumpkin Hill (2007), Charlie No Face (2011), a Finalist for the National Indie Excellence Award in General Fiction, Chimney Bluffs (2012), More More Time (2015), and Parrot Talk (2017), which placed second in the 2017 TAZ Awards for Fiction and was short-listed for the 2018 Somerset Award. Gavin Goode (2019) was an American Book Fest Finalist for Best Book in General Fiction and Semi-finalist in Literary, Contemporary and Satire Fiction for the Somerset Award. His latest novel is Broken Pieces of God (2021).Seaburn and his wife live in western New York. They have two married daughters and four fabulous grandchildren.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
The struggles and hardships faced by a young Jewish-Romanian woman and her family in 1930s Romania are explored in full in author Roni Rosenthal’s “Where the Lilacs Bloom Once Again”.
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The Synopsis
Friddie, 18, is an ordinary yet rebellious young Jewish woman, living in Bucharest in the 1930s. Born and raised in Romania’s capital, she dreams of living as a “free Romanian woman.”
After calling off her wedding to a young, parentally-approved accountant, she escapes to a city on the coast, where she meets a scientist-perfumer named Freddy. He is the true love she has been looking for—and a ticket to her dream.
Soon, though, that dream turns into a nightmare she never could have predicted.
Friddie’s story of incredible hardship is interwoven with the stories of her family. We follow her Aunt Rosa’s life as the glue of her household, even though she loses her husband in mysterious circumstances; her Uncle David, who dreams of becoming a schoolteacher and starting a family in Iași, and her cousins, who uproot their lives in Bucharest to start again in Israel.
In this tragic-heroic novel, the true stories, the victims, and the small moments of happiness are revealed in the Danube’s labor camps, under the fascist-dictatorial and communist rule that has been a part of Romania for so many years.
Based on the true experiences of a Jewish Romanian family, Where the Lilacs Bloom Once Againunearths stories that could so easily be lost to the passage of time. This family’s tale has emerged at a critical time, to show the need for compassion and kindness, even in the hardest moments.
The Review
Much like the author felt compelled to write this story, I felt compelled to read this incredibly moving and emotional story as the rise of anti-semitism continues to plague the United States, and my desire to bring awareness to this cause made this one story I couldn’t turn down. The heart and passion for which the author crafts this narrative made this a truly incredible read. The depth of detail the author captures in this narrative also does an incredible job of bringing to life captivating imagery that creates an almost period-piece film style of writing.
The most engaging aspects of this story are the author’s inclusion of both history and culture along with her own family history into the narrative, as well as the dynamic character development this story takes on. The way the author was able to incorporate and tell her own family’s history and illuminate the rarely discussed Romanian labor camps and how Jewish-Romanian citizens were forced to experience its cruel nature, highlighted the hardships and struggles they were forced to endure, while the characters, while based on true events and people, added a depth of human connection and emotion that kept the reader invested in the events this historical fiction is depicting.
The Verdict
Captivating, emotional, and brilliantly written, author Roni Rosenthal’s “Where the Lilacs Bloom Once Again” is a must-read historical fiction drama. The strength of the family portrayed in this book and the inspiration they have on others to overcome tragedy and hardship kept me as a reader invested, and spoke to the need to end hatred and violence against the Jewish people around the world. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Roni Rosenthal is the CEO and Founder of “The Pencil Pro.” She is the innovator of the Brain-Empowered with Creativity model, an adjunct-Professor and an Education Director.
Roni is known for challenging and motivating people in becoming creative thinkers.
She is a frequent speaker at workshops, universities, and schools.
Roni believes that creative thinking is a virtue and a must have skill in the 21st century. Her goal is to promote original thinking worldwide, and she has developed the tools to do so.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Three childhood friends who grew up together in 1950s Israel meet 30 years later, and find themselves worlds apart from the boys they once were as war and terrorism fight a bloody battle in author Avner Tavori’s “Dead End Summer: A Political Novel”.
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The Synopsis
Is equality essential for justice to prevail?
What happens if whole countries become lawless?
These are questions central to the plot that caused three men to move far away from each other, only to meet again one day, and face those existential questions head on.
Gavri, Chaim and Uzi were born as Israel became an independent country. They grew up in the Israel of the 1950’s, attended the same school, were involved with the same youth movement, and became close friends. However, thirty years later, in the summer of 1982, they find themselves as far away from each other as it is possible to be.
Gavri, who has become an influential photojournalist, is embedded with the Israeli troops that invaded Lebanon in the summer of 1982. He is covering the war there, and experiencing a country that has become lawless following years of conflict and civil war. Self-described as politically ‘leftist’, Gavri is horrified by the implications of a lawless society becoming a legitimate choice.
Chaim, moderately religious, has become radicalized over the years, and is now one of the leaders of the Settler movement in the Occupied West Bank. He finds himself entangled in a murder plot when a group of young Settlers plant a bomb that kills the mayor of a small Palestinian town.
Uzi has grown up to become a right-wing Jewish Nationalist and a prominent professional in ShinBet – Israel’s most powerful national security apparatus. A believer in the supremacy of ‘Law and Order’ in society, as well as in his personal and professional life, he is resentful of any attempt to manipulate his basic core values and is horrified by an attempt to place Settlers above the law.
During the summer of 1982, with war raging in Lebanon, and the cycle of Palestinian terrorist attacks reaching one of its peaks, settlers in the West Bank take matters into their own hands.
It is at this point in history that the three childhood friends meet again and are forced to make choices in the most dramatic of circumstances.
The first thing that struck me about this incredible novel was the authenticity that the author brought to the story. As a former war correspondent, the author was able to bring vivid imagery and a gritty atmosphere to the war-torn setting that this narrative takes place in. The historical fiction aspect of this story really draws in the reader as it captures a period of history rarely examined in a public forum, and highlights the intimate struggles of all sides of the conflict in an honest way.
The character development and simply profound themes really elevated this novel to new heights in this genre. The close examination of these three friends and the very different paths they went down was extraordinary. The multiple philosophies and worldviews the author explores through Gavri and his friendships turned strained relationships with both Chaim and Uzi allowed the powerful themes to come to life so naturally, highlighting the ways in which opposing worldviews can often lead to violence and turmoil, and sometimes the hardest path is finding the common ground in any situation.
The Verdict
Thought-provoking, heartfelt, and captivating, author Avner Tavori’s “Dead End Summer: A Political Novel” is a must-read historical fiction novel. The twists and turns in the narrative and the importance of culture and philosophy on the characters and their viewpoints and interactions made this one story that I couldn’t put down. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
AVNER TAVORI has actually lived in the world he describes in his novel. In 1982 he was a war correspondent in Lebanon and spent more than three months with the advancing Israeli troops, and with units of the Christian Militia in Beirut.
He was born in 1947, in what was then British Palestine, and grew up in the Israel of the 1950’s in the socialist environment, typical of the time, in his hometown of Haifa. After completing his mandatory military service in the Parachute Brigade of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), he served a short stint as a Desk-Officer in the Jerusalem headquarters of ShinBet – Israel’s National Security Service – and coordinated field operations in the occupied West Bank.
As a journalist (1970-1986) he was the political correspondent for Israel’s Public Radio (Kol Israel) and covered the inner workings of Israel’s political scene. He also worked for the daily newspaper, DAVAR, and published opinion pieces on a variety of issues.
In the 1990’s he worked for the Israeli Labor Party, and then Rabin’s Government, culminating in being appointed to the position of Press Secretary for the Israeli Ambassador to the UN in New York.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A young woman who survived a deadly battle must navigate life in the years following the formation of a new nation and raise her siblings as her own children as they deal with an untamed land in author David Bowles’s “Adam’s Daughters”, the second book in the Westward Sagas series.
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The Synopsis
The Westward Sagas tell the story of the Mitchell family’s 100-year odyssey west from Pennsylvania to Texas. In Adam’s Daughters: Book 2, Peggy Mitchell, a survivor of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, grows up in Jonesborough, Tennessee during the tumultuous first twenty years of the nation’s existence. Though haunted by memories of war, she matures into strong, independent young woman who is courted by Andrew Jackson and who has a freed slave as her best friend. Her younger brothers and sisters become her surrogate children and students. Together the children of Adam and Elizabeth take on renegade Indians, highwaymen, and the hardships of an untamed land.
The Review
This was yet another engaging and thoughtful historical fiction read in this expansive historical fiction series. The striking balance between the history of the story’s setting and the events happening around the cast of characters with the emotional core of this family’s struggles and journey overall made this a captivating read. The heavy tone the narrative strikes reflects the heaviness of the era, with every day a fight for survival and many people having to fight ignorance and mistrust of one another to avoid violence and conflict.
The standouts of this novel to me were the strength the author portrayed in protagonist Peggy with the rich amount of history and culture the narrative featured. As a longtime fan of history, I found it unique that the author would hone in on such a specific era of the nation’s first founding years, in the aftermath of the war and families pushing to find their place in this new country. The way in which Peggy stepped up into the role of both sister and mother to her siblings and found herself pushing against many of their young society’s ideas of what is acceptable or not, from her friendship with a freed slave who had become more like family to the misclassification of Native Americans as all being “savages”, showcased her strength and will of character, and a worthy heir to continue the Mitchell family in her grandmother’s and parents absence.
The Verdict
Thought-provoking, entertaining, and rich with history, author David Bowles’s “Adam’s Daughters” is a must-read historical fiction read from the post-American Revolution days and a great second entry into this historical fiction series. The detail of the landscape of this fledgling nation and the hardships of traveling and living off the land highlighted the strong nature of these characters and kept the reader invested until the book’s final pages. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
David Bowles, a native of Austin, Texas, lives in San Antonio with his best friend and constant companion Lulubelle, a yellow Lab. He grew up listening to stories of his ancestors told by family members in the generation before him. The stories fascinated David so much that he grew up to become a tale-spinner, spinning tales through the written word in The Westward Sagas and through the spoken word speaking to groups of both adults and children. David started writing stories of his family to ensure that his children and grandchildren had accurate records of the family history. However, while the original versions, written in narrative textbook style, did maintain the records, they didn t maintain the interest of the readers. So he used his imagination and creativity to fill in the gaps of what might have happened when the details weren t available. He created dialogue and scenes to add true life drama to the story of the Mitchell Family from colonial days to the settlement of the West. He hopes these stories fascinate his readers as much as the stories of his ancestors have always fascinated him.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
The lives and struggles of three different women through different eras of history are revealed in author Kurt Hansen’s historical fiction novel, “Daughters of Teutobod”.
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The Synopsis
Daughters of Teutobod is a story of love triumphing over hate, of persistence in the face of domination, and of the strength of women in the face of adversity.
Gudrun is the stolen wife of Teutobod, the leader of the Teutons in Gaul in 102 BCE. Her story culminates in a historic battle with the Roman army.
Susanna is a German American farm wife in Pennsylvania whose husband, Karl, has strong affinity for the Nazi party in Germany. Susanna’s story revolves around raising her three daughters and one son as World War II unfolds.
Finally, Gretel is the infant child of Susanna, now seventy-nine years old and a professor of women’s studies, a US senator and Nobel laureate for her World Women’s Initiative. She is heading to France to represent the United States at the seventy-fifth anniversary of the liberation of southern France, at the commemoration site where her older brother, who was killed in action nearby, is buried. The site is very near the location where the Romans defeated the Teutons.
The Review
As a history buff and advocate for feminism and equality in life, I loved this narrative. The balance of emotional storytelling and captivating and engaging character development was so great to see unfold in this story, and the vivid imagery the author deployed in this novel expertly brought the reader into these various periods of time.
Yet to me, what stood out the most was how immersive and adrenaline-fueled the narrative itself was as well as the settings of these different eras of time. The author did an incredible job of bringing these chaotic, violent, and brutal periods of history to life in a natural way, and yet honed in on the personal and quiet yet profound strength of the women that each era focused on. From the fight against enslavement against the Roman warriors to the staunch battle brewing within a German-American family at the height of WWII and how these two eras come weaving together in the more modern-day made this story shine so brightly.
The Verdict
Thoughtful, entertaining, and mesmerizing, author Kurt Hansen’s “Daughters of Teutobod” is a must-read historical fiction novel of 2022. The twists and turns these characters and their arcs take meld perfectly with the striking imagery the author’s writing utilizes and the strength and impactful journey of these women made this one story I didn’t want to put down. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Kurt Hansen is from Racine, Wisconsin, and has lived in Kansas, Texas, and Iowa. He has experience in mental health and family systems as well as in parish ministry and administration. He holds degrees in psychology, social work and divinity. Kurt now lives in Dubuque, Iowa with his wife of 44 years, Dr. Susan Hansen, a professor emerita of international business. Kurt is the author of Gathered (2019). Daughters of Teutobod is his second novel.
Enjoy this Excerpt from Kurt Hansen’s “Daughters of Teutobod”
Chapter One
The smoke of the grist fires rose incessantly, grey black against the cloudy blue sky as the day meandered toward its middle hours. It was the season of harvest, and those konas who were able were out among the plantings, gleaning grain or digging turnips, carrots, or beets out of the black, loamy soil. Some ground grain into flour and some baked bread, while others tended the fires and the fleshpots. Still others were about the business of tanning hides, mostly of deer, raccoons, rabbits, or fox, occasionally from a bear. The smells of death intermingled with the breathing life and beating heart of the sveit.
Gudrun liked this time of day best. She grabbed another handful of golden wheatstalks, slicing off the grain heads with a strong whisking motion and dropping the grain into her tightly woven flaxen gathering bag. She paused for a moment, wiping the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand. The sun was bright today, making the air steamy. Gudrun looked out across the hills, down the valley, past the wooded glades where she could see dozens of other kǫngulls like her own, and she knew there were even more beyond the reach of her eyes. Most of the kǫngulls contained about 100 persons, but some had more. As she fixed her gaze closer, to the kǫngull where she lived, she could see the jungen, chasing one another, some wielding sticks or branches, others seeking to escape the assaults of their aggressors. The jungmädchen were variously helping their mothers with cooking or cleaning vegetables or sewing hides; the kinder simply hid in corners or clung to their mothers’ legs.
Several hours passed, and now the sun was receding, thankfully, because its blazing, yellow glare kept breaking through the billowing clouds all day, intensifying the laborers’ fatigue. Gudrun emptied her grain bag into the large, woven basket at the edge of the planting. The basket was filled to the brim, and as she plunged both hands into the basket, letting the harvested grain sift between her fingers, a smile of satisfaction softened her face. Filling up her basket all the way to the top was for her, a measure of the goodness of the day. She hoisted the heavy basket, glad for the leather strap she had fashioned to carry it. Before she designed the strap, two women were needed to carry the woven baskets—one on either side—especially when full. But Gudrun decided to cut a long strip from the edge of a tanned deer hide and, with a sharp bone needle she affixed the strap to her basket, allowing her to shoulder the entire weight by herself.
When she first showed her invention, one of the men—Torolf—chastised her for taking the piece of deer hide. He pushed her to the ground and threatened worse, but Teutobod intervened, bashing Torolf on the head with his club and sending him reeling. Teutobod, Gudrun’s mann, was the undisputed leader of their sveit, and he had been their leader long before he took her for his wife, ever since the sveit’s earliest days in Jutland. He ordered that all the grain baskets be fashioned with straps for carrying, and Gudrun won the admiration of all the konas (and even some men). Torolf avoided her from then on.
As evening approached, it was time to prepare for the return of the männer. Most hunting excursions were a one-day affair, bringing in meat for perhaps a few days at best. But as the harvest season proceeded, the männer would leave for days at a time, seeking to increase supplies for the long winter to come. This foray had lasted nearly a week, but Gudrun was told by Teutobod to expect their return before seven suns had passed, and she shared this information with the some of the other konas. By now all the kongulls were preparing for the männer coming home.
As the sun began to set, the konas started pulling out skins from their bærs, unfolding them and laying them on the ground about the fire pits. The flesh pots were stirred and stoked, and a hearty stew was prepared with deer meats, mushrooms, yellow beans, potatoes, turnips and carrots, seasoned with salt and fennel and black peppercorns. Flasks of beer that had been cooling in the stream all day were brought to each firepit and hung on a stake which had been plunged in the ground for that purpose. Various dinner ware made from carved bone or fashioned out of wood or clay were laid out. All was in readiness.
An aura of anticipation and anxiety tumbled around the kǫngull, shortening tempers as the waiting lengthened. Finally, about an hour after the sun had fully set, the sound of the ram’s horn distantly blasted out its announcement: Die männer komme! The jungen were hustled away to the kinderbærs. One never knew the mood that might accompany the hunters when they returned, and things could and often did get ugly. The konas sat or knelt respectfully beside the firepits, twitching, nervously swatting insects away from the food, inhaling excitement and breathing out fear.
Soon the rustling of leaves and the snap of twigs underfoot grew louder and closer until the shadows brought forth the whole troop of men, bustling in to the kǫngull, carrying or dragging the meat they had procured, pounding their chests, howling, pulling on their scraggly hair or beards, banging the ground with clubs or spears and smelling of the hunt and of the forest. Similar sounds of triumph and dominion could be heard resonating throughout all the kǫngulls below as the männer clamored in across the entire sveit.
Here in Gudrun’s kǫngull, the konas kept their gaze to the ground, their eyes fixed on the fire, and as the hunters’ swagger slowly abated, one by one the konas silently lifted their plates above their heads, each looking up to her mann as they all found their respective places. Once the providers were all reclining on skins beside the firepits, the konas stood and began to prepare plates of food for them. The men ate loudly, hungrily, slurping the stew from the lips of the bowls and using hunks of bread to grasp chunks of meat and vegetables.
The food having been consumed, skinflasks of beer soon followed, and before long the sated belches and grunts of the eaters gave way to boisterous banter, the proud providers reliving the thrill of killing a stag or the bravery of facing a bear. The konas scraped up the leftovers to take to the huts for themselves and the children, after which the cleanup tasks commenced. The women worked in groups of three or four, tending two large boiling pots to soak the dinnerware until all remnants of the food floated up to the top and were skimmed off. A little more soaking, then all the dinnerware was stacked and stored for the next use. Gudrun, along with two other konas, took the job of drying the cleaned dishes, swinging a dish in each hand to move the air. They playfully swung the wet plates or cups at one another, spritzing each other in the process and giggling like little meyas.
This being the end of a prolonged hunting venture, the children were tucked in early in the kinderhäusen, and the konas prepared to receive their husbands. For those unlucky enough to have brutish men, their wifely duties were not at all pleasant. Others were more fortunate. Gudrun was happy to be among the latter, hoping only that the beer ran out before Teutobod’s love lust. She retreated to the bær she shared with her husband, glad for the privacy his role as leader provided. This entire kǫngull was comprised of the sveit’s leadership and their skuldaliðs, and as such it claimed luxuries not generally known throughout the sveit by underlings. The leaders camped furthest upstream, and therefore got the cleanest water for drinking, cooking, and bathing. The leaders claimed individual space for themselves and their vifs, while others down below had to share living space with two or three other skuldaliðs.
Gudrun removed her garments and lay nude on the soft deerskins in her bær to prepare herself for her husband. Covering herself with another skin, she began to move her hands over her thighs and abdomen, softly, back and forth, her rough-skinned fingertips adapting to their more delicate uses. She moved a hand upward, swirling around her breasts and throat, teasing each nipple at the edges, holding back from contacting the most delicate flesh.
Her stroking and probing continued, a bit more urgently as she felt her breath rise and grow more heated. The muscles in her abdomen began to pulse, and as her hands found the sensitive spot between her legs, she felt the moisture beginning to flow inside her. When she was young Gudrun had learned from the older konas how to help her husband in this way, to ease his entrance and hasten his joy. Along the way, over the years, she also learned to enjoy herself more in the process. As the instinctive rocking motion in her pelvis began, she eased her manipulations, not wanting to be prematurely excited. Breathlessly, she looked toward the bær’s entrance, hoping Teutobod would hurry.
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