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Showing posts with label nursing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nursing. Show all posts
Monday, December 16, 2019
Bora-Bora World War II Novel Bland, Forgettable
1:30 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Anne Calloway longs for something more exciting than marrying her wealthy, but dull fiancé and settling down to a boring, predictable life. So, when Gerard ships off to fight in Europe, the 21-year-old decides to do her part for the war effort. She and her best friend, Kitty Morgan, join the Army Nurse Corps. Serving together in Bora-Bora, the two soon realize that nursing on a far-off island in the middle of a bloody war is nowhere near as glamorous as it sounded when they signed up. Picnics and outings with the soldiers are bright spots in the women's lives, but even those have a way of leading to trouble ...
Although Anne vows not to let the Army boys turn her head, she's immediately drawn to Westry Green. In spite of herself, she falls for the enigmatic soldier. As they work together to fix up a small, abandoned bungalow the Tahitians claim is cursed, they build a secret relationship that Anne knows will endure beyond the war. Then they witness a brutal crime. Before Anne knows it, she's become more than an innocent bystander and Westry's been shipped out suddenly. With no communication from the soldier she's come to adore, Anne has no idea what's happened to him. Where is Westry now? Why isn't he writing her? And what will become of the love that blossomed between them in their secret little bungalow?
I've heard good things about Sarah Jio's books, so I decided to give The Bungalow a try. What did I think? Meh. The plot's melodramatic, the prose is stilted, and the characters are nothing special. I'm especially confused by Anne and Wesley's big romance. Both are bland characters, with no real personality, so I spent the whole book wondering what they saw in each other. Although they are supposed to have this great, timeless love, there's no real spark between them. Their relationship feels like a silly little wartime fling. The mystery element did pique my interest. Otherwise, The Bungalow just didn't do much for me. It's an okay read, but nothing that will entice me to read more from Jio. Oh well.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of The Woman in the White Kimono by Ana Johns and Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for brief, mild language (no F-bombs), violence, mild sexual content, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Thursday, July 19, 2012
WWI Mystery Series Formulaic, But Entertaining
1:00 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
(Note: Although this review will not contain spoilers for An Unmarked Grave by Charles Todd, it may inadvertently reveal plot surprises from earlier books in the Bess Crawford series. These novels stand alone rather well, but I still recommend reading books in a series in order.)
After copping out on writing my own plot summary for the last book I reviewed, I planned to wow you with this one. Yeah. Isn't going to happen. You want excuses? How about a long family vacation, computer trouble, bored kids on summer break, excessive heat in the Phoenix area, yadda yadda yadda. So, once again, please excuse my laziness and just enjoy this professionally-written jacket copy for An Unmarked Grave:
In the Spring of 1918, the Spanish flu epidemic spreads, killing millions of soldiers and civilians across the globe. Overwhelmed by the constant flow of wounded soldiers coming from the French front, battlefield nurse Bess Crawford must now contend with hundreds of influenza patients as well.If you've read earlier books in the Bess Crawford series by Charles Todd, An Unmarked Grave will feel very familiar to you. It follows the formula established in the first three novels—the headstrong Bess encounters a dead body, then heads to England to investigate the murder, a process which involves poking her nose into secrets the families of the dead would rather keep buried. Her digging, of course, makes her a popular target for killers of all stripes. Yes, it's formulaic, but I'm still enjoying this series. The capable, no-nonsense Bess makes a noble heroine, even if she isn't the warmest gal on the block. Her escapades are intriguing without being lurid, which makes them clean, compelling reads. I am getting a little irritated with Bess' stale personal life, however and would really like to see the dashing Simon Brandon make a move, already! A little originality in plot would also be appreciated by this reader. Overall, though, I'm entertained by this smart, sanitized series.
However, war and disease are not the only killers to strike. Bess discovers, concealed among the dead waiting for burial, the body of an officer who has been murdered. Though she is devoted to all her patients, this soldier's death touches her deeply. Not only did the man serve in her father's former regiment, he was also a family friend.Before she can report the terrible news, Bess falls ill, the latest victim of the flu. By the time she recovers, the murdered officer has been buried, and the only other person who saw the body has hanged himself. Or did he?Working her father's connections in the military, Bess begins to piece together what little evidence she can find to unmask the elusive killer and see justice served. But she must be as vigilant as she is tenacious. With a determined killer on her heels, each move Bess makes could be her last.
(Readalikes: Other books in the Bess Crawford series, including A Duty to the Dead; An Impartial Witness; and A Bitter Truth; also reminds me of the Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear)
Grade: B-
If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG for mild language (no F-bombs) and violence
To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of An Unmarked Grave from the generous folks at Harper Collins and TLC Book Tours. Thank you!
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Bess Crawford Series Continues to Delight
1:00 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
(Note: Although this review will not contain spoilers for A Bitter Truth, it may inadvertently reveal plot surprises from earlier novels in the Bess Crawford series. These mysteries stand alone better than most, but, as always, I recommend reading books in a series in order.)
After nursing the wounded on the front lines in France, Bess Crawford travels home to London for a much-needed Christmas break. A long winter's nap is the only thing on her mind as she heads to her flat. Startled to find a battered woman shivering in her doorway, Bess does the Christian thing—she ushers her inside, out of the freezing December night.
Soon, Bess discovers that her houseguest is not the vagrant she first appeared to be. In fact, Lydia Ellis is an upperclass officer's wife, on the run from her angry husband. She admits that fleeing her home may have been a mistake and begs Bess to accompany her back to her estate in Sussex. Reluctantly, Bess agrees. Spending the night at Vixen Hill assures her that Lydia is safe enough, in spite of her husband's brooding, impatient manner. But just as Bess is preparing to take her leave, another of the Ellis' overnight visitors is found dead. Detained by the local police, Bess finds herself stuck at Vixen Hill, where she's dismayed to discover just how entangled she's become in the family's affairs.
Even when the police allow her to leave Sussex, Bess is haunted by what she's learned at Vixen Hill. She can't stop thinking about the Ellis Family's biggest secret, one that has her scouring France in search of answers. When the mystery follows her back to England, Bess once again finds herself running for her life while trying to solve a puzzle that could change one family forever.
If you've read the first two books in the Bess Crawford series by Charles Todd, this plot may sound familiar. Without a doubt, A Bitter Truth follows the formula laid out in its predecessors. But, wait! There's a twist—an intriguing subplot that turned this third book into my favorite of the series. While Bess continues to get on my nerves a little and I'm (im)patiently waiting for sparks to fly between our heroine and the loyal Simon Brandon, I'm still quite enjoying these mysteries. Clean, entertaining and well-researched, the series continues to delight.
(Readalikes: A Duty to the Dead; An Impartial Witness; and An Unmarked Grave by Charles Todd; also reminds me of the Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear)
Grade: B
If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG for mild language (no F-bombs) and violence
To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of A Bitter Truth from the generous folks at Harper Collins. Thank you!
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Second Bess Crawford Mystery Keeps Me Entertained, If Not Enthralled
1:00 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
(Note: While this review will not contain spoilers for An Impartial Witness, it may inadvertently reveal plot surprises from its predecessor, A Duty to the Dead. Novels in the Bess Crawford series stand alone better than most, but I still advise—as always—reading books in a series in order.)
As the summer of 1917 begins, nurse Bess Crawford comes home to England with a convoy of wounded soldiers. Among them is Lt. Meriwether Evanson, a pilot who's been severely burned. Despite his extensive injuries, he clings to life, holding fast to the photograph of his wife that is pinned to his shirt. The depth of Lt. Evanson's hope and love touches Bess, who knows the man will need every ounce of tenderness he can get in order to heal.
When Bess steps off her train and spies a distraught young woman bidding a tearful goodbye to a handsome officer, she's shocked. Not because it's an unfamiliar scene—in fact, it's an all too common one—but because the woman is Lt. Evanson's wife. Bess has seen the pilot's photograph too many times to be mistaken. But what is Marjorie Evanson doing here with another man when she should be at the clinic, comforting her suffering husband? Bess tries to shake the whole thing off, knowing such things happen often enough when men are at war and their wives are left alone and lonely, sometimes for years at a time. With only 36 hours in England, Bess plans to spend her time resting, not sticking her nose into other people's business.
Bess returns to the trenches in France only to see Marjorie's face again, this time in a newspaper story asking for information about a murder in London. It seems Bess may have been the last person to see Marjorie Evanson alive. When Scotland Yard arranges for her to come back to England to help with the case, Bess becomes entangled in the dead woman's world. As she questions Marjorie's friends and family members, creeping ever closer to the truth behind the woman's murder, Bess puts her own life in jeopardy. If she can't figure out who the killer is—and fast—she may not live long enough to see him/her brought to justice. And if there's one thing Bess can't abide, it's loose ends. She'll track down Marjorie's murderer if it's the last thing she does. And, with a cold-blooded killer on the loose, it just might be the last thing she does.
Although I thoroughly enjoyed A Duty to the Dead, the first Bess Crawford mystery, I wasn't as impressed with the second, An Impartial Witness. I'm not sure why, exactly, except that the cast wearied me a little. Not Bess. I still like her, even though she's a bit cold and she uses people (especially the long-suffering Simon Brandon) in a way that's efficient, but often callous. Her passion makes her admirable. Rather, it was Marjorie's cronies that bugged me. Still, the story kept me entertained, if not enthralled. An Impartial Witness is, so far, my least favorite installment in this series, but it was still intriguing enough to keep me wanting more Bess Crawford. I like her—did I mention that? And I'm pretty sure her adventures are just going to keep getting better and better.
(Readalikes: Other books in the Bess Crawford series, including A Duty to the Dead; A Bitter Truth; and An Unmarked Grave; also reminds me of the Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear)
Grade: B-
If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG for mild language (no F-bombs) and violence
To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of An Impartial Witness from the generous folks at Harper Collins. Thank you!
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
WWI Mystery Series Intrigues With Compelling Characters, Atmospheric Setting
1:00 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
After being at the Front for so long, nurse Bess Crawford should welcome an easy week's journey aboard the hospital ship Britannica. With no wounded soldiers on board, she's free to rest, enjoy the fresh sea air and catch up on her letter writing. All of which equal a very boring journey, indeed. As the ship steams toward Greece, Bess is lounging on deck, searching for something—anything—interesting to write home about, when an explosion knocks her off her feet. Britannic plunges into the sea and Bess, who has just narrowly escaped her death, is sent home to England to recover from her injuries.
Unable to sit still for long, especially not knowing when next she'll have leave, Bess decides to make efficient use of her time at home. She's waited long enough to fulfill Arthur Graham's dying wish; it's high time she kept her promise to deliver a message to his family. Bess can't make heads or tails of the cryptic lines—Tell Jonathan I lied. I did it for Mother's sake. But it has to be set right.—she's only hoping it means something to the Graham Family.
And it does. At least Bess thinks it does. The more time she spends with the Grahams, the less she understands them. It's obvious, though, that they're hiding something, a family secret so devastating that it haunted Arthur until his dying day. Bess knows she shouldn't stick her nose in someone else's tragedy, but she can't help herself. Before she knows it, she's so entangled in the doings of the Graham Family that she can't break away. Even though a murderer is on the loose. Even though she's next on his/her list. The no-nonsense Bess Crawford will not fail to do her duty to the dead, even if it kills her. And it just might.
A Duty to the Dead is the first book in the Bess Crawford mystery series by mother-son writing team, Charles Todd. I don't read a lot of historical mysteries, but this one intrigued me with its compelling characters, atmospheric setting, and absorbing plot. It didn't have the most original of premises, true, and yet, the story sucked me right in. Bess' forthright personality does get a little annoying—besides that, though, I enjoyed this one a great deal. It's clean, it's interesting and, most of all, it kept me entertained. You can't go wrong with a series that does that, now can you?
(Readalikes: Other books in the Bess Crawford series, including An Impartial Witness; A Bitter Truth; and An Unmarked Grave; Also reminds me of the Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear)
Grade: B
If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG for mild language (no F-bombs) and violence
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
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