Great historical fiction novel!
352735
I love historical fiction, especially anything about World War II or Henry VIII. "Once We Were Brothers," by Ronald Balson takes place in modern day Chicago (2004) were 2 83 yr old men live. Both claim that they are Holocaust survivors, 1 very wealthy (Elliot) and the other (Ben) talks to his deceased wife. Within the first 2 chapters, Ben accuses Eliot of being a Nazi and the story goes from there. I literally couldn't put it down and when I did, I thought about it. I wanted to believe Ben, but Elliot put up a dramatic front. I would recommend this book very highly!
3995981
It wasn't until finishing this novel that I realized that it was a true historical fiction novel in the sense that some characters and some of the story is based in historical facts. I truly love pieces like this. The book is immediately captivating. With twists and turns, you'll cheer for the main character, cry with her, love her. I'm a sucker for a good ending but I can appreciate the author's desire to keep some of the few factual pieces true to history. Overall, enjoyable book.
1432178
The Secret Wife is a brilliant historical fiction romance that kept me up and reading way past my bedtime!

It is the fascinating story of what could have happened, had one of the Romanovs children managed to escape their captors and flee Russia. I love how the author used several real characters and events as the basis for her characters and plot line, then created an alternative reality that seemed truly authentic.

The politics, struggles between social classes and daily life in Russia during the 1900s are also well described and interesting. This novel must have been a joy to research and the authors diligence to details and astute observations about this turbulent time lends credibility to her story.

There is a mystery in the past and present that needs to be solved. Only in the final chapters are the connections between the two eras and story lines united. Every time I thought I knew what was going to happen next, the author proved me wrong.

I really enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it to historical fiction buffs.
2341919
Incredible story! Fantastic characters. Great twists and turns! I very highly recommend this exciting historical novel!
915023
I love historical novels and this one was a great one.  This book has great characters, history, romance, and a well told story.  What more could you want for when looking for a book to read for enjoyment.

I definitely will be reading more of Karen Barnett's books in the future.
2650179
Great historical fiction, really good character development. The author made it very easy to picture the time and place.  I would definitely recommend this book to Book Clubs
4729771
If you enjoy historical fiction, you'll love this book! I got so engrossed I found myself thinking inside the story during the day...when I'd been reading it in bed the night before.  The story is fast-paced and exciting, yet touching and real.
I highly recommend this book.
1043186
Excellent book. I love historical novels. I had not heard of this event before, and I had a hard time putting this one down. It was well written and captured my attention at all times.
3396173
I really enjoyed this book! I am a big fan of historical fiction and this book painting a very clear picture of what life was like for families on the LES during this timeframe.  The main character, Joey, is very likeable and I found myself rooting for him at every turn!  I hope to see more great books from this author in the future.
3723097
I love historical novels and this one is great! Characters are well developed. Chapters are short and keep the reader moving.
2212530
Can not wait for sequels,  Great historical novel!
954570
Liz Tolsma has written great historical fiction novels and her latest, "The Melody of the Soul," is her best yet in my opinion.  Anna is a concert violinist; however her career has been halted by Nazi occupation in Prague.  Anna is left caring for her grandmother after the rest of her family has been deported and Anna is determined to protect her grandmother and also play her violin even though it has been banned.  When a Nazi officer is living beneath them, the risk is greater.

Liz has done an incredible job with historical details and bringing the time period and setting to life.  Compared to the life I have lived, I cannot imagine having to life a life that so many had to years ago under Nazi rule.  However, Liz has given me a vivid snapshot of what life was like and the horror and fear that Anna and so many others would have been living with in their daily lives.  While Liz creates the harsh aspect of this, she also ties in hope and bright spots throughout the story, such that comes from the beauty of music and also unexpected friendships/relationships.

I highly recommend this novel to anyone whom enjoys historical fiction!
103410
Brilliant work of historical fiction and a pleasure to read the author 's style of writing.  Excellent character and story line!
2570456
I was really inmpressed by Nancy Bilyeau's first novel.  It had everything that I love in a good historical fiction book.  It was an exciting read from the very beginning with a mystery that had me guessing until the very end.  It is filled with lots of history and interesting facts from this famous time in history, the reign of Henry VIII.  There are some great characters in the book that really move the story along well, the most important being Joanna Stafford.  I loved reading about Joanna and all of her many adventures, she is smart, brave, and always struggles to do what she thinks is right.

One thing that I really enjoyed about the book was that it is a story about England during Henry VIII's time, but Henry is not a main character in the story at all.  It was nice to read about some other people that were important players at this time as well.  I particularly liked reading about Bishop Gardiner, he was so complex and devious I spent a lot of time trying to figure out his motives and real goal.  The two monks that are sent to help Joanna are also interesting characters that kept me wondering if they were truly good monks or had an agenda of their own.

This is story filled with action and suspense and kept me up late into the night so I could find out how it ended.  It is a complicated mystery with several layers of history and clues to go through to understand how everything comes to a satisying conclusion in the end.  I highly recommend it to any historical fiction fan, especially for those who enjoy reading about the Tudor's but is looking for something a little bit different.  I am definitely looking forward to the next novel by this new  author.
2051897
This book was a great read. I finished it in a few days. Great story with much history! I would highly recommend this novel.
3957283
Daphne du Maurier brings these historical characters to life. I finished the book a week ago and I'm still thinking about it! I highly recommend it to historical fiction lovers!
4178614
It loved it!  I have recommended this novel to everyone who loves reading about history based stories.  Well written and kept my interest throughout!