The Girls at the Kingfisher Club by Genevieve Valentine

A fantastic reimagining of the fairy tale "The Twelve Dancing Princesses,"  The Girls at the Kingfisher Club takes readers into the speakeasies of New York in the Roaring '20s. 

Although the third-person narration is primarily centered on Jo, the eldest of the Hamilton sisters, the reader is occasionally allowed insight to the other eleven sisters.  Valentine does a wonderful job of distinguishing each of the girls, making each one her own force within the larger group.  The background characters are also distinct and memorable, weaving in and out of the Hamilton sisters but never overshadowing them.

The writing style is also great.  The jargon is authentic- at least according to my grandmother, who remembers the '20s as some of the best years.  The dances  and popular music of the time are also presented accurately, making at least this reader want to try it all.

While the ending can't be described as the perfect romantic closing, it is nonetheless hopeful.  Real life doesn't always work out with full closure and happy endings for all, but this story will leave readers feeling satisfied with leaving the Hamilton sisters, knowing that even if everything isn't how they imagined, they're at least together and happy. 

The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton

This is the story of Ava Lavender, a girl born with wings.  But to truly understand Ava and her sorrows, we must understand those of her mother and grandmother.  Three stories in one book, giving the reader insight to Ava's past, which in turn brings insight to her future.

Although this tale feel convoluted at times, the weaving together of three stories works well for this book.  As I was absorbed further into the stories of Emilienne and Vivane, I would be surprised at the first person narration tangents that would pop up.  Momentarily caught up in the sorrows of her relatives, I had forgotten that this was the story of Ava, the girl with wings and a heavy history.

The imagery is incredible.  Never mind that I know perfectly well that one cannot foretell the future by which way the wind is blowing, or that it's unlikely that a person can be born with wings- I was sucked in from the very first page and rarely wanted to put this book down. 

Ava Lavender's sorrows are indeed strange and beautiful, giving the reader a fantastic tale of misguided love, heart-wrenching loss, and a pure hope that Ava can overcome the complicated history of her family and find freedom in accepting herself. 

Sekret (Sekret #1) by Lindsay Smith

Yulia doesn't know how she came by her gift, she only knows she can use it to her advantage when selling goods on the black market in the USSR.  She's a fantastic protagonist, telling us of her troubles and how she tries to fix them. 

This is a colorful cast of characters, ranging from a wanna-be dictator with rage issues, to the hot Russian boy with the ability to see places remotely and a dream to play professional hockey, to the girl who can see all the possible futures and help or hinder everyone, to the man who has a power so strong he could control the entire world seemingly without effort.

Sekret poses an interesting idea based in historical fact- if the psychics consulted, recruited, and used as spies during the Cold War really had the abilities to read minds, remote locations, and tell the future.  Not to mention what side they would choose when the time came.  It also gives the reader an opportunity to see that in times of duress, there might not be anyone you can truly trust- even yourself. 

Sekret is captivating from beginning to end, leaving this reader wanting to know more. 

A Death-Struck Year by Makiia Lucier

Cleo Berry jumps straight from the pages and into the hearts and imaginations of the reader.  Adrift in a sea of uncertainty of what to do with her life, Cleo decides to do something to help those who are most at risk of contracting Spanish influenza- something as small as handing out fliers on how to care for the ill, along with masks to prevent more from becoming ill.  Cleo's compassion for those who need help is astounding.  Even though she's appalled by the illness, the unclean conditions of those who most need help, and the terrifying knowledge that no one is safe, Cleo returns to the temporary hospital day after day to help in any way she can.  She doesn't know what she wants to do with the rest of her life, but she knows that if she doesn't help, even more people will lose their lives to this awful disease.


The characters in this story came to life in my mind.  Cleo is a protagonist with whom many can relate.  Her details and first-person narration served as a wonderful aid to the imagination.  I could really picture Jack as my brother and Lucy as my sister-in-law.   I could imagine going out for lunch and a play with Kate.  I could imagine being in love with Edmund, who is so sure of himself and completely selfless, even though he'd been through so much already.  Although each character has a history that is sad in many ways, there is never a moment that feels contrived in this novel. 


This is a stunning story of pain, suffering, death, and the triumph of spirit that preserves us all throughout the worst moments of our lives. 

The Commodore's Daughter by Jami Brazil

This is a decent story of a girl who shucks the trappings of society and makes her own way in the world after being stranded in a foreign land.

 I had some big issues with this book, however.  The first-person narration doesn't always flow well, making it awkward to read in several places.  Although progressive for her time and friends with Susan B. Anthony, Jenny isn't very convincing as being from the 1850s.  She's far too modern in her manner of speech.  She even says, "like" in a current fashion in a few places.  As in, "I didn't want to do it, but, like, I had to."  While not a direct quote, it does give some idea what I mean.

Another issue I had was that, in the author biography, Ms. Brazil's love of research is cited.  I cannot say I've done the amount of research I know it takes to write a historical fiction novel, but it doesn't appear that much, if any, was done on manner of speech. 

 If one can get past these literary obstacles, the story is good.  But I had to fight my way around the issues to get to the heart of that story.