Review and Giveaway of The Fever Tree by Jennifer McVeigh

Beautiful, powerful, mesmerizing....

From England to South Africa.  From wealth to poverty.  From being happy and content to being unhappy and resentful.

Frances had no choice but to move to South Africa after her father died.  She was left with nothing and definitely didn't want to live with her aunt to be a nursemaid or to be treated like help instead of family.  She had to accept Edwin's proposal. Things happened in between her marriage to Edwin, though, that made her second guess her decision to marry him and to move to South Africa.

THE FEVER TREE is written in a beautiful, descriptive style.  The storyline held my interest because of the lifestyle, the setting, the period in history, and definitely because of the characters. You will feel sorry for Frances and really dislike Edwin and William.

Ms. McVeigh has an elegant writing style that immediately pulled me in.  THE FEVER TREE is a book about family, class distinction, making decisions, and a love that endures...find out what this enduring love is as you turn the pages in this haunting, unforgettable read.

You will be able to put yourself in Frances' shoes and feel her despair with her life, her decisions, and her surroundings simply because of the amazing way Ms. McVeigh details every sentence and situation.
               
You will be able to vividly see every detail because of Ms. McVeigh's amazing imagery and feel what Frances and the other characters are feeling because of her writing skill. The description of the African landscape is stunning. You will feel the dust in your clothes and the bleakness of the dry land.

THE FEVER TREE is truly a sultry book you won't want to put down and one you will remember long after you turn the last page.

THE FEVER TREE is a beautiful combination of historical fiction and a passion for life, for causes, and dreams.  Don't miss this mesmerizing debut novel. 5/5

This book was given to me free of charge by the publisher in return for an honest review.

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Contest has ended...thanks to all who entered.

#14 - Andrea 

is the winner of THE FEVER TREE if she is a resident of the USA.

Complete this form for the Giveaway.  

USA ONLY please.

Contest runs from February 21 to February 28.

Good Luck!!

My Favorite Books

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My Favorite Books I have read over the years.  Click the title to go to the review on my blog.  

If the title isn't linked, then I haven't reviewed it. It must have been pre-blog days.  :)

Also check my Favorites Shelf down the right-hand side.

Happy Reading!!

1.  The Island House by Posie Graeme Evans

2.  The Lavender Garden by Lucinda Riley - she is similar to Kate Morton

3.  The Paris Architect by Charles Belfoure - it is WWII with a different twist

4.  The Funeral Dress by Susan Gregg Gilmore - it is about a girl in the Appalachian Mountains

5.  DollFace by Renee Rosen

6.  The Other Typist by Suzanne Rindell - this is one of my favorites and still has me puzzled.  :)

7.  The Wife, The Maid, and The Mistress - it will be reviewed on my blog on January 28.  It is historical fiction...loved it

8.  The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd - she wrote The Secret Life of Bees

9.  Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain - it is a social issue book, but very good.

10. Burial Rites by Hannah Kent - it is a true story, but fictionalized, about a woman in Iceland who was last person to ever be executed - VERY GOOD...my book club loved it.

11.  Meet Me At the Cupcake Cafe by Jenny Colgan - it is a light-hearted read

12.  The Time Between by Karen White - very good

13.  The Orphan Train by Kristina Baker Kline - historical fiction...good read

14.  Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger

15.  The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin - this is her debut book

16.  The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin - it is about the wife of Charles Lindbergh

17.  City of Women by David R. Gillham - WWII

18.  The Roots of the Olive Tree by Courtney Miller Santo

19.  The House of Serenades by Lina Simoni - about an Italian family.  :)

20.  A Walk Across the Sun by Corban Addison

21.  Little Black Dress by Susan McBride - a fun read

22.  Mudbound by Hillary Jordan - very good

23.  Room by Emma Donoghue - a bit depressing, but good

24. The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom

25.  The Tenth Gift by Jane Johnson

26.  The Shadow of The Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon 

27.  The Cleaner of Chartres by Salley Vickers

28.  The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

*Image courtesy of:  http://www.cba-va.org/

Becoming Josephine by Heather Webb

When Rose moved from a balmy, beautiful Martinique plantation to a cold, stark Paris, her life followed suit.

She went from a loving, warm family to a husband and a life that was cold and distant.

Rose's arranged marriage was supposed to be one that would be a wonderful new chapter in her life, but it was totally opposite.  Her husband, Alexandre, was a philanderer and very critical of Rose. He thought she was beneath his social stature.

When the French Revolution broke out both Rose and Alexandre were imprisoned in a filthy, demeaning prison.

After her release, Rose was determined to change her life and never want for anything again.  She worked at and reached that goal.  Rose/Josephine was a very determined woman and led quite an interesting social life as she again looked for a husband. It is difficult to believe how she "hopped" from man to man.

BECOMING JOSEPHINE was very well written and kept my interest despite some of the political aspects.  I would recommend BECOMING JOSEPHINE if you are a fan of historical fiction.  It is historical fiction at its best.  Ms. Webb definitely did her research.

I truly enjoy this time period in history with all the fashion.  The strict rules about the rights of women during these times is always puzzling since there was no problem with the women and their sexual behavior.   My rating is going to be a 4/5.

This book was given to me free of charge by the publisher in return for an honest review.

Hunting Shadows by Charles Todd

Hamish and Rutledge are back again solving two seemingly unrelated murders in two different small towns.

Ian Rutledge is working on finding a "shadowy" figure who shoots to kill and then disappears without a trace.  Rutledge has a difficult time finding clues and connections that would lead to the murderer's identification.
 

The first shooting was at a wedding and the second at a political rally.  No one seems to be able to understand how the two are related nor the reason for the murders.

HUNTING SHADOWS is another great read by Charles Todd; in fact, HUNTING SHADOWS is my favorite of his mysteries, and I have read a number of his books.
 

Sometimes his murders get too tied up with the war, but HUNTING SHADOWS seems more geared to the people in the story and the plot.  So if you didn't like some of his other books, this one is different, so give it a try.

I always enjoy Mr. Todd's mysteries mostly because of the time period and the twists and turns that ultimately occur.
 

Rutledge and Hamish are always characters that keep you on your toes. The other characters in HUNTING SHADOWS who perfectly portray the way of life at that time in history will keep your interest.

If you enjoy a murder mystery at its best along with wonderful description and imagery, don't miss Todd's newest Ian Rutledge mystery. 4/5

This book was given to me free of charge by the publisher in return for an honest review.

After I'm Gone by Laura Lippman

 

One disappearance and then another ten years later.  Could both these disappearances have been planned far apart so no one would know the real reason?

Felix Brewer disappeared because he wanted to avoid going to jail for his misdeeds.  He left his wife and three daughters, but was his wife really surprised he had left?  He never really was with her in the first place.  He always had a mistress and was rarely home.  His mistress, Julie, was his most steady one.  To cause more heartache and questions after Julie’s disappearance, Felix's wife wonders if she may have gone with him.

The questions about whether they were together or not surfaced twenty-six years later when they found Julie's body.

AFTER I'M GONE moves from present to past and from character to character.   I actually was not swept away as I had been with Ms. Lippman's other books until the ending pages.

It was very confusing even when I was three quarters of the way into the book.  I had trouble following the storyline.  The detective, Sandy, made the book for me. 

I had to keep reading, though, just to see if they found out where Felix was and who had killed Julie.

I am not going to say I disliked this book, but it just didn't grab me, didn’t pull me back to reading, or have me thinking about the characters or story when I wasn't reading.  AFTER I'M GONE definitely has a character-driven storyline even though they were not likeable.  Most of them were only worried about themselves.

Ms. Lippman may have been trying something different with this book, but I have to say I was disappointed until the end.  Whenever I hear Laura Lippman, I normally know I am in for a real treat. The treat was late in coming as it came toward the end of the book as Sandy was wrapping up the investigation.  AFTER I'M GONE actually got quite good at this point, and the outcome of “who done it” was very clever.

As I turned the ending pages, I said:  "I know this person did it," and then I said: "no that person did," but I was wrong.  When you find out who really “did it,” you will love it.

My rating originally was going to be a 3/5, but the sensational, clever ending that kept me guessing is going to move it up to a 4/5.

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.

The Wife, The Maid, And The Mistress by Ariel Lawhon

Who would have thought that being a maid could be this dangerous?  Maria never would have guessed that.
              
Maria cleaned for Judge Joseph Crater who had a mistress and who was involved with gangsters. Then one day Joseph disappeared, and even his wife didn't know where he was. 

Joseph’s wife, Stella, their maid, Maria, and Joseph’s mistress, Ritzi, were characters you will love and feel sorry for.  Stella Crater knew about her husband's mistress, Maria saw the mistress one day when she arrived to clean and was sworn to secrecy, and Ritizi hated what she did.  All three women were tied to Joseph Crater for different reasons and hated him for different reasons.

THE WIFE, THE MAID, AND THE MISTRESS is based on a true incident.  Judge Joseph Crater’s disappearance has never been solved, and his body has never been found.

When I realized THE WIFE, THE MAID, AND THE MISTRESS was based on a true incident, the book pulled me in even more.  The book took you back to a time when showgirls, speakeasies, proper etiquette for ladies, murders, and greasing palms was prevalent.

You will be drawn into the glitz, the glamor, and the corruption of the 1930's and into the lifestyles of the wealthy as well as the working class.

Ritzi was my favorite just because of her guts. Maria was sweet and got drawn into something way out of her league.  Stella was indifferent to life and her marriage.  They all had a common thread and a common interest.

If you like historical fiction and this era, don’t miss THE WIFE, THE MAID, THE MISTRESS.  The surprise ending ties things up nicely.

I am wholeheartedly recommending this book.  Loved it. 5/5

Degrees of Courage by Shari Vester

Angela was the beginning and Ilonka was the end....two amazing women in DEGREES OF  COURAGE.

Angela Bohaczek's life was put on hold at the age of 18 when her mother died.  She had to take care of her nine brothers and sisters and her father since she was the oldest and her father had no interest in taking care of the family.  

You will follow Angela's life through this ordeal as well as many other situations both pleasant and unpleasant. Angela's daughter, Lensie/Ilonka, is the other major character along with her children.

The book flows nicely and has very interesting characters who will win your heart as well as make you hate some of them.   Ilonka was my favorite because of the love she had for her family and how she carried on through thick and thin times.  Ilonka's life was the main focus of the book.

Ms. Vester did a fantastic job of keeping my interest and creating an excellent storyline for the entire 600 pages. You will love the family saga and the historical facts about Europe and Hungary from the year 1900 to 1970.  DEGREES OF COURAGE did get a bit slow with all the political topics, but they were necessary for the gist of the book.

Despite the political aspect, it is well worth the 600-page read because of the storyline and because of the characters, the excellent writing, and the detailed descriptions. The book was mainly in the narrative style.  You will feel as though you are with the characters sharing all their love, their turmoil, their sadness, and their happy times.

DEGREES OF COURAGE is about strong women who unquestioningly loved their families.  I loved the old-fashioned dating with chaperones that was part of the book and the homey feeling the story and the characters gave the reader.

I also really liked the way the author would make a statement at the end of a chapter that was stating something that was to come in upcoming pages of the book.  It kept up the suspense.
    
The characters were wonderful, and when the book was over or when I put the book down, I missed them and wanted to know what was going to happen next.  I became very attached and interested in their lives, and it was sad to close the last page.

I enjoyed DEGREES OF COURAGE and am going to rate the book a 4/5.  

My rating of a 4/5 is because of the book’s length and the political information, but DEGREES OF COURAGE was excellent because the marvelous characters drew you in and kept you reading.

This book was given to me free of charge by the author and publisher in return for an honest review.