The Perfect Guests by Emma Rous

 

Everyone seemed to like games.  One game was for a murder mystery party and another was to trick Nina's grandfather into thinking Beth actually was Nina.​

We meet Beth and Nina in 1988 and Sadie in 2019.​​

Beth is a foster child that came to live with Nina and her odd family in Raven Hall.  ​​

Sadie is an actress who is invited to play a part in a murder mystery game.​​

We also meet an unnamed character who has come back to Raven Hall and is angry about the new owners. ​​

As we move from one time to the next, we get detailed information about what is going on, but then there is always something missing and always a new character to meet.​​

The murder mystery game got out of hand with guests becoming sick, one disappearing, and the game seeming to turn into an actual attempted murder mystery with secrets that get revealed.​​

THE PERFECT GUESTS has more than one story line going on, and I enjoyed all of them.  You will think you have it figured out, and then something else happens.​​

The ending is a surprise as things are wrapped up and you find out who's who in these games.

If you enjoy mysteries, an old house that the story was built on, and characters that are an odd sort, you will like THE PERFECT GUESTS. 5/5​​

This book was given to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

 

Emma Rous is the USA Today bestselling author of The Au Pair.  

 

She grew up in England, Indonesia, Kuwait, Portugal and Fiji, and from a young age she had two ambitions: to write stories, and to look after animals. 

 

She studied veterinary medicine and zoology at the University of Cambridge, and worked as a small animal veterinarian for eighteen years before starting to write fiction. 

 

Emma lives near Cambridge in England with her husband and three sons, and she now writes full time.

 

Lana's War by Anita Abriel

Lana lost everything the night the Gestapo shot her husband because he was hiding a Jewish child in his piano, and she also lost her unborn child because of the shock.​​

Did she really lose everything?  She didn't lose her desire to help save other Jewish families and especially children.

She had to avenge her husband's death, and an opportunity arose.​​  Lana was approached by the French Resistance to help out at the Riviera.

She was apprehensive because she would have to pretend she and a stranger were lovers as they did their work.​​  Lana didn't have too much to do at first, but in order to not look suspicious and to get some information, she and Guy did attend lavish parties that the SS soldiers attended.

The information Lana received about what they were going to do to exterminate the Jewish community including children made her ill, but she had to attend the parties and find information so they could save as many lives as possible.​​

We follow Lana and Guy as they save lives and learn of raids the Gestapo had planned.

You will feel their anxiety and fear and marvel at their expertise as they carry out missions to save lives.​​​​​

I honestly didn't know that the Germans and upper class carried on as if a war were not going on.​​

Lana, Guy, and Pierre were likable, authentic characters.

​​LANA'S WAR is very well written, well-researched, flows nicely, and pulls you in with Ms. Abril's writing style and story line.  5/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This Week At Silver's Reviews - 1/11 - 1/16

A FULL week of reviews.  :)

 

FEATURING: Juliet by Anne Fortier

This book is outstanding...the storyline, the descriptions, the characters, and Italy.

I can’t see how it wouldn't be liked...it is a book you won't want to miss. 

 

It has something for everyone...history, romance, mystery, betrayal, life in the 1300's in Italy, ancestors, middle-age family feuds, suspense, and a great author. 

 

Ms. Fortier did a superb job with her novel.

FULL REVIEW HERE.

The Children's Blizzard by Melanie Benjamin

We meet two sisters who are teachers and a blizzard that is wreaking havoc on the Great Plains just as school is about to be let out.

Raina and Gerda had to make the decision about letting the students run home or to keep them in the school.  Either choice was risky...one made the right choice and one didn't.

The decisions made by Raina and Gerda stayed with them and affected them for their entire lives.

We follow the children, the teachers, the townspeople as the blizzard rages, as people become lost, as those at home are left worrying about their family members, and as everyone is hoping for the best.

Once the blizzard was over, the true colors of the characters came out both good and bad.

THE CHILDREN'S BLIZZARD is based on a true event that took lives and maimed many.  

It also is about families who were lured here on the pretense that they would have success, but we see they struggled through harsh winters and parched summers trying to eke out a living.

The characters were marvelously developed and interesting with most being likable.  I enjoyed learning their present and past stories.

As you read, you will grow fond of the characters and also pity them for how they have to live, even though most are very strong and resilient.

The book was a bit confusing at first with all the characters and some sections were wordy, but THE CHILDREN’S BLIZZARD is another of Ms. Benjamin's beautifully written, well-researched historical fiction.  4/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

All That We Carried by Erin Bartels

Two sisters that have been estranged since the death of their parents go on a hiking trip to reconnect.

It may not have been the best idea.  It was a pretty stressful trip, and both sisters still held grudges.

Melanie and Olivia had some good moments, but most of the trip was bickering.

ALL THAT WE CARRIED wasn't as enjoyable for me as Ms. Bartels' first two books. I actually wasn't anxious to get back to the book.

Those readers who enjoy family drama and hiking will love this book.

The writing is amazing as always, but it was different from her other books and not something for me. 3/5

This book was given to me by the publisher and LibraryThing in exchange for an honest review.

Our Darkest Night by Jennifer Robson

Antonina's father had been planning how to protect her for a while since the Germans had invaded Italy and were starting to take Jewish people to camps.

His plan was to have Antonina pretend she was married to Nico.

Antonina didn't like the idea of leaving with a stranger and leaving her father and mother, but Nico was very nice and had a wonderful family who welcomed her as his wife.  Well everyone but his sister, Rosa, but Rosa came to love Nina. 

Rosa was angry because Nico was to be a priest and this girl took him from the priesthood.  They wished they could tell everyone they really weren't married, but it was too risky. Someone may tell on them.

I became immersed in the family’s hardworking life and the wonder and joy of the simple life they led and their care for each other.

Of course they had to be concerned about the Nazi officers who stopped by and to worry that someone would find out Nina actually was Jewish.

You will fall in love with Nina and Nico and feel Nina's pain as she tries to fit in and learn how to be a Catholic.
 
You will actually become fond of each family member, feel their pain as well as their happiness, and want to be part of their loving family.

As in all WWII books along with the beauty and the strength of the people, there is death and cruelty.

The beauty of family and caring citizens will pull you into this marvelously written, well-researched book and help ease the horror of what was going on.

Do not miss this book.  5/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via Goodreads in exchange for an honest review.