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As Bright as Heaven by Susan Meissner

January 5, 2018 by Julie

As Bright as Heaven by Susan Meissner

* This post does contain affiliate links!

I am always a fan of a good historical fiction book. I love learning more about the past within a fictional story. Susan Meissner is one of my favorite authors that does a good job of this. Her latest book, As Bright as Heaven, is coming out February 6, 2018, and I got the chance to review the book through NetGalley.

About the book: In 1918, Philadelphia was a city teeming with promise. Even as its young men went off to fight in the Great War, there were opportunities for a fresh start on its cobblestone streets. Into this bustling town, came Pauline Bright and her husband, filled with hope that they could now give their three daughters–Evelyn, Maggie, and Willa–a chance at a better life.

But just months after they arrive, the Spanish Flu reaches the shores of America. As the pandemic claims more than twelve thousand victims in their adopted city, they find their lives left with a world that looks nothing like the one they knew. But even as they lose loved ones, they take in a baby orphaned by the disease who becomes their single source of hope. Amidst the tragedy and challenges, they learn what they cannot live without–and what they are willing to do about it.

As Bright as Heaven is the compelling story of a mother and her daughters who find themselves in a harsh world not of their making, which will either crush their resolve to survive or purify it.

As Bright as Heaven by Susan Meissner

My thoughts:

I didn’t know too much about the Spanish Flu and this book takes place right in the middle of it as well as the Great War (World War I.) The way the characters are immersed in that world makes you really feel for them. I found myself wondering how I would be acting as a mother if I had to deal with that with my own children.

As with any book that takes place during a war, it is always interesting to me to read about how things were so different back then, but also how some other things are still the same. Saying goodbye to someone going off to war is difficult whether it is to Europe in 1918 or Iraq in 2017.

This was also the first book I have read of Susan Meissner’s that did not have a connection to present time and I admit that I missed that part of her books. I like how she ties that in usually. That being said, this book was still so enjoyable.

There are quite a few points of view as the story is told from the perspective of a mother as well as her three daughters. Susan Meissner does an amazing job of weaving all these stories together and giving each of them their own voice, even though some of them are children.

If you are a fan of historical fiction, if you are looking for a good book to dive into this winter, or you want something to get lost in during your spouse’s next deployment, order your copy of As Bright as Heaven (you can do so on Amazon) or check out any of Susan Meissner’s other books she has written. You won’t be disappointed.

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Filed Under: Movies, Television, and Media Tagged With: As Bright As Heaven, Good Books, Susan Meissner

6 Authors To Help You Stay Busy During Your Next Deployment

November 14, 2017 by Julie

6 Authors To Help You Stay Busy During Your Next Deployment

This post contains affiliate links! 

6 Authors To Help You Stay Busy During Your Next Deployment

Books are amazing! I am a huge reader, always have been and I have found that getting lost in a good book during a deployment is one way to help you through. I have also found that once I read a book by an author that I love, I want to read the rest of the books they have out.

Here is a list of some amazing authors who write books you can get lost in during your next deployment…

JoJo Moyes

JoJo Moyes is an English author that you might know from her popular book, Me Before You. This was made into a movie in 2016 and also has a sequel, After You, as well as a third book, Still You coming out in 2018. She also has quite a few other books about different topics. Her book Ship of Brides is about the war brides after World War II, and The One Plus One is about a single mom trying to make her way. What I love about her books is how connected we get to the characters. Her newest book, Paris For One and Other Stories came out last year.

Rainbow Rowell

Rainbow Rowell writes young adult and adult contemporary fiction. Her books take you into a new setting and allow you to witness the struggles the characters are going through. Eleanor and Park is a unique love story between two teens in the 1980s. Her latest project is being apart of the new creative team for the revival of the Marvel Runaways series. 

6 Authors To Help You Stay Busy During Your Next Deployment

Taylor Jenkins Reid

I discovered Taylor Jenkins Reid this past summer and couldn’t put her books down. Even though they were about different topics, I just adore her creativity and her storylines. Maybe in Another Life is about the different lives the main character could have had based on one small decision she makes. It reminded me of the movie, Sliding Doors. Her latest novel, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, is about a legendary film actress who tells her life story and her rise to the top as well as her struggles to a modern-day journalist.

Susan Meissner

Susan Meissner is a fantastic historical fiction writer. I read my first book of hers last year, Secrets of a Charmed Life. This book is about 1940s England, and two sisters during the Blitz. A Bridge Across the Ocean is a story about the Queen Mary and the war brides that came over after World War II. Her latest book, As Bright As Heaven comes out in February. The book is about 1918 Philadelphia during the Spanish Flu epidemic and the Great War. Her books draw you into the historical setting and allow you to see it through the character’s eyes.

6 Authors To Help You Stay Busy During Your Next Deployment

Liane Moriarity

Liane Moriarity is an Australian author. Her books can deal with some heavier topics such as domestic abuse and divorce. Her novel, Big Little Lies was made into a TV series with Reese Witherspoon on HBO. My favorite book of hers is What Alice Forgot about a woman that loses her memory for the last ten years and has to try to fill in the gaps. Her latest book, Truly Madly Guilty came out in 2016 and is about relationships, feeling guilty, and how different people work to understand an event that happened over one weekend.

 

Diana Gabaldon

If you are looking for a long series to get lost in, Diana Gabaldon‘s Outlander series is going to be a good choice. The series has eight books as well as novellas and a spin-off series about one of the characters. There is also a tv series on Starz, now in its 3rd season. Her books are a mix of time travel, romance, history, and action. They are all long books and the 9th in the series should be out sometime in the next year or so, I hope.


Some other authors that would be worth checking out are John Green, Janet Evanovich, Jodi Picoult, Charlene Harris, Kiera Cass, Philippa Gregory, and Fredrik Backman.

Who are your favorite authors???

 

 

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Filed Under: Deployment Tagged With: Books to read, Deployment, Good Books

Let’s Go To Prince Edward Island With Liz Johnson’s On Love’s Gentle Shore

July 6, 2017 by Julie

Let's Go To Prince Edward Island With Liz Johnson's On Love's Gentle Shore

Let’s Go To Prince Edward Island With Liz Johnson’s On Love’s Gentle Shore

I was provided a free copy of this book for review! There are affiliate links in this post. 

I love to read. I don’t have a particular favorite genre. Just depends on my mood and what books I am into at the moment. There is, however, something about a love story that gets me. Whether it is a historical fiction about a lost love or a modern story about childhood friends who find each other again.

I wanted to tell you about a recent book release that I think you will enjoy. On Love’s Gentle Shore is the third book in Liz Johnson’s Prince Edward Island Dreams series. You can also read about The Red Door Inn and Where Two Hearts Meet.

These sweet books take us to Prince Edward Island in Canada while we walk alongside the main character as she tries to understand and figure out a current problem she is dealing with. I have never been to Prince Edward Island, but that place is definitely on my travel bucket list.

On Love’s Gentle Shore is about a woman named Natalie who has moved away from the island to start a new life in Nashville. She is now back on the island to marry her fiancé Russell, but everything is a lot more complicated now that she is back. For one thing, she sees her childhood best friend Justin after all this time and can’t seem to make sense of her feelings about him.

What I loved about this book is that Natalie isn’t perfect. She struggles with her past and even her future. She is trying to figure everything out. I also love that the main characters from the previous books are also interacting with Natalie. We get to see what they have been up to and since we already know their backstory, these secondary characters are a little more real to us than they would be otherwise.

Having read all three of these books, I think this one is my favorite.

Liz Johnson writes about love and such and is a New York Times bestselling author of Inspirational Romantic Suspense and Contemporary Romance. To learn more, visit her website. You can also read the other books I have reviewed of hers in the past.

You can purchase the On Love’s Gentle Shore on Amazon 🙂

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Filed Under: Giveaways & Reviews, Sponsored Post Tagged With: Book Review, Good Books, Liz Johnson

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About Soldier’s Wife, Crazy Life

Soldier's Wife, Crazy Life

Welcome to Soldier’s Wife, Crazy Life! I am so glad you are here.

My name is Julie and I have been an Army wife for almost 15 years now.

My husband of 18 years has served in the active-duty Army and now the Army National Guard. We have lived in Germany & Tennessee during our time as a military family.

We have three boys and have been through four deployments together.

I hope that you can find support for your own deployments, pcs moves, or anything else military life brings you 🙂

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