Book Review - Universe of Two by Stephen P. Kiernan + Giveaway

Photo Credit - Amazon

Charlie Fish just graduated from Harvard during World War II and he assigned to the Manhattan Project.  Charlie works with some of the greatest scientific minds to design and build the detonator of the atomic bomb. As Charlie works on the detonator, he begins to question the mission and how many lives would be affected by the bomb. Brenda, his girlfriend, is unaware of Charlie's work but, tells him that he should "be a man" and not to doubt his work.

However, once the bombs strike Hiroshima and Nagasaki, both Brenda and Charlie are devastated by the impact of his work. After the war ends, Charlie receives a scholarship to receive a Ph.D. in physics at Standford. They hope that this new opportunity will give them a fresh start. When Charlie starts his classes, his new classmates and professors only talk about the bomb and what new weapons they can create. Charlie feels that he is unable to escape his past. Brenda and Charlie decide to dedicate their lives to making amends for creating the atomic bomb.

The novel is an exhilarating love story that has a major focus on war and music. At times, it can be overwhelming with how much detail the author goes into the bomb-making Charlie does at the Hill and the music that Brenda creates. The author tries to weave a story about the evil that was created and the beauty that music creates. I thought the romantic part between Charlie and Brenda was electric and emotional. I felt the pain and devastation as they did when coming to terms with the Atomic bomb and the war. People who love romantic historic fiction will love this novel of two young adults trying to heal their conscience and find peace in a world they helped changed. The story will leave you breathless and your heart aching for a love so deep and powerful during an uncertain time.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Hardcover: 448 pages
Publisher: William Morrow (August 4, 2020)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0062878441
ISBN-13: 978-0062878441

Praise for UNIVERSE OF TWO

“Rarely does historical fiction get everything so right as Universe of Two: compelling characters, faithful detail, a story packed with unexpected twists, and a sure, authentic voice that never wavers. In this novel of the dawn of the atomic age and its profound consequences, Stephen Kiernan leads us along a journey of conscience as complex and infinite as the science itself.” —Beatriz Williams, New York Times bestselling author of The Golden Hour

“Stephen Kiernan has pulled off the nearly impossible, reminding us by wrapping a war story in a love story that although we hold the power for our own extinction, we also have the power to redeem, heal, and save. The most tender, terrifying, relevant book you’ll read this year.” —Jenna Blum, New York Times bestselling author of Those Who Save Us and The Lost Family

“Based loosely on the life of mathematician and organ-maker Charles B. Fisk, this fascinating novel delves into the guilt and remorse that wracked him for his part in the development of the atomic bomb. . . . The two main characters are complex and flawed, but when they come together, their world is in harmony.” —Library Journal

“Kiernan recreates the zeitgeist of America leading up to the atomic bomb on a national and personal level: the eager anticipation of wartime’s end, the grimly fascinating science, and the growing sense of guilt and dread. Simultaneously tender and hard-hitting, this riveting story offers much to reflect upon.” —Booklist

"Universe of Two skillfully educates, entertains and enlightens as great historical fiction should . . . . Masterfully researched and exquisitely told." —The Patriot Ledger

From the critically acclaimed author of The Baker’s Secret and The Curiosity comes a novel of conscience, love, and redemption—a fascinating fictionalized account of the life of Charlie Fisk, a gifted mathematician who was drafted into Manhattan Project and ordered against his morals to build the detonator for the atomic bomb. With his musician wife, he spends his postwar life seeking redemption—and they find it together.

Graduating from Harvard at the height of World War II, brilliant mathematician Charlie Fish is assigned to the Manhattan Project. Working with some of the age’s greatest scientific minds, including J. Robert Oppenheimer, Enrico Fermi, and Leo Szilard, Charlie is assigned the task of designing and building the detonator of the atomic bomb.

As he performs that work Charlie suffers a crisis of conscience, which his wife, Brenda—unaware of the true nature of Charlie’s top-secret task—mistakes as self-doubt. She urges him to set aside his qualms and continue. Once the bombs strike Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the feelings of culpability devastate him and Brenda.

At the war’s end, Charlie receives a scholarship to pursue a PhD in physics at Stanford—an opportunity he and Brenda hope will allow them a fresh start. But the past proves inescapable. All any of his new colleagues can talk about is the bomb, and what greater atomic weapons might be on the horizon. Haunted by guilt, Charlie and Brenda leave Stanford and decide to dedicate the rest of their lives to making amends for the evil he helped to birth into the world.

Based on the life of the actual mathematician Charles B. Fisk, Universe of Two combines riveting historical drama with a poignant love story. Stephen Kiernan has conjured a remarkable account of two people struggling to heal their consciences and find peace in a world forever changed.

You can purchase Universe of Two at the following Retailers:

        

Photo Credit: Beowulf Sheehan

As a journalist and novelist, Stephen P. Kiernan has published nearly four million words. His newspaper work garnered more than forty awards — including the George Polk Award and the Scripps Howard Award for Distinguished Service to the First Amendment.

Stephen’s newest novel, UNIVERSE OF TWO, will be out May 5, 2020. He is also author of the novels THE CURIOSITY (now in television series development), THE BAKER'S SECRET (a regional Indie bestseller), and THE HUMMINGBIRD. He has also written two nonfiction books, LAST RIGHTS and AUTHENTIC PATRIOTISM. His work has been translated into many languages.

Stephen was born in Newtonville, NY the sixth of seven children. A graduate of Middlebury College, he received a Master of Arts degree from Johns Hopkins University and a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop. He has chaired the board of the Young Writers Project, served on the Vermont Legislative Committee on Pain and Palliative Care, and served on the advisory board of the New Hampshire Palliative Care Initiative. He has spoken and consulted around the country about hospice, palliative care and advance directives.

A performer on the guitar since he was ten years old, Stephen has recorded 3 CDs of solo instrumentals, and composed music for dance, the stage and documentary films.

He lives in Vermont with his two amazing sons.

        

WEEK ONE

AUGUST 3rd MONDAY JeanBookNerd INTERVIEW

AUGUST 4th TUESDAY Two Points of Interest REVIEW 

AUGUST 5th WEDNESDAY Rajiv's Reviews REVIEW

AUGUST 5th WEDNESDAY TTC Books and More REVIEW & GUEST POST

AUGUST 6th THURSDAY Movies, Shows, & Books EXCERPT 

AUGUST 7th FRIDAY Reading Adventures of a Book Dragon EXCERPT 

WEEK TWO

AUGUST 10th MONDAY Ya It's Lit REVIEW

AUGUST 11th TUESDAY Gwendalyn's Books REVIEW 

AUGUST 12th WEDNESDAY Crossroad Reviews REVIEW
AUGUST 12th WEDNESDAY A Dream Within A Dream EXCERPT

AUGUST 13th THURSDAY BookHounds REVIEW & INTERVIEW

AUGUST 14th FRIDAY My Fictional Oasis REVIEW 

AUGUST 14th FRIDAY Insane About Books REVIEW

*JBN is not responsible for Lost or Damaged Books in your Nerdy Mail Box*

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Book Review - The Piano Teacher by Janice Y.K. Lee

Photo Credit - Amazon

Will Truesdale is an Englishman who just arrives in Hong Kong for work in 1942. He falls into a passionate love affair with Trudy Liang, a beautiful Eurasian heiress. However, their relationship becomes troubled when the Japanese invade making the effects of WWII hitting close to home. Will is sent to an internment camp, where he and other foreigners try to adapt to their new living situation while struggling for survival. Trudy refuses to enter the internment camp and remains on the outside. She forms a dangerous alliance with a military head. The general is desperate to locate a collection of priceless Chinese art and is willing to do anything even if it leads to friends betraying each other.

Claire Pendleton arrives ten years later in Hong Kong and is hired by the wealthy Chen family to give their daughter piano lessons. Claire and her new husband, Martin moved for his work in the water department. Claire is immediately taken with the social life of the expatriate community. During an elegant cocktail party, Claire runs into Will and she feels immediately attracted to him. As they continue their affair, Claire realizes that Will his hiding his past and a dark secret. As she beings to dig into his past, she unearths dangerous secrets and Claire understands the true price of survival.

The novel was interesting at first but, then the story started moving very slowly. I didn't really care for any of the characters. I felt like they weren't developed enough for me think of them as real people. The story felt a bit discombobulated and told in fragments. I felt like that ruined the flow of the novel. I didn't understand the motivation behind some of the characters. For example, Will takes ten years before he reaches out to the Chens about something that happened in the war. Did something happen when he was with Claire that set him off? Why did the Edwina decide to spill the beans on what happened during the war? Was she trying to prove something or did someone wronged her? These were some of the things I wanted more details on and not the Hermes scarf that Claire had.

**Disclosure -  This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Book Review - Almost Home by Valerie Fraser Luesse

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When America entered World War II, the small town of Blackberry Springs, Alabama grew overnight. Workers from all over are coming south for jobs in the factories. Dolly Chandler's family is going through a hard time and decides to turn her family home into a boardinghouse to accommodate the worker boom. Each one of Dolly's boarders is bringing a bit of the past with them along with their hopes for the future.

A couple from the Midwest who is going through a tough time in their marriage, a pair of married unemployed professors from Chicago, a widower from Mississippi, and a young veteran who is struggling to heal from the war. They each are hoping that they can heal at Dolly's house and find their back in the real world.  However, the house has a past that it's waiting to reveal to the boarders.

When an accident occurs and threatens Dolly's livelihood, she has to rely on her band of friends for help. Will the group of friends be able to solve the mystery of the missing young bride and pirate?

I thought the novel was a fun read. The novel was told from two different perspectives of a young woman in a failing marriage and a veteran returning from the war.  I found the middle of the novel to move a bit slow but, I did enjoy all the characters. I found the ending bittersweet and it felt like I was saying goodbye to a good friend when I finished reading the book. I am looking forward to reading more books by the author.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Book Review - Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibañez

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Serving as a decoy Condesa, an Illustrian royal is all Ximena knows. She lost everything, including her family when Atoc, used an ancient relic to summon ghosts to gain control of La Ciudad from the Illustrians. Ximena's revenge is fueled by the grief of losing her loved ones. She decides to use her rage to seek vengeance against Atoc utilizing her rare ability to make thread from the moonlight.

When Atoc demands Condesa's hand in marriage, Ximena goes in place of the real Condesa, in hopes to find a way to end the war. She decides to become a spy and try to locate Atoc's deadly weapon for her cause to return the rightful Condesa to the throne. However, when she spends time with the inhabitants of the court, her mission becomes complicated. 

I thought the novel had an interesting premise and I enjoyed Ximena's ability. At first, I thought weaving moonlight was silly but, as the novel progressed I thought it was pretty cool.  I thought the novel was an enjoyable read but, the first half of the novel was very boring and slow.  I am interested in reading more books in the series (hopefully!).

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Book Review - The Magnolia Duchess by Beth White

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Fiona Lanier and her shipbuilding family are building American ships for the War of 1812. She is the only woman in the tiny settlement of Navy Cove. While training her horses one day, Fiona comes across a body on the beach. She discovers its a family friend but, who is also on the other side of the war.

Lieutenant Charlie Kincaid has been undercover gathering information on a planned British attack on New Orleans. A summer storm wrecks his boat and causes Charlie overboard. He wakes up with a head injury and unable to remember. As Charlie starts to regain his memory, he discovers that he has conflicting political loyalties with the woman he loves.

I was expecting a lot more from this novel. I felt like the storyline of Fiona rescuing her brother would play a more prominent role. The developments on the fate of her brother were just mentioned in passing. I also found it hard to believe that Charlie strongly believed his duty in England and then changed his mind and was able to petition his interest to change sides. I found the descriptions of the war to be long and tedious. It felt like I was reading a history lesson. It was unnecessary because it didn't add much to the already-very-slow-moving storyline.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Book Review - The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff

Photo Credit - Amazon

In 1946, Grace Healey is trying to move on from her husband's sudden death. On her way to work one morning, Grace stumbles across an abandoned suitcase tucked under a bench. Determined to find the owner, she opens the suitcase and discovers a dozen photographs of different women. On a whim, Grace takes the photographs and leaves the station. 

Grace starts to investigate the women in the photographs. She learns that the suitcase belongs to Eleanor Trigg. Trigg was the leader of a network of female spies who worked during the war. These women were sent to Europe as couriers and radio operators to help the resistance. However, they never returned and their fates a mystery. Grace is determined to find out the truth of the behind the photographs as she feels herself drawn to one of the photographs; a young mother, named Marie. Will Grace be able to determine the truth?

I have read "Ophran's Tale" by the author and loved the book. I thought this book was also good but, I felt like it was missing something. The book was an emotional read and the characters were rendered beautifully. I like that the narration was split between Grace, Eleanor, and Marie. We were able to feel what each character was experiencing. However, the plot was of espionage inside the department, was bland. I thought it would have been much more plot twist and betrayal involved. Overall, a great read for fans of the author. 

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no any extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.** 

Book Review - An Hour Unspent by Roseanna M. White + Giveaway

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Barclay Pearce was once London's top thief, however, he knows uses his skill to help his country during the war. After he rescues a clockmaker's daughter, he begins to question his life and wonder what his future might hold. 

Evelina Manning has always fought for independence. However, she didn't expect to inspire her finance to end their engagement and join the war efforts.  When Barclay Pearce visits her father to study clockwork repair, Evelina finds herself drawn to him.  As England plunges deeper into war, Evelina and her father will have to rely on Barclay to help them escape when their safety becomes compromised.

I have read the first book in the series and enjoyed it. This book was also a good and easy read. I found the characters to be enjoyable and relatable. I like how the author showed the bonds of friendship and family. Overall, another good read by the author.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no any extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

About the Book

Once London’s top thief, Barclay Pearce has turned his back on his life of crime and now uses his skills for a nation at war. But not until he rescues a clockmaker’s daughter from a mugging does he begin to wonder what his future might hold.

Evelina Manning has constantly fought for independence but she certainly never meant for it to inspire her fiancé to end the engagement and enlist in the army. When the intriguing man who saved her returns to the Manning residence to study clockwork repair with her father, she can’t help being interested. But she soon learns that nothing with Barclay Pearce is as simple as it seems.

As 1915 England plunges ever deeper into war, the work of an ingenious clockmaker may give England an unbeatable military edge—and Germany realizes it as well. Evelina’s father soon finds his whole family in danger—and it may just take a reformed thief to steal the time they need to escape it.

About the Author

 

Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award nominated author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary. You can learn more about her and her stories at www.RoseannaMWhite.com.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Roseanna is giving away a grand prize of a signed book, a London mug, and a 48-pack Twinings tea sampler!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d570/an-hour-unspent-celebration-tour-giveaway

Book Review - The Captured Bride by Michelle Griep + Giveaway

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Mercy Lutton is a woman with divided loyalties. She is half English and half Mohawk. Mercy was born with a rare gift of keen eyesight, which she uses to help scout against the French. She agrees to accompany a traitor and two soldiers protecting precious cargo against the French. Elias Dubois is the condemned traitor, who jumped at the chance of gaining his freedom. Elias is conflicted on what doing what is right and what needs to be done. Both Mercy and Elias have different motives with no plans on settling down. However, they both find themselves attracted to each other. Will Mercy and Elias be able to put their differences aside?

The novel was a great and informative read. I like the dictionary with the translation between the two languages. I found the characters realistic and lovable. I kept rooting for them until the very end. However, I found some parts of the book to be a bit slow. A great book for anyone who is a fan of historical romance novels.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion**

Title: The Captured Bride
Author: Michelle Griep
Release Date: June 1, 2018
Genre: Historical Romance
A war-torn countryside is no place for a lady—but Mercy Lytton is a lady like none other. Raised amongst the Mohawks, she straddles two cultures, yet each are united in one cause . . . to defeat the French. Born with a rare gift of unusually keen eyesight, she is chosen as a scout to accompany a team of men on a dangerous mission. Yet it is not her life that is threatened. It is her heart.
Condemned as a traitor, Elias Dubois faces the gallows. At the last minute, he’s offered his freedom if he consents to accompany a stolen shipment of French gold to a nearby fort—but he’s the one they stole it from in the first place. It turns out that the real thief is the beguiling woman, Mercy Lytton, for she steals his every waking thought.
Can love survive divided loyalties in a backcountry wilderness?

Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. She is the author of historical romances: The Innkeeper’s Daughter, 12 Days at Bleakly Manor, The Captive Heart, Brentwood’s Ward, A Heart Deceived, Undercurrent and Gallimore, but also leaped the historical fence into the realm of contemporary with the zany romantic mystery Out of the Frying Pan. If you’d like to keep up with her escapades, find her at www.michellegriep.com or stalk her on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Michelle is giving away a grand prize of

a signed copy of The Captured Bride and a $25 Barnes & Noble gift card!!

Click below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d06e/the-captured-bride-celebration-tour-giveaway

Book Review - God Bless America: The Story of an Immigrant Named Irving Berlin by Adah Nuchi and Rob Polivka + Giveaway

Photo Credit - Amazon

Izzy Baline and his family emigrated from Russia to America. Shortly after arriving, the Baline family falls in love with their new country. His family never had much. When his father passed away, Izzy decides to run away and try to make his own future. Izzy has a passion for music and creates beautiful songs that his fellow citizens enjoy. When Izzy joins the army, he realizes he can put his passion to better use and creates an inspiring song that can rouse the entire nation.

The book was beautifully drawn. The characters had a comic book feel. I found the book to be fun and engaging. However, some of the pages were a bit confusing and lacked context. I would recommend reading the last few pages in the book before reading the story to make it easier to understand. This was definitely a fun book and I look forward to reading more books like this.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion**

GOD BLESS AMERICA: THE STORY OF AN IMMIGRANT NAMED IRVING BERLIN

Title: GOD BLESS AMERICA: THE STORY OF AN IMMIGRANT NAMED IRVING BERLIN

Author: Adah Nuchi, Rob Polivka (Illustrations)

Pub. Date: June 5, 2018

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Pages: 40

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, iBooks,  TBD

An inspiring portrait of an immigrant and the gift he gave his new home.

Persecuted as Jews, Izzy Baline and his family emigrated from Russia to New York, where he fell in love with his new country. He heard music everywhere and was full to bursting with his own. Izzy's thump-two-three, ting-a-ling, whee tunes soon brought him acclaim as the sought-after songwriter Irving Berlin. He ignited the imaginations of fellow countrymen and women with his Broadway and Hollywood numbers, crafting tunes that have become classics we still sing today.

But when darker times came and the nation went to war, it was time for Irving to compose a new kind of song:

A boom-rah-rah song.

A big brass belter.

A loud heart-melter.

A song for America.

And so "God Bless America" was born, the heart swelling standard that Americans have returned to again and again after its 1918 composition.

This is the tale of how a former refugee gave America one of its most celebrated patriotic songs. With stirring, rhythmic text by Adah Nuchi and delightful, energetic art by Rob Polivka, readers will be ready to hum along to this exuberant picturebook.

About Adah:

Adah Megged Nuchi was first introduced to the children's publishing world at home, as the daughter of a children's book art director. She began her own publishing career at the National Book Foundation, and later at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers, where she was an acquiring editor of picture books, middle-grade, and young adult fiction for seven years. Her books have been named to the Kids' Indie Next List, YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, and Indies Introduce New Voices lists. As an editor, she most loved finding new talent and working with authors to shape a story.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

Giveaway Details:

3 winners will receive a finished copy of GOD BLESS AMERICA: THE STORY OF AN IMMIGRANT NAMED IRVING BERLIN, US Only.

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Tour Schedule:

Week Two:

6/11/2018- Savings in Seconds- Review

6/12/2018- Little Red Reads- Review

6/13/2018- Reading Is My SuperPower- Review

6/14/2018- Two points of interest- Review

6/15/2018- A Dream Within A Dream- Excerpt