New Release! California Golden by Melanie Benjamin ~ My Thoughts #CaliforniaGolden

Congrats Melanie

on the recent release of

California Golden!

California Golden by Melanie Benjamin

Historical Fiction, 368 pages
Published August 8, 2023 by Delacorte Press

Two sisters navigate the turbulent, euphoric early days of California surf culture in this dazzling saga of ambition, sacrifice, and longing for a family they never had, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Aviator's Wife.

Southern California, 1960s: endless sunny days surfing in Malibu, followed by glittering neon nights at Whisky A-Go-Go. In an era when women are expected to be housewives, Carol Donelly is breaking the mold as a legendary female surfer struggling to compete in a male-dominated sport--and her daughters, Mindy and Ginger, bear the weight of her unconventional lifestyle.

The Donnelly sisters grow up enduring their mother's absence--physically, when she's at the beach, and emotionally, the rare times she's at home. To escape questions about Carol's whereabouts--and chase their mom's elusive affection--they cut school to spend their days in the surf. From her first time on a board, Mindy shows a natural talent, but Ginger, two years younger, feels out of place in the water.

As they grow up and their lives diverge, Mindy and Ginger's relationship ebbs and flows. Mindy finds herself swept up in celebrity, complete with beachside love affairs, parties at the Playboy Club, and USO tours to Vietnam. Meanwhile, Ginger--desperate for a community of her own--is tugged into the vibrant counterculture of drugs and cults. Through it all, their sense of duty to each other survives, as the girls are forever connected by the emotional damage they carry from their unorthodox childhood.

A gripping, emotional story set at a time when mothers were expected to be Donna Reed, not Gidget, California Golden is an unforgettable novel about three women living in a society that was shifting as tempestuously as the breaking waves.

My thoughts about California Golden ~~ 

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)

First line—"The surf giveth, and the surf taketh away—thus said the Surf God every morning, noon, and night in his church, which was the universe, the planet, California, the beach, the waves. On this holy day, the surf would most definitely giveth."

When I think of historical fiction, I think of books written about wars and events that happened way far back in the past. A book written about a time that I remember is not what I would normally think of as historical fiction. That being said, California Golden is about a time in the somewhat way back past and captures the feel and culture of that time splendidly. I guess I'm just having a bit of a hard time wrapping my head around how much time I have personally spent on this rotating planet but that's my own personal problem. 

California Golden, along with being a true snapshot of the lifestyles of the 50's and 60's is also a heartwarming, yet heartbreaking, story of family dynamics and the expectations of women at that time. The storyline covers so much of what was going on at the time—women's rights and/or duties, the Vietnam war, drugs, love, and hippies—all things we shouldn't forget about. This is a great story that rolls that all up together for a very enjoyable, memorable tale. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, not only for the fabulous characters and the great story, but also for my stroll down memory lane that helped me remember what times were like back then. I highly recommend California Golden! 

I received an ARC of California Golden from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

About the author

Melanie Benjamin is the author of the New York Times bestselling novels THE SWANS OF FIFTH AVENUE and THE AVIATOR'S WIFE, as well as the national bestseller ALICE I HAVE BEEN, and THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MRS. TOM THUMB, THE GIRLS IN THE PICTURE, MISTRESS OF THE RITZ and THE CHILDREN'S BLIZZARD. Her next novel is CALIFORNIA GOLDEN, a dazzling saga of mothers, daughters and sisters set in the vibrant surf culture of 1960s California. It will be out in August 2023.  ~ Goodreads

Connect with Melanie

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

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Release Day! The Children's Blizzard by Melanie Benjamin ~ My Thoughts #TheChildrensBlizzard #NetGalley

Congrats Melanie

on the release today of

The Children's Blizzard!

The Children's Blizzard by Melanie Benjamin

384 pages
Published January 12th 2021 by Delacorte Press

The New York Times bestselling author of The Aviator's Wife reveals a little-known story of courage on the prairie: the freak blizzard that struck the Great Plains, threatening the lives of hundreds of immigrant homesteaders--especially their children.

The morning of January 12, 1888, was unusually mild, following a long cold spell, warm enough for the homesteaders of the Dakota territory to venture out again, and for their children to return to school without their heavy coats--leaving them unprepared when disaster struck. At just the hour when most prairie schools were letting out for the day, a terrifying, fast-moving blizzard struck without warning. Schoolteachers as young as sixteen were suddenly faced with life and death decisions: keep the children inside, to risk freezing to death when fuel ran out, or send them home, praying they wouldn't get lost in the storm?

Based on actual oral histories of survivors, the novel follows the stories of Raina and Gerda Olsen, two sisters, both schoolteachers--one who becomes a hero of the storm, and one who finds herself ostracized in the aftermath. It's also the story of Anette Pedersen, a servant girl whose miraculous survival serves as a turning point in her life and touches the heart of Gavin Woodson, a newspaperman seeking redemption. It is Woodson and others like him who wrote the embellished news stories that lured immigrants across the sea to settle a pitiless land. Boosters needed immigrants to settle territories into states, and they didn't care what lies they told them to get them there--or whose land it originally was.

At its heart, this is a story of courage, of children forced to grow up too soon, tied to the land because of their parents' choices. It is a story of love taking root in the hard prairie ground, and of families being torn asunder by a ferocious storm that is little remembered today--because so many of its victims were immigrants to this country. 

My thoughts about The Children's Blizzard ~~ 

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)

First line—"They came on boats, on trains, great unceasing waves of them—the poor, the disenfranchised, the seekers, the dreamers."

The Children's Blizzard is an amazing story. Growing up in Nebraska and required to study Nebraska history in 4th grade, I was familiar with the story of the blizzard of 1888. Melanie personalized it even more for me by putting names and real lives to the children that I had studied in class. 

Living in the Midwest at that time in history could not have been easy. And then to throw in an unexpected storm that ended up killing a lot of people, children, and livestock, it's a wonder anyone stayed there. This story shows the hard times of life back then, but there were also good times, and good people, and we see that as well. 

Following the experiences of Raina and Gerda, two young teachers who ended up with the lives of so many children in their hands, we get to witness the horror of that freak, unexpected storm that seemingly came out of nowhere. Both of the sisters make decisions that will affect the lives of so many people. I enjoyed how the stories of all of the characters were so intertwined—some stories good, some stories bad—but all of them woven together so beautifully.

At times this was a hard story to read, for the hardships that the teachers and children had to endure. I kept thinking, how can they endure any more? But it's history and it happened. 

The Children's Blizzard is an accurate depiction of that time and it's an interesting, eye-opening story.  I enjoyed it immensely and devoured the book. And remember, I had to study this topic in grade school. 

I loved The Children's Blizzard and highly recommend it! 

I received an ARC of The Children's Blizzard from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

About the author

Melanie Benjamin is the author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling historical novels The Swans of Fifth Avenue, about Truman Capote and his society swans, and The Aviator's Wife, a novel about Anne Morrow Lindbergh. Her latest novel, Mistress of the Ritz, is a taut tale of suspense wrapped up in a love story for the ages, the inspiring story of a woman and a man who discover the best in each other amid the turbulence of war.

Previous historical novels include the national bestseller Alice I Have Been, about Alice Liddell, the inspiration for Alice in Wonderland; The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb, the story of 32-inch-tall Lavinia Warren Stratton, a star during the Gilded Age; and The Girls in the Picture, about the friendship and creative partnership between two of Hollywood’s earliest female legends—screenwriter Frances Marion and superstar Mary Pickford.

Her novels have been translated in over fifteen languages, featured in national magazines such as Good Housekeeping, People, and Entertainment Weekly, and optioned for film.

Melanie is a native of the Midwest, having grown up in Indianapolis, Indiana, where she pursued her first love, theater. After raising her two sons, Melanie, a life-long reader (including being the proud winner, two years in a row, of her hometown library's summer reading program!), decided to pursue a writing career. After writing her own parenting column for a local magazine, and winning a short story contest, Melanie published two contemporary novels under her real name, Melanie Hauser, before turning to historical fiction.

Melanie lives in Virginia with her husband. In addition to writing, she puts her theatrical training to good use by being a member of the Authors Unbound speakers bureau. When she isn't writing or speaking, she's reading. And always looking for new stories to tell. ~ Author's Website

Connect with Melanie

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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Be sure to check the sidebar for all of my current giveaways!

Book Spotlight #Giveaway! The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin #TheAviatorsWife

I have sooooo many books! The Book Spotlight Giveaway feature that I post every Saturday is a way for me to clear my shelves, to share some of the many books I have, and to give someone else the opportunity to enjoy these treasures.

The book I am featuring this week is one my book club read and discussed. I thoroughly enjoyed it—the writing is great and who isn't fascinated by the Lindbergh's story. And to get the story from Anne's perspective was very interesting.

Good luck and be sure to stop back next week!

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The Aviator's Wife

The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin

Paperback, 448 pages

Published November 26th 2013 by Bantam

In the spirit of Loving Frank and The Paris Wife, acclaimed novelist Melanie Benjamin pulls back the curtain on the marriage of one of America’s most extraordinary couples: Charles Lindbergh and Anne Morrow Lindbergh.

When Anne Morrow, a shy college senior with hidden literary aspirations, travels to Mexico City to spend Christmas with her family, she meets Colonel Charles Lindbergh, fresh off his celebrated 1927 solo flight across the Atlantic. Enthralled by Charles’s assurance and fame, Anne is certain the aviator has scarcely noticed her. But she is wrong. Charles sees in Anne a kindred spirit, a fellow adventurer, and her world will be changed forever. The two marry in a headline-making wedding. In the years that follow, Anne becomes the first licensed female glider pilot in the United States. But despite this and other major achievements, she is viewed merely as the aviator’s wife. The fairy-tale life she once longed for will bring heartbreak and hardships, ultimately pushing her to reconcile her need for love and her desire for independence, and to embrace, at last, life’s infinite possibilities for change and happiness.

About the author

Melanie Benjamin is the author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling historical novels The Swans of Fifth Avenue, about Truman Capote and his society swans, and The Aviator's Wife, a novel about Anne Morrow Lindbergh. Her latest novel, Mistress of the Ritz, is a taut tale of suspense wrapped up in a love story for the ages, the inspiring story of a woman and a man who discover the best in each other amid the turbulence of war.

Previous historical novels include the national bestseller Alice I Have Been, about Alice Liddell, the inspiration for Alice in Wonderland; The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb, the story of 32-inch-tall Lavinia Warren Stratton, a star during the Gilded Age; and The Girls in the Picture, about the friendship and creative partnership between two of Hollywood’s earliest female legends—screenwriter Frances Marion and superstar Mary Pickford.

Her novels have been translated in over fifteen languages, featured in national magazines such as Good Housekeeping, People, and Entertainment Weekly, and optioned for film.

Melanie is a native of the Midwest, having grown up in Indianapolis, Indiana, where she pursued her first love, theater. After raising her two sons, Melanie, a life-long reader (including being the proud winner, two years in a row, of her hometown library's summer reading program!), decided to pursue a writing career. After writing her own parenting column for a local magazine, and winning a short story contest, Melanie published two contemporary novels under her real name, Melanie Hauser, before turning to historical fiction.

Melanie lives in Virginia with her husband. In addition to writing, she puts her theatrical training to good use by being a member of the Authors Unbound speakers bureau. When she isn't writing or speaking, she's reading. And always looking for new stories to tell. ~ Author's Website

Connect with Melanie

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Be sure to check the sidebar for all of my current giveaways!

Book Spotlight Giveaway! The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin

I have sooooo many books! The Book Spotlight Giveaway feature that I post every Saturday is a way for me to clear my shelves and to share some of the many books I have. This feature is a way for my to cull my collection and to give someone else the opportunity to enjoy these treasures.

****************************

The book I am featuring this week is one my book club just read and discussed. I typically don't read in the historical fiction genre but when it's for book club, I step outside my comfort zone. I'm sure glad I did for this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it—the writing is great and who isn't fascinated by the Lindbergh's story. And to get the story from Anne's perspective was very interesting.

Good luck and be sure to stop back next week!



The Aviator's Wife

The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin
Paperback, 448 pages
Published November 26th 2013 by Bantam

In the spirit of Loving Frank and The Paris Wife, acclaimed novelist Melanie Benjamin pulls back the curtain on the marriage of one of America’s most extraordinary couples: Charles Lindbergh and Anne Morrow Lindbergh.

When Anne Morrow, a shy college senior with hidden literary aspirations, travels to Mexico City to spend Christmas with her family, she meets Colonel Charles Lindbergh, fresh off his celebrated 1927 solo flight across the Atlantic. Enthralled by Charles’s assurance and fame, Anne is certain the aviator has scarcely noticed her. But she is wrong. Charles sees in Anne a kindred spirit, a fellow adventurer, and her world will be changed forever. The two marry in a headline-making wedding.

In the years that follow, Anne becomes the first licensed female glider pilot in the United States. But despite this and other major achievements, she is viewed merely as the aviator’s wife. The fairy-tale life she once longed for will bring heartbreak and hardships, ultimately pushing her to reconcile her need for love and her desire for independence, and to embrace, at last, life’s infinite possibilities for change and happiness.

    

Melanie has a new book out, The Girls in the Picture, just released earlier this month. I'm thinking I'm going to have to check this one out too. And isn't' this cover beautiful? 

About the author

Melanie Benjamin is the author of the New York Times bestselling novels The Swans of Fifth Avenue and The Aviator's Wife, as well as the national bestseller Alive I Have Been, and The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb. The Girls in the Picture, about the creative, feminist friendship between Mary Pickford and Frances Marion, icons of early Hollywood, will be out in January 2018. She lives in the Chicago area with her husband and is currently at work on her next historical novel. ~ Goodreads

Connect with Melanie

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Be sure to check the sidebar for all of my current giveaways!