Huntington Public Library Adult Reading Challenge

  James was a gripping, gritty, and disturbing novel regarding the horrific slave trade and abuse of blacks. Taken from the perspective of "Jim" of Huckleberry Finn , James has an intelligence and moral depth in his struggle to escape, survive, and save his family. Well written and historically harsh.

  I found this book on a reading display and figured why not. It was a really good read. Story about a struggling actress and her life. nicely written and has a "who done it" type story.

A short tale narrated by Truth about Nazi occupation and persecution of Jews in Greece.  

This is a Historical Fiction that takes place during World War II. It is a story about wartime loss, romance, and the power of literature. A beautiful well written story.  

  Super spy, die Nadel, is deadly with a stilletto knife and is out to collect Allied info. He discovers an important info on American forces in Britain and will do any good to get the info to the Furer as it will turn the tide of the war. Then he mets this woman who is unhappily married to uninjured RAF officer turned sheep farmer on the Storm Island. Thrilling and satisfying spy novel!

  Wonderfully written story of a young woman who enlists to be Vietnam War nurse when women were expected to marry and be homemakers. She loses her older brother to the War and seemed to lose other importance men to the War also. Though she becomes skilled nurse she comes home after two tours and struggles to find footing. It is a heart breaking story of how Viet vets were mistreated and how women vets were denied even the meager support from the administration, but it is also a story of courage and strength of those women and other vets.

 A wonderful WW II historical fiction about love of family and tragedy of war. The forgotten children who were made to survive on their own. The journey of Agnes and her brother Dieter travel on their own experiencing deaths and hunger along with imprisonment.

  I loved this book and didn’t want it to end! It was a fantastic story, so well written and had characters that you fell in love with. A post WWI, British seaside feminist romp in the summer of 1919. Read it, I bet you’ll love it like I did! I’m recommending it to all my friends and family.

  A novel about actors Loretta (Gutehen) Young and Clark Gable’s love affair and love child! She was raised by a single mother and had three sisters! You’ll be introduced to lots of actors. David Niven and Spencer Tracy. “Old Hollywood” at its finest!!

  I was looking for a book on the local Long Island Culper Spy Ring, and founds this. It’s a novel, so it has historical fiction license yet was educating, intriguing and exciting. Focusing on 3 women and their historical contributions in NYC. Setauket and Oyster Bay, this was riveting I their espionage + dangers right here on Long Island.

  This book is a sequel to the highly acclaimed "Brooklyn" (which was later filmed starring Saoirse Ronan). I had not read the first, but loved the movie and an NPR interview with the author prompted me to read "Long Island". A wonderful cast of flawed characters both here and among those she left behind in Ireland. Definitely a page turner.

  This is a fabulous story about the mixed race children left in Viet Nam by American soldiers who abandoned the children and their mothers. It is written from the perspective of one of the children, but also from the perspective of the women and one particular American soldier who is trying to find his child.

  A great coming-of-age story that's both tragic and touching, spanning decades of a woman's life in Iowa from first (forbidden) love through her more mature years. A violent racist act plays a pivotal role in the early stages of the book, which is a nightmare to comprehend, but the author doesn't go gratuitous detail. The story is so interesting and you quickly feel invested in the protagonist's well-being and future. You won't want to put the book down!

  It is a mystery about the New York Public Library and the Superintendent of the library and his family. Very interesting story with great characters and good story line.

 A Harlequin-esque read. Feisty, attractive protagonist; tall, smart, handsome love (not at first sight). Something happens - years elapse, a fractured family is put back together. Pretty trite and predicable. An OK read. Nothing special.

 A story more about the people not "at" the war, but those at home -- the misconceptions and assumptions that encouraged misunderstanding and truths to exist side by side.

 An interesting view of world events and how the people of different countries interpret their responsibilities.

This book was initially difficult to get into. The language can be bit dense at times, since it is a period-fiction piece. However, once I got into the flow, I really enjoyed this story! I loved the mystery element to the plot - some aspects I figured out, some I did not. The plot took a turn that I was not expecting but really liked. I think the love story element was shoehorned, and I wouldn't have minded if it were cut, but overall, this was a great read!

 This historical fiction novel is based on a true story. The timeline, which flips back and forth between WWII and 60 years later, follows the life of Eva Traube. She is a young Jewish woman living in Paris France, fleeing from the Nazis and then becoming a forger of papers to help others flee and cross the border into Switzerland. The older Eva is now a semi-retired librarian, who comes across a story in the newspaper about a book, saved from Nazi destruction, that contains a secret code which represents the true identities of the adults and children she helped to save. The story is one of bravery and resilience in the face of horrific danger.

  This historical fiction novel takes place in Texas and California after WWI. It tracks the plight of farmers and the hardships they endured during the drought in the Great Plains/Dust Bowl. The strength and perseverance of heroine of the story, Elsa Wolcott Martinelli, is awe inspiring as she takes charge and tries to make a better life for her family. The writing was so descriptive, it felt as if I was part of the story, and I did not want it to end.