Wartime Drama

Sisters of the Great War by Suzanne Feldman

Publication Date - October 26, 2021

3.5 stars

This books is about two American sisters who volunteer during World War I and their experiences as they try to break boundaries.  One sister is volunteering as a nurse but really wants to be a doctor, during a time when women doctors were unusual while the other sister is exploring her sexuality.  The writing in this book is weirdly uneven.  The dialogue and interactions between family are not very well don and read really awkward yet the war scenes are incredible and richly drawn.  It made for a strange reading experience but overall, I enjoyed it.  I received a digital ARC of the book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Perfect (Early) Holiday Romance

Duke, Actually by Jenny Holiday

Publication Date - October 26, 2021

5 stars

I read this book in 24 hours and I needed this reading experience (so much) right now.  Max is a future Duke with a wild reputation.  Dani is an English professor going through an ugly divorce.  They only know each other through their friends engagement but Max decides to randomly text Dani when he is in New York and it leads to a beautiful friendship and slow burn love story.  This book is so sweet, I loved it and now I want it to be the holidays.  I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Life of a Bookstore

Shelf Life: Chronicles of a Cairo Bookseller by Nadia Wassef

4 stars

This is a fascinating inside look at the inception and evolution of a bookstore in Cairo, Egypt.  The author, along with two others, opened Diwan bookstore in Cairo.  Here, she explores the bookstore, section by section, as she also discusses the tangles with bureaucracy,  the people who worked there, running a business and her own personal life.  I have read bookseller chronicles from the UK and US but never from Egypt.  I was fortunate enough to receive a digital and audio version via NetGalley.  I liked listening to the narrator of the audio version and preferred to listen to this one.