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Lazar by Nelio Biedermann

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  Lazar is based on the true story of Hungarian aristocratic family which experiences many loses due to the wars and revolution. It is a deeply touching story giving a front row to what it meant to be born into privilege, and then stripped of it. Early 20th century, Hungary. Maria, who is married to Sandor Lazar, gives birth to Lajos who bears more resemblance to the stagehand, who dies a couple weeks earlier, than to his family. Only the mother feels a strong connection with the baby boy. The others look down on him. The story follows the decades of family saga. The father’s harsh treatment of the son and more lenient treatment of the daughter. All this is set against the backdrop of the Monarchy dissolving and with it the Lazar’s family estate. As the war comes to an end, and Lajos returns home from the boarding school, he finds his father lying drunken on a carpet – the man he had been frighten his whole life. The father, affected by different events, finds himself lost in life,...
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Margery and Me by Maryka Biaggio

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  Margery and Me is based on the true story of Margery Crandon, medium, who captivated Boston society and psychic researchers with her astonishing séances in 1920s. But there was one man, the famous magician Harry Houdini, who was determined to expose all mediums as fraud. The story begins with Walter, Margery’s brother, relating the story. They grew up on a farm with a father who was a tyrant and mother who did nothing to soften the environment. As soon as Walter finished his compulsory school, he tried his luck in the city of Buffalo. As soon as Margery was seventeen, she escaped the farm life as well. She made her way to Boston, where after five years working for a pastor, she was introduced to a member of the congregation and accepted his proposal. Walter’s life gets cut short when he is crashed by derailed boxcar at twenty eight. Margery didn’t have enough time to morn her brother as her husband was expecting her to do his bidding in every way. Even though she knew it wa...
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Daughter of the Titanic by Caroline Cauchi

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  Daughter of the Titanic sheds light on Helen Melville Smith and the grief she dealt with after losing her father - Captain Edward John Smith who went down with the Titanic in April 1912. The story is set in England, and alternates between two timelines 1972 when Dr. Catherine Haynes from the History of Art department at Oxford is researching how women are represented after catastrophe. Thus, she approaches Helen Melville Russell Cooke for an interview. The story goes back to 1912, sinking of Titanic, when Helen relates her own story. Her feelings are very raw and heartfelt. She keeps waiting for an answer, the truth, as she keeps hearing rumors of her father surviving Titanic and living on a different continent. She misses her father while hearing some villain comments about him; headlines questioning if her father was a hero or reckless soul. It pains her even more not knowing if he truly sank with the ship or not. Ten years later, she gets married, but it’s more of a mutu...
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Last Summer at Maine Chance by Jessica Everett

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  The setting for the Last Summer at Maine Chance is based on reality. In 1934, Elizabeth Arden opened the Maine Chance, the first destination spa in America.  She chose Maine as its natural beauty appealed to the city people who searched for peace and quiet. The lavish estate attracted wealthy guests. The real treatments and events of the time are woven into the novel. The Maine Turnpike project was a real project which opens the story with protagonist Cynthia Proctor in 1954. She is chosen to take part in assisting on a projected economic impact of the planned Maine Turnpike expansion on tourism. Her name doesn’t appear under the article as women are not seen fit to study economic major at the time. The school doesn’t renew her scholarship and the paid position she hoped to win by writing the article is given to a boy with better connections. She doesn’t get much support from her parents as her mother wants her to get married instead of studying major that is meant for m...
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The Windsor Affair by Melanie Benjamin

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  The Windsor Affair recreates the events of the Abdication of Edward VIII that nearly toppled the monarchy, while giving the center stage to two women and their rivalry. Edward David Windsor is the heir to the throne but the complication comes when he falls in love with a commoner, American divorcee, Wallis Simpson. Edward’s younger brother Albert, known as Bertie, falls for Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, who descends from Scottish nobility. Elizabeth doesn’t have the same feelings for Bertie, but his feelings never waver. It takes him three attempts when she finally has a change of heart. Elizabeth’s life was centered on coming out party and what followed. On the other side, Wallis represents stark contrast. With her divorced mother, they lived with their family and were depended on Wallis’ uncle. Her mother groomed her how to behave toward her uncle, especially when Wallis was sent on a mission to ask for money from him. From early age, it taught her how to behave with men. As a woma...
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The Scent of Oranges by Kathy George

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  The Scent of Oranges is a retelling of Oliver Twist from the point of view of Nancy – the most tragic of Dicken’s characters. Nancy doesn’t remember how she landed up being a street child, but it was easier to pretend to be boy until she couldn’t any longer. Once she started wearing dresses, it attracted a whole new way of life she could earn money from. She didn’t like it but thought beggars couldn’t be choosers. There is some memory of a woman; she thinks might have been her mother, but she needs to focus on the things that matter – Bill, the Dodger, and Oliver. And now Mr. Rufus, a new character, who dresses her up, tells her to pretend to be mute so the language she uses wouldn’t reveal her status. He presents her to his aunt while becoming very inventive with his lies about Nancy. All this is to serve his purpose, to be betrothed in order to get the inheritance. With this new character, Nancy awakens to a new experience, exploring new dimensions to her. It is a sad s...
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A Crown of Stars by Shana Abe

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  A Crown of Stars is based on the true story of a young actress who survived catastrophic voyage on Lusitania. Early 1900, England. Marguerite Jolviet comes from a privileged family and from an early age enjoys spinning stories and entertaining her family’s friends. At eighteen, she reveals her intention of becoming an actress. Her younger sister, Inez, is not happy about Marguerite leaving the house as both sisters have a very close bond. But Inez has a gift of her own. She is a talented violinist. This allows her to follow her sister as they both move to London. They quickly become celebrated in London, where Marguerite takes the stage name of Rita. Their careers take them in different geographical directions. Inez remains in Europe and Rita moves to Broadway in NYC. Despite the distance, the sisterly bond remains strong with love and support for each other. The war in Europe makes the brother of Rita and Inez enlist, and that makes Rita rush to Europe on the fastest ste...
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