Welcome to the new Friday Fiction newsletter! As noted in my previous monthly newsletter, I have split my updates into two with recommended reads mid-month and writing updates at the end of the month. Let me know your thoughts on this change!
This month I’m reviewing two fantastic 5-star reads: Silver Moon by Jenny Knipfer and The Mark of the King by Jocelyn Green.
Silver Moon by Jenny Knipfer
World War 1 Canada and the Western Front, 1914-1917
Although Silver Moon is the third in a series, I found it made for a highly enjoyable standalone novel. The story switches between life on the Canadian home front during WW1 and the trenches on the Western Front. While I enjoyed both aspects, I found the chapters involving the soldiers to be the most compelling and beautifully written. Having researched World War I myself, I can say that Jenny Knipfer does an excellent job of showing the horrors the soldiers endured and the difficult decisions made in the heat of battle. As the story progresses, we see characters perform actions they never would have done prior to the war and suspect the worst of friends they used to trust. Back home, their families have little knowledge of the reality they face, worrying only that tomorrow will herald news of another death. Each character brings a unique perspective to the war, allowing every reader to ask the question, “How might I feel if it was me?” I found this novel to be an emotional ride, but certainly one I would recommend.
One item to note: At the beginning of the novel, Jenny Knipfer has an interesting writing style involving a number of time jumps amid lots of character introductions. It took me several chapters, but once I became familiar with the story’s rhythm, I was completely immersed. If you are struggling in the beginning, don’t give up! There are so few novels about Canada’s involvement in World War I, and I found this one to be rich in detail.
GIVEAWAY: Jenny Knipfer is providing an opportunity to win one e-book copy of Silver Moon. To enter, simply complete the entry form at the link below by January 26, 2021. Winner will be contacted directly. Full giveaway rules are listed on the giveaway page. For more information on Jenny Knipfer’s books, visit: https://jennyknipfer.com/
Enter the Giveaway
The mark of the King by Jocelyn Green
Paris, France and French Louisiana, 1719
After having read Veiled in Smoke last year and now this novel, Jocelyn Green has quickly become one of my go-to authors (with a rather large backlist I might add). She has such a way with words and an ability to write incredible amounts of description without being overly thick, boring, or unnecessarily flowery. Mark of the King pulled me in and held me and when I finally came up for air, I had to look around to reorient myself with the world. I love books like that.
This story starts with death, deceit, and drudgery and ends with hope, but it is not a hope earned easily. The heroine of our story, Julianne, is a midwife imprisoned for killing her patient, although she had no intention to do so. Branded with the mark of the king, a French symbol given to all murderers, she accepts a place on a ship bound for French Louisiana after being forced to marry a fellow convict she only met that day. What follows is a tale of heartbreak, not only for Julianne and her new husband, but for her fellow colonists, all trying to make sense of a world which looks nothing like the salvation they were promised. In the end, there is grace and love and forgiveness, but it does not come without sacrifice.
Jocelyn Green’s next book, Shadows of the White City, releases February 2, 2021. More information on her books can be found here: http://www.jocelyngreen.com/
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Kelsey Gietl 