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Thursday, July 23, 2015

Two Fun Reads

The Daring Ladies of Lowell by Kate Alcott
"Alice pulled back the covers, easing herself into bed... The most important day of her life was almost over, and she wanted now only to rest. She had done it, she had made the leap. No more cleaning up cow dung, no more twisting the neck of squawking chickens. She was a factory girl now; she'd soon be working the looms and making money. Tomorrow it would begin."
Things I loved about this book:  Alice Barrows, Lovey Cornell and the other spunky mill girls; the 1832 Lowell, Massachusetts setting; Samuel Fiske, the mill owner's responsible oldest son; and the scandalous mystery and historical trial surrounding the murder of one of the mill girls. From start to finish, this novel was a pleasure to read. (And the ending will make you smile.)


The Art Forger by B. A. Shapiro

Claire Roth is an artist who has just been offered an amazing chance to exhibit her own pieces in a high-end Boston gallery, but there's a price...one she isn't sure she wants to pay.
"My own show. The sweet possibility of reclaiming all that's been lost, everything I've ever wanted. But a forger? A pretender? The absolute last thing I want to be."
Things I loved about this book:  delving into the world of art and oil painting, forgeries, Degas and the still unsolved mystery of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum art heist. Shapiro does an excellent job of mixing fact with fiction in this clever mystery. The Art Forger is captivating fun.

Happy Reading!


7 comments:

  1. Oh, both those sound so interesting! I find the Lowell mill girls so fascinating, and I was just reading about them in a history of the women's rights movement in the US. And I love art history, and stories in museums! I will be looking for both of these.

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    1. The Daring Ladies of Lowell was my favorite, but I enjoyed reading both of these books. They're great summer reads. (And they both read pretty fast.)

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  2. Both of these look really good. I'm intrigued by the Art Forger and have heard good things about this book.

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    1. It's well-written, and if you like art at all, it really submerses you in that world. I thought it was a great read.

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  3. These look like entertaining reads. My TBR list always gets way too long, but I may have to add these. Thanks for the reviews!!

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  4. I read the Art Forger as an ARC in 2012 and really enjoyed it. Taking note of The Daring Ladies of Lowell!

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    1. The Daring Ladies is definitely worth reading!

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