The Illusionist's Apprentice - A Review

Published - March 2017, Thomas Nelson
Author - Kristy Cambron
Title - The Illusionist's Apprentice
Format - ebook, paper, audio
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About the book (from Goodreads):
Harry Houdini’s one-time apprentice holds fantastic secrets about the greatest illusionist in the world. But someone wants to claim them . . . or silence her before she can reveal them on her own.

Boston, 1926. Jenny “Wren” Lockhart is a bold eccentric—even for a female vaudevillian. As notorious for her inherited wealth and gentleman’s dress as she is for her unsavory upbringing in the back halls of a vaudeville theater, Wren lives in a world that challenges all manner of conventions.

In the months following Houdini’s death, Wren is drawn into a web of mystery surrounding a spiritualist by the name of Horace Stapleton, a man defamed by Houdini’s ardent debunking of fraudulent mystics in the years leading up to his death. But in a public illusion that goes terribly wrong, one man is dead and another stands charged with his murder. Though he’s known as one of her teacher’s greatest critics, Wren must decide to become the one thing she never wanted to be: Stapleton’s defender.

Forced to team up with the newly formed FBI, Wren races against time and an unknown enemy, all to prove the innocence of a hated man. In a world of illusion, of the vaudeville halls that showcase the flamboyant and the strange, Wren’s carefully constructed world threatens to collapse around her.

Layered with mystery, illusion, and the artistry of the Jazz Age’s bygone vaudeville era, The Illusionist’s Apprentice is a journey through love and loss and the underpinnings of faith on each life’s stage. 



My Thoughts:
This one was different than the others I've read by this author. It was more of a mystery. I was still captivated by it though! I love how rich in detail the book is. I love how Wren must decide what secrets she can share while at the same time trying to keep herself, and her identity, out of the spotlight. 

I've not really thought about the way that magicians/illusionists work. This book was a fascinating glimpse into that world.

I received this book for free from the Booklook Blogger Program. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of Kristy Cambron

Rating - 4 stars

Top Ten Tuesday - Top Ten Books I read in 2015

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly theme hosted by the Broke & the Bookish.

This week's theme is the top ten books I've read in 2015. I could do a variety of lists, but I know myself well enough to know that I can't just pick 10! So here's what I came up with.

1. The Butterfly and the Violin by Kristy Cambron - This is by far my favorite book of the year. It enthralled me.

2. Accept This Dandelion by Brooke Williams - This was so much fun to read. I giggled my way through it.

3. Dandelion Field by Kathryn Springer - The story in this one kept me turning the pages. The way that there were two stories really being told at the same time.

4. How to Catch a Prince by Rachel Hauck - My favorite of the Royal Wedding Series. I loved this one.

5. From the Start by Melissa Tagg - Her books have captivated me from the first, and this one wasn't any exception.

6. Hearts Made Whole by Jody Hedlund - I loved Ryan in this book. He gave a whole new meaning to the "wounded" hero.

7. Not By Sight by Kate Breslin - I loved her debut last year. This one was a great second novel.

8. The Gifting Series by K. E. Ganshert - I read all three of these in one weekend I believe.

9. Fire and Ice by Mary Connealy - I'd been wanting Bailey's story since book 1. Was so glad to get it in this one.

10. Through Waters Deep by Sarah Sundin - I love the cover on this book. I love her writing.

11. Fuzzy Mud by Louis Sachar - It's been a while since I read one of his books. This one was a surprise delight.

12. One More Wish by Robin Jones Gunn - Robin's books are like old friends. Even when it's a new book. They are truly a breath of fresh air.

13. Mistress of Tall Acre by Laura Frantz - Laura's books make me long to be in the period of history. They truly are amazing.

14. The Wedding Chapel by Rachel Hauck - If I wasn't already a fan of Rachel's, then this book would have made me one. It's that good.

15. The Isle of Hope by Julie Lessman - Julie's first contemporary novel. There are enough fun characters in it to make me not sad that she's writing contemporary instead of historical. Though I still love her historicals.

16. Wings of Glory Series by Sarah Sundin - These have been on my list for a while. I'm so glad that I got to them, finally. Book 3 is my favorite.

17. Noble Masquerade by Kristi Ann Hunter - I kept hearing about this book. I was glad to finally read it.

18. The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan - I'd forgotten how funny his books are until I started this one. I love his sense of humor.

19. Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George - I love fairytale retellings. This one retells the Twelve Dancing Princesses.

20. Sabotaged by Dani Pettrey - I kept waiting for Reef's story. I was not disappointed in it at all.

Now for some that are mostly rereads:

21. Short Straw Bride & Stealing the Preacher by Karen Witemeyer - These are my two favorites by Karen.

22. Juliet by Anne Fortier - I loved this one from the first time that I read it. This time through, I was buddy reading it, and I loved it even more.

23. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling - One of my friends is reading this series for the first time, and I said I'd buddy with her on these. No matter how many times I read them, Harry Potter never gets old.

A Sparrow in Terezin - A Review

Published - April 2015, Thomas Nelson Books
Series - A Hidden Masterpiece Novel Book 2
Author - Kristy Cambron
Title - A Sparrow in Terezin
Format - ebook, paper
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Sera James and William Hanover are back. They've discovered the identity of the girl in the painting and William has made decisions about his inheritance. They've also fallen in love and are planning their wedding. Because of the decisions that William made regarding his inheritance, their planned for wedding becomes a wedding occurring right before William is hauled off to jail. He is facing serious charges and Sera will do anything in her power to clear the man she loves. She will fight for her family. Her search for anything to help clear his name takes her to London and a meeting with William's estranged father. Yet Sera's search also brings her back to the days of war torn Europe. What happened to the child Adele and Vladimir tried to save? It is a piece of Sophie's (the child who Adele saved) story that leads Sera to a Czech woman, Kaja Makovsky, living in London during the Blitz. Kaja's journey begins in Prauge. It's not an easy one. She's got to sacrifice all that she holds dear in order to bring hope to the children. Yet through it all, Kaja learns to cling to her faith and discovers that it her faith that will see her through the darkest of times. That's a lesson that Sera has to learn as well.

I absolutely loved Butterfly and the Violin. This book needs to be read after that one. In the first book, the historical story was what captivated me. In this one, it's the modern story that truly held my attention. The war time story is hauntingly beautiful, but I wasn't quite as captivated by Kaja's story as I was of that of Adele's.

Yet, I loved the love that both Sera and William had for each other. I loved watching them grow from the first book. My heart did break at times for them. But it also broke for Kaja, Sophie, and the others in the Terezin camp. There is a scene where a daring rescue takes place, and that scene alone wrenched my heart out.

If you've yet to read Kristy Cambron's novels, I highly recommend them. I have a feeling that her books will move up my list of must-buy books.

I read this book for pure pleasure.

Recommended to fans of WWII, Brock & Bodie Thoene, Francine Rivers, Jody Hedlund, Laura Frantz, Sarah Sundin

Rating - 5 stars

The Butterfly and the Violin - A Review

Published - July 2014,  Thomas Nelson Publishers
Series - Hidden Masterpieces Book 1
Author - Kristy Cambron
Title - The Butterfly and the Violin
Format - ebook, paper
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Sera James has been looking for the painting of the woman she glimpsed as a child for years. Her search to find the painting and to identify the woman in it has taken her to discover Holocaust Art. As she delves more and more into the painting's story, Sera's search leads her to William Hanover, the heir to the massive Hanover estate. Sera and William join forces to find the owner of the painting for different reasons - Sera to discover the story and William to present the owner with court documents contesting the ownership. Yet there's so much to the story than either of them can even begin to imagine. As they delve into the mystery of the painting, they find themselves swept away into the story of Adele von Bron, an Austrian violinist who risked everything to save one Jewish family. Adele is the sweetheart of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in 1942. Her father is a high ranking official in the Third Reich. Yet one evening changes her life forever, and she's forced to question all that she's been taught to believe. Can her violin save her life deep in a Nazi death camp? And can Sera find the answers she so desperately seeks while fighting her attraction to William?

This book has been on my reading list for ages. Literally. The cover and the title intrigued me. I'd not read the book description. And it kept being recommended to me by friends. So when I finally managed to bump this up my to read list and delve into it, I was thrilled.

There are two stories going on here. There is the modern one with Sera and William. Then there's the WWII one of Adele. While I enjoyed both, Adele's story truly fascinated me. Here is this girl who isn't Jewish and appears to have it all going for her. Yet she defies her father to assist the man she loves. She pays a great price for that later too. I loved getting a different look at history. Adele's life is one of survival. She is forced to play her violin at Auschwitz as others are marched to their deaths. Does the experience change her? Yes it does! But it's also a touching story.

Sera and William's  relationship is sweet to see develop. But they both learn how to trust. And I love what happens once they actually find the owner of the painting.

This book was beautifully written. I loved how the author was able to tell two stories in one and it didn't feel choppy or disconnected. They flowed seamlessly together.

I really did love this book. It's different than most WWII books I've read. It's even different than most contemporary books I've read. Sure there's romance in it. But the story itself was pretty awesome.

I read this book for pure pleasure.

Recommended to fans of WWII fiction, Brock & Bodie Thoene, Laura Frantz, Jody Hedlund, Kate Breslin, Cathy Gohlke

Rating - 5 stars