Reading on a Theme: Early Female Aviators

I have read quite a few books about women pilots in recent months. I find this topic fascinating. For this post, I gathered books about early women aviators--1930s and earlier. (Find World War II aviators here.) These women are flying all over the world. Some are based on real-life women. Others are based on real historical events.

Flying in Kenya:
Circling the Sun is the story of Beryl Markham's youth. Coming of age after the First World War in Colonial Africa, Beryl chafes against the constraints of womanhood. Paula McLain transports her readers to another time and place with her lush language and engaging storytelling. I love reading about women who shirk convention, and Beryl is absolutely fascinating. Her resolution to carve a place for herself in a man's world, whether it be in horse-training or flight, makes for a terrific tale. Beryl, in Ms. McLean's hands, is a sympathetic character. She makes many mistakes and struggles just to survive in a world that wants her to be something she isn't. 
 

Wing Walker in America:
It's 1922 and Grace Lafferty is the star wing walker of her uncle's ragtag flying circus. Grace is desperate to get the money needed to enter a aviation show in Chicago where the grand prize is a contract with a fledgling Hollywood studio. With a new mechanic on the team, Henry Patton, things seem to looking up. But, between the dangerous tricks, the old planes, and the over-zealous recruiting techniques of a rival team, nothing is a sure bet in the stunt flying business. Nothing But Sky is solid debut with great characters. Grace is full of determination, and Henry gives us a glimpse into the challenges World War I veterans faced. I love that Amy Trueblood tells the story of a woman wing walker. Out March 27th, 2018. Review copy from NetGalley.


Flying in Ethiopia:
Emilia and Teo's mothers were Black Dove, and White Raven--stunt flyers who dazzled audiences until Teo's mother died in a plane crash. Emilia's mother, determined to raise her best friend's son in a world that won't discriminate against him because of the color of his skin, takes the children to Ethiopia. Their peaceful existence is soon threatened. Italy has its eye set on Ethiopia. Emilia, Teo, and Rhoda will need all their wit and skill in the air to survive the Italian invasion. I loved this addition to Elizabeth Wein's Young Pilots Series. The setting in Black Dove, White Raven is so alive and the writing so rich. I loved learning about this moment in history from the eyes of these beautiful characters.

Flying with Lindbergh:
The Aviator's Wife is the story of Anne Morrow Lindbergh, wife of Charles Lindbergh. Anne was an aviator and navigator herself and did much traveling with Charles in the early years of their marriage. Later in life she turned her attention to writing, receiving national acclaim for Gift from the Sea. In the novel, Anne has a strong voice and is a sympathetic character. However, I found myself wishing that Charles could be a more fully formed character. Charles is drawn so unsympathetically that it was hard for me to understand why Anne fell for him in the first place. I really liked learning about the Lindberghs through Melanie Benjamin's historical fiction account. 


Flying in Damascus:  
City of Jasmine stars aviatrix Evangeline Stark. She is on a tour of the seven seas in her airplane when she receives a mysterious photograph of her husband Gabriel Stark taken near Damascus. Everyone thought that Gabriel drowned with the Lusitania. Evie makes a detour from her tour to head to Damascus and put to rest her feelings for Gabriel once and for all. City of Jasmine is kind of cross between Indiana Jones, Lawrence of Arabia, and Amelia Earhart. My favorite part of the novel was the time spent in the Bedouin camp. One of the central issues of the book was the intervention of western Europe in the affairs of the Middle East and its outcomes.

Reading on a Theme: Girl Spies

The great thing about a good spy novel is that it works in every setting. In this bunch of girl spy novels, we've got fantasies, historical fiction, super heroes, and steampunk.

Children's Governess:
In this alternate history, the British still rule the American colonies in 1888. Verity Newton is trying to make her way as a governess for an upper-class family. She befriends several rebels who hope to overthrow the magic-wielding British with steam-powered machines. Soon Verity is using her position to gather valuable information for the rebels. I love a good alternate history, and I thought Rebel Mechanics, with its great characters and interesting premise, was a lot of fun. The mixture of magic, steampunk machinery, and the New York Gilded Age is quite appealing to me. Shanna Swendson's tale would appeal to readers who enjoy Gail Carriger's Etiquette and Espionage.

Witch's Child:
Julia and her bother, Dack, are part of Spira City's underground. Working for a group of spies and thieves, Julia finds herself spying in a grand house full of mystery. Her interest in the house's activities are piqued when a witch and her young son enter the household. Julia Vanishes has such a rich setting. I love that Spira City is split into many different sections and it's easy to tell the rich areas from poor ones based on their names. There are many religions in this book as well as folklore, witches, and magic, all with great details. For instance, witches only do magic when they write things down. Catherine Egan has truly created a magical world and I loved every minute. (It was also a great audiobook!)

Matchmaker's Apprentice:
In Erin Beaty's debut, Sage Fowler botches her interview with the matchmaker (not a huge surprise since she has no interest in getting married). Now Sage is the matchmaker's apprentice, serving as her spy to help determine the personalities and compatibility of her potential clients. Her spy duties get much more dangerous once their military escort realizes they are accompanying these ladies into an uprising. One thing that made The Traitor's Kiss fun is that we had two main characters who were spying on each other. That was definitely a fun twist.



Super Villain:
Nova is an Anarchist, a member of the villain group that was overthrown by the Renegades a decade ago. Nova wants to see their downfall. Adrian is a Renegade who has been experimenting with his powers and moonlighting as a vigilante. When Nova infiltrates the Renegades as a spy, these two characters start working together. Renegades felt like a little bit of X-Men, a little bit of This Savage Song, a little bit of The Orphan Queen. It has a lot of aspects you've read before. Still, it's so fun. I love all the powers that Marissa Meyer came up with. So many of them are incredibly creative. I do think that this book is a little long. I wasn't invested in the story right away, and it took a while for me to get the hang of the world. But once I was in, I was all in.

Dressmaker:
Annis Whitworth just lost her father and all of her money. Society says she must become a governess to earn her way, but she is certain there is another possibility. Annis is also convinced that her father's death was no random occurrence, and she will do what she must to find out the truth. Murder, Magic, and What We Wore was pure fun. Set in an alternate early 19th-century England, this book has as much to do with fashion as it does spy work. Annis is a great character with so much spunk, and I loved the magical elements--sewing glamours is such an interesting magical power. Kelly Jones has written a book that will bring a smile to your face. It really was so fun. Review copy from NetGalley.


Rebel Mechanics, The Traitor's Kiss, and Renegades reviewed by JoLee.
Julia Vanishes and Murder, Magic, and What We Wore reviewed by Paige.