Last Christmas in Paris

I find novels written in letters beyond charming and this World War I novel was charming. It very much reminded me of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society in that two charming characters fall in love with each from a distance. Evie is a young woman with too much energy to be pent up at home while her brother and his best friend goes off to war. She starts writing them both immediately, trying to keep their spirits up and live vicariously through them. She's stuck at home attending tea parties, knitting scarves for soldiers, and writing the most humorous and heartfelt letters to Will (her brother) and Tom (his best friend). As the years progress and the tone of the war changes, she starts to find herself falling for Tom, but she's pretty sure it's one sided. What would Tom ever see in his best friend's younger sister? Romantic, thrilling, and full of wit and charm, this novel will be sure to charm readers.

All Quiet on the Western Front

I feel that it's very fitting that this book is often lauded as the greatest war novel of all time. To me it also read as the greatest anti-war novel (besides Slaughterhouse Five) because after reading this dark, chilling, DEPRESSING account of what it's like going to war, why on earth would you ever want to enlist?? One very interesting thing I noticed while reading this, is that patriotism or fighting for your country never came up. At all. They weren't protecting the fatherland, they joined because it was expected of them, they didn't have any deep desire to show off their patriotism. All Quiet on the Western Front showcases several young German men on the front lines during World War I. They're fighting in the trenches, enjoying the little things in life (food, companionship, and cigarettes) and wondering where on earth their youth went. Two years of seeing the unimaginable, suffering every malady, and losing friend after friend has them questioning everything from why they are there to what they plan on doing if they are lucky enough to survive the war. A fast paced read that everyone should read.

Moonlight Over Paris

This is a nice easy beach read. There is virtually no plot, the characters are all likable and the imagery is beautiful; you can zone out and enjoy it but you won't learn a whole lot from it. Moonlight Over Paris is set in 1920's Paris after the first World War and focuses on Helena coming to terms with her life, friends, and art. The book starts with Helena on the brink of death, vowing to change her life if she can pull through the scarlet fever. When she gets better she decides to move to Paris and live with her aunt while attending art school. While there she makes great friends and attracts the eye of a handsome American. The scenery, descriptions of art, and detail to imagery make it a pleasant read even though there isn't much, if any, plot to propel the story forward. Not a bad read, but not great either. This book would also appeal to fans of gentle reads, inspirational fiction (no sex, very PG), and historical fiction.