Synopses & Reviews
A best-selling novelist enlists her own sister to bring us the story of two Southern sisters, disguised as men, who join the Confederate Army—one seeking vengeance on the battlefield, the other finding love. In a war pitting brother against brother, two sisters choose their own battle.
Joseph and Thomas are fresh recruits for the Confederate Army, daring to join the wild fray that has become the seemingly endless Civil War, sharing everything with their fellow soldiers—except the secret that would mean their undoing: they are sisters.
Before the war, Joseph and Thomas were Josephine and Libby. But that bloodiest battle, Antietam, leaves Libby to find her husband, Arden, dead. She vows vengeance, dons Arden’s clothes, and sneaks off to enlist with the Stonewall Brigade, swearing to kill one Yankee for every year of his too-short life. Desperate to protect her grief-crazed sister, Josephine insists on joining her. Surrounded by flying bullets, deprivation, and illness, the sisters are found by other dangers: Libby is hurtling toward madness, haunted and urged on by her husband’s ghost; Josephine is falling in love with a fellow soldier. She lives in fear both of revealing their disguise and of losing her first love before she can make her heart known to him.
In her trademark “vibrant” (Washington Post Book World) and “luscious” (Atlanta Journal-Constitution) prose, Kathy Hepinstall joins with her sister Becky to show us the hopes of love and war, the impossible-to-sever bonds of sisterhood, and how what matters most can both hurt us and heal us.
Review
"Brilliant...Geraldine Brooks' new novel,
March, is a very great book....Brooks has magnificently wielded the novelist's license."—
Beth Kephart,
Chicago Tribune
"A beautifully wrought story....Gripping....A taut plot, vivid characters and provocative issues."—Heller McAlpin, Los Angeles Times Book Review
"Honorable, elegant and true."—John Freeman, The Wall Street Journal
"Harrowing and moving...In her previous book, Year of Wonders, Geraldine Brooks proved herself to be a wonderful novelist. March has all the same virtues...casting a spell that lasts much longer than the reading of it."—Karen Joy Fowler, The Washington Post World
"Wholly original...deeply engaging."—Ron Charles, The Christian Science Monitor
"Inspired... A disturbing, supple, and deeply satisfying story, put together with craft and care and imagery worthy of a poet." —The Cleveland Plain Dealer
"Louisa May Alcott would be well pleased." —The Economist
Review
A "skillful debut ..."
-The Daily Beast
" ...riveting saga about trying to break a 19th-century glass ceiling."
-Good Housekeeping
"Oliveira's debut novel is magnificent historical fiction."
-Bookpage
"The language is beautiful and the story will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout ..."
-(Albany) Times Union
" ...compelling voice ... does a splendid job of reminding us how much the known world has changed ... and how much has not."
-(Portland) Oregonian
"Oliveira deftly depicts the chaotic aftermath of battles and develops her own characters while incorporating military and political leaders of the time. The historic details enrich the narrative without overshadowing Mary's struggles. This well-written and compelling debut will engage all readers of historical fiction, especially those interested in the Civil War."
-Library Journal
Review
“History—and its colorful characters—come alive.” -
USA Today
“Required Reading . . . The story of First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln and Lizzie Keckley, a former slave who became Mrs. Lincolns seamstress and confidante. After the presidents assassination, Keckley created the Mary Todd Lincoln quilt and also a scandalous memoir. A new spin on the story.” --New York Post
“Jennifer Chiaverini imagines the first ladys most private affairs through the eyes of an unlikely confidante.” -Harpers Bazaar
“Chiaverini has drawn a loving portrait of a complex and gifted woman . . . Mrs. Lincolns Dressmaker helps to illuminate the path on which her long and remarkable life led her.” -St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“An example of what Jennifer Chiaverini does so well in her enlightening new historical novel, Mrs. Lincolns Dressmaker, occurs late in the book, when a newly widowed Mary Todd Lincoln shares a letter of condolence from Queen Victoria with her dressmaker, a former slave named Elizabeth Keckley. . . . Mrs. Lincolns Dressmaker vividly imagines how the Civil War touched daily life in Washington.” --Washingtonian
“Mrs. Lincolns Dressmaker is a wonderful novel that covers many topics surrounding the events of the 1860s in Washington and the following decades… Any reader interested in President Lincoln, Civil War history, or historical fiction should love this book.” -Bookreporter.com
“All the characters are brilliantly written, and readers will enjoy getting to know them. [Chiaverini] brings to life long-forgotten snapshots of Americas past with style, grace and respect.” -RT Book Reviews
“Taking readers through times of war and peace as seen through the eyes of an extraordinary woman, the author brings Civil War Washington to vivid life through her meticulously researched authentic detail. Chiaverini's characters are compelling and accurate; the reader truly feels drawn into the intimate scenes at the White House.” -Library Journal
Review
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Praise for Jennifer Chiaverini and the Elm Creek Quilts series “Chiaverinis themes of love, loss, and healing will resonate with many, and her characters stories are inspiring.” —Publishers Weekly
“Chiaverini has an impressive ability to bring a time and place alive.” —Romantic Times Book Reviews
“Emotionally compelling.” —Chicago Tribune on Sonoma Rose
“Jennifer Chiaverini has made quite a name for herself with her bestselling Elm Creek Quilts series. From the Civil War to the Roaring Twenties to contemporary settings, these novels have offered suspense, romance, and, at times, in-depth looks into the social, political, and cultural differences that helped shape a nation.” —BookPage
“Chiaverini excels at weaving stories and at character development. We can relate to the residents of Elm Creek Valley because they remind us of folks we know—a cousin, an aunt, or a grandmother.” —Standard-Examiner (Utah)
Review
Praise for THE SPYMISTRESS
“Readers of historical and inspirational fiction will admire Van Lews courage and commitment to her principles and the bravery of her ring of spies.” - Booklist
Review
Praise for THE SPYMISTRESS
“Readers of historical and inspirational fiction will admire Van Lews courage and commitment to her principles and the bravery of her ring of spies.” - Booklist
"'The Spymistress' also does what good historical fiction does - it places you there in history, but also makes you want to find out more about the real person and continue your education." - Durham Herald-Sun
Review
"
Sisters of Shiloh is an unsparing, bloody, emotional tour-de-force. With Kathy’s experience as a bestselling author and Becky’s history degree, the Hepinstalls are a highly effective writing team. They present lucky readers with a tale of love and hate, vengeance and devotion, and the darkest secrets imaginable. Highly recommended for all."
--Historical Novels Review"The Hepinstall sisters provide a fascinating glimpse into Civil War life from an unconventional perspective."
--Kirkus "The very best historical fiction delivers us into another time and place. In Sisters of Shiloh, Kathy and Becky Hepinstall plunge us so deeply into a complete and vividly rendered world of Civil War battlefields and Confederate campsites, we can smell the gun powder and taste the metallic tinge of fear along with their remarkable heroines." --Janis Cooke Newman, author of Mary
Review
"Engrossing…beguiling."
—Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"Sisters of Shiloh is an unsparing, bloody, emotional tour-de-force. . . . A tale of love and hate, vengeance and devotion, and the darkest secrets imaginable. This novel allows us a glimpse into the thin line between sanity and madness, and how it can become so easily blurred. If you love books about the civil war, especially those with strong heroines, then this is one to get. A very poignant read indeed. Highly recommended for all."
—Historical Novel Society
"The Hepinstall sisters provide a fascinating glimpse into Civil War life from an unconventional perspective."
—Kirkus
"The very best historical fiction delivers us into another time and place. In Sisters of Shiloh, Kathy and Becky Hepinstall plunge us so deeply into a complete and vividly rendered world of Civil War battlefields and Confederate campsites, we can smell the gun powder and taste the metallic tinge of fear along with their remarkable heroines."
—Janis Cooke Newman, author of Mary and the forthcoming A Master Plan for Rescue
"A fluid story that is not just poignant but leaves you feeling well-informed of this time period."
—For the Love of Words
"Highly recommended to fans of historic fiction and civil war buffs alike."
—Flashlight Commentary
"Seeing the atrocities of this war through the eyes of two strong female characters makes for a fabulous and entertaining read."
—Book Binder's Daughter
"The Hepinstall sisters write so beautifully, it's hard to put down."
—Bookalicious Babe
"Sisters of Shiloh is a refreshing take on the Civil War, the bonds of sisterhood, and the bondage of love...be prepared to be parked in a chair all day!"
—The Christian Manifesto
Synopsis
From Louisa May Alcott’s beloved classic Little Women, Geraldine Brooks has animated the character of the absent father, March, and crafted a story "filled with the ache of love and marriage and with the power of war upon the mind and heart of one unforgettable man" (Sue Monk Kidd). With"pitch-perfect writing" (USA Today), Brooks follows March as he leaves behind his family to aid the Union cause in the Civil War. His experiences will utterly change his marriage and challenge his most ardently held beliefs. A lushly written, wholly original tale steeped in the details of another time, March secures Geraldine Brooks’s place as a renowned author of historical fiction.
Synopsis
A New York Times bestseller and a moving Civil War novel about a young midwife who dreams of becoming a surgeon Fans of Calebs Crossing by Geraldine Brooks, Cold Mountainby Charles Frazier, and Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini will love this New York Times bestselling tale of the Civil War. Mary Sutter is a brilliant young midwife who dreams of becoming a surgeon. Eager to run away from recent heartbreak, Mary travels to Washington, D.C., to help tend the legions of Civil War wounded. Under the guidance of two surgeons, who both fall unwittingly in love with her, and resisting her mother's pleas to return home to help with the difficult birth of her twin sister's baby, Mary pursues her medical career against all odds. Rich with historical detail-including cameo appearances by Abraham Lincoln and Dorothea Dix, among others-My Name Is Mary Sutter is certain to be recognized as one of the great novels about the Civil War.
Synopsis
An enthralling historical novel about a young woman's struggle to become a doctor during the Civil War In this stunning first novel, Mary Sutter is a brilliant, headstrong midwife from Albany, New York, who dreams of becoming a surgeon. Determined to overcome the prejudices against women in medicine-and eager to run away from her recent heartbreak- Mary leaves home and travels to Washington, D.C. to help tend the legions of Civil War wounded. Under the guidance of William Stipp and James Blevens-two surgeons who fall unwittingly in love with Mary's courage, will, and stubbornness in the face of suffering-and resisting her mother's pleas to return home to help with the birth of her twin sister's baby, Mary pursues her medical career in the desperately overwhelmed hospitals of the capital.
Like Charles Frazier's Cold Mountain and Robert Hicks's The Widow of the South, My Name Is Mary Sutter powerfully evokes the atmosphere of the period. Rich with historical detail (including marvelous depictions of Lincoln, Dorothea Dix, General McClellan, and John Hay among others), and full of the tragedies and challenges of wartime, My Name Is Mary Sutter is an exceptional novel. And in Mary herself, Robin Oliveira has created a truly unforgettable heroine whose unwavering determination and vulnerability will resonate with readers everywhere.
Synopsis
A New York Times bestseller and a moving Civil War novel about a young midwife who dreams of becoming a surgeon Fans of Calebs Crossing by Geraldine Brooks, Cold Mountainby Charles Frazier, and Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini will love this New York Times bestselling tale of the Civil War. Mary Sutter is a brilliant young midwife who dreams of becoming a surgeon. Eager to run away from recent heartbreak, Mary travels to Washington, D.C., to help tend the legions of Civil War wounded. Under the guidance of two surgeons, who both fall unwittingly in love with her, and resisting her mother's pleas to return home to help with the difficult birth of her twin sister's baby, Mary pursues her medical career against all odds. Rich with historical detail-including cameo appearances by Abraham Lincoln and Dorothea Dix, among others-My Name Is Mary Sutter is certain to be recognized as one of the great novels about the Civil War.
Synopsis
New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Chiaverini is back with another enthralling historical novel set during the Civil War era, this time inspired by the life of a true Union woman as true as steel” who risked everything by caring for Union prisoners of war and stealing Confederate secrets.
Born to slave-holding aristocracy in Richmond, Virginia, and educated by Northern Quakers, Elizabeth Van Lew was a paradox of her time. When her native state seceded in April 1861, Van Lews convictions compelled her to defy the new Confederate regime. Pledging her loyalty to the Lincoln White House, her courage would never waver, even as her wartime actions threatened not only her reputation, but also her life.
Van Lews skills in gathering military intelligence were unparalleled. She helped to construct the Richmond Underground and orchestrated escapes from the infamous Confederate Libby Prison under the guise of humanitarian aid. Her spy rings reach was vast, from clerks in the Confederate War and Navy Departments to the very home of Confederate President Jefferson Davis.
Although Van Lew was inducted posthumously into the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame, the astonishing scope of her achievements has never been widely known. In Chiaverinis riveting tale of high-stakes espionage, a great heroine of the Civil War finally gets her due.
Synopsis
Amid the ravages of the Civil War, two sisters join the Confederate Army disguised as men—one seeking vengeance for her husbands death, the other hoping to keep them both alive but then finding love on the battlefield.
About the Author
KATHY HEPINSTALL grew up outside of Houston, Texas. Kathy is the best-selling author of The House of Gentle Men, The Absence of Nectar, and Blue Asylum. She is an award-winning creative director and advertising writer. She currently resides in Santa Barbara, California, with her husband.
BECKY HEPINSTALL grew up outside of Houston, Texas. She holds a degree in history from the University of Texas at Austin and currently resides in Virginia Beach, Virginia, with her husband, a Navy pilot, and their four children.