reecaspieces

Women of the Post : A Novel

Joshunda Sanders

On Sale Date: July 18, 2023

9780778334071

Trade Paperback

$18.99 USD

368 pages

ABOUT THE BOOK:

For fans of A League of Their Own, a debut historical novel that gives voice to the pioneering Black women of the of the Six Triple Eight Battalion who made history by sorting over one million pieces of mail overseas for the US Army.

  “What a beautifully imagined and important narrative. Sanders’ clear-eyed and powerful writing made this a hard one to stop reading!”

—Jacqueline Woodson, National Book Award-Winning Author

“This is a novel to cherish and share. And this is a history to sing about and affirm — to proclaim.”

— Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, New York Times Bestselling author of The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois, an Oprah Book Club Novel

Inspired by true events, Women of the Post brings to life the heroines who proudly served in the all-Black battalion of the Women’s Army Corps in WWII, finding purpose in their mission and lifelong friendship.

1944, New York City. Judy Washington is tired of having to work at the Bronx Slave Market, cleaning white women’s houses for next to nothing. She dreams of a bigger life, but with her husband fighting overseas, it’s up to her and her mother to earn enough for food and rent. When she’s recruited to join the Women’s Army Corps—offering a steady paycheck and the chance to see the world—Judy jumps at the opportunity.

During training, Judy becomes fast friends with the other women in her unit—Stacy, Bernadette and Mary Alyce—who all come from different cities and circumstances. Under Second Officer Charity Adams’s leadership, they receive orders to sort over one million pieces of mail in England, becoming the only unit of Black women to serve overseas during WWII.

The women work diligently, knowing that they’re reuniting soldiers with their loved ones through their letters. However, their work becomes personal when Mary Alyce discovers a backlogged letter addressed to Judy. Told through the alternating perspectives of Judy, Charity and Mary Alyce, Women of the Post is an unforgettable story of perseverance, female friendship and self-discovery.

Review

Judy is tired of working for pennies. She joins the WAC. She wants a steady paycheck and she wants to know where her husband is. He joined the army and she has not heard a word from him. She ends up becoming friends with several other women in her group. They all end up overseas (even though they are not allowed to go!) with specific orders to fix the mess of the mail.

Well! I am a huge WWII reader (if you have not guessed!). And I had never heard of the women who straighten out the mess of the mail in WWII. I learned so much reading this novel.

First of all, I didn’t know about the African American women in the Army. I didn’t know all the trials they had to overcome. But these women were amazing. Then there is the Slave Market in the Bronx during the 1930s and 1940s. You can read more about that piece of awful history here. Plus, Mary McLeod Bethune is mentioned in this novel. She has a special place in my childhood reading so I learned more about her in these pages.

There is so much that this novel encompasses. Not only is it full of rich history, it is also full of friendship, strength and a bit of romance.

Need a unique, well researched, WWII tale…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Joshunda Sanders is an award-winning author, journalist and speechwriter. A former Obama Administration political appointee, her fiction, essays and poetry have appeared in dozens of anthologies. She has been awarded residencies and fellowships at Hedgebrook, Lambda Literary, The Key West Literary Seminars and the Martha’s Vineyard Institute for Creative Writing. Women of the Post is her first novel.

SOCIAL LINKS:

Author website: https://joshundasanders.com/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoshundaSanders

BUY LINKS:

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/women-of-the-post-joshunda-sanders/1142106285

Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/women-of-the-post/18847348?gclid=CjwKCAjwzJmlBhBBEiwAEJyLu1nryTwbHOWZl-90gN_Go1Lc0MfbQ-Hn-9VsU-M1ByhrCeWaDjVq0RoCkXYQAvD_BwE

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Women-Post-Novel-Joshunda-Sanders/dp/0778334074/ref=sr_1_1?crid=22I8IE18R4Y7B&keywords=women+of+the+post&qid=1688669577&sprefix=women+of+the+pos%2Caps%2C129&sr=8-1

Overview

A Most Anticipated Book by Real Simple ∙ SheReads ∙ BookBub ∙ and more!

Inspired by a remarkable true story, a young teacher evacuates children to safety across perilous waters, in a moving and triumphant new novel from New York Timesbestselling author Hazel Gaynor.

1940, Kent: Alice King is not brave or daring—she’s happiest finding adventure through the safe pages of books. But times of war demand courage, and as the threat of German invasion looms, a plane crash near her home awakens a strength in Alice she’d long forgotten. Determined to do her part, she finds a role perfectly suited to her experience as a schoolteacher—to help evacuate Britain’s children overseas.

1940, London: Lily Nichols once dreamed of using her mathematical talents for more than tabulating the cost of groceries, but life, and love, charted her a different course. With two lively children and a loving husband, Lily’s humble home is her world, until war tears everything asunder. With her husband gone and bombs raining down, Lily is faced with an impossible choice: keep her son and daughter close, knowing she may not be able to protect them, or enroll them in a risky evacuation scheme, where safety awaits so very far away.

When a Nazi U-boat torpedoes the S. S. Carlisle carrying a ship of children to Canada, a single lifeboat is left adrift in the storm-tossed Atlantic. Alice and Lily, strangers to each other—one on land, the other at sea—will quickly become one another’s very best hope as their lives are fatefully entwined.

Review

Alice has had a shock. She has found a downed airman and he dies right in front of her. From then on, she is determined to do her part in the war. She decides to escort a group of children away from the bombing in London to safer shores.

Lilly is a widowed mother of two. She makes the horrendous decision to send her children to a safe place, away from the blitz in London. Little does she know her life will be forever changed.

The ship carrying these children and Alice is torpedoed after their navy escort leaves them unattended. You can just imagine the heartbreak. A few manage to get on a life boat. It is a lifeboat not counted. So it stays for days out a sea. What these children and Alice experience is horrendous. And you will need to read this to see exactly how they are rescued…YOU WILL NOT BE SORRY!

Talk about an emotional read. This novel unravels you! I cannot imagine being a mother and having to make a decision to send my children away. And then not be able to save them. This book pulls at every heart string you have. And to know it is based on real life events. GEEZ!

Hazel Gaynor has done it again!

Need a fabulous story based on real events…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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Overview

Caribbean-island innkeeper Holly Walker is hunkering down against a monster hurricane. Unfortunately, so is player Lord Anthony Bascombe, a man who excuses his bad behavior by saying he is descended from pirates. Then her grown son, Byron, and his father, Montez—the man she’s never stopped wanting—go missing. Will she ever see them again? What about the many others hurt and dying? And will help ever arrive? With each passing day, Holly’s tumultuous past and the epic storm send her hurtling toward a shattering climax that will change the island—and Holly’s life—forever.

Review

Holly owns an inn on Turks and Caicos. Her world is basically consumed with all the logistics. So, when a hurricane has its eye on her whole world, she refuses to evacuate. When her ex and her son Byron go missing, Holly’s world is turned upside down and she is afraid it will never be the same again.

This is a very atmospheric novel. The setting is amazing. I could just picture all the surrounding beauty. But, this novel just has a bit of hum-drum, everyday details. It is a good read and it is action packed in places, especially when the hurricane hits. It just took a while to get there. I did enjoy the fact that it is a quick read. And sometimes you just need a good, quick story to get you through the week.

Need a good tale about Turks and Caicos…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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Overview

For fans of fast-paced historical thrillers like Our Woman in Moscow and The Rose Code, Kelly Rimmer’s dramatic new novel follows two female SOE operatives whose lives will be determined by a double agent in their midst.

Twenty-five years after the end of the war, Noah Ainsworth is still preoccupied with those perilous, exhilarating years as a British SOE operative in France. A head injury sustained on his final operation has caused frustrating gaps in his memory—in particular about the agent who saved his life during that mission gone wrong, whose real name he never knew, nor whether she even survived the war.

Moved by her father’s frustration, Noah’s daughter Charlotte begins a search for answers that resurrects the stories of Chloe and Fleur, the code names for two otherwise ordinary women whose lives intersect in 1943 when they’re called up by the SOE for deployment in France. Taking enormous risks to support the allied troops with very little information or resources, the women have no idea they’re at the mercy of a double agent among them who’s causing chaos within the French circuits, whose efforts will affect the outcome of their lives…and the war.

But as Charlotte’s search for answers bears fruit, overlooked clues come to light about the identity of the double agent—with unsettling hints pointing close to home—and more shocking events are unearthed from the dangerous, dramatic last days of the war that lead to Chloe and Fleur’s eventual fates.

Review

Noah Ainsworth served in WWII as an SOE operative. But his family thinks he was an airplane mechanic. After his wife dies, Noah mentions to his beloved daughter, Charlotte, about his secret life as an agent. He wants to find the operative which saved his life. He wants to thank him, because without him, Noah would have never had this wonderful life. But, this opens more than one can of worms and Noah is having severe issues with his memories.

This is one of my “go to” authors. I love her novels. This one is not my favorite(my favorite is Truths I Never Told You) but it is still a wonderful read. I loved the chase, or the quest for the person which saved Noah’s life. All the secrets start to unfold and and unveil some unique situations that Noah is not very inclined to remember.

This is told in two separate time periods, WWII and the 1970s. I enjoyed the 1970s section much more than the war section…GASP! I know. This is so unlike me. This is probably why this is more of a 4 star instead of a 5 star read for me. The part during the war is a bit anticipated and expected. However, the search leads to some more secrets which keep this story moving along….secrets, secrets and more secrets…makes the world go around!

Need a very good WWII spy novel…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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Overview

Four women from Haiti, St. Thomas, and Guam meet at a college counseling session for first-year students and learn they have a shared history of abuse. Dubbing themselves the “island sisters,” their unyielding friendship is their touchstone across oceans, through labyrinths of forced marriages and violent men, motherhood, and their dreams of freedom.

Strong-willed and hot-headed Monique, quiet and romantic Cecilia, devout Lanei, and determined Ella are four friends who seem to makeup for what the other lacks. But no matter what is happening in their lives or the struggles they face, they share an unbreakable bond of friendship that serves as their anchor, helping and supporting each other through and through.

To succeed, each woman must make choices that will challenge her long-held cultural beliefs, choices that will come with consequences, in the pursuit of her own individual freedom.

An empowering narrative told from alternating perspectives of each friend, Micki Berthelot Morency has crafted four remarkable and hard-to-forget women whose fates are bound together by culture, by history, and most importantly, by a deep, irrevocable friendship. Heartfelt and deeply moving, THE ISLAND SISTERS is an important story about hope and determination.

Review

Four women who find strength in their friendships. Each woman face challenges beyond belief but they thrive on each other and their determination is above and beyond.

These four ladies, Monique, Cecilia, Lanei, and Ella are lifetime friends. They are very different and approach life in different ways. But they are each knocked down and they struggle but they all succeed. Now, this book has some major traumas. So, be aware, there are some triggers. I could not stop reading to find out what happens.

Now, this book has some issues. It is a bit jumbled and the conversations are a bit canned. But, this is minor. The story itself is something everyone should read. It is about courage and hope!

Need an emotional story…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the author for a honest review.

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Overview

“Patti Murin offers a fun, vivacious performance of this lively romance…with steady pacing and a believable narration, this romance will charm listeners.”- AudioFile Magazine

This program includes an author’s note and supplementary materials read by the author.

Love isn’t blind, it’s just a little blurry.

Sadie Montgomery never saw what was coming . . . Literally! One minute she’s celebrating the biggest achievement of her life—placing as a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition—the next she’s lying in a hospital bed diagnosed with a “probably temporary” condition known as face blindness. She can see, but every face she looks at is now a jumbled puzzle of disconnected features. Imagine trying to read a book upside down and in another language. This is Sadie’s new reality.

But, as she struggles to cope, hang on to her artistic dream, work through major family issues, and take care of her beloved dog, Peanut, she falls in love—not with one man but two. The timing couldn’t be worse.

Making judgment calls on anything right now is a nightmare. If only her life were a little more in focus, Sadie might be able to have it all.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press.

Review

Sadie really wants to stand on her own two feet. But, she is having some terrible difficulties. She thinks her life is looking up. She has been selected as a finalist in a major art portrait competition. Then she wakes up in the hospital with a major brain abnormality. She has to have brain surgery. And this leaves her with face blindness. No way can she compete if she cannot see faces!

This book has some of the best characters (as do all her books)! Sadie has flaws but she is struggling to do her best. Life just keeps knocking her down. Then there is her sweet 14 year old dog named Peanut. Enter veterinarian, Dr. Oliver Addison. He is a good-looking guy that goes out of his way to help Sadie. But, as you can guess, there is a little bit of confusion in places!

I have been a fan of this author since I read my very first book. And I love this one just as much as How To Walk Away! This author can just transport me into her stories and keep me there.

This book is more than just a romance. It is a story about strength and courage. Sadie’s perseverance is amazing. And the research that went into this affliction is incredible. Katherine Center has done it again!

Need an adorable story to get you through the day….THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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Overview

In this sparkling debut rom-com, a perpetually single podcaster has to break all of her own dating rules.

Margo Anderson is sworn off commitment.Alongside her best friend Jo, she runs a viral podcast laying down the ground rules for hooking up without catching feelings. So when Jo takes up a sponsor’s offer to host an all-expenses-paid wedding on Catalina Island, they have the whole internet to answer to.

In a scramble for content to appease their disappointed listeners, Margo cooks up a social experiment: break all her own dating rules, just to prove to everyone that it’s a bad idea. All she needs now is someone to break them with, and thanks to the wedding, she’s found the best man for the job. Declan Walsh is about as smug and annoying as he was in high school, though he’s maybe a bit easier on the eyes than Margo remembered. More importantly, there is no chance she’d ever catch feelings for him.

The more time they spend together through cake tastings and photoshoots, the more Declan sees past all the filters. As the wedding looms ever closer, the careful façade Margo wears for social media starts to chip away. There’s just one problem: she’s not sure anyone’s going to like what they find underneath.

Review

Margo and her best friend, Jo are successful podcasters and Instagram influencers. They do a podcast about hooking up but with no entanglements. Then, Jo breaks all the rules and decides to get married. Margo is the maid of honor, of course. But the best man is her nemesis from high school, Declan. He is much better looking than Margo remembers but she will never forget how awful he was to her in high school….or will she?!?!

These characters are a hoot and heat up the pages nicely. Declan is an old fashioned nerd and Margo is a tech savvy podcaster. These two do not seem to have much in common except for a past! Margo has a beef against Declan. She remembers it all very well, all the high school pranks! But, honestly, Declan doesn’t exactly remember it the way Margo does. So, there is quite a bit of miscommunication…up until there is not and then sparks fly!

I needed this escape. This hit me at just the right time. I needed a book which took me away with ease. And this one fit the bill!

Need a cute rom-com for the vacation…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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Overview

Lights, camera, action in bestselling author David Rosenfelt’s Flop Dead Gorgeous, as Andy Carpenter goes bicoastal to prove an old friend’s innocence.

Retired lawyer Andy Carpenter remembers every dog that’s come through the Tara Foundation’s doors, but the most well-known alum of the dog rescue organization that Andy founded in Paterson, New Jersey, may be Mamie. Adopted by famous actress Jenny Nichols—Andy’s high school girlfriend—the miniature French poodle is now practically a starlet in her own right.

Andy doesn’t hold it against his friend. In fact, he and his wife, Laurie, have dinner with Jenny while she’s in town filming her next big hit. But after an eventful meal, there’s a plot twist the next morning that none of them see coming: Jenny’s costar is found dead, a knife in his back. It’s not long before Jenny is arrested for the murder and finds herself in need of Andy’s legal services.

While Mamie becomes reacquainted with Tara, Andy’s golden retriever, Andy digs into the lives of the rich and famous.

Review

Andy is a retired lawyer and an animal rescuer. When his old high school girlfriend, Jenny, comes to town to film a movie, he invites her to have dinner with him and his wife. Things do not go as planned. Jenny’s costar is found dead and Jenny is arrested for his murder. So, Andy comes out of retirement to save his friend.

I have never read this series. And I just might have to go back and pick a few up. I enjoyed how quickly this tale moved and the characters were fabulous. It is a bit predictable and simple but that just added to the charm! And there are definitely places that had me giggling in my chair!

And the dogs are such a treat! I wonder if the author has visited my house and decided to use Peanut and Lulu as characters!

Need a quick, laugh out loud mystery…THIS IS IT!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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