Review: "The Painted Castle" by Kristy Cambron

You know how they say not to judge a book by its cover? Well, in this case, do. Beautiful cover, beautiful book!

"the ringmaster's wife" by kristy cambron

The Ringmaster's Wife
(Thomas Nelson, June 2016)

Travel back to the days of the Big Top circus with Kristy Cambron's fascinating novel The Ringmaster's Wife.

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An ounce of courage. A split-second leap of faith. Together, they propel two young women to chase a new life---one that's reimagined from what they might have become.

In turn-of-the-century America, a young girl dreams of a world that stretches beyond the confines of a quiet life on the family farm. With little more than her wit and a cigar box of treasures to call her own, Mable steps away from all she knows, seeking the limitless marvels of the Chicago World's Fair. There, a chance encounter triggers her destiny---a life with a famed showman by the name of John Ringling.

A quarter of a century later, Lady Rosamund Easling of Yorkshire, England, boards a ship to America as a last adventure before her life is planned out for her. There, the twenties are roaring, and the rich and famous gather at opulent, Gatsby-esque parties in the grandest ballrooms the country has to offer. The Jazz Age has arrived, and with it, the golden era of the American circus, whose queen is none other than the enigmatic Mable Ringling.

When Rosamund's path crosses with Mable's and the Ringlings' glittering world, she makes the life-altering decision to leave behind a comfortable future of estates and propriety, instead choosing the nomadic life of a trick rider in the Ringling Brothers' circus.

A novel that is at once captivating, deeply poignant, and swirling with exquisite historical details of a bygone world, The Ringmaster's Wife will escort readers into the center ring, with its bright lights, exotic animals, and a dazzling performance that can only be described as the greatest show on earth!

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I adore fiction, but I also love a good biography, and Kristy Cambron has given readers a great mix of the two in her fictionalized but reality-based novel The Ringmaster's Wife. The dual timeline novel follows two women: the historical Mable (Burton) Ringling and the fictional Lady Rosamund Easling.

I must admit that it took a while for me to get into the novel. It's written well—Cambron is an excellent writer—but the back-and-forth nature of the time lines, especially when Mable's story featured a few large time jumps, kept me from really engaging with the first half of the novel (and I often flipped back to see what year we'd previously been in). Near the midway point, though, something shifted, and I found myself swept into the world of the Ringling Brothers' circus. I especially loved how Cambron described the circus performers through Rosamund's eyes as she adjusted to life with the traveling circus. Through Rosamund, Cambron made a powerful point that people are just people: When reflecting on the sideshow performers after spending a bit of time with the circus, Rosamund thought "how peculiar it was that her surroundings weren't so peculiar after all. They included real people. With real hearts and giving natures few ever saw" (p. 191).

Of the story lines, Mable's was my favorite. I loved watching her romance with John Ringling develop and then seeing her become like a mother to some of those in the circus. While her story is fictionalized, it's so good that I'd love to believe it's close to the truth. I'm also now itching to see the Ringlings' home, Cà d'Zan, for myself! (Yes, I've looked it up on Google, but how great would it be to visit?)

All in all, Cambron has written a beautiful novel that will leave you longing to attend—or maybe join—the circus! 4 stars.

See what others are saying.
Buy the book.
Read my reviews of Cambron's The Butterfly and the Violin (4 stars) and A Sparrow in Terezin (4-1/2 stars).

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Kristy Cambron fancies life as a vintage-inspired storyteller. Her second novel, A Sparrow in Terezin, was named Library Journal Reviews' "Pick of the Month (Christian Fiction)" for February 2015.

Cambron is an art/design manager at TheGROVEstory.com storytelling ministry. She holds a degree in art history from Indiana University and has nearly 15 years of experience in instructional design and communications for a Fortune-100 company. She lives in Indiana with her husband and three football-loving sons, where she can probably be bribed with a coconut mocha latte and a good Christian fiction read.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"a sparrow in terezin" by kristy cambron

Kristy Cambron's engaging Hidden Masterpiece series continues with A Sparrow in Terezin, another story of hope amid the devastation of World War II.

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Bound together across time, two women will discover a powerful connection through one survivor's story of hope in the darkest days of a war-torn world.

Present Day: With the grand opening of her new art gallery and a fairytale wedding just around the corner, Sera James feels she's stumbled into a charmed life—until a brutal legal battle against fiancé William Hanover threatens to destroy the perfectly planned future she's planned before it even begins. Now, after an eleventh-hour wedding ceremony and a callous arrest, William faces a decade in prison for a crime he never committed, and Sera must battle the scathing accusations that threaten her family and any hope for a future.

1942: Kája Makovsky narrowly escaped occupied Prague in 1939, and was forced to leave her half-Jewish family behind. Now a reporter for the Daily Telegraph in England, Kája discovers the terror has followed her across the Channel in the shadowy form of the London Blitz. When she learns Jews are being exterminated by the thousands on the continent, Kája has no choice but to return to her mother city, risking her life to smuggle her family to freedom and peace.

Connecting across a century through one little girl, a Holocaust survivor with a foot in each world, these two women will discover a kinship that springs even in the darkest of times. In this tale of hope and survival, Sera and Kája must cling to the faith that sustains and fight to protect all they hold dear—even if it means placing their own futures on the line.

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Picking up a few months after The Butterfly and the Violin, the present day portion of A Sparrow in Terezin follows Sera and William as they attempt to begin a life together—a life that's shaping up to be much different than they imagined.

While I was glad to catch up with William and Sera, much of their story was—I think purposefully—confusing. Just as Sera didn't understand what was happening with William, neither did the reader. But rather than enjoying the slow unpacking of his story, I ended up frustrated, as sometimes even what Sera knew was kept from the reader. Because of that, some of Sera's actions didn't make sense to me. In the end, I'm glad things turned out the way they did, but William and Sera's story isn't what will stick with me when I think about this novel in the future.

Kája's story will.

Kája's story—the portion set during World War II—makes up the bulk of the novel. I found this story to be utterly fascinating. Set in Prague, London, and the Terezin Concentration Camp, Kája's story is different from ones you normally hear of Holocaust survivors. Kája escaped Prague, built a life for herself in England, and then returned to rescue her family ... and ended up bringing hope to countless children while in Terezin.

While Kája is not directly connected to Adele and Vladimir from The Butterfly and the Violin, Sophie, the girl they rescued, is an integral part of Kája's story, and, as she did in the first novel, Sophie serves as the bridge between the past and the present.

A Sparrow in Terezin is a truly beautiful novel. I thought The Butterfly and the Violin was good, but A Sparrow in Terezin is even better. If you enjoy historical fiction or learning about World War II, then this is a series you won't want to miss! 4-1/2 stars.

Note: You really should read these books in order. First read The Butterfly and the Violin, then pick up A Sparrow in Terezin.

See what others are saying.
Buy the book.
Read my review of Cambron's The Butterfly and the Violin (4 stars).

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Kristy Cambron has been fascinated with the WWII era since hearing her grandfather's stories of the war. She holds an art history degree from Indiana University and received the Outstanding Art History Student Award. Kristy writes WWII and Regency era fiction and has placed first in the 2013 NTRWA Great Expectations and 2012 FCRW Beacon contests, and is a 2013 Laurie finalist. Kristy makes her home in Indiana with her husband and three football-loving sons.

Find Kristy online: website, Facebook, Twitter

Bound together across time, two women will discover a powerful connection in Kristy Cambron's new book, A Sparrow in Terezin. Connecting across a century through one little girl, a Holocaust survivor with a foot in each world, two women will discover a kinship that springs even in the darkest of times. In this tale of hope and survival, Sera and Kája must cling to the faith that sustains and fight to protect all they hold dear—even if it means placing their own futures on the line.

Kristy is celebrating by giving away a basket filled with goodies inspired by her new book!

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A set of poppy notecards
• A poppy pin
• A copy of I Never Saw Another Butterfly
• A copy of the Mrs. Miniver DVD
• Literary tea bags
• Tumbler
• A copy of A Sparrow in Terezin

 

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 28th. Winner will be announced April 29th on Kristy's blog.



{NOT ON FACEBOOK? ENTER HERE.} Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"the butterfly and the violin" by kristy cambron

A year ago, I had the opportunity to review Kristy Cambron's The Butterfly and the Violin, and I passed. When I started seeing reviews on several of the blogs I followed, I regretted that decision. Then around Christmas, the Kindle version was super cheap, so I grabbed it. Other books got in the way, but when I did get on a tour for the sequel, A Sparrow in Terezin, it was the push I needed to dive into this book. I'm glad I did!

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A mysterious painting breathes hope and beauty into the darkest corners of Auschwitz—and the loneliest hearts of Manhattan.

Manhattan art dealer Sera James watched her world crumble at the altar two years ago, and her heart is still fragile. Her desire for distraction reignites a passion for a mysterious portrait she first saw as a young girl—a painting of a young violinist with piercing blue eyes.

In her search for the painting, Sera crosses paths with William Hanover—he grandson of a wealthy California real estate mogul—who may be the key to uncovering the hidden masterpiece. Together Sera and William slowly unravel the story behind the painting's subject: Austrian violinist Adele Von Bron.

A darling of the Austrian aristocracy of 1942, talented violinist, and daughter to a high-ranking member of the Third Reich, Adele risks everything when she begins smuggling Jews out of Vienna. In a heartbeat, her life of prosperity and privilege dissolves into a world of starvation and barbed wire.

As Sera untangles the secrets behind the painting, she finds beauty in the most unlikely of places: the grim camps of Auschwitz and the inner recesses of her own troubled heart.

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The Butterfly and the Violin features past and present story lines, and the connection between the two isn't fully revealed until the final pages. As I began reading, I was completely captivated by Sera's modern-day story, and I didn't care much for Adele's story. That all changed once Adele arrived in Auschwitz. Suddenly, her story was the one I couldn't fly through quickly enough.

I've read countless novels set during World War II, I've read The Hiding Place multiple times, and I've visited the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C.—but somehow, I never before realized the part that music played in concentration camps. It's heartbreaking, disgusting, and hopeful all at the same time.

The Butterfly and the Violin features two wonderful stories, and I'm glad I finally had the opportunity to read it. While I wasn't completely engaged with each story at all times, I did very much enjoy reading this novel, and I'm eager to continue the story with A Sparrow in Terezin. 4 stars.

Buy the book.

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Kristy Cambron has been fascinated with the WWII era since hearing her grandfather's stories of the war. She holds an art history degree from Indiana University and received the Outstanding Art History Student Award. Kristy writes WWII and Regency era fiction and has placed first in the 2013 NTRWA Great Expectations and 2012 FCRW Beacon contests, and is a 2013 Laurie finalist. Kristy makes her home in Indiana with her husband and three football-loving sons.

Find Kristy online: website, Facebook, Twitter


Disclosure of Material Connection: I purchased this book myself and reviewed it of my own accord. I was not compensated in any way. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

top ten tuesday: books i want to read but don't own yet

This week's Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke & The Bookish, is a fun one: Top Ten Books I Really Want To Read But Don't Own Yet. I couldn't come up with ten when I didn't include books that I haven't released yet, so here are my top four plus a bonus "wishful thinking" pick.

A Table by the Window by Hillary Manton Lodge

I've heard so many great things about this book, and it's in my Amazon wish list, but let's be real—I have so many review books on my shelf, and then another shelf full of books I want to read if I have time, that I doubt I'll be getting this one any time soon.

Wishing on Willows by Katie Ganshert

I read and loved Ganshert's Wildflowers from Winter last year. I had every intention of reading the sequel as soon as it released, but life got in the way, and I just haven't gotten around to buying it. I will, though—of that I have no doubt!

Somebody Like You by Beth K. Vogt

I read Vogt's Wish You Were Here and Catch a Falling Star and loved both of them. So I'm sure I'll get to this one at some point!

The Butterfly and the Violin by Kristy Cambron

I passed on this one when the review invite came along, as I knew I was going to have a very busy summer. Every time I see a recommendation (and it's often), I regret that decision. I'll be getting this soon.

Bonus Pick:

The next Raleigh Harmon mystery (sequel to The Stars Shine Bright) by Sibella Giorello

I feel like I've been waiting forever for the next Raleigh Harmon mystery. In reality, it's only been two years. I've heard there's a sequel in the works, and I sincerely hope that's true—I really need a Raleigh-Jack kiss!

What do you think? Should I run out and buy any of these right now? What books would be on your list? Let me know in the comments, and then stop by the original post and check out other bloggers' picks!