In the Shadow of Blackbirds

In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters, 404 pages

16-year-old Mary Shelly Black’s life is falling apart. The year is 1918 and between WWI and the Spanish flu, death breathes down everyone’s neck. Furthermore, her father has been arrested under the Sedition Act and she is forced to move to a new city to live with her overprotective aunt. The one silver lining to this is that she will once again be close to her childhood best friend, Stephen. It is only once she arrives in town that she finds out he has enlisted and will be leaving within the week. A telegram arrives shortly thereafter announcing that he has died a hero’s death on the battlefield. When Stephen appears to her and she herself has a near death experience, she is forced to re-think her entire worldview. She now must help him understand what has happened - and solve her own mysteries - in order for him to rest.

Winters brings this book to life through archival photos and descriptions so evocative, you can practically smell it (I will never look at an onion the same way again). I recommend this for anyone who likes strong female protagonists, historical fiction, or books about resiliency in the face of disaster.

I am, I am, I am

I am, I am, I am: Seventeen brushes with death / Maggie O'Farrell, read by Daisy Donovan, 288 pgs.

An amazing account of seventeen near death experiences from the authors life.  The first one is coming across a creepy guy on a hike who she knows is not good news but ended up walking with him for a way and chatting manically.  Two days later, the guy ended up killing another girl on the trail.  Add in a couple of near drownings, a few illnesses, and a miscarriage that would not expel itself and you get an amazing story here of close calls.  This book sounds like a total downer but there are comedic parts and telling is so mater-of-fact, you can't help but be drawn in...I guess it also helps that you know she obviously does not die at the end of any of these stories. The audio book is excellent.