Salt to the Sea

 

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

Discusion October 21 via Zoom at 6pm

 

When we think of sinking ships we often think of the Titanic. This book has shared a bit of history with me that I did not know about. The Wilhelm Gustloff was a cruise liner built to carry 2,000 people and when Operation Hannibal (evacuation of German troops and civilians) was put in motion they loaded over 10,000 people aboard. However, a Soviet submarine hit it with three torpedoes. Only 996 people survived. This is the greatest marine disaster in history.

This WWII story follows a handful of refugees. Each with their own story. Each with a past. Each trying to escape the tragedies of war. They all come together to create this historical fiction based on the events that lead up to the sinking of the great ship, the MV Wilhelm Gustloff, in the Baltic Sea. 

 

Library of Absolution

 Library of Absolution by Jennifer Derrick 

Discussion: September 16 via Zoom at 6pm

Wizards and witches are being hunt down and destroyed by the Ministry. The magical community has gone into hiding, Alarick runs the Keep where he will take in any survivors of the attacks. However, when Elissa is invited to join him she requests that she brings her library. She has the magical ability to to protect and preserve the books in a world where not only magic is against the law but so is female literacy. When Alarick agrees to this strange request he would never have guessed how it would change his life. Now instead of just being on a quest to save the magical people. Together they are on a quest to preserve their history in the chance the Ministry destroys them too.

Where the Crawdads Sing

Where the Crawdads Sing

by  Delia Owens

Discussion August 19 via Zoom at 6pm

Wow, I am surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. I had several people tell me to read it and I am glad I did. Beautifully written I could picture the marsh and the people. I don't want to give to much of the story away so very briefly. You go through the life of a young girl that is abandoned in the marsh. Then as an adult she is tried for murder. I was amazed at how smart she became from all the reading she did on her own. It really makes you stop and think about how people are not always what they seem to be, or are they?