Author: Jayda Justus, The History Mom

Jayda B. Justus is the creator/writer of the blog, The History Mom, where she provides detailed reviews of US and European historical sites for families with corresponding book recommendations. She loves interacting with the bookish world on Instagram as @thehistorymom, especially #bookstagram, and has appeared as a guest on several podcasts, blogs, and media outlets. Her favorite genres to read are historical fiction and nonfiction, but she also loves contemporary and historical romance and women’s fiction. Hailing from the historic town of Kings Mountain, North Carolina, she is a former legislative director for a Member of Congress and now lives in Richmond, Virginia with her family where she spends her days working on her first novel. Visit her at The History Mom (https://thehistorymom.com).

An American Beauty: A Novel of the Gilded Age, by Shana Abé — A Review

From the desk of Jayda Justus:

The true tale of a woman who fought her way to the top in the Gilded Age.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

In post-war Richmond, Virginia, times are tough and food is scarce. Arabella Yarrington is a scrappy young woman forced to work in a den of gamblers to put food on the table for her widowed mother and siblings. Her beauty attracts the attention of a wealthy railroad magnate from New York, Collis P. Huntington. He is captivated by Continue reading “An American Beauty: A Novel of the Gilded Age, by Shana Abé — A Review” →

11 May 2023 2

Two Wars and a Wedding: A Novel, by Lauren Willig — A Review

From the desk of Jayda B. Justus:

A sweeping historical fiction novel about love and loss in the midst of war.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

It’s September of 1896 in Athens, Greece, and American Betsy Hayes is a strong-willed, young aspiring archaeologist who is there to take part in excavations uncovering the day-to-day life of the ancient world. However, she runs into roadblocks set by the men in charge who don’t believe a woman should be at the dusty archaeological sites. Only one man believes in her dream, and they soon form a special bond. When a conflict between Greece and Continue reading “Two Wars and a Wedding: A Novel, by Lauren Willig — A Review” →

17 April 2023 5

Marmee: A Novel of Little Women, by Sarah Miller — A Review

From the desk of Jayda B. Justus:

I am a huge fan of Little Women and read it multiple times as a child and adult, laughing and crying along with the March sisters (and desperately longing for sisters like them!). Marmee is a new novel retelling of the story from the point of view of the sisters mother, Margaret March. Author Sarah Miller has turned the familiar story to focus on how the antics of the sisters and the absence of Mr. March affected Margaret, the saintly mother, and wife who held the family together in the midst of war and near poverty. Continue reading “Marmee: A Novel of Little Women, by Sarah Miller — A Review” →