Far Side of the Sea by Kate Breslin

Back Cover:  In 1918 England, Lieutenant Colin Mabry spends his days decoding messages for M18 after suffering injuries at the front. When he receives an urgent summons by carrier pigeon from Jewel Reyer - a woman who saved his life and whom he believed to be dead - he can only hope he'll regain the courage he lost on the front lines as he's driven back into war-torn France.

But Jewel isn't the one waiting for him in Paris. Instead, it is a stranger who claims to be her half sister, Johanna, who works at a dovecote for French Army Intelligence. She found Jewel's diary and believes her sister is alive and in the custody of a German agent. With spies everywhere, Colin is at first skeptical of Johanna, but as they travel across France and Spain, a tentative trust grows.

That trust is quickly put to the test, however, when their pursuit leads them straight into the midst of a treacherous plot and their search for answers quickly turns into a battle for their lives.

Review: Whoooa! This book had more twists and turns than a corn maze! There was so much story here! The layers of intrigue seriously blew my mind. I did not see so many of the unexpected hair-pin-turns that flew at me in this book. I loved it, and I would definitely recommend this novel.

There wasn't anything I didn't like about this book. It was riveting. The pace was fast and the plot kept me guessing the whole way. The descriptions made me feel like I was in France...and the history lessons were spectacular. Again, I would definitely recommend this book.

A few things I loved...

One, the descriptions of war-torn Paris and the surrounding countryside. Either Kate Breslin did an exhaustive amount of research and looked at a lot of photos, or she took a visit to Paris and the surrounding areas. I honestly felt like I was there.

Two, the crazy facts I learnt... I had no idea about all the training, breeding, and usage of pigeons that were put to use during the war. Some very interesting stuff there.... There were some other very interesting and shocking historical facts in this book, but to mention them would be a possible spoiler...you'll just have to read it yourself!

Three, I loved the plot! The entire time I was reading this book I felt like the characters were operating on one level....and then I learned at the end that there were multiple levels of plot beneath them and around them that I had no idea existed! Ack! Awesome stuff.

Four, our hero had a serious war injury. The time the author took to make the reader understand how difficult mundane tasks could be with a life-altering injury like Colin had was remarkable. It added a whole layer to this story and made it that much more believable.

A wonderful read, and a book I would like to read again.

Thank-you to Graf Martin Communications and to Baker Publishing House for a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.