A Brilliant Night of Stars and Ice by Rebecca Connolly, New Release!

 

Book Summary:

Based on the remarkable true story of the Carpathia—the one ship and her legendary captain who answered the distress call of the sinking Titanic.

Shortly after midnight on April 15, 1912, the captain of the Carpathia, Arthur Rostron, wakes to a distress signal from the Titanic, which has struck an iceberg on its maiden voyage. Though information is scarce, Rostron leaps into action, determined to answer the call for help. But the Carpathia is more than four hours away, and there are more questions than answers: Will his ship hold together if pushed to never-before-tested speeds? What if he also strikes an iceberg? And with the freezing temperatures, will there be any survivors by the time the Carpathia arrives?

Kate Connolly is a third-class passenger on Titanic, and she is among the last to receive instruction and help after it hits an iceberg. Despite the chaos of abandoning ship, Kate is able to board a lifeboat, though after seeing the Titanic sink into the abyss and hearing the cries from hundreds of people still in the water, she wonders if any rescue is even possible.

Told in alternating chapters from both Captain Rostron and Kate Connolly.

My Review:

Connolly has written phenomenal historical fiction that tugged on my heartstrings and had me crying more than any other book I have read. She tells the story of the Carpathia in such a heartfelt and real way. I felt all of the emotions right along with each and every character. Connolly unfolds the events of rescuing the Titanic in a way that the reader felt like they were there experiencing it for themselves. I felt the urgency, the need to prepare, and the utter shock and heartbreak at what they found. The heartrending moments when people realized their loved ones did not make it broke my heart into pieces and had me crying. And I am not one to cry easily. 

This is historical fiction at its finest and I can see this book winning awards. Such an inspiring tale of humanity. It is really all about humanity. Captain Rostron was a steady and stalwart light during such a major crisis. I walked away from this book changed forever. It has left a mark upon my soul and I am still pondering it. If you even have a question about whether or not you should read this book, just squash that and go read it. The story is engrossing and will engulf you so that you cannot do anything else until you have finished the very last page.

 I received a copy of this book for free; all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

You can pick up your own copy via Amazon.