Vanguard of Hope: Sapphire Brigade Book 1

by Kathy Steinemann

ALTERNATIVE HISTORY:

LISETVILLE, 1890 -- Murders are committed; homes are burned; family secrets are buried; an unexpected romance complicates lives. Amid the mystery and violence, a vigilante brigade emerges to administer justice.

Flowing through the intrigue and drama is a dark undercurrent that will touch your heart as you empathize with the victims.

What Readers Are Saying:

"I am hooked. I do hope that I will be able to get all your novels." - Lorene Charlton

"This book keeps you in suspense right to the end. The dark underlying theme is tackled in a sensitive manner." - S.L. Banks

"I started reading this novel to help quiet my mind at a late hour, but found myself still awake in the morning. Its intense read was much more than I expected. It has 'all' the elements from love, betrayal, suspense, and romance, to murder. 'Vanguard of Hope' will touch everyone who reads it. If you're a young adult or older, this excellent novel will awaken you deep within your soul." - Toni Gee

"The book was excellent! I really enjoyed reading it. I could not stop. Every chance I got, I was trying to sneak in just a couple more diary entries! I look forward to reading the next book in the series. And I will most certainly be recommending this to others to read!" - Brandy Mayan-Rooks

349 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 10, 2013

About the author

Kathy Steinemann, Grandma Birdie to her grandkids, lives near the Rocky Mountains in the land of Atwood and Shatner and Bieber. A writer and retired editor, she loves words, especially when those words are frightening or futuristic or funny.

Her career has taken varying directions, including positions as editor of a small-town paper, computer-network administrator, and webmaster. She has also worked on projects in commercial art and cartooning.

Join her at KathySteinemann.com for word lists, how tos, and sometimes irreverent reviews of writing rules.

Reviews

[Diamond · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 3.5 stars

A copy of this book was provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Vanguard of Hope is a historical fiction novel written in diary format. Although I was a bit skeptical (it's not often pulled off well); I was ultimately incredibly pleased with the format. It was easy to read and it flowed really well.

I did feel like I was in the time period; with slavery being abolished yet still very much a part of things. Women were fighting for their rights to work and vote; and gaining more independence. However, I had a huge problem with the fact that it was supposed to be taking place in the US south. I felt like it was taking place in England for huge parts of the novel. In fact, I completely forgot it took place in Ameirca until the end when they had to mention a state -- I was like, uh...what? Not good. Not good at all. I think it had to do with the language (very British) and the mannerisms like having tea and such.

The ending felt unfinished. I don't know how the series will continue with a different set of characters. Not sure if I'm excited to read the sequel. I really love Hope. I felt for her and she was extremely real. She was a strong woman who was sexually abused by her father as a child. She held it all in and didn't tell anyone. Then, it started to really negatively affect her and once she opened up she began to heal. It was really inspiring.

I was a bit worried that due to the subject matter I'd get super emotional or it would be too hard to read. This wasn't an issue at all. It was written so well; it didn't gloss over anything, but it was realistic and just the right amount of description. Sometimes this sort of subject matter goes from realistic to just...lewd. Shock value type writing. This was so wonderfully done where it wasn't any more disturbing that that sort of subject matter will ultimately always be. I felt it was realistic and also it wasn't overly depressing. The novel had my spirits up, in fact. I was inspired and in love with the characters.

Overall I was super impressed by the scope of this novel. Although I had problems with the setting and language (not fitting the location) as well as the ending, I still really enjoyed this book. I am not sure if I would continue the series (Due to the difference in the characters for the sequel), but I'd definitely recommend this book to many people.

[Roses Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given a copy of this book to give an honest review. At first when I started reading this story, I thought I wouldn't enjoy it. I've never read a book that was made up of diary entries, but I have to say it was like reading chapters in a novel I also liked the different sections including the newspaper clipping section at the end and the two entries made by Owen towards the end of the book.

This story was written so realistically written that I truly felt like I was actually reading entries from the character's diary. I was drawn into Hope's life and felt like I was right there with her while she was making her diary entries. Hope lived a full life, but didn't truly start living her life to the fullest until close to the last years of her life. She was married to Paul for twelve years before their marriage actually took a turn from the boring husband and wife standard you would expect to see from a marriage in the 1800s. I seriously thought the story was over at 40 percent in because Hope seemed to have everything she wanted in her life, that was until everything took a turn for the worst and her life started to fall apart around her. I don't want to give anything away about the story by saying what happened you will have to read it to find out.

I loved reading about the Sapphire Brigade and their efforts to protect the innocent and victims of pedophiles. I look forward to reading more about the Sapphire Brigade in the future books in this series and I love their moto: 'Nos protegimus presistimusque' - 'We protect and we persevere' and I loved the exclusive interview with a member of the Brigade it did help the reader to understand the motivation behind the way they operate. The story did however leave me wondering what happened with Phoebe when she found out the secret that Owen and Solomon kept from her all those years and what happened with Owen. I hope to read more about their stories in future books in this series. If you are looking for a captivating story this one will be for you. It had everything: love, lies, deceit, mystery, murder, romance, a passionate love affair, death, and tears tears and more tears. Great story and was very well written check it out it was well worth the late nights up reading this book.

[Sophia Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vanguard of Hope, by Kathy Steinemann, the first in her Sapphire Brigade series, is a melodrama set in the late 19th century. I have had quite an internal struggle over how to rate this book. Because I determined that several of the problems I had with it were probably personal taste issues, I'm giving it three stars instead of two.

One thing that Steinemann could easily clarify at the beginning with a quick edit is the location of the story. I was very confused--there were references to "Free Negroes" and the 13th Amendment, implying the United States, most likely in the South. But the spellings are often British, there is a reference to British tutors, and Peter, the husband, is described (too far in) as having a British accent.

There are also some other editing issues like verb tense inconsistencies and confusing shifts in focus from crucial plot points to details about a secondary character's appearance and personality.

But now, on to the major issues I had with the novel...

[Warning: Spoilers abound in the next few paragraphs]

First off, Steinemann sent me the book to review, and she probably didn't realize I am a historian, or she might not have. There were a few distinct, well-researched passages, but the book had so many anachronisms as to completely throw me out of the story. Finally I decided to pretend that it was set in 1958 instead of 1890, which took care of almost all of the problems. For one thing, the term "paedophile" was not in common use until the 20th century. I am not convinced that people in the 1890s would have reacted to Hope's confession about her secret as they did. Perhaps one or two exceptionally advanced thinkers might, but the vast majority would have labeled her "hysterical" and locked her away in a room with yellow wallpaper.

The concept of "racism" as a bad thing is also far more recent than the turn of the century. At that time and well into the first half of the 20th century "racism," and specifically "scientific racism," was widely accepted as an appropriate world view, not as something to condemn. Read some of Teddy Roosevelt's writings on the topic of race sometime. By the mid 1920s literally millions of people, including a half a million women, belonged to the KKK. It became something you had to do in order to make it in a career--even Harry Truman joined for a brief time. Had the novel been set in the late 1950s or in the 1960s, after the Civil Rights movement had begun, it would make a lot more sense to me that Hope would want to reject racism. And it would still make a lot of sense to me that she and those around her might suffer retaliation for it.

Terms like "cheating" and "stalking" are also later 20th century terms, for what it's worth. The book is full of language inappropriate to the time.

Another issue I had was that I thought I was reading a romance, and as romances go, Vanguard doesn't follow the rules. Some readers may enjoy this as a step away from convention. However, I like romance conventions. Introduce the main love interest at the beginning and that's who I want the main character to end up with. But Hope had not one, not two, but three loves. Hey, I'm all for polyamorous love stories, but this really wasn't one of those (way too much talk of offending God for that). The introduction of Owen in the last third of the novel really threw me off. I never trusted him. It didn't help that he kept breaking into her house and surprising her when he 1) knew she was a victim of sexual assault and 2) was a doctor who counseled her sister about her own assault and should have been a lot more sensitive to the repercussions of violating Hope's space and safety like that. On top of that, Hope's reactions to this violation didn't ring true for me. She wasn't the least bit unnerved. Maybe if she had met Owen before Solomon or Peter, if there had been established sexual tension with him from the start, I might have been able to hang in there. And it didn't help that I found their playful sexual banter awkward (they had names for their body parts) and tiresome (there was far too much of it).

I was disappointed because in the beginning of the novel I got hooked despite the anachronisms and minor editing problems, which is saying a lot for me. I get frustrated with that sort of thing usually. But I was impressed because the story of Hope's affair with Solomon was compelling and I thought that would be the focus of the book. Also, Steinemann has a good grasp of how to throw twists into a plot. In fact, I think she does it too much (he was murdered, no, he killed himself, no, he's not actually dead--that one annoyed me particularly because I was invested in the hate crime aspect of the murder scenario). But by the last third of the novel, I felt that the tension just wasn't there. The only looming threat was Hope's illness, and that wasn't enough for me. I needed something else to threaten her--the illness was just saddening, not exciting.

Anyway, I think others may enjoy this novel more than I did. Anachronisms really bug me (unless it's an alternative history) and I don't think they bother non-history buffs nearly as much. So if you like melodramas with lots of twists and prefer romances that stray from the usual conventions, you may enjoy Vanguard of Hope.

[Readiculously Peachy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out my original review on my blog: Readiculously Peachy

My Review:

When the Kathy Steinemann introduced me to her book, Vanguard of Hope, I have to admit that I was at first not immediately intrigued! I was so fixated on my young adult paranormal book preferences that I almost refused to read anything deviating from that genre. But after reading some really great reactions (no reviews) from other readers I was soon enough frantically flying through the pages of the book, and I quickly came to realize that this was going to be a promising story! Even though Vanguard of Hope is in many ways exactly the opposite of what I normally would read, I was quickly pleasantly surprised by its fascinating content and convinced that this may be a type of book I would want to remember when looking for my next books to read. Now, let's get into the details!

Vanguard of Hope is written in diary entries taking place waaay back in 1890. We follow the life of Hope, who journeys us through her life and through exciting, macabre,and crucial happenings. The diary entries were very much to the point and played out Hope's life in exact detail. This was one of the reasons why this was such a quick read and why I was completely hooked.

Hope was sexually abused by her father at a young age and this becomes the golden thread throughout the story. She soon finds out that she was not the only victim of sexual abuse within her family, nor in her town Lisetville, and slowly becomes acquainted with an activist group who call themselves The Sapphire Brigade. The Sapphire Brigade is a anonymous group who thrive in total secrecy. They will do everything in their power to obliterate pedophiles and condemn those who have done criminal wrongs who have slipped though the fingers of the law, and it is upon them to bring justice.

Hope is a very enticing character to follow. She lives in the time when women were not allowed to vote or run for president, or were hardly permitted to hold a job (and if so it was quite frowned upon), but despite these double standards, her mind was certainly not limited to that era. She envelopes the reader completely in all her (darkest) secrets and I found it beautiful to see her and her relationships with her dear ones flourish into something even more astonishing. I believe, despite her horrific childhood where she was sexually abused by her father and her fluctuating misfortunes along the way, that she is a very lucky woman. She has an abundance of people around her who profoundly care for her and would gladly step in front of a train if it were to help save her life. She possesses and receives so much love and protection from those around her that I think that it says so much about her character's nature!

Overall, I found Vanguard of Hope a great read and it is definitely a book that keeps you thinking about its concept. The thrilling story contained much genuine (but balanced) drama, historical romances (emphasis on the romancES), mystery and suspense! Having finished the book the author really made me think about the Sapphire brigade! Could it be that they really do exist? If so, is this truly the story of how the Sapphire Brigade was born? Did Hope (or a someone like Hope) really exist and are therefor her diary entries real?  Are there Sapphire Brigade members walking around us in present time? Would I want to be part of the Sapphire Brigade?

In conclusion, no this may not be your typical young adult paranormal romance with vampires and werewolves on the cover of the book. But this is undeniably a beautiful and meaningful book which will make you genuinely THINK about morals, values, different instances through various perceptions, and the harsh reality of life. It is a book which will not dissipate out of your minds long after you've turned the final page.

So if you are looking for something different and special, and dare to "take a break" from your usual genre (unless this is your genre), then I would definitely recommend this book to you!

[Gaele · Rating 3 out of 5]

I apologize in advance, but this will not read like one of my normal reviews. I just couldn’t bring it together in a cohesive format, and I am still undecided about my final feelings on the story. Firstly, Steinemann has crafted a story that is told in diary-entry from, which provides an interesting point of view to the story, although it is not without difficulties. There is a great deal of confusion and time hop in this story, that didn’t really ground it solidly in any timeframe. While some of the current issues spoke greatly to the late 19th century, societal conventions, speech and even the concern with the issues raised were not even present at that time in most of society, not to any great extent. This misalignment of terms to time and the reactions kept me unsure of the date and not able to comfortably believe in the trials the characters were facing.

There was also no truly clear grounding to place in this story: the blurb starts in the south, but there are several passages in British English, using a ‘marriage to an English man’ as the justification. If these passages were meant to derive an ‘otherness’ for the character, it was not effective. Lastly, vigilante justice was neither a concept nor a term used until more recently. Frontier justice possibly, but vigilante-ism is a more modern construct. Several other instances of modern language and use appear, marring the feel of the story and keeping date/time confusion the most memorable part of the story.

Sadly, this was a struggle for me to read: the action, questions and romance may have been more compelling had I found a solid sense of place and time before the conflicts in plot points appeared to throw me. Now, being perfectly aware that much of this could be entirely my prejudice I did try to find the positives that struck me as unusual or unique and well done. Hope, as a main character was far more modern and sophisticated than many of her time, although she is horribly damaged from abuses in her past. That leads to disconnected relationships, and ultimately her issues also affected my thoughts about her as a reader. Coming through strongly, however, is the tension and the questions that surround Hope and her thirst for retribution, losing her secrets and attempting to make a romantic connection with the most unlikely source. Those are compelling elements, and will please many readers who like suspense and darker themes to their reads.

I received an eBook from the author for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

[Arely · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have many thoughts on this book. I originally didn’t want to read this book, because this genre is not my genre—in other words, I generally do not read suspense. However, I am glad I read this book.

The book is written in diary form, though the prologue is in a letter from a descendant of the diary owner. The descendant, Angelina, explains that these diary entries are true and that she was so touched by them that she wants to share them.

After the prologue, the diary entries start. Hope’s story sucked me in in a way that I was really concerned with what happened to her and what was going to happen to her.

Though I did not agree with everything Hope did, I can understand why she did those things. Even as I write this, I realize that this book will stay with me forever. The writing style was such that I could not put the book down; I was really intrigued about Hope’s life.

(The “spoiler” below is mostly because it reveals who Hope ends up with, but it’s not a huge spoiler.)

Her relationship with Owen, however, was one I couldn’t really connect with. It felt rushed, and I felt no connection on Hope’s side until after they got married. I really didn’t understand why all of a sudden she was in love with him—it was a surprise—since I felt no connection between them. At first, I did not like Owen, but after he married Hope, his attention and love towards his wife changed my mind.

This book deals with the nitty-gritty of life. It deals with rape, murder, incest, infidelity and so much more. It is recommended for a mature audience, because even for me, some of the things I read made me feel uncomfortable.

Yes, this book is fiction. But it’s that type of book that could be true. So much so that by the end I had to go back to the beginning of the book to make sure it had that disclaimer saying that the book “is a fictional account of events.”

I do not know if I will read the next book in the series. This book took an emotional toll on me and right now I’m trying to wrap my head around everything I’ve read. I love the message this book carries and the fight for justice, but right now, I think I’ll let the book soak in.

I really do recommend this book, but not for victims of rape or people who have had loved ones be raped, as it can cause flashbacks and/or problems. But, if you feel strongly about justice prevailing and helping the victims, then read this book. The message will stay much longer after you’ve turned the last page.

[Yawatta Hosby · Rating 5 out of 5]

***I received a free copy in exchange for a book review***

I loved this 6 part book. It was narrated as Hope’s diary entries from 1890 to 1912. My favorite lines: 1) Mystery, murder, vigilante justice, romance, treasure. Who knew that my ancestors led lives stranger than fiction? 2) Why should I bring babies into this miserable world of arranged marriages, where women have no rights, and are treated like ornaments or slaves? 3) Another month of my life has passed, and the loneliness increases every day. 4) I finally realized that my husband loved me, just as I was about to abandon him. 5) Physical attractions are common, but mental connections are rare.

I respected Hope because she was a strong female character. She loved her husband but still questioned the world around her, instead of keeping quiet like women were expected to do in the olden days. She was my favorite character. I also loved Solomon, her husband, and her sister. Even though it was written in first person point-of-view, the author did a great job with characterization. Hope’s narration and interaction with the other characters really brought out everyone’s personalities. The different relationship dynamics were cool to see.

Solomon was a slave. When slaves were freed, he became Hope and her husband’s worker around the house. She ended up cheating on her husband; maybe I should’ve been appalled, but I wasn’t. I liked Hope’s secret relationship with Solomon; I rooted for them to end up together. I felt bad that they had to go through all that discrimination and threats because of the society’s racism.

The story was more than romance. The author did a fine job with conflict, tension, and suspense. I liked the reveal that Hope and her sister had a dark secret regarding their dad. The brigade helped them out when their dad ends up dead. The mystery: who killed him? I loved all the twists at the end. This story was a fast read.

I RECOMMEND this book to read.

[Rabid Readers Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Vanguard of Hope” is written in journal format which allows the author the luxury of very short and yet very emotionally driven chapters. Hope is a damaged young woman and her struggle screams from the page. Women of her time are slaves (though she doesn’t want to minimize the struggle of slavery when it’s so near the rearview mirror). Women are ornamentation and no one would believe that she, a mere woman, capable of ordering contraceptives through a magazine. She is determined, because of her past that she will not bring children into such a damaged and perverse world. Expectations be damned.

The damage that Hope suffered didn’t allow her to build real connections with anyone which most resonates in the fact that Hope makes decisions that would lead the reader, maybe Hopes only true friends, to want to shake her and wake her up. She lives in a time apart from the reader and really in life experience a lot of people can’t fathom. The empathy the reader feels for Hope speaks to the quality of Steinemann’s writing. I did often wish that I was getting more of the picture than was available in the journal format but for the book Steinemann was writing, Hope alone was probably a wise decision.

The Brigade is introduced sensibly with an interview that looks into who they are and their motivations. I have to say, I didn’t know how it would all tie together when I read the description and started reading this novel but Steinemann doesn’t stretch the bounds of realism. Steinemann gives us love, loss, violence and murder and a champion for the little guy.

To say I was locked into the narrative would be an exaggeration but “Vanguard of Hope” was a good, solid, read and well worth picking up.

[Susan Lulgjuraj · Rating 4 out of 5]

This historical fiction takes place in the late 1800s although certain aspects feel slightly more advanced. But, it's fiction.

It's written in diary form by a woman named Hope. She kept her diary initially out of boredom, but quickly realized she needed a place to put down her thoughts and feelings.

Hope is a child abuse victim at the hands of her father. She never told anyone about what had happened to her, but finally reveals this to a few men she cares about. However, that is not Hope's only problem. She falls in love with one of her black employees only to have her husband return from a business trip more caring than ever.

She loves two men, has to deal with the repercussions of child abuse while a strange affliction slowly takes over body. Her diary is the one place to share all of these issues without judgment.

Steinemann does a nice job of conveying all of the raw emotions onto the pages of Hope's diary. While she never lets you into the minds of the other characters, it doesn't take away from the book. In fact, it feels quite realistic.

The Sapphire Brigade is a vigilante group that takes justice into its own hands when the law doesn't seem capable of helping those who cannot help themselves – child abuse victims.

The Sapphire Brigade plays an instrumental role in Hope's life from apparently dealing with her father to helping her escape people who would want to harm her and her family after her affair with a black man.

There is a lot going in Vanguard of Hope, however, Steinemman keeps it simple, so that it doesn't feel overwhelming. It was quick, enjoyable read.

**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **

[Natalie Gibson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't love it but I liked it enough to read the whole way through to see what happens...
Written in journal format, Vanguard of Hope details the later years of Hope. It was written well but writing in first person is hard enough without throwing journal in the mix. The author is not only restricted to the thoughts and feelings of one person but the limitations of how that person would make entries into a diary. I liked that it felt secretive, that we were reading something no one else had read.
It started with a intro by a distant niece of Hope which confused me a bit and I had to go back when I was about half way through to see who this girl was. I was looking for a Victorian romance when I picked this book from our submissions list. It started out as just what I was looking for but quickly it was obvious that Hope was not the normal Victorian lady. She read much more modern. Maybe that was because we weren't just seeing her facade but seeing her innermost thoughts and desires. It was also because she had sex outside of marriage, an affair with a black servant, and went around unchaperoned.
Hope was a well rounded well formed character but the format of the book didn't allow any of the other characters to be properly depicted. Also, it did not have the description of setting and attire that I love in Victorian novels. It isn't a bad or good thing - just how the journal writing worked. The sex is glossed over but the book deals with child abuse, child rape, infidelity, ect.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Babus Ahmed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vanguard of Hope is a novel dealing with issues of child sexual abuse, racial prejudice and the effects of Amylotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, ALS (a rapidly progressing fatal neurological condition now more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease). The novel is written as a number of diary entries made by Hope, one of the survivors of child abuse who goes on to develop ALS.

Hope is married to the much older Peter, who is a doctor and doesn't want to have children. Many of the things Hope experiences or feels in the book can be attributed to the abuse she suffered as a child, like not wanting to have children and her nightmares.

Reading this book I felt frustration for some of the choices Hope made but mostly I felt compassion and overwhelming surprise that in the late 19th century Hope, and other victims were able to get support from a therapist/doctor when many people a century later struggled. I found part of myself backing the Sapphire Brigade and their vigilante justice. However, I don't think retribution facilitates healing or picking up the pieces of a shattered life.

Vanguard of Hope is a good read despite how you feel about the events and characters in the book. This easy to read book very cleverly makes you think and evaluate your own values and boundaries. I am grateful for the opportunity to have read this and look forward to the sequel for more about The Sapphire Brigade and provocative reading.

[T.A. Beasley · Rating 3 out of 5]

An unusual historical love story best describes Vanguard of Hope by Kathy Steineman. Hope is married to Peter and has a good life. Hope has tried her best to keep hidden the desires she has for Solomon one of the slaves. When Peter leaves the home for an extended trip, Hope gives in and sleeps with Solomon starting a blissful affair. The other staff members are starting to suspect the two lovers but can’t catch them.

Hope’s life takes a change when her husband returns professing his love. Hope’s plans change and she decides to give her marriage a chance. Peters knows about her affair and forgives her even when she has a child. When Hope loosing Peter, his death takes a toll but she must carry own. The suitors start to courting her but Hope’s heart belongs to the one she can’t be with. The choices Hope makes will either be beneficial or devastating.

Vanguard of Hope was an interesting book to read with many twists and turns. I must say that I enjoyed this story but it seemed more modern instead of historical. I could relate to Hope’s character but could not get a feel on others. The main character seemed ahead of her time which confused the timeline within the storyline for me. The issues and twist in the story kept my interest as well as the unique way the author delivered the story. I recommend Vanguard of Hope to others.

This book was provided by the author for review purposes.

Teresa Beasley
A&RBC Reviews

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Vanguard of Hope” by Kathy Steinemann is an intense book which is strongly based on sexual abuse in children. It is said to be a diary of one of her ancestors, although certain parts of the books make me wonder if it is, in fact, a work of fiction- whether by Steinemann or Hope. I read it as though it were a memoir, and along with the information in the back, it made me sick- but not in the way you are thinking. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and I highly recommend that everyone read it. What makes me sick is that people who sexually abuse children are so true-and that the majority of these abuses occur as a result of a close friend or family member of the child. I will be writing a blog post about this, but... I do know people who were sexually abused as children. In fact, I know over a dozen who were raped, and at least that many who were not raped per say, but who were touched or told to do things that are completely inappropriate. It is a very real issue in the world-modernly and historically. I appreciate that the author was able to bring this issue to the front of everyone's minds. The book is truthful, and well describes the issues that develop later in life for those children who were sexually abused. I encourage you to read this book, and leave a review so that others will also read it. I was touched, disgusted, and finished the book being well informed.

[Melysah Bunting · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vanguard of Hope: Sapphire Brigade Book 1 by Kathy Steinemann is a historical mystery novel about a woman who keeps a diary. Hope writes about the important events her in life during the 1800s and 1900s. Hope’s life is quite complicated. There is talk of abuse, murder, love affairs, and other shocking truths.

I have to start by saying there are many touchy subjects throughout the book. If you’re sensitive to sexual abuse or enslavement, this may not be the story for you. Otherwise, you’ll encounter the typical murder-mystery with a bit of romance and a tragic twist.

The fact that the whole novel is written in a diary format is interesting. It keeps the pace on-point. I wonder how the second book fairs.

Hope is a complicated character. She writes of love and despair. There are many challenges being a women in the 1800-1900s. Between all of the complicated events in Hope’s life, she encounters a helpful, yet mysterious group of people called the Sapphire Brigade. Who is this brigade offering protection?

It’s hard to talk about other ongoings without imparting spoilers. But you’ll meet Hope’s family, learn about her struggles, and receive informative signs and advice at the end. If you want an atypical read, this one is for you.

[Sandra Stiles · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not like a lot of the books I read. This book was told through diary or journal entries. Hope, the main character is a victim of rape by her father. This causes her to have difficulty with relationships within her own family and friends. She is married to Peter, a doctor. Thinking he doesn’t love her, she is drawn to a former slave. While her husband is away the two have an affair and she ends up pregnant. She and her husband work things out. In the meantime the Sapphire Brigade goes about exacting justice upon those who prey upon women and young girls. There seemed to be several storylines going through this at one time. After Hope’s husband dies she marries once again. The ending left an opening for the second book in the series. I really wanted to like this a lot. It is not that it was a bad book, far from it. It was just not something I really enjoyed for personal reasons. I am sure there are many out there who would enjoy this book and I recommend they give it a try.
I received a copy for review from the author. The opinions expressed here are my own.

[WiLoveBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this one. Written mainly in diary format, you get Hope's thoughts and feelings and how events effect her personally. She has some experiences as a child that explain some of her behavior as an adult and you get to understand her through the diary. the story deals with some big issues such as inequality, racism, sexual abuse, arranged marriages, and more. There is also a vigilante group that seeks out injustice and tries to punish those who deserve it. There are just enough unanswered questions that I am anticipating the sequel. If you like historical fiction, this one is worth a read.

[Rosie Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an account of a woman's life through a set of diary entries set in the 19th Century. They are intriguing and offer a window into a life that can be quite graphic and disturbing at times. It leaves the reader with many questions while seriously looking at sexual abuse,racial and women's inequality amongst other issues. This is quite a serious book to read which took a lot of research and writing of material by Kathy, it deserves your attention.

[Kathy Steinemann · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story is a 19th century mystery/romance with unexpected plot twists. Just when you think you know what has happened, you find out that you weren't quite right. The novel provokes laughs and tears as it explores a dark subject that is becoming worse in modern society.