"Misc. Monday": Time of Useful Consciousness by Jennifer Ott

Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Thriller. 286 pages.

Price: $4.99 ebook (at time of post)

Publisher & Date: Amazon Digital Services, Inc. June 28, 2015.

Book Link: Click Here

Listed Rating:  . 1

Price I Paid:  Zip,**I received a free copy in return for an honest review**

My Rating:   

My Thoughts: Freedom Comes At A Price

       As always I'm hesitant when reading historical fiction as authors tend to take huge liberties with historical events. Thankfully I've found that author Jennifer Ott wrote her story in a way that engages while enlightening. The characters face overwhelming issues in a country destroyed by war and man's unquenchable greed, reading from the characters various perspectives gives readers different viewpoints on the aftermath of war, survival, love, family and freedom.
      Having survived the Nazi regime and constant Allied bombings to then be threatened by occupation and rationing of Yanks(U.S. soldiers) in her war wrecked home of Stuttgart, Germany, Louisa Unger finds a way to be free in a world that is anything but free. Louisa has only know where she could not go and what she could not do, so when afforded the chance to learn to fly an airplane, just like her father, Louisa can't say no. Flying gives Louisa an intoxicating feeling of freedom, but the freedom comes with a price. The men she works for are involved in the German black market, transporting various items for rich clientele who seem to remain untouched by the affects of the war. Louisa ultimately finds herself embroiled in danger when all she wants is to escape into the sky above with her love, brother and life, but will Louisa get that chance in a Post-World War II world? 
      Overall, enjoyed this book. I'm usually more fascinated with Ancient or Tudor-English history, but this story helped ignite a need to study up on my Post-World War II history. The story was told from multiple viewpoints in a nonlinear timeline, which both developed and detracted from the story. The scene would move forward in time then present then back in time, present and then present again but to another character without a time stamp or format icon to let readers know time had shifted. Historical credence in this story is within the margin of acceptable and not overly fictitious, which is great in helping readers understand the history of time period without lying to them. The story definitely showed how raw life was in Germany post Nazi regime and reading into how people chose to survive and rebuild was saddening. The greatest moments were of Louisa finding love and hope in flying, even when in the end, or beginning, it all looked hopeless, she truly was a diamond in the rough kind of heroine. So if you are looking for a glimpse into Post-World War II Germany where a young girl yearns to be free and finds happiness in flying planes only to be caught up in the black market serving the rich, guilty and evil, then this book would be good to read.