I was most surprised by this author. What a great read! The research was stellar, and the writing was excellent. I had never heard of this incident in Centralia, Washington in 1919. But the way she brought in the background of the characters, the dual timeline, the war experiences and the Wobblies was par none. She does touch on PTSD, and it also was described and re-enacted very well.

There are several situations taking place in different centuries told by letters and personal experiences. One is a soldier in WW-1, one is a veteran from Iraq, one is a young lady waiting on her love to come home. The author covers them all very well. The details of the actual Nov 11th, 1919, event was impressive.

This was a great book, comes in with high 5 stars.

Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to NetGalley.

This is a fascinating story during WWI. A woman soldiers now looking back through her life. It is very well written. Thank you to NetGalley for a chance to read this ARC. The review is my own.

This was a tough read and a tough one to review. It's excellent (Julie McDonald Zander deserves an award), with plenty of detail, all meticulously researched and plotted with finesse by a professional journo.

A split time novel, it centers around true events a century old, that resulted in a tragedy hardly ever spoken of and which, even now, a 100 years later, inflamed passions.

In the present, the novel centres around Colleen Hughes a Seabee who has served four years and a tour of Iraq. Discharged now, and fighting PTSD etc, she moves to Centralia to take possession of her grandmother's house, now hers. She wants to lie low and lick her wounds, but God has other plans.

She discovers her great, great grandmother's diary, set in Centralia during World War I. The entries refer to life during World War I, both for those in the front lines as also back in Centralia.

As the truth of events a 100 years old comes into focus, is there healing for wounds from long ago and also for present day wounds that Colleen and others carry?

The author has done an excellent job in moving between the two timelines at the perfect points in the novel, keeping the tensions and curiosity of the reader alive. The characters evolve slowly but surely, steadily morphing into their final avatars, finding that there is peace, rest, restoration, faith and love as they trust God and surrender to Him. Confession is indeed good for the soul.

Content warning from publishers: This novel mentions rape, post-traumatic stress disorder, and the violence of war as well as faith and redemption.

I was given an ARC to read by @NetGalley & @BooksGoSocial , but the opinions are my own.

** spoiler alert **


(I received this arc from Netgalley, and this is my honest take on this book)

This book is based on the events in Centralia, Washington, in November 1919. This is a Christian Historical Fiction book with a duel timeline. The present timeline follows former Navy Seabee Colleen Holmes, who moves to Centralia, Washington, to live in her grandmother's house, which she inherited. She tries to move on and despises her past coming back to haunt her. The second timeline takes place during WWI. In this timeline, we follow three characters: Michael, Bridget, and George. It was a bit confusing to keep up with each perspective, and at times, I would get mixed up with characters and their thoughts. The second timeline highlights how families were torn apart as a result of the outcome of WWI.

I didn't care for Colleen; however, it is truly sad to see what guilt she carries with her. She struggles heavily with PTSD from the time she serves. She also battles the death of her mother and younger brother. On one hand, I felt bad for Michael, a soldier who described the events of WWI and what he went through. Not to mention, I especially enjoy his character development and how he redeemed himself. As for Bridget and George, who are siblings, I also appreciate their perspectives. I was heartbroken to find out that George's true love, Peggy, died and didn't make it. I was rooting for them!

The book's exploration of faith is a source of inspiration. It wasn't until I was well into the book that the faith elements became apparent, but when they did, they added a layer of depth to the narrative. The redemption at the end of the book is also a powerful testament to the strength of faith. While romance isn't the primary focus, its subtle presence throughout the chapters is a welcome addition.

Content Warnings
Mentions of death
Violence of war (Including but not limited to: lynching, seeking vengance)
Mentions of Post-traumatic stress
Mentions of rape (doesn't go to detail and is brief)

While it took a little bit to really suck me in, I really loved this story. This was an event in history I had not previously heard about, and was interested in seeing how everything played out.
The author did a great job on explaining both sides of the story, and mirroring that against the experiences of soldiers in our time was a real eye opener. As a reader, it was easy to see how George and Michael got to their viewpoints and convictions, and how different feelings warred with each other at the same time. A great story of love, suffering and ultimate redemption.

Shattered Peace, A Century of Silence brings to life a part of history that I was unfamiliar with until now. By Julie McDonald Zander this dual timeline has a present day looking back and a 1919 as happened. The 1919 Centralia Tragedy was not something I had heard about at all. With compelling characters and a plot closely researched, this story is a must read for anyone who values history and wishes to learn from it.

An excellent read for any and all readers! Author comes at you with both barrels and knocks you out of your shoes! Great job fleshing out all the characters. I give this book FIVE stars! Definitely recommend!