DNF but it was so long ago that I can't remember why which is obviously not very helpful so sorry about that.

I had honestly completely forgotten about this book, or requesting it at the time, but the 1920s New York, mafia family setting is something I've always gravitated to in the past, so I was excited to see if this would provide a unique take on this extremely popular time period. It didn't really at all, but that didn't bother me hugely, as this is a tried-and-tested story, that has remained hugely popular for a reason. The story was riddled with cliches at times, down to the whole rich girl, poor boy, doomed love story, but I'm a fan of the trope and I really didn't mind. I do think it was a nice little twist that the big mafia family wasn't Italian, and that Benny never tried to rise up the ranks of Masie's family, instead staying true to his family the whole time. I did feel that the end tied up all the loose ends a bit too well, but not much of a shock there.

I enjoyed the Prohibition era setting, atmosphere and mob storylines in this book. I think I was more drawn to this than I was the romance storyline, which meant that this was probably not the book for me, but it was overall enjoyable.

The Canary Club, by author Sherry D. Ficklin, is the main installment in the authors Canary Club series. Other titles in the series include: Gilded Cage, All That Glitters, and Nothing Gold. This story takes place in 1927 New York City. It features two main characters: Benny Fleischer, and Masie Schultz. "Bad Luck" Benny spent 3 months in prison for not pointing the finger at others. He's trying to do what's right for his family which includes his mother who has been working double shifts, and siblings one of which, his sister, who is very sick.

His best friend Richard "Dickey" Lewis (who was introduced in Nothing Gold) works for JD Schultz, son of Dutch Schultz. Prohibition has turned good people into criminals, criminals into modern gods. One of those Gods just happens to be Dutch Schultz. After working with Benny for a few days, he starts earning a bit of cash that goes a long way to help is sick sister get the treatment she needs. But when he ends up in the wrong place at the wrong place and takes a bullet for his trouble, Dutch is so grateful, that he makes Benny bodyguard for his daughter Masie.

The moment the two meet, there are sparks of interest but with Dutch as a father, and one who sees his daughter as a chess piece to gain even more power, the likelihood of a happy ending isn't looking that good. He has to make a lot of tough decisions in order to keep everyone he loves safe, while not compromising his values. When Benny is given oversight of a brand new club called The Canary Club, Benny is hounded by corrupt individuals who want to bring Dutch down and take what they believe they are entitled to.

Masie is the flaxen-haired daughter of notorious boot-legger Dutch Schultz who was introduced first in Gilded Cage. Masie was born to violence like a fish born to water. In this world, women are considered to be soft targets and disposal. Women are pawns in a game they are not allowed to play. Women are to be coddled, protected, and mollified. But what the men around her don't understand is that Masie has a brain of her own, and she wants something else besides being part of a criminal organization until she is married off.

Maisie falls for naive Benny who get innocently drawn into the racket out of desperate need for money to help support his family fallen on hard times. Masie's best friend, and J.D.'s main squeeze is June West who was introduced in All That Glitters. With rival gangsters, Prohibition agents, and even a murderer in the mix, Masie and Benny may be pulled apart just as they’ve found each other. I feel as though the story was missing something. Like another sequel. The ending literally bypasses actually history when it comes to Dutch and his crew. The ending also leaves a whole lot of room for another Masie and Benny to have yet another adventure. At this point, things don't look so good.

There are a boatload of actual characters who really did exist in this era including Lucky Luciano. The book should have a forward, telling the reader that some of these people did in fact exist, but that the author had taken literary license with the story, and written a "what if" instead.

I have always had an obsession with the roaring twenties and gangster culture, so I was very excited to see The Canary Club come across my NetGalley dashboard. It didn't quite live up to my dreams of what it could be, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. It kept me turning the pages and invested in finding out how things would end.

Unfortunately this was a very underwhelming read. I was looking forward to a YA book that took place the prohibition era New York. For the most part the story itself is well written, however it’s the character that let me down. Neither Maisie or Benny were interesting enough to keep my attention. They both are very much one dimensional and have little development over the course of the book.

This was a frothy romance book that had just a sprinkle of history dusted on top.

I love love love the roaring 20's and while this delivered on setting, the plot fell a little flat to me. It took me a while to slog through and I did lose interest for quite a bit.

This was a good book. Well written and the characters where really develop. I am just not a fan of this ERA unfortunately in Historical fiction like I thought I would be. I will recommend to others in the future but this time period not for me

Will no longer be reading or reviewing this book due to lack of interest in the title, and the fact that the title has been archived.

I don't know what it is, but there is something about the Roaring 20's that always gets me.  There is such a dark glamour that I can't get enough of.  I found this book on Netgalley when I was doing the musical Bullets Over Broadway, which is also about 1920's gangsters, and I knew I had to read it.  I was not disappointed.  I really enjoyed this book.  It immersed me into the dark world of mob life in the 1920's and it was so entertaining.  I liked the two main characters, Benny and Masie, right away and I loved their chemistry together.  There were a bunch of interesting side characters as well, like Masies' brother and his girlfriend, and Vinny, Masie's fathers hit man.  While Vinny certainly was an antagonist in the story, "the life" as they call it, was the biggest one.  It was the main obstacle for everyone involved, and it was really interesting to see each different character struggle with their place in that world.  The plot is engaging, but I wish it would have been a little meatier.  I was very much invested in these characters and the world, so I wanted more.  The ending seemed a little too convenient, and I was hoping for a little more of a dramatic explosion.  Still, it was a super quick read and I was definitely entertained by what did happen.   There was a set up for another book, which made me excited, and I look forward to seeing what is going to happen next!

Not exactly the book I expected to be. Too much drama and I couldn't really relate to the characters at all. Can't say this was great, but not everything is meant for everyone!

<I>The Canary Club</I> by Sherry D. Ficklin

<b>Star rating</b>: ★★★☆ ☆ 3/5 stars

<b>Format</b>: ebook galley

<b>Summary</b>: After getting let out of jail for a crime he didn't commit, Benny takes the only job he can find, even if it does mean working for a mobster. Benny meets Masie, the daughter of his boss and he begins to develop feelings for her.

<b>Review</b>: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

For the most part I liked this book. I love the twenties and stories set in that time period are my jam. I liked the characters, I thought Masie was awesome and badass. The romance was nice too, I bought it and thought it was sweet.

I didn't like how the book took a historical figure and basically used him as an OC, because almost nothing of the real Dutch Schultz can be found in the novel. I feel like at that point, just make up someone. He never had a daughter named Masie, and his son was a baby when he died. I don't mind historical fiction about real figures but I don't like using them like this. If you're going to use them then there needs to be some connection to real life.

There were a few things in this book that were never addressed and bugged the crap out of me. Where was Dickey instead of watching the back door? Who attacked Masie when she was backstage? I want answers here. If there ever was a sequel it doesn't seem like these would be answered, it was definitely something that needed to be addressed in this book or not at all. The book ends with a cliffhanger so it seems likely that there will be an eventual sequel.

There are some cute moments between the couple in here along with drama. The book utilizes 20s slang in the book, but not in an overdone way. It's just enough to put you in e period but not sound like you copy and pasted from one of those online slang lists.

<b>Recommendation</b>: It's a decent YA historical fiction, it's got a nice romance to it and is a smooth read.

<b>Challenge prompt</b>: A book with an animal in the title.

*I received a free copy of this ebook through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Maybe just shy of 4 stars, but I did really like it. My books from NetGalley have been kind of hit-or-miss lately, so I was happy to read one that I enjoyed. Previously, I had read another book by the same author and didn't like it, so I'm glad this one was different. It may not technically fit in with the other books on my crime-spy-thriller shelf, but I decided it put it there because it deals with crime families.

Because the book is set in the 1920s, there was a lot of lingo with which I wasn't familiar, but most things made sense within context. Reading about that era was interesting, and I hope Ficklin continues the series (especially because it's left open for more).

Overall, I liked Benny (17) and Masie (17). Yes, each had flaws, but they wanted to be better than they were. Masie was a little more believable than Benny, I admit. I think it's because Benny was given tasks that I have a hard time imagining a 17-year-old could successfully manage, particularly one that is new to "the business." (Like overseeing the renovations and opening of a new club, for example.) Masie, however, had grown up in that lifestyle and situation.

Note: A little swearing. A burlesque performance (not explicit). A mild, fade-t0-black sex scene.

Check out author's other books or related books? Of course!! I will read anything she puts out!

Recommend this book? YES if you love historical fiction or the prohibition era check this out!

Notes and Opinions: Sherry has been a long time favorite author of mine since I read the Queen series way back when. It is still one of my all-time favorite stories. She has a way of creating a world and making it come alive for us readers to weep over and love and this one was no different! I read the tiny novella of this a while ago and am just now getting around to reading this one. This is out by the way so go grab it! It won't do you wrong!

I love historical fiction (ya who saw that coming?) This one takes us back to the singing Masie and the gang and I couldn't be happier! Were once again tossed into the roaring 20's when speakeasies were the thing and a girl with a gun was something you just saw. Masie made this book come alive with her determination and unafraid to say what she wants even though society says differently.

The story was thrilling and alive with wonder as Ficklin takes us through the life of Masie and Benny. I really loved the dynamic of the book as a whole as well as the interactions between the characters. Ficklin did a wonderful job keeping me on my toes during this one.

The setting came alive for me in this page-turner that I couldn't put down. I finished it in one setting and can't wait to track down a signed copy to match my others. If you are a fan of Ficklin then make sure to check out her newest title!

Go Into This One Knowing: Amazing!

*This book was reviewed by: Jessica P.

Actually rating: 3.75 stars

In the Canary Club we get to follow two characters badluck Benny and Maise the mobsters singer daughter.
Benny has just gotten out of jail to discover his little sister is sick, his brother left to care for her, while his mom is pulling doubles at the canning factory to attempt to make ends meet. This means Benny is immediately looking for a job, and after getting in touch with his old friend finds one moving crates.

Maise is the mobsters daughter who is kept under lock and key by her father for her safety and so he can control her. She's a singer in one of his clubs and she believes she will be stuck in this life forever along with her older brother.

Ben and Maise meet after Ben takes one for the team and is injured. From then on they are inseparable and he becomes invaluable to the whole family. With Ben getting more and more responsibility and Maise feeling more and more like a bird in a cage they work together to try and make this life livable. That is until Ben's family get's threatened and he tries to juggle both the threat and keeping his new mob boss happy.

Overall I really did like this story, in fact if it hadn't of been for the several historical inaccuracies this could have been an almost five start book for me. I couldn't get enough of the Canary Club and was constantly worried about Maise, Ben and Ben's family. I love reading about the 1920's right now and this book was really good. Between the tension of the mob, and the threat of other mob's and the ever present police I was constantly intrigued. As for the romance between Maise and Ben it was okay, things seemed a little strange with the way they interacted with each other at times, but it was still enjoyable for the most part. You could tell they really did care for each other and yes things moved quickly but it's the mob! Things always seem to move quickly when gangs are involved. I'm interested to read the prequels and to see if another book will come out in this series.

After three months in jail for a crime he didn’t commit, Benjamin “Benny” Fleisher is back on the streets of New York. He wants to stay away from trouble, but his family is going through difficult times –and to make everything worse is little sister is very sick and in need of special medical care. When no respectable business gives Benny an opportunity to earn an honest salary, Benny finds himself working for a notorious crime boss, Dutch Schultz. Quickly climbing through the ranks after saving Dutch’s life, Benjamin has to struggle to keep his integrity while losing his heart of gold to the only girl he shouldn’t, the daughter of his boss, Masie Schultz, a flapper with the voice of an angel whose only desire is to set free from her father’s bloody schemes and gang war. When the world of Benny and Masie collide nothing ever will be the same again…

Writing: Have I ever told you that the roaring 20s is one of my favourite times? All the Jazz and bright lights and flappers. Oh, and the Lost Generation! I love the Lost Generation –I’ve a soft spot for Zelda Fitzgerald who is very misunderstood. Anyway, in "The Canary Club" Sherry D. Ficklyn brought the 20s back to life with all the good and bad. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions of New York during the prohibition time. Moreover, the use of slang from the time made the story seem ever more real. I’d like to stress that it is clear the author did a lot of research –from the language to the medical procedures for mental illness. I must confess that the ending felt a little bit rushed –the author could have taken a little bit more time to develop it since it was the big finale. But since there is going to be a sequel, I’m not going to complain much.

Characters: Benny has a golden heart. He wants to do what is right, but his bad luck always drags him to very complicated situations. One of Benny’s characteristics that I enjoyed the most was how far he would go to protect those he loved –no matter how difficult was the path he had to go through. Masie was a flapper in every sense of the world. Although a few times I found her insufferable, and a little bit entitled, I did warm up to Masie when it was revealed how much she had suffered (and still was suffering) at the hands of her father. Also, I enjoyed how she understood the world isn’t black and white and how she walked in those grey areas.

Romance: In "The Canary Club" the plot centers on the romance between Benny and Masie, told from their perspective. I always love a story about forbidden love. And, although I don’t mind instalove as much as I mind love triangles, I was disappointed when it happened. I wanted Benny and Masie to slowly fall in love in world of crime and mobsters. Also, I felt it was out of character for Masie to fall instantly in love with Benny because, as she pointed out, she had never loved anyone before. It would show so much character growth if the relationship between them had grown slowly.

All in all, I can't wait for the sequel of "The Canary Club" to be released. That cliffhanger!

A story of star crossed lovers, what could be better? 2 people from opposite sides of the tracks whose families wouldn't agree with their love can't be separated. Follow this story of of worlds colliding and a love that wants to withstand it.

3.5 stars
*Thanks to Netgalley for giving me a free copy to review*

"Having people fear you gives you power. Having them love you gives you influence. Having both, well, that's how you build an empire."

This has got to be the most refreshing setting after all the fantasy I've been reading. And that's what sold me on this story. I'm not sure there were enough gangsters, drive-bys and illegal actions to truly capture the era but I still thoroughly enjoyed it.
The romance is a focal point in this book. A couple other reviews said it's insta-love and it kinda is. They also said Masie is too modern and she probably is. Someone said their personalities didn't have enough depth and I agree. I'd also like to add that Benny is way too competent for a seventeen(?) year old. But I did like Masie's confidence and sashaying everywhere. Everything would've been a bit more plausible if they were older. That being said, I didn't mind and it didn't hinder my reading experience. SLIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD I think the reason Masie falls for Benny is because he's the embodiment (for her, at least) of goodness and morality. He's the ideal she wants to keep untarnished. Then she sees he can do bad things just like her father and that the desire to keep loved ones safe can take-over any "good" person. Why she (and every other feminist out there) wouldn't want someone watching their back is a mystery to me. Accepting help isn't a form of weakness but an acknowledgement that you can't do everything like some cliché superhero. I wish people would stop using that trope on their "strong" female characters. END SPOILER
The slang tended to be a bit much, unless that's how they talked back then. (Applesauce?)
The plot could've used a bit more attention as the romance kinda dominated it and SLIGHT SPOILER Benny so easily ingratiating himself with Dutch probably never would have happened. END SPOILER I hope the next book strengthens Masie's and Benny's personalities and gives them some dilemmas to work over and highlight how the outer conflicts will change them.
The descriptions were good and colorful, just the way they should be. And there were several insightful comments throughout I appreciated.
Overall I sped through this book and am looking forward to the next one.

Some favorite quotes:

"You can always trust a dishonest man to be dishonest. It's the honest ones you have to look out for"

"Because that's what war does. It never destroys the people who need to be destroyed; it just punishes the people who get in the way."

"Only thing open after midnight are bars, legs, and morgues."

When Benny is released from jail, where he was serving time for a crime he didn't commit, he struggles to find a job to help his destitute family. He gets offered a position working for a wealthy gangster family. He originally plans to make enough money to get their family back on track and allow his mom to stop working double shifts, and to pay for medical care for his ailing little sister. Instead, he finds himself falling head over heels for the boss's daughter. He has to make a lot of tough decisions in order to keep everyone he loves safe, while not compromising his values.
This was one of the best historical fiction books I have read, It kept me so captivated that I couldn't put it down until the very end. This is definitely a must-read!

I realized recently that I am not the biggest fan of historical fiction because I feel they do not always truly reflect the time period, but I felt that The Canary Club did a wonderful job of using the slangs in a modernly understandable way and even gestures one can see in movies was common in the 1920s. I loved the little cameos of famous people of the time.
Benny’s climb through the ranks seemed a bit fast and a bit unrealistic for gangsters who are always watching their backs for rats. However, I do recognize that it made the plot move along and it didn’t detract from the enjoyment of the book for me. Benny also felt a bit like a naive character but not painfully so as many other book fault at.
Wish there was more of a gritty aspect to this book seeing as we follow a family in the mob but I do like the focus on the romance between the two main characters. I also loved the struggle that characters went through with the fact that once you’re in the mob, there’s no leaving and the entrapment Maisie feels of being born into this world with no choice.
Overall, a very enjoyable book I would recommend to people. 4.5/5 stars
I also talked about my thought on this book on my YouTube channel - September Wrap Up at 10:38