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Thank you Sourcebooks for my #gifted copy of Katharine, The Wright Sister! #sourcebookslandmark #sourcebooks #traceyenersonwood #KatharineTheWrightSister

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐊𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞, 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐒𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐲 𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐖𝐨𝐨𝐝
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟎, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

𝟒.𝟓★

I’m slightly embarrassed to say that I had no clue Wilbur and Orville Wright had a sister who played such a significant role in their lives, and I live not far from where they grew up. This is why I love historical fiction. Books like this allow me to learn about a time period, and a person that I would have otherwise known nothing about. This book was so deeply researched and I loved how it was told in a multiple point of view format between Katharine, Orville, and Wilbur. What I didn’t expect to enjoy was the engineering side and how the bicycle shop and mechanics really helped with helping to build a flying machine. Katharine was the driving force in her family, and she is what kept pushing the dreams of her family forward. I think anyone who enjoys historical fiction would really enjoy this book. I learned so much about not only Katharine, but the entire Wright family.

Tracey Emerson Wood has once again written an impeccably researched historical fiction novel. This one would be perfect for a book club!

Posted on Goodreads on September 9, 2024: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around September 9, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on September 10, 2024
**-will post on designated date

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I’ll admit, before going into this book, I knew very little than the basics about Orville and Wilbur Wright and absolutely nothing about Katherine. After reading Katharine, The Wright Sister, I think I have a new found fascination! I loved seeing Katharine and her brothers navigate the different stages in their lives from their first idea about flying and planes to their growing fame and notoriety once they succeeded to their desire to remain a strong family unit, no matter what. At first, I was a little worried about having Orville and Wilbur’s POVs since this book is about Katharine, however I thought it added such complexity to see her support of them and her own place in their lives through their eyes. This book is more slower paced, especially in the beginning, but I did find the process of building and inventing their aircraft really interesting. Katharine herself was written so well and I loved how unafraid she was to speak her mind and ideas to her brothers and other important people that show up throughout her story. There were a few times I teared up during the book because I did grow very attached to these characters. If you like historical fiction about women behind the curtain of great historical events, then this one is for you!
CW: violence, mention of animal death, illness, death, plane crash

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebook Landmark for an advanced digital reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

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A compelling historical novel that brings to light the often-overlooked contributions of Katharine Wright, the sister of the famous Wright brothers. The narrative beautifully captures Katharine’s pivotal role in her brothers’ groundbreaking achievements in aviation.

Wood’s portrayal of Katharine is both empathetic and inspiring, showcasing her as a mastermind behind the scenes who managed communications, sourced materials, and kept her brothers focused on their ambitious goals. The novel delves into the personal sacrifices Katharine made, highlighting the emotional and familial challenges she faced, especially during times of tragedy.

The book is well-researched and vividly written, making it a delightful read for anyone interested in historical fiction and the untold stories of women who played crucial roles in shaping history. Katharine’s story is a testament to perseverance, dedication, and the often-unseen support that fuels great achievements.

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This was my 2nd book by Tracey and I enjoyed this one similarly like the 1st book. From page 1 the characters seem very relatable and especially with Katharine, Wilbur and Orville I felt a great connection and wanted to follow along their journey and their passion around flying. Especially Katharine was an outstanding character in my view. She devoted her life to the cause of inventing flying and make her brothers dreams come true but did not forget herself doing so in my view. The book is written from the 3 perspectives of Katharine, Wilbur and Orville and that made the story so interesting. All three were quite unique and I could imagine that this trio was acting in similar dynamics in real life. The different viewpoints allowed to learn about the respective other characters from multiple angles which made the story enjoyable to me.

I am rating this book 4 stars. I loved how real the book felt and that the events described in the book could very well have happened that exact way in real life. While I loved the described character dynamics and viewpoints to the story, in some chapters, I felt the story was slightly dragging on and I would have wished for a tad more focus on the time when the Wright brothers were successful with their flying for the first time. To me personally it felt as if that achievement was going under slightly, but that might be a personal opinion.

All in all, if you love historical fiction books, I can highly recommend reading Tracey's books, as 2 out of 2 were great reading and learning on amazing women in history.

(A review will be posted close to pub day on my Goodreads and instagram accounts @anns.book.chronicles)

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Being from North Carolina, I have visited Kill Devil Hills many times and am familiar with the story of the Wright Brothers. While I found this book to be well-researched; it did not deliver the page-turning experience I'd hoped for. While I did enjoy this book, I was looking forward to reading a novel that was primarily about the often unknown player in this race for flight, Katharine Wright, and it fell short in that aspect.
Thanks, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with the ARC ebook I read and reviewed. All opinions are my own.

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On July 20, 1969 man landed on the moon. We never would have gotten there without Wilbur, Orville, and their sister Katharine Wright. Tracy Enerson Wood's novel Katharine, The Wright Sister chronicles the contributions of all three Wright siblings to the idea of flight. The novel switches narration between Wilbur, Orville and Katharine and includes details of their family life, including how they would bird watch to see just exactly how birds flew in the air. Katharine has been erased from their story and the efforts of Wilbur in Orville right are largely forgotten in modern history. Katharine Wright attended college, became a teacher, fought for suffrage, and lived her life in the style the way we see modern women today. Katharine, The Wright Sister emphasizes the close bond between the siblings who had the "Wright" stuff for getting man in the air.

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I love historical fiction, and specifically women lost in the history of men. I was looking forward to this book, but it was very technically heavy on the airplane building, and not focusing so much on the life of Katherine as much as I hoped for.

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Katharine, the Wright Sister, tells the remarkable story of the woman behind the scenes, Katharine Wright, sister to the famous Wright brothers. As a family, the Wrights had clearly defined roles to help Wilbur and Orville achieve their dream of flight. But what about Katharine's own aspirations?

Close to both her brothers, Katharine took on the role of caregiver after their mother’s death, often acting as a housekeeper and support system for the boys. Despite her education and significant contributions—such as assisting in the construction of the glider—she was often overshadowed by her brothers. Yet, Katharine was equally responsible for creating the aviation sensation that took the world by storm. However, the fame that followed brought unforeseen challenges for the entire family.

The novel alternates between the voices of Wilbur, Orville, and Katharine, providing a well-rounded perspective on their lives. While I loved learning about this extraordinary woman, the book's slow pacing at times lessened its impact. Additionally, including pictures—such as historical family photos or diagrams of the gliders—would have enhanced the reader's understanding of the technical aspects involved. Overall, this book is not just Katharine’s story but a tribute to the entire Wright family.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing both a physical and digital copy of this book.

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This book is a historical fiction lover's delight! The author takes the well-known story of the Wright brothers that we were all taught in grade school and expands on it to include their sister, Katharine, who played a pivotal role in their lives. This is the third book that I have read by this author, and I can honestly say that I enjoyed all three of them. Her characters come to life on the page, and she makes history fascinating.

I was keenly interested in this story because I recently listened to David McCullough's audiobook "The Wright Brothers". The chapters in this book by Wood are told from the point of view of either Wilbur, Orville, or Katharine. There was a lot less about Katharine than you might expect from a book titled Katharine, but nonetheless it was still very well done.

I enjoyed this book, and it may have been a 5-star read for me if I hadn't already learned a lot about Wilbur and Orville from the nonfiction book by McCullough. Overall, this was a unique and captivating story that should appeal to a wide range of readers, especially fans of historical fiction.

My sincere thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Sourcebooks Landmark for giving me the opportunity to read a DRC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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This book is a breath of fresh air! I love a strong female character! I also love her fierce support. Overall very good and well written.

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It is so rare that I actutally cannot force myself to finish a book, but I am truly bored out of my mind with Wood's Katharine. Given that I'm not even halfway through after reading several hundred pages and NOTHING has happened AND I find myself literally dreading picking the book up to read, I'm just going to have to give up. I was excited to read this book as a vacationer of the Outer Banks for most of my childhood and into adulthood, so I grew up knowing about the Wright brothers and the first flight. Yet despite switching between all three characters (Katharine, Orville and Wilbur), I still couldn't tell you which brother was which, and all three characters were truly lackluster. Overall a huge disappointment.

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Thank you to Net Galley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions expressed below are my own.
This book discusses a little known historical figure and the world of aviation. I enjoyed learning about Katharine; unfortunately, she felt like a side character in her own story. While much of Katharine’s story is wrapped up in her brothers, the novel glosses over many aspects of her life to get to the next POV. We meet the man she turns down an engagement to with little context and no backstory. We’re told she loves her college town and makes lots of friends (though more elegantly of course) but never see any.
Part of this is due to the style of the novel. It switches POV between the characters every (fairly short) chapter.
I personally as a reader prefer more background and less POV switching. Despite this, it was clear the care and research that the author put into the novel and that was what compelled me to keep reading.
I think if you are the type of reader who prefers skipping straight to the “action” this novel may be more for you.

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The Wright siblings- Katharine, Wilbur, and Orville- tell this tale of these pioneers of aviation. And Katharine, who sacrificed so much. deserves that title as well. This is fine historical fiction that tell the "rest of the story," Would the Wrights have succeeded how and when they did without their sister? Katharine raised them after their mother died, she handled all the back office and admin work, she pushed her own needs aside. Orville, by the way, does come off as a bit of a bully in this situation. I liked that Wood included clear and informative information about the planes and flight. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

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DNF at 17%. I like the premise, but I was soon bored by the book itself. I knew very little about the Wright Brothers beyond the basic stuff, much less that they had a sister, and I loved the idea of a book that centered her. Unfortunately, she feels like a side character, sharing page time with her brothers, and the book just isn’t engaging. The book also skips around in time a lot, failing to keep my interest.

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Thank you to Net Galley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
I enjoyed this book, but I would have liked more about Katharine. I know her whole life was wrapped up in her brothers and their success, but I would have liked more from her POV. I enjoyed reading about Wilber and Orville. It was interesting learning about how hard they worked and their contributions to early flight. It was very well written, and I could tell the author did a lot of research. I am very interested in learning about aviation pioneers, so this book was right up my alley. I think you will like this book if you are interested in early aviation and learning more about the Wright family.

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Katherine, sister of Wilbur and Orville Wright, sacrifices a personal life to share and support their dream of a flying machine. She turns down the chance for marriage and. children and eventually gives up her teaching career because of the publicity that follows the family. Tracey Enerson Wood uses documented history to imagine the thoughts of Katherine and her two siblings, demonstrating how they imagined, designed, built and practiced over and over to bring to fruition their first and ensuing flights. They come from a simple, honest, hard-working and supportive family, somewhat naive at times. The author’s research is evident throughout. Although I was at times confused with the technological references, their private lives and their close relationship held my interest to the final page.

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I have been intrigued by the Wright Brothers for years. I've visited the museum on Kitty Hawk, NC, seen the original flyer in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC and seen other replicas in other museums. But what I didn't know, was the drama behind the scenes! Katharine was the sister to Orville and Wilbur and she was a powerful force that helped organize and run the household, schedules, correspondence, bike shop and more. The brothers may have been the geniuses behind getting a plane to fly, but without Katharine's support, I don't think history would have been the same. Another interesting thing I did not know was the use of the Wright technology by Glenn Curtiss and Samuel Langley without the brothers consent. There were lawsuits about the Wright patent that went on for years. Langley was associated with the Smithsonian so it took many years to resolve the animosity the Wright Brothers felt toward the institution. Eventually, things were resolved so the flyer could be put on display in the museum. You get to peak into Katharine's life and how devoted she was to her father and brothers. She sacrificed the majority of her life choices so they could pursue their dream of creating a flying machine. Katharine does get to have a little bit of time with some friends and an eventual husband, but not enough.
The story is told from all three perspectives: Orville, Wilbur, and Katherine. I found this style of storytelling added layers to each character because you read how each was reacting to people, events, discussions, etc. It was a linear story and the three storylines were easy to follow.
I was fascinated by this story! How Katharine could be so selfless in her unwavering support for her brothers was phenomenal. If you want to read about a strong woman, flight or the early part of the 1900s, I highly recommend this book!
#KatharinetheWrightSister #NetGalley
Thank you Net Galley for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Told from the perspectives of three of the Wright siblings, Orville, Wilbur, and Katharine, this novel is about the journey they took into history. It is important to note that it truly is the story of the three, rather than Katharine’s story, particularly in the first half of the novel. Katharine’s role takes on further weight and has a larger impact as the novel progresses, and becoming more her own story towards the end. It is clear throughout the novel that she is the force who keeps everyone motivated and on track. As well, each perspective allows the reader to see how much she is appreciated, respected, and sometimes under-appreciated by her brothers. A kind-hearted, selfless, intelligent, and educated Latin instructor, Katharine not only manages the bicycle business, but also assists, motivates, and focuses her brothers all while managing the household for herself, her brothers, and father. She offers ideas, support (moral & financial), finds the perfect material for the gliders, shakes the hands of presidents and royalty, and becomes the company’s social manager (and later Chief Executive) as Orville and Wilbur gain fame and notoriety first in Europe and later, in the United States.

The novel begins with a slower pace even as they the work against the clock to beat their competition in the race for flight. I think it felt slower as a result of the technical details about the specifics of flight, though Wood skillfully explains each concept. I found I wanted to see sketches of some of the brother’s inventions and improvements to help me visualize their ideas and complex concepts. The second half of the story was a much quicker pace that left me wanting to dive back into the dangerous world of the first airplanes even as I became more invested in the lives of Katharine, Orville, Wilbur, the Bishop, Carrie, and their families.

An intriguing and interesting novel about the role in history of an ordinary woman who helped her who was left out of the history books. Readers of #historicalfiction #aviation #flight #familydynamics and #dreamers will enjoy #katharinethewrightsister Available Sept 3, 2024! Thanks @netgalley & @bookmarked for the #drc

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I really wanted to love this book; the concept was quite intriguing. Everything about the story seemed well-researched and authentic. The narrative was just a bit too slow for me. Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for an advance e-reader copy of this book!

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Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ebook arc of this title. I love historical fiction and have been interested in the Wright Brothers since childhood, but the writing style of this book simply couldn’t pull me in - especially the shifting POVs.

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