Praise for The Opera Sisters:
"Driven by their confictions and their passion for music, two English sisters provide aid to German Jewish families in Monson's kaleidoscopic historical novel. This story about moral courage in the face of risk stays warm and light. Ida's repartee with Louis is loving. In scenes together, they are delightful and their impact on others is clear. Ordinary women find their inner strength, engaged in determined, clandestine actions to give others hope." -Foreword Reviews
"The well-documented accounts of life under Nazi rule and the slow dismantling of the Jewish community and way of life are heart-wrenching and eye-opening. Perfect for fans of strong and resilient female characters." -Booklist
Praise for Her Quiet Revolution:
"A deftly written work of fiction....an inherently fascinating read from beginning to end." -Midwest Book Review
Fox 13 Interview: "Her Quiet Revolution"
Praise for Women of the Blue and Gray:
''Monson is an excellent storyteller whose research fills in the gaps regarding women and the Civil War in Women of the Blue and Gray, centering on those who rebelled against expectations. The book covers those who flouted norms to participate in the war...Monson captures these women in vivid historical scenes. The women themselves speak though quotes from their writings, speeches and letters. They are portrayed in terrifically difficult situations, bringing depth and life to the historical record. While women of both the North and the South are represented, the book takes a clear and worthwhile stance by placing the stories of women of color front and center whenever possible. For adults and teens who want to know more about the American Civil War and women's important and varied roles in it, Women of the Blue and Gray is a powerful book that paints a picture that is at turns inspiring and upsetting.'' -Foreword Reviews
''Solid follow-up to Frontier Grit....the biographies zing with personality and page-turning prose....The thematic chapters cover a variety of topics, including cross-dressing women who served as soldiers, medical care, the experiences of enslaved people, and the Native American women whose home regions became war zones and whose male relatives enlisted on both sides. Entertaining and accessible book is a suitable introduction for readers beginning their foray into Civil War history.'' -Publishers Weekly
''Finally! The women of the Civil War period receive some strong attention in this excellent collection of biographical sketches. Monson hails from a literary background, and her approach to this enormously overlooked history possesses a dramatic narrative appeal that reflects her novelist expertise. By covering a wide range of the female experience, from soldiers and spies to nurses, diarists, activists, and even a military strategist, Monson succeeds impressively in her mission to consider as many wartime female perspectives as possible. The diversity of her subjects is also outstanding, with profiles of Caucasian, African American, Hispanic, and Native American women. The background provided for each biographical category is also illuminating, and readers will delight in the utter absence of dull language. History-loving book clubs will find much to discuss here, and students of all ages (especially of women's history) will find it an excellent resource. Don't dismiss this as a routine resource: Women of the Blue and Gray is full of surprises.'' -Booklist
Nominated for the 2017 American Library Association Amelia Bloomer Award recognizing books that ''affirm positive roles for girls and women.''
-Amelia Bloomer Project
An invaluable
contribution to American History shelves and utterly absorbing from cover to cover. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library collections.-Midwest Book Review -Amelia Bloomer Project
''Worthy compilation...Many sources and references listed for those who wish to discover more.''
-Historical Novel Society
''This little nugget is a delightful find and carries quite a punch for a small book. The stories of 12 fascinating women will captivate you while exposing you to the history they did not teach us in school."
-Coastal
Breeze News, Florida
''Monson reimagines the campfire tall tale by introducing readers to overlooked talks of many forgotten heroines of the American West. Each biographical story defines perseverance, and there are
inspiring examples of courage on each page as well as new lessons in how to live. Monson succinctly portrays a pioneering suffragette, a Sioux writer, and the most celebrated stagecoach driver in the
West, who hid her gender most of her life. Another impressive pioneer is Clara Brown, a former slave who helped others make their ways from bondage to a better life in Colorado. Monson's accounts of
these women who defied gender roles, who lived and breathed feminism, will resonate with all interested in the long-hidden chapters in American history. A compact, informative, briskly paced,
emotionally rich, and eye-opening set of micro-biographies that will change truncated views of the West.''
-Booklist
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Guest blog posts, interviews, and more:
KMUN Coast Radio Interview: The Writer's Guild
https://coastradio.org/podcast/talk-of-our-towns-may-9-2018/
Cynsations: Author Interview: Frontier Grit
http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2017/02/guest-post-crossing-bar-or-ya-fiction.html
Review of "Frontier Grit" on Rational Faiths http://rationalfaiths.com/frontier-grit-review/