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Genre: YA/Historical Fiction
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"They've closed down the city to try to keep the flue from spreading. They quarantined the soldiers sooner than the rest of us, but now it's the churches, theaters, moving picture houses, bathhouses, and dance halls—all closed."
"Schools?" I asked with hope in my heart. "Closed." (15) The year is 1918, World War I is raging, and the Spanish influenza is spreading rapidly claiming the lives of men, women, and children without prejudice. During the midst of this harrowing time, sixteen-year old Mary Shelley Black's life is turned upside down. She finds herself on a germ-packed train fleeing her beloved Oregon home—the only home she's ever known—to her aunt in San Diego, California after her German father is accused and arrested for treason. Mary Shelley arrives in San Diego to discover her young, widowed aunt working in a shipyard, her sweetheart dead, and her image used to entice grieving individuals to spirit photography by her love's unscrupulous brother. Being a young lady of science, Mary Shelly is skeptical of the spirit world, but will her position shift when she's thrust into its mystical wonders? Before reading this book, I knew nothing about the Spanish Influenza pandemic. As a result, I learned much throughout the reading. Winters' sensory evocative writing along with the haunting photographs of the era, truly brought the time period to life. Visualizing the black, grey, and white crepes adorning doorway after doorway around the country, I understood the desperation of people flocking to spirit photography to gain closure after the sudden death of a loved one. From one of Mary Shelley's first comments, "If we get sick, we'll probably just get dumped off at the next stop." (3), I knew we would become fast friends. There were times when she annoyed me, but I enjoyed her frankness, honesty, wit, and uniqueness. Other draws were her spunky spirit, self-advocacy, and excitement for learning. Her elementary explanation of how the war started tickled me. Besides my fondness for Mary Shelley, Winters weaves a captivating story of fear, sickness, sorrow, love, and loss that I was further drawn into the story. I liked how Mary Shelley and Stephen's relationship blossomed over the years from friendship to romance. Mary Shelley's tenacity and dedication to ferret out the truth of Stephen's death is commendable and a testament of their friendship turned love. My heart ached for them because they were unable to explore the depth of their newfound love. As a fan of Jane Eyre, I loved the nod to Thornfield Hall. In the Shadow of Blackbirds was one of my favorite reads of 2013. Since present life chillingly mirrors life in 1918, I recently reread this book. I enjoyed it as much as I did the first time, if not more, since now I relate in a way I couldn't before the COVID-19 pandemic. In the Shadow of Blackbirds is a great addition to any classroom, personal, public, or school library. - Stephanie Tullis, whatstheword-saywhaaat.blogspot.com Publisher - Amulet Books Date of Publication - April 2, 2013
Genre: Fiction
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I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I am a fan of J.R. Ward’s, Black Dagger Brotherhood, and Bourbon Kings series, and so was pleased to learn that she was writing a new series about firefighters. The first book, in the series is titled, “Consumed”. Anne Ashburn, a firefighter in a family of firefighters, must redefine herself after she suffers a life changing injury, while fighting a fire. Danny McGuire, a fellow firefighter, suffers from PTSD, after a series of events, which culminate in his desperate attempt to save Anne’s life, in that fire. Anne and Danny have always been crazy about each other, but life has always seemed to get in the way. When Anne gets a job as an arson investigator, she learns that things are not always as they seem. The arsonist that she is investigating begins to target her, and Danny is not about to lose her, again. The author takes the time to give us a bit of history on the main protagonists, and also gives enough information on the other firefighters, to make me look forward to their stories. This was a good read. I have always loved Ward’s female characters, and this book was no exception. Anne is a strong woman who does not wait to be rescued by a knight on a white horse. All of her characters are three-dimensional. They are strong, but certainly flawed. While not as intense as other books written by Ward, it kept my attention. There was some loose ends left at the end of the book, however, I am confident that they will be tied up in future books, in the series. I would recommend this book and Ward remains firmly on my “automatic read” list. Judith Zerulik Publisher - Simon and Schuster Date of Publication - October 9,2018
Genre: Romance
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Sweet Tea And Sympathy, is the first in the Southern Eclectic series, by Molly Harper.
Margot Cary, an accomplished party planner in Chicago, sees her job and reputation go up in smoke, following a disastrous party. With no job, no prospects, and eminent homelessness, Margot, trepidatiously, accepts a job with her long lost father's family, in Lake Sackett, Georgia. Margot finds tight living quarters, a close family (where privacy is nonexistant), and a father she has not seen since she was a baby. The family business, The McCready Family Funeral Home and Bait Shop has been in the family for generations. Big City Margot must contend with small town living and an interfering, but loving family. Tea and Sympathy is a pleasant read. I enjoyed getting to know Margot, her family, and the people living in the town. The romance was predictable but still fun to read. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series - Judith Zerulik Publisher - Simon and Schuster Date of Publication - November 21, 2017
Genre: Fiction
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The Widow of Wall Street is the thinly veiled, fictional account of Ruth Madoff. The story of Phoebe Pierce and her husband, Jake Pierce, begins when they meet as teenagers. We follow their story as they marry, and Jake begins to amass great wealth and success, as he builds a financial empire.
When the empire begins crumbling, due to Jake's Ponzi scheme, we see the effect on Phoebe and their children. When Madoff's story came out, most people did not believe that Ruth and her children did not know about Bernie's criminal behavior. I also heard people say that if she didn't know, she should have. That might be true, but as a wife of over 40 years, I understand how a wife might blindly trust her husband. Phoebe knew something was wrong, in the weeks preceding Jake's exposure, but she thought, perhaps, that he was ill. In a matter of weeks, she lost her husband, her children, and her home and fortune. If you followed the Madoff story, you know how this book ends. It was, however, a well written book and I am looking forward to reading more of Randy Susan Meyer's work. - Judith Zerulik Publisher - Simon and Schuster Date of Publication - April 11, 2017
Genre: Thriller
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The best way to begin the review of Behind Her Eyes is start with the end. Oh my gosh, I never saw it coming! I usually begin writing a review as soon as I am finished with a novel, but not with this book. To be honest, I wasn’t sure how to rate the book. By the day after finishing, I realized that I couldn’t get the book out of my mind, and if I spent 24 hours thinking of how that book ended, then it must be a very good book, indeed.
Behind Her Eyes is told from the perspective of two different women in alternating chapters; Louise, a divorced mom, who works as a receptionist for a Psychiatric Medical office and Adele, the wife of one of the psychiatrists. Louise is having an affair with Adele’s husband, while developing a friendship with Adele. Ah…but Louise is not really the villain in the story. She is being played and played masterfully. I think what made this story a little difficult for me was the sheer evilness of one of the characters. The author, Sarah Pinborough, did a good job in developing the story, with enough curve balls in the plot development to keep me involved. Read the book, preferably not just before bed. This one made me uncomfortable enough to keep me up a bit. -Judith Zerulik Publisher - Flatiron Books Date of Publication - January 31, 2017
Genre: Fantasy
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Rising from the Ashes is the fifth dragon tale I've read and it's the best one I've read to date. The cover couldn't have been more perfect in illustrating the contents of the story. The snowdrops liberally scattered across the foliage highlights the buoyant tones of the ancient, mystical forest inviting the reader into its enchanted domain. Though there is relatively no action, the plot builds slow and steady preparing the reader for the following action-packed sequels. The character-driven narrative allows the reader to get to know the characters--their personalities and motivations.
I liked Ash. Her willingness to trust Enat and other humans, despite deeming them all destructive and violent, speaks much to her character. Also, her awakening to the truth that human nature doesn't prescribe to clear, clean-cut lines, but may, in fact, and in many instances are blurred and murky struck a chord of empathy within me. Much like a child that leaves home and enters the "real world," Ash left the protection of her sett and lost the innocence of her previous sheltered existence. My favorite part of the story is when Ash claims her name. "This place was old, older than any place Ash had ever been. She felt the power emanating from the stones as she stepped inside the circle and stood, her face to the sky, her arms held wide. 'I am Caymin.' ...A ripple of energy moved through the air, moved through the very earth." (79) To me that passage signifies the power that dwells within each of us and the energy that is released in the atmosphere once we claim what is ours: be it our name, gifts, talents, or purpose. On a humorous note, the banter between Beanna and Peist gave me plenty of laughs. Rising From the Ashes is well written and researched. Before starting this book, I knew zilch about badgers. While reading, I found myself researching them and watching badgers videos on YouTube. I definitely will continue reading the series and look forward to the second installment. - Stephanie Tullis, https://whatstheword-saywhaaat.blogspot.com Publisher - Corgyn Publishing Date of Publication - February 1, 2016
Genre: Young Adult/Science Fiction
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What if you've never seen the sun, felt the wind blow across your face, been drenched in the rain, or stared at the immense blue sky? What if the only home you have even known is an egg-shaped vessel that has spent over forty years plowing through the depths of outer space destined for a new world? What if you were responsible for ensuring the continuation of the human race? What if future generations could trace their lineage back to you? What if your allies suddenly appeared without notice? What if, concealed by the cloak of friendship, they steal from you what they most need?
Now, imagine being torn away from your family and placed with another under the guise of a rescue mission. Glow contains action, mystery, intrigue, romance, the right amount of tension at just the right moment, and thought-provoking themes. Ryan deals with weighty issues without overwhelming the reader. At times though, a few of the situations made me so angry that I wanted to hit those responsible. One of the themes the book explores is fanatical belief systems, be it religious or nonreligious, and the extreme lengths individuals take in order to ensure the manifestation of the "vision," even if it means resorting to violence. Review originally posted on the blog, Say Whaaat - Stephanie T., whatstheword-saywhaaat.blogspot.com Publisher - St. Martin's Griffin Date of Publication - September 13, 2011
Genre: Romance
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I must admit that I almost passed Must Love Breeches by because of the cheesy title and cover. I usually enjoy time travel books and so decided to give it a chance. I am so glad that I did! I really enjoyed the story. 29-year-old Isabelle Rochon, an American, who is living and working in London, is zapped to 1840’s London by a mysterious artifact. She loses the artifact, a silver card case, within minutes of arriving and must find it, while trying to fit into her new surroundings. She meets Lord Byron’s daughter, Ada, who she confides her story to. Ada offers her a place to stay and help in learning the etiquette of the time. She meets Lord Montagu, Ada’s cousin, who has a secret of his own. He is trying to get revenge for the death of his sister. The reader does not find out exactly how his sister died until close to the end of the book. Lord Montagu offers help in finding the lost silver case. In return, Isabelle agrees to a sham engagement, which will help Montagu with his mission.
The book was well researched. Women had no rights at the time, and watching Isabelle trying to deal with being a “second class citizen” was interesting. I found myself frequently going to the internet to research people or events that were mentioned in the book. I loved the twist at the end of the novel. Learning the time line wasn’t quite what I thought it was made the ending that much better. Time travel books, by there nature, make the reader take a leap of faith. This was an enjoyable, historical novel. I recommend it to all readers who are open to a little magic. - Judith Zerulik Publisher - Unsealed Room Press Date of Publication - August 28, 2014
Genre: Fiction
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J.R. Ward, author of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, has started a new series with her novel, The Bourbon Kings. Ward is, without question, a great story teller. The novel introduces the extremely wealthy Bradford family. For generations the family has been known as the kings of the bourbon capital. They live on a sprawling estate in Kentucky, which is run by a large staff, who work tirelessly to keep the estate up and running. The staff is supposed to be seen but not heard. In a somewhat cliqued plot, the gardner, Lizzie, had an affair with one of the Bradford sons two years before the start of the novel. The affair ended when the son supposedly got a debutante pregnant and married her. Shortly after the wedding the son, Lane, left his bride at the family estate and went to New York to live. When the book begins, Lane returns, much to Lizzies’s dismay.
The story is complex but I found the characters somewhat exaggerated. The bad guys were just too bad with no redeeming characteristics. Think of the television show “Dynasty” and turn it up a notch. The book ended with a cliff hanger and I while I don’t think this is one of the author’s better books, I will read the second novel as I want to find out what happens next. - Judith Zerulik Publisher - Nal Date of Publication - July 28, 2015 |
