Book Review: Mother of Rome by Lauren J.A. Bear

 

Goodreads Summary: A powerful and fierce reimagining of the earliest Roman legend: the twins, Romulus and Remus, mythical founders of history's greatest empire, and the woman whose sacrifice made it all possible.
The names Romulus and Remus may be immortalized in map and stone and chronicle, but their mother exists only as a preface to her sons' journey, the princess turned oath-breaking priestess, condemned to death alongside her children.

But she did not die; she survived. And so does her story.

Beautiful, royal, rich: Rhea has it all—until her father loses his kingdom in a treacherous coup, and she is sent to the order of the Vestal Virgins to ensure she will never produce an heir.

Except when mortals scheme, gods laugh.

Rhea becomes pregnant, and human society turns against her. Abandoned, ostracized, and facing the gravest punishment, Rhea forges a dangerous deal with the divine, one that will forever change the trajectory of her life…and her beloved land.

To save her sons and reclaim their birthright, Rhea must summon nature's mightiest force – a mother's love – and fight.

All roads may lead to Rome, but they began with Rhea Silvia.

Goodreads Rating: 4.34 stars with over 1,000 ratings

Genre Listing: Mythology, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Retellings, Fiction, Historical Fantasy

Goodreads/Storygraph Challenge: 19/30

2025 Reading Challenge: 19. Read a book by an author who shares your initials (see the whole challenge here)

Book Review: 

Hello, Readers! I hope everyone is doing well. I wanted to briefly review Mother of Rome by Lauren J.A. Bear. This book tells the story of Rhea Silvia, the mother of Romulus and Remus, founders of Rome. It's an interesting story that gives Red Tent by Anita Diamant vibes. It's very pro-sisterhood and shows the strength in women and their bonds.

I really enjoyed Mother of Rome by Lauren J.A. Bear. I found Rhea to be a fierce character with a strong survival instinct and internal power that allowed her to do whatever she needed to protect those she loved. Mothers will especially enjoy this book as it shows Rhea's tenacity in securing her children's future. It was a little lost on me since I have no desire to be a mother, but I can definitely see my friends who are moms liking them. 

The mythology in this book was interesting. I'm familiar with Greek Mythology, but I always assumed that Roman Mythology was just the same gods but with different names. Mother of Rome discusses both, but shows the differences between the Greek and Roman myths. I also really enjoyed hearing about the older deities in the story. My favorite character in the story is Lupa, the wolf who watches over the twins. She's ferocious and threatens to eat those who displease her. I don't know what that says about me as a person. 

Overall, I loved this book. I highly recommend it for Historical Fiction, Mythology, Fantasy readers, or anyone who wants a strong female heroine. 

Book Review: The Lines We Leave Behind by Eliza Graham

 

Goodreads Summary: England, 1947: A young woman finds herself under close observation in an insane asylum, charged with a violent crime she has no memory of committing. As she tries to make sense of her recent past, she recalls very little.
But she still remembers wartime in Yugoslavia. There she and her lover risked everything to carry out dangerous work resisting the Germans—a heroic campaign in which many brave comrades were lost. After that, the trail disappears into confusion. How did she come to be trapped in a living nightmare?

As she struggles to piece together the missing years of her life, she will have to confront the harrowing experiences of her special-operations work and peacetime marriage. Only then can she hope to regain the vital memories that will uncover the truth: is she really a violent criminal…or was she betrayed?

Goodreads Rating: 3.96 stars with 9,800 ratings

Genre Listing: Historical Fiction, World War II, War, Mystery

Goodreads/Storygraph Challenge: 10/30 books

2025 Reading Challenge: #14 Read the book that's been on your TBR the longest (Find the entire challenge here)

Book Review:

Hello, Readers! I hope everyone is doing well on this frigid Tuesday. I don't have any significant life updates, which is nice. I started reading The Lines We Leave Behind by Eliza Graham to knock out #14 on the reading challenge. It was a Kindle First Read book that I've had forever. I finally finished it last night. 

I'm glad I'm done reading this story. It was a struggle for me. The story follows Maud in a psychiatric hospital after serving in WWII on secret missions. The premise is that she's supposed to remember a crime she committed, but she can't. She goes through and tells her Psychiatrist about her war service as a way to try and remember what happened. The first part of the book was a little hard to get into. The story bounces between her life as Maud and her secret identity, Amber. It wasn't initially clear that she was both Maud and Amber, making it hard to connect with her as a character. Toward the story's beginning, it seems like she understood it was just a persona, but at the end, it feels more like a dissociative identity. It just didn't feel very consistent. 

Once she gets back from her missions, the story moves really quickly. There were some twists and turns I wasn't expecting, which was nice and kept my momentum going for reading it. Without those, I don't know that I would have finished this book. It wasn't holding my interest very well. There was a lot about her treatment and miraculous recoveries that weren't believable or seemed like they didn't fit with the story's time period. For example, her initial Psychiatrist's treatment plan just seemed too modern for the era. I'm not an expert, however, so my limited knowledge could make me feel that way. 

Overall, I mostly wished the book was over. I couldn't connect with the story at all, and I only got through it because it fit #14 on the Reading Challenge. If you want to try it, it also works for the memory prompt. 

Book Review: The Tsarina's Daughter by Carolly Erickson

 

Goodreads Summary: From the bestselling author of The Hidden Diary of Marie Antoinette comes a dramatic novel and powerful love story about the last Russian imperial family.It is 1989 and Daria Gradov is an elderly grandmother living in the rural West. What neighbors and even her children don't know, however, is that she is not who she claims to be—the widow of a Russian immigrant of modest means. In actuality she began her life as the Grand Duchess Tatiana, known as Tania to her parents, Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra. And so begins the latest entrancing historical entertainment by Carolly Erickson. At its center is young Tania, who lives a life of incomparable luxury in pre-Revolutionary Russia, from the magnificence of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg to the family's private enclave outside the capital. Tania is one of four daughters, and the birth of her younger brother Alexei is both a blessing and a curse. When he is diagnosed with hemophilia and the key to his survival lies in the mysterious power of the illiterate monk Rasputin, it is merely an omen of much worse things to come. Soon war breaks out and revolution sweeps the family from power and into claustrophobic imprisonment in Siberia. Into Tania's world comes a young soldier whose life she helps to save and who becomes her partner in daring plans to rescue the imperial family from certain death.

Goodreads Ratings: 3.38 stars with over 2,500ratings

Genre Listing: Historical Fiction, Romance, Alternate History, Speculative Fiction

Goodreads Challenge: 2/60

2024 Reading Challenge: #44 Read a book that takes place in a cold climate (Find the entire challenge here)

Book Review: 

Hello, Readers! I hope everyone is doing well. I actually finished The Tsarina's Daughter a few days ago, but have been fighting a cold. This will be a fairly short review. I actually debated not doing a review for this book, but I am trying to post more. 

I picked The Tsarina's Daughter by Carolly Erickson a while ago, but for whatever reason didn't finish it. The book reimagines the life of the Romanov family before their assassinations. In The Tsarina's Daughter, their second oldest daughter, Tatiana survives and assumes a new identity. This probably sounds a little familiar, but about a different Romanov daughter.

Overall I enjoyed the book, but I don't have much to say about it. The Tsarina's Daughter is a perfectly acceptable novel. I didn't love it or hate it. It's under 350 pages, and the way Tania survives is plausible. It's just kind of one note and I feel completely neutral about it.

Book Review: The Second Mrs. Astor by Shana Abe

 

Goodreads Summary: Madeleine Talmage Force is just seventeen when she attracts the attention of John Jacob "Jack" Astor. Madeleine is beautiful, intelligent, and solidly upper-class, but the Astors are in a league apart. Jack's mother was the Mrs. Astor, American royalty and New York's most formidable socialite. Jack is dashing and industrious—a hero of the Spanish-American war, an inventor, and a canny businessman. Despite their twenty-nine-year age difference, and Jack's recent divorce scandal, Madeleine falls headlong into love—and becomes the press's favorite target.
On their extended honeymoon in Egypt, the newlyweds finally find a measure of peace from photographers and journalists. Madeleine feels truly alive for the first time—and is happily pregnant. The couple plans to return home in the spring of 1912, aboard an opulent new ocean liner. When the ship hits an iceberg close to midnight on April 14th, there is no immediate panic. The swift, state-of-the-art RMS Titanic seems unsinkable. As Jack helps Madeleine into a lifeboat, he assures her that he'll see her soon in New York…

Four months later, at the Astors' Fifth Avenue mansion, a widowed Madeleine gives birth to their son. In the wake of the disaster, the press has elevated her to the status of virtuous, tragic heroine. But Madeleine's most important decision still lies ahead: whether to accept the role assigned to her, or carve out her own remarkable path…

Goodreads Ratings: 4.02 stars with over 43,000 ratings

Genre Listing: Historical Fiction, Romance

Goodreads Challenge: 44/30

2023 Reading Challenge: #6 Read a book you meant to read for last year's challenge (See the entire challenge here) 

Book Review:

Hello, Readers. I hope everyone celebrating it had a Happy Thanksgiving and enjoyed their time with Friends and Family. Mine was low-key. There's not much going on in life updates, so let's jump right into the review of The Second Mrs. Astor by Shana Abe.

I think someone had recommended this book to me last year, and it was one of 3 books I had planned for that slot on the 2022 challenge. I never read it, however, so it is a good fit for #6 on this year's challenge. I'm always looking for a good Titanic novel, so I was excited to read this one, especially since it has decent reviews on Goodreads. 

Honestly, I almost didn't finish this book. It wasn't bad; it didn't catch my attention. The whole premise was Madeline Astor is writing a letter to her and Jack's newborn son after the sinking of the Titanic. The book primarily discusses how much the paparazzi followed them and how the New York Elite snubbed Madeline because she was so young and divorce was taboo in the early 1900s. It eventually got to the events of the Titanic, which is primarily why I wanted to read it.

Overall, the story was flat. They never really felt like there was any actual conflict in the story. Outside of being on the Titanic, the main conflicts were that Jack's son and high society friends didn't like Madeline. These issues just felt like minor nuisances.  When it comes to what happened on the Titanic, it just felt glossed over. The entire book just lacked any personality. 

If you like Historical Romance and the only plot is the romance/relationship, then you may like The Second Mrs. Astor by Shana Abe. I, however, need more in the plot than just romance. I would have liked to see more about her life after the Titanic to close up Madeline's story. It ends, however, shortly after the funeral, and the letter to her son makes it feel as though she was trying to convince herself as much as her son how in love she and Jack were. The story was alright; it wasn't my cup of tea.

Book Review: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

 

Goodreads Summary: Achilles, "the best of all the Greeks," son of the cruel sea goddess Thetis and the legendary king Peleus, is strong, swift, and beautiful, irresistible to all who meet him. Patroclus is an awkward young prince, exiled from his homeland after an act of shocking violence. Brought together by chance, they forge an inseparable bond, despite risking the gods' wrath.
They are trained by the centaur Chiron in the arts of war and medicine, but when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, all the heroes of Greece are called upon to lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause, and torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows. Little do they know that the cruel Fates will test them both as never before and demand a terrible sacrifice.

Goodreads Rating: 4.36 stars with over 1.1 million ratings

Genre Listing: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Greek Mythology, LGBT+

Goodreads Challenge: 27/30

2023 Reading Challenge: #1 Read a book recommended to you on social media or by a friend (find the entire challenge here)

Book Review: 

Hello, Readers! I hope everyone is doing well. It's feeling good to get out of my funk and back into reading and blogging. I've had The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller on my shelf for a while but had yet to pick it up. It's a consistent recommendation in the Facebook book groups for Historical Fiction, so I decided to give it a chance. 

The story is narrated by Patroclus, who is bound to the famed Achilles by an oath. Watching their relationship grow from friends to lovers throughout the years was interesting. I thought Achilles was a little self-centered and selfish most of the time, but I felt he could show his true self when it was just him and Patroclus. I don't want to give too much away. I don't think anything would really be a spoiler, but I don't want to take away from the sweetness and poetic ending Madeline Miller provided them. It was so sweet and really made the story come full circle. It was a beautifully told story.

My only issue with this book is that it covered about 20 years; in some places, the story drags on a bit. There's a lot of waiting for the war to actually happen. If you are a reader who needs things to move quickly, that may be a drawback to enjoying the story. It wasn't a massive negative for me. I liked reading about the mythology and the culture. I prefer Circe by the same author I read a few years ago.

Book Review: The Cheater's Game by C.J. Archer

 

Goodreads Summary: The arrival of Buffalo Bill's Wild West show in London brings trouble. When the sharpshooter who beats Willie at poker is murdered, Matt and India investigate. Willie is convinced the victim cheated, but no one knows how until India discovers his secret - he was a paper magician.
When their list of suspects grows to include a member of the mysterious magic Collector's Club, they uncover a spy. But who is he working for? And what does his employer want?

As danger circles, secrets are revealed, and India struggles to keep her own secret hidden from Matt. But when her grandfather introduces her to a man who can change her life, India must decide if she wants her life to change at all.

Goodreads Ratings: 4.09 stars with over 4,800 ratings

Genre Listing: Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Historical Fiction, Paranormal

Goodreads Challenge: 26/30

2023 Reading Challenge: #7 Read a book with a basic shape on the cover (find the entire challenge here)

Book Review:

Hello, Readers! As always, I hope everyone is doing well. I will jump right into the review of The Cheater's Game by C.J. Archer. This is the seventh book in the Glass and Steele series. I thought it'd be a good fit for #7 since it had shapes on the cards. Also, I wanted to read it, and it was the best place it fit since I've burned through my free spaces already.

Reviewing this series is becoming dangerously close to how I've been approaching the Penny Green series by Emily Organ. I enjoy the series so much, but it's long, and I never feel like I have anything new to add to the reviews. I will say with The Cheater's Game, I didn't want to put it down. I forced myself to go to bed around 2 am, and as soon as I got out of work picked it back up and finished it. 

With the series, I like the sarcasm and wit sprinkled into the story. The Cheater's Game was a fun mystery. I was surprised at how that part of the story concluded. C.J. Archer did a great job of making multiple people look like plausible suspects. The biggest reason I like these stories is the chemistry between India and Matt. All I can say without giving too many spoilers is FINALLY.

If you like murder mysteries and historical fiction, I highly recommend the series. I would definitely read it in order. The books are short and not overly complicated. They're good if you don't want a massive commitment with one book, even though it is a longer series. Also, if these things are important to you as a reader, the language is pretty clean and not graphic. 

Book Review: Seven Stones to Stand or Fall by Diana Gabaldon

 

Goodreads Summary: NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A magnificent collection of Outlander short fiction—including two never-before-published novellas—featuring Jamie Fraser, Lord John Grey, Master Raymond, and many more, from Diana Gabaldon
Among the seven spellbinding pieces, there is "The Custom of the Army," which begins with Lord John Grey being shocked by an electric eel and ends at the Battle of Quebec. Then comes "The Space Between," where it is revealed that the Comte St. Germain is not dead, Master Raymond appears, and a widowed young wine dealer escorts a would-be novice to a convent in Paris. In "A Plague of Zombies," Lord John unexpectedly becomes military governor of Jamaica when the original governor is gnawed by what probably wasn't a giant rat. "A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows" is the moving story of Roger MacKenzie's parents during World War II. In "Virgins," Jamie Fraser, aged nineteen, and Ian Murray, aged twenty, become mercenaries in France, no matter that neither has yet bedded a lass or killed a man. But they're trying. . . . "A Fugitive Green" is the story of Lord John's elder brother, Hal, and a seventeen-year-old rare book dealer with a sideline in theft, forgery, and blackmail. And finally, in "Besieged," Lord John learns that his mother is in Havana—and that the British Navy is on their way to lay siege to the city.

Filling in mesmerizing chapters in the lives of characters readers have followed over the course of thousands of pages, Gabaldon's genius is on full display throughout this must-have collection.

Goodreads Rating: 4.27 stars with over 14,000 ratings

Genre Listing: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Short Stories, Time Travel

Goodreads Challenge: 21/30

2023 Reading Challenge: #14 Read a book of short stories or a novella (find the entire challenge here)

Book Review: 

Hello, Readers! I hope everyone is doing well. I finished a book I had planned for this challenge and am excited about that. When Tress and I were writing out the prompts for this year's challenge, I specifically wanted to read Seven Stones to Stand or Fall by Diana Gabaldon for this prompt. It definitely gave me the Outlander fix that I needed. Since this is a set of short stories/novellas, I thought I'd list each story, give my thoughts on it, and then average out the ratings to provide me with my rating for this book. 

A note for other readers before getting into my thoughts: these stories are not in any particular order regarding how they're presented in the book (as far as I know). The introduction explains where they'd fall in the timeline of the main books and the Lord John spinoff series. I returned to this every time I started a new story to remember where it was. The good thing is that there aren't really any spoilers for the main series. Most of the stories revolve around Lord John and may casually mention Jamie, but that's about it. There is also a lot of annotation for the stories, which I liked. Some of it provided more historical context or information for the series. I also liked that Diana Gabaldon discusses her strengths and weaknesses with writing in it. 

The Custom of the Army  Rating: 3/5

I liked this story and am always up for Lord John and his chivalry. I can't say I was fully invested in this one until it got closer to the end of the story. This one was slower-paced. I enjoyed it, but it wasn't my favorite of the seven.

The Space Between Rating 3/5

This interesting story focuses on Jamie's pseudo-step-daughter Joan and her trip to join a French convent. She's escorted by one of the Murray sons, and it was a nice way to get to know a couple of characters that weren't part of the main story often. It was pretty sweet, and I enjoyed it.

A Plague of Zombies  Rating 2/5

This was probably one of my least favorite stories of the seven. It was interesting, but I couldn't really get into it. However, it leads to events in another story in the book. 

A Leaf on the Wind of All Hollows Rating 2/5

I wanted to like this one a lot more than I did. It follows Roger's parents and the events in WWII before Roger is orphaned. But it was forgettable compared to the other stories in this book. Some things could be interesting to play on in Book 10 if it ever comes out, but other than that, I didn't have much love for it. 

Virgins Rating 5/5

Virgins was by far my favorite story in this set of short stories. It follows Jamie and Ian in Paris as young adults; honestly, it's hilarious. I could picture it being a flashback scene on the show, which would be amazing. 

A Fugitive Green Rating 5/5

This was definitely my second favorite of the stories. It follows the events that lead Lord John's brother Hal to meet and marry his wife, Minnie. I loved it. I could honestly read an entire series dedicated to the couple's antics. 

Besieged Rating 2/5

This is the final story in the book, and it was another one that was forgettable for me. It was okay, but it left much to be desired compared to the others. I will caveat this with, I don't know if it was the story itself or that I was just ready to be done with the book at this point.


If I can do the math properly (debatable), that gives me an average of 3.14. And given that I don't PI as ratings (though maybe I should), I'll just leave it as a 3. Overall, the stories are enjoyable and worth a read if you've read the main Outlander series. It probably won't be that enjoyable if you haven't read it.

Book Review: Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

 

Goodreads Summary: Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord's daughter with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life.

Against her stern father's wishes and society's expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle's laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.

The story's shocking twists and turns, augmented with real, sinister period photos, will make this #1 New York Times bestselling debut from author Kerri Maniscalco impossible to forget.

An instant #1 New York Times Bestseller in its very first week! Presented by James Patterson's children's imprint, this deliciously creepy horror novel has a storyline inspired by the Ripper murders and an unexpected, blood-chilling conclusion...

Goodreads Ratings: 3.97 stars with over 127,000 ratings

Genre Listings: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Young Adult, Romance, Horror

Goodreads Challenge: 14/30

2023 Reading Challenge: #32 Read a book about a famous criminal(s) (find the entire challenge here)

Book Review:

Hello, readers! As always, I hope everyone is doing well. Not much of note has been happening that requires any personal updates, so let's jump into my thoughts on Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco. I picked this up with one of the gift cards I got for Christmas. A Historical Fiction novel about a serial killer seemed right up my alley. For whatever reason, I've been obsessed with death, the paranormal, and murder since I was a kid. I don't really know why. But this seemed like a great book selection for the famous criminal prompt.

I expected it to be cheesy and was skeptical. However, I loved it from the very first sentence. I got a gruesome tale with an exciting twist to the brutal story of Jack the Ripper. Kerri Maniscalco kept pretty close to the known facts of the Ripper murders. Because it's one of the biggest (if not the biggest) unsolved mysteries gives authors much free range to create their own ending. There were some fabrications because it's Fiction, but after the story ends, the author provides an excellent description of what she changed and why. I always appreciate this with Historical Fiction because I'm a giant nerd who likes to do a high-level skim of articles to see how much was accurate. 

I really liked Aubrey Rose a lot. I felt like she became a champion for Jack the Ripper's victims. She was brilliant, stayed true to herself, and didn't cave to the restrictive societal standards of her time. She showed some of the different layers that a person can have. She liked girly things like getting dressed up and going to tea, but she was also intelligent and interested in science. I also really liked Thomas as a character. He was arrogant and full of himself, but I found it charming. I also really liked how he encouraged Aubrey to think for herself, use her brain, and not conform to society's expectations. They tempered each other well. Also, his flirting for the time was super inappropriate, and it just made me laugh.

I really like the literary nods in Stalking Jack the Ripper. The way Aubrey Rose and Thomas worked together made me think of  Sherlock Holmes and Watson. I don't know if that was intentional, and admittedly this one for me is more of a film reference as I haven't read Sherlock Holmes yet. There are also a lot of mentions of Frankenstein in this book. Those combined with the titles of the rest of the series make my brain think of the series as a Female-led YA version of The League of Extraordinary Gentleman. So I'm here for it. 

Overall, I loved this book. I told a friend I was discussing it with that it was trying hard to replace my favorite book. It has yet to, but we'll see how long I dwell on it or if I end up rereading it. I recommend it if you like Historical Fiction, YA, Mystery, and are intrigued by Jack The Ripper. 

Book Review: Time's Convert by Deborah Harkness

 

Goodreads Summary: Set in contemporary Paris and London, and the American colonies during the upheaval and unrest that exploded into the Revolutionary War, a sweeping story that braids together the past and present.

On the battlefields of the American Revolution, Matthew de Clermont meets Marcus MacNeil, a young surgeon from Massachusetts, during a moment of political awakening when it seems that the world is on the brink of a brighter future. When Matthew offers him a chance at immortality and a new life, free from the restraints of his puritanical upbringing, Marcus seizes the opportunity to become a vampire. But his transformation is not an easy one and the ancient traditions and responsibilities of the de Clermont family clash with Marcus’s deeply-held beliefs in liberty, equality, and brotherhood.

A passionate love story and a fascinating exploration of the power of tradition and the possibilities for change, Time’s Convert will delight fans of the All Souls trilogy and all readers of magic, the supernatural, and romance.

Goodreads Rating: 3.93 stars with over 49,000 ratings

Genre Listing: Fantasy, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Paranormal, Vampires, Witches

Previous Reviews on the Series: A Discovery of Witches, Shadow of Night, The Book of Life

Goodreads Challenge: 12/30

2023 Reading Challenge: #31 Read a book with the word "time" in the title (Find the entire challenge here

Book Review:

Hello, Readers! Surprised to see an actual book review post from me? Yeah, I am too. I'll likely go back to this format. I withdrew from my classes recently. I decided that 3 degrees were enough, and I was only torturing myself by trying to pursue a doctorate. So we are returning to my routine of promising more content and never fulfilling that promise. Please let me know if there are some discussion or content suggestions.

Anyway, on with my thoughts on Time's Convert by Deborah Harkness. Fair warning, there are spoilers ahead. This is a recently published (2018) addition to the All Souls Trilogy. I'm not sure if this is considered a spinoff or if it's lumped in, and the other 3 are still being marketed as a trilogy. It takes place after The Book of Life ends and mainly follows Marcus and his fiance Phoebe. Diana and Matthew are still in it, but take a backseat and become supporting cast. Because of this, the vibe of Time's Convert was a bit different.

The story switches between the present day and Marcus's life as a new vampire during the Revolutionary War. It also provides Phoebe's point of view as she becomes a vampire and Diana's while she and Matthew help Marcus come to terms with things that happened in his early days. Because of this, the story felt more introspective instead of driven by events or drama like the other books. I appreciate that Marcus's reflections on his life happened chronologically. It made it a lot easier to follow.

I liked that Deborah Harkness provided snippets of Diana and Matthew's lives as parents to twins. They weren't the main characters, but they were there enough to feel they were still involved and took on the role of parents to their crew. The ending was really sweet. I wouldn't be surprised if there were more books following Marcus and Phoebe, but it also ended in a way that feels like the story could be closed.

Overall, if you like the All Souls series, I recommend this. However, I would only read this if you have read the other three. There are a lot of characters, and their personalities wouldn't make sense with this out of order. 

Book Review: Days of Splendor, Days of Sorrow by Juliet Grey

 

Goodreads Summary: A captivating novel of rich spectacle and royal scandal, Days of Splendor, Days of Sorrow spans fifteen years in the fateful reign of Marie Antoinette, France's most legendary and notorious queen.
Paris, 1774. At the tender age of eighteen, Marie Antoinette ascends to the French throne alongside her husband, Louis XVI. But behind the extravagance of the young queen's elaborate silk gowns and dizzyingly high coiffures, she harbors deeper fears for her future and that of the Bourbon dynasty.

From the early growing pains of marriage to the joy of conceiving a child, from her passion for Swedish military attaché Axel von Fersen to the devastating Affair of the Diamond Necklace, Marie Antoinette tries to rise above the gossip and rivalries that encircle her. But as revolution blossoms in America, a much larger threat looms beyond the gilded gates of Versailles—one that could sweep away the French monarchy forever.

Goodreads Ratings: 3.83 stars with over 2,100 ratings

Genre Listing: Historical Fiction, French Revolution, Romance 

Other reviews on the series: Becoming Marie Antoinette

Goodreads Challenge: 17/36 (Wait, what? I'll explain below.)

2022 Reading Challenge: #12 Free Space, Pick any book!

Book Review:

Hello, readers! If you celebrated the Fourth of July, I hope you had a lovely and safe time. As of last night, some neighbors have still been setting fireworks off. If they keep it up, I will assume it is to celebrate my upcoming birthday. Speaking of which, Tress, the lovely co-conspirator of this challenge, will be here so we can celebrate our birthdays together. Stay tuned for bookworm shenanigans.

Okay, so if you are really detailed oriented, you may notice that previous posts for this year stated my Goodreads Challenge goal was 48 books for 2022, but it is now 36. I was eight books behind, and there is a 0 percent chance I will catch up. I'm starting my Doctorate in September (Yes, Tress. I know. I'm a Masochist.) Also, the number is arbitrary, and I don't want to stress about it. 

Anyways, on to the book Days of Splendor, Days of Sorrow by Juliet Grey. I picked this up immediately after finishing Becoming Marie Antoinette. Honestly, I wish I had just stopped at the first book. I liked this second book, but after a while, I was bored and tired of reading about Marie Antoinette. I think the last 100 or so pages I just skimmed through it.

While she was still young and trying to be what everyone wanted her to be as a Queen, it was interesting, but then she just got really materialistic due to boredom. This second novel covered so much of her life, and it just felt like it boiled down to clothes, visitors, who hated her, pregnancy, and all of France blaming her for their troubles. Which, admittedly, is probably pretty historically accurate but rather dull to read in a fiction book.

If I read the third book, it probably won't be for a while. I didn't dislike Days of Splendor, Days of Sorrow by Juliet Grey. It was okay, and I'm sure that some Historical Romance fans would really enjoy it, but in my mind, it fell short of the first book in the series. I don't have much to say on this one. The middle-of-the-road books are always hard to find things to discuss. 

Book Review: Becoming Marie Antoinette by Juliet Grey

 

Goodreads Summary: This enthralling confection of a novel, the first in a new trilogy, follows the transformation of a coddled Austrian archduchess into the reckless, powerful, beautiful queen Marie Antoinette.
Why must it be me? I wondered. When I am so clearly inadequate to my destiny?

Raised alongside her numerous brothers and sisters by the formidable empress of Austria, ten-year-old Maria Antonia knew that her idyllic existence would one day be sacrificed to her mother's political ambitions. What she never anticipated was that the day in question would come so soon.

Before she can journey from sunlit picnics with her sisters in Vienna to the glitter, glamour, and gossip of Versailles, Antonia must change everything about herself in order to be accepted as dauphine of France and the wife of the awkward teenage boy who will one day be Louis XVI. Yet nothing can prepare her for the ingenuity and influence it will take to become Queen.

Filled with smart history, treacherous rivalries, lavish clothes, and sparkling jewels Becoming Marie Antoinette will utterly captivate fiction and history lovers alike.

Goodreads Rating: 3.80 stars with over 5,900 ratings

Genre Listing: Historical Fiction, Romance, French Revolution

Goodreads Challenge: 16/48 (May or may not decrease my end-of-year goal. We'll see.)

2022 Reading Challenge: #29 Read a book that's been on your TBR for over a year (Find the entire challenge here)

Book Review:

Hello, Readers! I hope everyone is doing well and recovering from it being Monday. I have not recovered from Monday and am debating going to bed around 7pm. I am very sleepy. I'm still not really out of the reading slump I've been in. It is taking me a while to finish books, even if I'm interested in them. Hopefully, I will get out of this rut soon. I discovered that my new house balcony is a delightful place to read. I will definitely be out there a lot this summer. 

Picture of balcony

Anyway, on to the book review. Becoming Marie Antoinette by Juliet Grey has been on my kindle for two to three years. I'm genuinely surprised that I didn't read it sooner. I thought it was a really interesting telling of Marie Antoinette's story. Typically I feel like stories depicting her start when she marries Louis. I was intrigued by her life as an Arch-Duchess. There was so much pressure put on her at such a young age. She was only 14 at the time of her marriage. However, that was so common back then, especially in royalty. I appreciated how Juliet Grey showed their relationship in a very awkward way. I can't imagine it was anything but uncomfortable in real life for the first few years.

I was very confused by the timeline of this book. Let me clarify and say there was nothing wrong with the timeline. I'm just dense and didn't realize it was only a fraction of Marie Antoinette's life or that this book was the first of a trilogy. Apparently, the title was not enough of a clue for me. Becoming Marie Antoinette covers the years before her being Queen. I think she was about 10 when the story starts, and it ends right before her and Luis's succession to the throne. So, now you know, so you don't have to be wondering where the rest of your book is like I did. 

I've been trying hard not to bing series to get more categories on the 2022 Reading Challenge. However, I couldn't help it once I finished this book; I bought the next in the trilogy. I am about twenty pages into the second book. It was an entertaining read, but I also felt it was well researched. I'm not sure what Marie Antoinette took liberties with, but she does provide a bibliography for her sources. It made me a happy little nerd.

Book Review: Sutton by J.R. Moehringer

 

Goodreads Summary: Willie Sutton was born in the Irish slums of Brooklyn in 1901, and he came of age at a time when banks were out of control. Sutton saw only one way out and only one way to win the girl of his dreams. So began the career of America's most successful bank robber. During three decades, Sutton became so good at breaking into banks, the FBI put him on its first-ever Most Wanted List. But the public rooted for the criminal who never fired a shot, and when Sutton was finally caught for good, crowds at the jail chanted his name.
In J.R. Moehringer's retelling, it was more than need or rage that drove Sutton. It was his first love. And when he finally walked free--a surprise pardon on Christmas Eve, 1969--he immediately set out to find her.

Genre Listing: Historical Fiction, Crime Fiction, 

Goodreads Challenge: 14/48

2022 Reading Challenge: #54 Read a book by an author using Initials as part of their name (Find the entire challenge here.) 

Book Review:

Hello, readers. I hope everyone is doing well. I wanted to attempt to try and get this blog post out before I lose what little energy I have. So, I'm just going to keep this relatively short and sweet. Some day, I'll get back to the more frequent lengthier posts. I just don't know when that will be.

Anyways, I picked up Sutton not that long ago. I had thought of using it for another category (famous criminal), but I don't think we ended up putting it on the list. That or it's something I thought of for next year's challenge. Either way, I thought it sounded interesting, and I'm glad there was a place for it on the list. 

Sutton by J.R. Moehringer follows famous bank robber Willie Sutton, who was infamous during the Great Depression. I don't really recall hearing much about him in History. Growing up in Indiana, the main famous criminal I learned about was Dillinger. I thought Willie's story was interesting, but it was hard to get into initially. It wasn't so much the story but the way it was written. The formatting is very odd. There are no quotations to designate who said what, so the dialogue all runs together. Willie also talks about himself in the third person a lot. However, once I got used to the writing style, I didn't want to put it down. 

I'm not sure how historically accurate the story is. I did some digging after I finished it and couldn't find much on Bess. So I'm not sure how involved in Willie's life she really was after the first arrest. The crimes, escapes, and some other details of Willie's life told in Sutton seem pretty accurate based on what I was reading on Wikipedia and the FBI's page on him. Part of the fun of reading Historical Fiction is researching after I'm done to see what was true and created for the story. Nerd. I know.

If J.R. Moehringer's description of Willie Sutton is even close to what he really was, I can see why people rooted for him to win. He was very charismatic and seemed to want to do the right thing, but also just wanted to survive. He seemed incredibly intelligent, and I appreciated that he didn't want to hurt anyone. I also liked that he was an avid reader. 

Overall, once I got past my issues with the style, I really enjoyed the book. It depicted Willie's early life, his crimes, and the potential for what happened after he was released from prison. If you like Historical Fiction depicting the Great depression and True Crime, I'd definitely recommend it. 

Book Review: All the Murmuring Bones by A.G. Slatter

 

Goodreads Summary: Long ago, Miren O'Malley's family prospered due to a deal struck with the Mer: safety for their ships in return for a child of each generation. But for many years the family have been unable to keep their side of the bargain and have fallen into decline. Miren's grandmother is determined to restore their glory, even at the price of Miren's freedom.

A spellbinding tale of dark family secrets, magic and witches, and creatures of myth and the sea; of strong women and the men who seek to control them. 

Goodreads Ratings: 4.03 stars with over 3,700 ratings

Genre Listing: Fantasy, Horror, Gothic, Mythology, Mermaids, Historical Fiction, Fairy Tales

Goodreads Challenge: 13/48

2022 Reading Challenge: #7 Read a book about a mythical creature (see the entire challenge here)

Book Review:

Hello, Readers! I hope everyone is doing well and reading lots of exciting things. I'm just going to jump right into the review since I posted life update nonsense the other day. This pick was a random thing for me as I've been trying to stay more towards Kindle Unlimited or what I already have on my kindle. All the Murmuring Bones by A.G. Slatter really stood out to me. When I picked out All the Murmuring Bones, I needed something dark and witchy. This book absolutely fulfilled that need.

The story tells about a family who becomes powerful due to an agreement with the Merfolk. It then gets into the tale of Miren, who's the last of the O'Malley's. The beginning was a little hard for me to get into. There is a lot of scenery description before it gets into Merin's portion of the story. Once she is introduced, however, it's a lot easier to follow. 

All the Murmuring Bones reads like a gothic fairy tale, which I enjoyed. The story definitely discusses mermaids, and it shows the mermaids through old family lore passed on from one generation to the next. However, at the heart of it is what all that amounts to for Merin when she's the last of the true O'Malley's. It's a fascinating explanation of generational expectations and the pressures of them. The story builds and ultimately allows Merin to grow and decide who she wants to be regardless of the family's expectations.

The family secrets that Merin is trying to escape from are really dark. Part of me feels like there could have been more detail surrounding how Merin felt about these secrets. She's definitely appalled by them, but I feel like the way she's on the run, and the reasons behind it overshadow having to grow up with this knowledge. I expected more emotion regarding all the big reveals, but it felt a little glazed over? I hope that makes sense. 

There is part of the story where Merin comes to find a long-lost uncle (spoilers, sorry.) This section of the story seems so incredibly familiar to me, and I can not place why. I don't know if this stems from a fairy tale or if another book had something similar, but it felt incredibly familiar. This may bother me until I figure it out. The rest of the story seemed entirely new to me; it's just this one setting in the story that feels like deja vu. 

Overall, I really enjoyed the story. I liked Merin as the main character. When she started figuring out who she was, I thought she was pretty badass. Her decisions and the way she acted about those decisions seemed a little out of character if you compare it to the beginning of her story, but I liked it. I would definitely recommend it if you want gothic fairy tales, paranormal creatures, and main characters who just don't give a shit about other people's expectations. There's also some magic and maybe some murder.

Book Review: To Sir Phillip, With Love by Julia Quinn

 

Goodreads Summary: Sir Phillip knew from his correspondence with his dead wife's distant cousin that Eloise Bridgerton was a spinster, and so he'd proposed, figuring that she'd be homely and unassuming, and more than a little desperate for an offer of marriage. Except . . . she wasn't. The beautiful woman on his doorstep was anything but quiet, and when she stopped talking long enough to close her mouth, all he wanted to do was kiss her...
Eloise Bridgerton couldn't marry a man she had never met! But then she started thinking... and wondering... and before she knew it, she was in a hired carriage in the middle of the night, on her way to meet the man she hoped might be her perfect match. Except... he wasn't. Her perfect husband wouldn't be so moody and ill-mannered. And he certainly should have mentioned that he had two young - and decidedly unruly - children, as much in need of a mother as Phillip is in need of a wife.

Goodreads Rating: 3.08 stars with over 100,000 ratings

Genre Listing: Romance, Historical Fiction, Regency Era

Goodreads Challenge: 8/48

2022 Reading Challenge: #47 Read a book that was published in a year that was important to you (Find the entire challenge here)

Book Review:

Hello, Readers! I hope everyone is doing well. I may or may not have binged season 2 of Bridgerton the other day and decided I needed to read more of the series. Since I slept most of the afternoon because of a headache, I was up all night. Long story short, I read this in one sitting. 

Going into Eloise's story, I wasn't sure how much I would like it. I'm not sure why, but I was concerned that I would be disappointed since I liked some of the other books so much. A lot of the story wasn't necessarily new, as some of Eloise's abrupt decision is covered in the fourth book. To Sir Phillip, With Love obviously goes into a lot more detail. 

I thought it was interesting that both Phillip and Eloise let their assumptions and expectations get the best of them. It made for this awkward dynamic at first, which I found fairly commical. They seemed like polar opposites, and I thought that Phillip's backstory was unfortunate, but it made him someone you wanted to root for. He was a little rough but seemed very sweet. I feel like theirs was the least love match of all the Bridgertons thus far. I think there was more of a match of convenience.

One of my favorite scenes is when Phillip meets the brothers. It was somehow intimidating and also hilarious. I feel like this is probably encompasses most of the meetings with the Bridgerton brothers for the other characters (their sisters not included.) 

Overall, I really enjoyed the book. It was a light read and while it wasn't my favorite, I still enjoyed it quite a bit and don't really have any negatives to say for it. As for why I put it on #47 for the challenge,  that is because according to Goodreads it was published in 2009, which is also the year my husband and I got married. We actually just celebrated our 13th anniversary on the 11th. Me picking this book for that slot was not actually intentional. I wanted to read it and I discovered the publishing year when I was trying to figure out where it could fit on the challenge.

Book Review: The Lobotomist's Wife by Samantha Greene Woodruff

 

Goodreads Summary: An enthralling historical novel of a compassionate and relentless woman, a cutting-edge breakthrough in psychiatry, and a nightmare in the making.

Since her brother took his life after WWI, Ruth Emeraldine has had one goal: to help those suffering from mental illness. Then she falls in love with charismatic Robert Apter—a brilliant doctor championing a radical new treatment, the lobotomy. Ruth believes in it as a miracle treatment and in Robert as its genius pioneer. But as her husband spirals into deluded megalomania, Ruth can’t ignore her growing suspicions. Robert is operating on patients recklessly, often with horrific results. And a vulnerable young mother, Margaret Baxter, is poised to be his next victim.

Margaret can barely get out of bed, let alone care for her infant. When Dr. Apter diagnoses her with the baby blues and proposes a lobotomy, she believes the procedure is her only hope. Only Ruth can save her—and scores of others—from the harrowing consequences of Robert’s ambitions.

Inspired by a shocking chapter in medical history, The Lobotomist’s Wife is a galvanizing novel of a woman fighting against the most grievous odds, of ego, and of the best intentions gone horribly awry. 

Goodreads Ratings: 4.09 stars with over 11,000 ratings

Genre Listing: Historical Fiction, Psychology, Medical, Mental Health

Goodreads Challenge:  7/48

2022 Reading Challenge: #28 Read a book you recently acquired (Find the entire challenge here)

Book Review:

Hello, Readers! I hope everyone is doing well. I am on a much-needed staycation for the week. I'm hoping to get caught up on my reading challenge, but we'll see if that happens. Really hoping to finish the Octonummi while I'm on vacation. Yes. I'm still reading it. I had planned on reading a bunch this afternoon, but after a Buffy the Vampire marathon with Tress, I came down with a Migraine, and being in a dark room sleeping won out. 

I think The Lobotomist's Wife by Samantha Greene Woodruff was an Amazon First read recently. If not it hasn't been on my shelf all that long. This was a really intriguing subject for me. Obviously, Historical Fiction is an automatic win for me, but getting into the history of lobotomies was really interesting. I think psychology is fascinating and wanted to be a psychologist/psychiatrist for a brief period of time in high school. Specifically, I wanted to be a criminal psychologist. I think because of all that, this book was a must-read for me.

The book is pretty short and just over 300 pages. It reads pretty easily and I felt instantly drawn in to Ruth's story. I thought she was kind and had a naivete about her that made her seem like she could change the world. I found it refreshing. I think that desire to help also made her a little desperate to take on anything she thought would help her patients. Her role in the story was intriguing, as so many of those close to those who discover or impact events aren't always told. Even though Ruth's story was fictionalized, it still provided an interesting perspective. 

I think I misguidedly hoped that this story would be a little more creepy regarding the lobotomies. It did discuss some famous ones that had happened, but it was a very clinical telling of it. I will say in that regard if medical/clinical stuff is not your thing this book may not be for you. Mostly the way it was told felt very tidy and packaged. I'm not sure if that makes sense, but I can't think of how else to describe it. I guess the tone of how it was written seemed really light for the subject. The end especially felt kind of phoned in. I felt like Ruth's husband was an egomaniac and never really had to pay for what he did to people. Ruth's ending was just confusing and didn't necessarily feel like it fit with the rest of the story.

Overall, I enjoyed the story. I thought it was a unique topic, and given the time period, it was interesting to read about something other than WWII. I liked Ruth and thought she was intelligent and caring. I just think I expected something a little grittier given the subject. I will say there are a lot of potential trigger warnings in this one. Some of those include suicide, mental health, spousal abuse, and postpartum depression. 

Book Review: Helen of Troy by Margaret George

 

Goodreads Summary: Acclaimed author Margaret George tells the story of the legendary Greek woman whose face "launched a thousand ships" in this New York Times bestseller.
The Trojan War, fought nearly twelve hundred years before the birth of Christ, and recounted in Homer's Iliad, continues to haunt us because of its origins: one woman's beauty, a visiting prince's passion, and a love that ended in tragedy.

Laden with doom, yet surprising in its moments of innocence and beauty, Helen of Troy is an exquisite page-turner with a cast of irresistible, legendary characters—Odysseus, Hector, Achilles, Menelaus, Priam, Clytemnestra, Agamemnon, as well as Helen and Paris themselves. With a wealth of material that reproduces the Age of Bronze in all its glory, it brings to life a war that we have all learned about but never before experienced.

Goodreads Rating: 3.94 stars with over 10,000 ratings

Genre Listing: Historical Fiction, Mythology, Romance, Fantasy

Goodreads Challenge: 6/48

2022 Reading Challenge: #27 Read a book with a title that doesn't start with an article ( find the entire challenge here)

Book Review:

Hello, readers! I hope everyone is doing well. I am eagerly counting down to my staycation, which starts after I get out of work on Friday. I'm hoping to get a lot of stuff done around the house and maybe read some books. Mostly, I'm just thrilled to close my office door and not look at my work computer for a week. 

I had not anticipated reading Helen of Troy when I did. I wanted something light to read, and somehow I knowingly picked a 600-page historical fiction about greek mythology. The heart wants what the heart wants, I suppose. This is the third of Margaret George's books I've read. Each one I've been hooked on from the beginning. This one was no different, and I stayed up late last night finishing it. I only had 100 pages left, so who needs sleep?

I was very conflicted about this book. I thought that Helen and Paris were so incredibly selfish, yet I was rooting for them. I wanted to hate them, their relationship, and how much they didn't care about it affecting their countries, but I couldn't. I was vested in their story and wanted good things to happen to them. I appreciated the mythology in this and getting to read about many different mythological/historical figures. 

The biggest issue with this book is that the kindle version I bought desperately needed proofreading. There were a lot of weird typos, and some pages were repeated. It kind of took me out of the story when it happened. I had to investigate to make sure I wasn't crazy or didn't switch back to a previous page. In addition, once the war ended, I found myself not caring as much and was just reading it to get done with it. It was still interesting but wasn't nearly as much as leading up to the Trojan War and during it. I suspect that Margaret George took more historical liberties with this than in her other books because of the mythological content. If you want something more on the biographical side of Historical Fiction, I would keep that in mind (I assume that the Bronze Age is not a timeframe that is easy to have historically correct.) Overall, I'd recommend it if you like Historical Fiction/ Greek Mythology. 

Book Review: The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty

 

Goodreads Summary: Nahri has never believed in magic. Certainly, she has power; on the streets of 18th century Cairo, she's a con woman of unsurpassed talent. But she knows better than anyone that the trade she uses to get by—palm readings, zars, healings—are all tricks, sleights of hand, learned skills, a means to the delightful end of swindling Ottoman nobles.
But when Nahri accidentally summons an equally sly, darkly mysterious djinn warrior to her side during one of her cons, she's forced to accept that the magical world she thought only existed in childhood stories is real. For the warrior tells her a new tale: across hot, windswept sands teeming with creatures of fire, and rivers where the mythical marid sleep; past ruins of once-magnificent human metropolises, and mountains where the circling hawks are not what they seem, lies Daevabad, the legendary city of brass, a city to which Nahri is irrevocably bound.

In that city, behind gilded brass walls laced with enchantments, behind the six gates of the six djinn tribes, old resentments are simmering. And when Nahri decides to enter this world, she learns that true power is fierce and brutal. That magic cannot shield her from the dangerous web of court politics. That even the cleverest of schemes can have deadly consequences.

After all, there is a reason they say be careful what you wish for...

Goodreads Ratings: 4.13 Stars with over 71,000 reviews

Genre Listing: Fantasy, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Magic, Mythology, Romance

Goodreads/ StoryGraph Challenge: 3/48

2022 Reading Challenge: #10 Read a book from NPR's The 50 Best Science Fiction Books of the Past Decade https://www.npr.org/2021/08/18/1027159166/best-books-science-fiction-fantasy-past-decade (find the entire challenge here)

Life Updates and Book Review:

Hello readers! It's been a long time since I've been able to post, which is unfortunate. I've been unable to do much since around the start of January. We traveled back to Indiana to spend time with the family for Christmas, and then a couple days after we got home, I fell down the stairs and broke my arm. Except, I didn't know I had broken my arm until two weeks later. I just knew that I was in pain and something wasn't right, but I was too stubborn to have it looked at. My right arm was already in a brace for a torn tendon, and because of the fall, my left arm ended up in a splint and sling temporarily. On top of that, I still had to focus on finishing up Grad School. Needless to say, January was ROUGH. 

I ended up reading two books in January but really couldn't handle doing a blog post. I had started the City of Brass during that time but had to put reading it on hold because  I couldn't really hold a physical book and could only hold the Kindle for a limited time. I'll quickly update the other two books I read and then get on with The City of Brass

The Egyptian Mystery by Emily Organ- Read a newly published book (within a year). I think this was the first book I read this year. I liked it, as I always like Penny Green books; however, I didn't have anything insightful to say about it. It's the 11th book in a series, and they tend to follow a bit of a pattern. Enjoyable, but not really anything new to say about the series that I haven't already said ten other times.

The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett- A book by an author whose first or last name has five letters. I love the Disc World. I randomly started a long time ago with The Hogfather and followed the books about Death. However, I was not in the right headspace for Disc World when I read this. Parts made me laugh, but I rarely knew what was going on because I was so stressed and tired. There were many times when I thought about not finishing it and trying again later. But it's relatively short, so I stuck with it. 

Okay, now this brings us to my actual review of The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty. The husband got me this book for Christmas, and I must say he did a good job picking it out. I fell in love with this story on page one. I don't know exactly what it was, but Nahri just drew me in immediately. The imagery that S.A. Chakraborty provided was beautiful, and I felt like I was taken to an entirely new world. I found Dara incredibly interesting and wanted to know more about his back story. The magic and mythology involved were also really fascinating. I wasn't as excited to read Ali's part of the story. He just came across as a whiney spoiled brat most of the time. He wasn't terrible; I just wanted to read more of Nahri's story and would have liked seeing things from Dara's perspective. There was also this whole Aladdin vibe, including some genie magic.

What kept this from being a five for me was that there were different tribes, and they each had their own words for things. Culturally, I get the reasoning behind it. However, it took me a little out of the story as a reader because it required me to think about the connections between what one tribe called something and what another tribe called it and why. It was just a lot of history to remember when I wanted to read what happened next. 

I was completely surprised by the ending. I always try to predict what will happen, and I was not even close with this one. I might have audibly gasped at some point during the final chapter or two. I nearly forgot to discuss what I loved the most about this story. It is heavy with sarcasm. It makes me happy. I'm pretty sure if I was reading it on Kindle, most of the pages would be yellow with highlights. I've definitely got to get the next book and read it at some point. If you are looking for a YA Fantasy/Romance, I highly recommend this one.