Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
8.3
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In 1968, the elderly David "Noodles" Aaronson (Robert De Niro) returns to New York, where he had a...
The Poison Bed
8.0
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Elizabeth Fremantle's THE POISON BED is a chilling, noirish thriller ripped straight from the...
Historical Fiction
The Story of Arthur Truluv
8.0
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"I dare you to read this novel and not fall in love with Arthur Truluv. His story will make you...
young adult
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated A Column of Fire in Books
Aug 6, 2020
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A column of fire ( Kingsbridge 3)
By Ken Follet
Christmas 1558, and young Ned Willard returns home to Kingsbridge to find his world has changed.
The ancient stones of Kingsbridge Cathedral look down on a city torn by religious hatred. Europe is in turmoil as high principles clash bloodily with friendship, loyalty and love, and Ned soon finds himself on the opposite side from the girl he longs to marry, Margery Fitzgerald.
Then Elizabeth Tudor becomes queen and all of Europe turns against England. The shrewd, determined young monarch sets up the country's first secret service to give her early warning of assassination plots, rebellions and invasion plans.
Elizabeth knows that alluring, headstrong Mary Queen of Scots lies in wait in Paris. Part of a brutally ambitious French family, Mary has been proclaimed the rightful ruler of England, with her own supporters scheming to get rid of the new queen.
Over a turbulent half-century, the love between Ned and Margery seems doomed, as extremism sparks violence from Edinburgh to Geneva. With Elizabeth clinging precariously to her throne and her principles, protected by a small, dedicated group of resourceful spies and courageous secret agents, it becomes clear that the real enemies - then as now - are not the rival religions.
The true battle pitches those who believe in tolerance and compromise against the tyrants who would impose their ideas on everyone else - no matter the cost.
Ken Follet and this series has completely stolen my heart I love these books! I’m a huge fan of historical based fiction and I think he just does it so well!! I did find some parts were a little rushed but it was still an amazing book. The characters were as usual full of life, I have loved and hated them he has a way of hooking you into these peoples lives. If I had one issue it was this one spent a lot of time away from kingsbridge I think the characters weren’t as linked to the city as they were in other books! I’m looking forward to to the new kingsbridge book!
Merissa (12894 KP) rated Drawing Bloodlines (The Princeton Allegiant #1) in Books
Apr 4, 2019
The attraction between Alexander and Elizabeth is off the charts from the start, but I actually wished it wasn't for part of the book! Now, don't get me wrong, steam isn't a bad thing at all, but for me, it actually took away from some of the parts of the story. It all became about how often these two made the naughty, rather than anything else like, for example, maybe Alex could have told Elizabeth more of his history... say the part with Christiana in it?! I actually preferred this book once Alex was told he had to mate with Christiana, and Loren appeared on the scene. I felt there was more of a connection then, but maybe that's just me.
On the whole, this was a very good read, with plenty to get your teeth into (bad pun intended). I would love to read more about this world of Allegiants, and see how it works in greater detail. And, of course, find out more about the missing vampires. Oh, and hope Elijah gets his story!
There were no editing or grammatical errors that I noticed, and I have no hesitation in recommending this book. Excellent start to the series.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Marie Antoinette: Princess of Versailles, Austria - France, 1769 (Royal Diaries #4)
7.0
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"I look up now into the oval mirror and see barely a trace of the mud-splattered girl tearing...
Merissa (12894 KP) rated Escape from Witchwood Hollow in Books
May 29, 2023
Set in many different times, they do link up as the story progresses. Elizabeth, Lady Clifford, I just couldn't figure out how I felt about her. Honoria and Leon were fantastic characters that were completely real to their natures and the times.
Well written, with a fast-moving story, this definitely has more of a mystery theme than romance, although there is a hint of it. I liked how it all tied up together at the end, complete with the twist.
If you want a Young Adult Fantasy Mystery, then I can definitely recommend this.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 13, 2016
Letters of Note: Correspondence Deserving of a Wider Audience
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Letters of Note is a collection of over one hundred of the world's most entertaining, inspiring and...
Hidden Fire (Elemental Mysteries #1)
8.0
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The explosive international bestseller where history, romance, and the paranormal collide. A...
The Queen's Head (Nicholas Bracewell, #1)
6.5
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His name was Will Fowler, an actor in the esteemed theatrical company called Lord Westfield's Men, a...