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Hazel (1853 KP) rated Thomasine in Books

May 15, 2020  
Thomasine
Thomasine
Jordan Elizabeth Mierek | 2020 | Horror, Paranormal, Young Adult (YA)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Ghosts, a murderous cult, and men who can turn into wolves
Ghosts, a murderous cult, and men who can turn into wolves feature in Jordan Elizabeth's latest novelette Thomasine. As a young girl, Thomasine believed there was something sinister living in the cellar of their farmhouse and was thankful when the family moved away. Now she has returned for a funeral and cannot shake off the uneasy feeling that there is evil afoot. On top of that, Thomasine can see ghosts and there is one, in particular, that is begging her for help.

The story switches between Thomasine's point of view and Adelajda, a Polish girl from 1888. The girls' stories combine in a supernatural way, which brings the story to its dramatic climax. Thomasine discovers her family history is dark and complicated and her future looks bleak. If she tries to escape her fate, Thomasine's parents would be in grave danger. Just as she was beginning to despair, Thomasine discovers a solution to her problems in the form of Adelajda...

Thomasine is a fast-paced story, 155 pages in length, that keeps the reader entertained from beginning to end. Mystery, fantasy and mild horror are all combined together with a hint of romance to create a welcome addition to Jordan Elizabeth's œuvre.
  
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Ali A (82 KP) rated The Fountains of Silence in Books

Jun 1, 2020  
The Fountains of Silence
The Fountains of Silence
Ruta Sepetys | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry, History & Politics, Young Adult (YA)
9
9.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Fountains of Silence is about Texan teen Daniel visiting Francisco Franco's Spain in the 1950's. Franco is a dictator who needs business men to invest in his country so he opens it to Americans. Daniel visits with his parents to see his mother's birthplace. Ana works at the hotel Daniel and his parents are staying in and is assigned to their rooms. Daniel and Ana quickly become friends but Ana is guarded with him. Her family were Republicans, those who were against Franco's rein, and now are either shunned to live as second class citizens or died horrific deaths. Daniel quickly learns that Spain isn't what the government likes to show and there are secrets everyone is hiding.

I was fascinated with this novel as it's something I have never really learned of this time in history in school. I knew of before, during World War II, but never afterward with Franco's dictation. I cared about the characters and wanted to know the outcome. I could tell when some things would happen and cried during some of them too.

It was a heartfelt novel set in a dark time that had family and love and exploration. A must read for historical fiction readers and lovers of Ruta Sepetys.
  
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ClareR (5874 KP) rated The Persians in Books

Feb 3, 2025  
The Persians
The Persians
Sanam Mahloudji | 2025 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
On the face of it, The Persians is filled with vacuous, materialistic women, but as I read further, these women had been either torn from their homes in order to escape the new religious government in Iran, or were having to live there, having remained. Trauma has a large part to play in the make up of these women.

Both the women in Iran and those in the US are non-conformists, rule breakers - and some more than others. There’s the obvious Shirin, who’s arrested on prostitution charges at the beginning of the book, and Bita, who decides to break away from her family history and wealth, and make her own way. Then there’s the matriarch, Elizabeth, who remains in Iran and uses her age and family name to get away with not following the rules of Islamic law (to some degree), and her granddaughter Niaz, who is arrested and put in a Tehran jail.

A lot of secrets are revealed (there are some big secrets to be revealed!), and when mothers and daughters are honest and truthful with one another, relationships can be repaired. But will they?

A very enjoyable, somewhat escapist read - I mean, the wealth of these people is startling!
  
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Lindsay (1760 KP) rated The Mapmaker's Children in Books

Sep 9, 2017  
The Mapmaker's Children
The Mapmaker's Children
Sarah McCoy | 2015 | Fiction & Poetry
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
I loved this book with each turn of the page. It gave you two stories that went well together. You get a modern mystery. You also learn about history at that time.
 
This book has you learn about Sarah and her family. We learn about slavery and what it like to be a part of the UGRR? The historical fiction and story go through the past to the future.
 
What will happen to Sarah and helping other by being so brave? The abolitionist John Brown has a daughter that might really be talented. She and Eden have something in common. Will Eden uncover the secrets of the past to the future?
 
You do learn about slavery and what our country was going through at that time. Eden may find a story that connects to the Hills from the past to present.
  
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Fruit Bat (42 KP) rated The Boss of Bethnal Green, Joseph Merceron the Godfather of Regency London in Books

Mar 1, 2018  
TB
The Boss of Bethnal Green, Joseph Merceron the Godfather of Regency London
Julian Woodford | 2016
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I've never heard of this Joseph Merceon until I came across this book in a bookshop and it turned out to be a very enjoyable and interesting read 

Joseph Merceon was born above a pawnbrokers in Brick Lane London in the year 1764. In the insuring years he would rise to control the whole of Bethnal Green through intimidation bribery,fraud and without a single feeling of compassion for others including his own family. I can honestly say I find Joseph Merceon to be a truly rotten individual and makes Scrooge like a pussycat. 

The book is clearly written and you can tell that the life Joseph Merceon has been thoroughly researched by the author. The book is very informative and would it be of great interest to anybody interested in the history of London overall I'd say definitely a five star read.