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Riddle of the Gods (Olaf's Saga #4)
Book
Riddle of the Gods is the riveting fourth novel in the best-selling series chronicling the life and...
Historical Fiction Adventure Norse Series
ClareR (5561 KP) rated The Whispering Muse in Books
Apr 15, 2024
I love Laura Purcell’s gothic novels, and The Whispering Muse is yet another chilling tale of paranormal occurrences - this time set in a London theatre.
Jenny is persuaded to work in the Mercury Theatre as a dresser to the leading lady - and to spy on her for the owners wife. Jenny has little choice but to do as she’s asked, and initially she just gets on with it. But soon she begins to actually like the woman she’s supposed to be spying on, which leaves her in a bit of a tricky predicament.
This was a really atmospheric, gloomy and unnerving read. If I’d been able to see the setting, I would have seen shadows in every corner. My skin was crawling just reading about it!
Laura Purcell has become an insta-buy author for me - historical fiction with a touch of threatening, unexplainable atmosphere would appear to be right up my street!
Jenny is persuaded to work in the Mercury Theatre as a dresser to the leading lady - and to spy on her for the owners wife. Jenny has little choice but to do as she’s asked, and initially she just gets on with it. But soon she begins to actually like the woman she’s supposed to be spying on, which leaves her in a bit of a tricky predicament.
This was a really atmospheric, gloomy and unnerving read. If I’d been able to see the setting, I would have seen shadows in every corner. My skin was crawling just reading about it!
Laura Purcell has become an insta-buy author for me - historical fiction with a touch of threatening, unexplainable atmosphere would appear to be right up my street!
Katherine of Aragon, the True Queen
8.0
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*A Sunday Times Top Ten Bestseller* Katherine of Aragon: The True Queen by bestselling historian...
Molly J (Cover To Cover Cafe) (106 KP) rated The Christmas Prayer in Books
Feb 27, 2019
It's Fall. It's time for all things Fall-y, Halloween-y and best of all? Christmas-y! So, when I saw that Ms. Brunstetter was releasing The Christmas Prayer, I jumped on the chance! I love a good novella that's filled with snow, history and best of all? Wanda Brunstetter's addictive characters. This book had it all and so much more, for such a small, quick read.
Sitting down to read this, we are taken to history, during the 1850's, and introduced to some amazing, fun loving characters. Each character has something different for the story, each of their journeys for a different reason, but with God, prayer and unforgettable messages, these characters make being snowed in, a fun treat!
Ms. Brunstetter is the type of author who can write 5 star books across the genre grid. From Amish fiction to historical romance, she can bring the reader to the heart of the story instantly, and keep them their til the very last page is turned. Once you're finished, you want more. She's that good. Ms. Brunstetter is my top author when it comes to historical and Amish romances. If you are looking for a 5 star, winter-y read to set the mood for Christmas this year, look no further than this amazing, soul moving novella! Well done, Ms. Brunstetter! Well done!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
Sitting down to read this, we are taken to history, during the 1850's, and introduced to some amazing, fun loving characters. Each character has something different for the story, each of their journeys for a different reason, but with God, prayer and unforgettable messages, these characters make being snowed in, a fun treat!
Ms. Brunstetter is the type of author who can write 5 star books across the genre grid. From Amish fiction to historical romance, she can bring the reader to the heart of the story instantly, and keep them their til the very last page is turned. Once you're finished, you want more. She's that good. Ms. Brunstetter is my top author when it comes to historical and Amish romances. If you are looking for a 5 star, winter-y read to set the mood for Christmas this year, look no further than this amazing, soul moving novella! Well done, Ms. Brunstetter! Well done!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
The sequel and finale to the series is as well written as the first. I don't want to spoil anything but my emotions were in turmoil throughout this book. The author revealed truths to Etta and tore our hearts open with sympathy, hurt, compassion, love, and happiness. The rollercoaster of emotions never faded and we hoped that maybe Etta would find her place. That maybe not all travelers were scoundrels. That maybe there was a future out there for her.
Wayfarer is a wonderful fictional trip through history spanning thousands of years and crossing the globe. It is not all shiny, rose-tinted history but the truthful depiction of disease and death that so many faced. It brings a level of realness to the book that makes the reader more invested in what's happening to their beloved characters.
I found myself enjoying the sequel even more than the first, so overall this series is wonderful. Be prepared to be hit in the gut with feelings. I cannot prmise that you won't shed a tear. But believe me, this series is worth it. It was a very satisfying conclusion to a well written, riveting and emotionally taxing (in the best way) duology.
Highly recommended to young adult/teen readers who are fans of historical fiction. This is so well written and fascinating that I believe most people who pick it up will be a fan, even if they don't normally gravitate towards historical books.
Wayfarer is a wonderful fictional trip through history spanning thousands of years and crossing the globe. It is not all shiny, rose-tinted history but the truthful depiction of disease and death that so many faced. It brings a level of realness to the book that makes the reader more invested in what's happening to their beloved characters.
I found myself enjoying the sequel even more than the first, so overall this series is wonderful. Be prepared to be hit in the gut with feelings. I cannot prmise that you won't shed a tear. But believe me, this series is worth it. It was a very satisfying conclusion to a well written, riveting and emotionally taxing (in the best way) duology.
Highly recommended to young adult/teen readers who are fans of historical fiction. This is so well written and fascinating that I believe most people who pick it up will be a fan, even if they don't normally gravitate towards historical books.
Based on a real place and a real period of history, Jordan Elizabeth imagines fictional characters living in the settlement of Hillside, New York in the 1890s. The main character, Viola, is a young school teacher at a one-roomed school where nothing out of the ordinary happens. That is until she learns her dying Aunt Helen is harbouring a huge secret.
Aunt Helen revealed she abandoned a daughter and Viola decides to surprise her by finding her long lost daughter, Bessie. But in finding Bessie, Viola discovers the reason Aunt Helen ran away from home, putting everyone who lives in Hillside in grave danger.
Although short, Jordan Elizabeth packs in romance, family, murder and historical fiction into her novella Hillside, the second instalment of theEchoes of New York series. The story does not follow on from the previous book, however, it is set in the same area. The amount of research the author has done to create an accurate setting is clear from the authenticity of the story.
A tiny element of the supernatural appears inHillside, although not as much as in the previous book in the series. This is by no means a bad thing, however, since it does not detract from the storyline and historical accuracy.
Personally, I did not think Hillside was one of Jordan Elizabeth's best books but it is a good story to read when you need something to pass a short time.
Aunt Helen revealed she abandoned a daughter and Viola decides to surprise her by finding her long lost daughter, Bessie. But in finding Bessie, Viola discovers the reason Aunt Helen ran away from home, putting everyone who lives in Hillside in grave danger.
Although short, Jordan Elizabeth packs in romance, family, murder and historical fiction into her novella Hillside, the second instalment of theEchoes of New York series. The story does not follow on from the previous book, however, it is set in the same area. The amount of research the author has done to create an accurate setting is clear from the authenticity of the story.
A tiny element of the supernatural appears inHillside, although not as much as in the previous book in the series. This is by no means a bad thing, however, since it does not detract from the storyline and historical accuracy.
Personally, I did not think Hillside was one of Jordan Elizabeth's best books but it is a good story to read when you need something to pass a short time.
Shane O'Neill
Book
Shane O'Neill played a key role in Ireland's story in the sixteenth century, yet he has suffered a...
Realizing the Witch: Science, Cinema, and the Mastery of the Invisible
Todd Meyers and Richard Baxstrom
Book
Benjamin Christensen's Haxan (The Witch, 1922) stands as a singular film within the history of...
Ari Augustine (10 KP) rated The Deep in Books
May 4, 2020
Historical Fiction with a supernatural twist, I was drawn to The Deep like a moth to a flame. It's been awhile since I've read anything compelling enough to read in a single sitting, but Katsu deliveries such a horrific, heartpounding, and mind-spinning twist to a tale we're already so familiar with, that the story grips us from page one.
Annie Hebley is a nurse who survived the sinking of Titanic and has since confined herself to an mental institution. However, at the start of The Deep, she is hired to work on the Britannica to help the wounded WW1 soldiers. What I love about this story is how well it blends actual history in between these moments of atmospheric supernatural events. We meet characters who were once very much alive on a ship that actually existed. There's something eerie about tethering such a story in a historical way that connects to the reader, and this element of the story certainly spoke to me. But what I loved MOST was how unreliable Annie was as a character. Her point of view jumped between 1912 and 1916, blurring the lines of reality even further. Although the pacing wasn't always consistent, I love, love, LOVED Katsu's writing.
Overall, I'd recommend The Deep to anyone with a dash of patience, a dangerous curiosity for the supernatural, and, well, anyone who lives creepy stories rooted in history.
Annie Hebley is a nurse who survived the sinking of Titanic and has since confined herself to an mental institution. However, at the start of The Deep, she is hired to work on the Britannica to help the wounded WW1 soldiers. What I love about this story is how well it blends actual history in between these moments of atmospheric supernatural events. We meet characters who were once very much alive on a ship that actually existed. There's something eerie about tethering such a story in a historical way that connects to the reader, and this element of the story certainly spoke to me. But what I loved MOST was how unreliable Annie was as a character. Her point of view jumped between 1912 and 1916, blurring the lines of reality even further. Although the pacing wasn't always consistent, I love, love, LOVED Katsu's writing.
Overall, I'd recommend The Deep to anyone with a dash of patience, a dangerous curiosity for the supernatural, and, well, anyone who lives creepy stories rooted in history.
A Life Apart
10.0
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When Morris Sullivan joins the navy in 1940, his hopes are high. Though he leaves behind his new...
Historical Fiction WW2 War Civil Rights