Smashbomb

This is a review more for the entire series as a whole.

Lady Trent has been an absolutely fascinating character to read about for the past few years and the character development you see happens naturally throughout all five books of her memoirs. As the final instalment of an amazing series, Within the Sanctuary of Wings is a suitable conclusion for her adventures and completely outstripped my expectations.

In a series of this size there's usually a dip of quality at some point, but somehow Marie Brennan was able to avoid that and kept the pace of the story going without a wasted word and a clear idea of where she wanted the story to go.

Kudos

Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2460 KP) rated Heirs and Graces (Her Royal Spyness Mysteries, #7) in Books

Mar 9, 2018

Lady Georgiana is asked to come to an estate in 1930's England to teach the new heir to the dukedom proper upper society manners. This heir has just been discovered and has been raised in the Australian Outback. However, not too long after this heir arrives, Georgie has to add sleuthing to her list of things to do when someone gets a knife in the back - literally.

These trips back in time are always fun, and this one was no exception. I loved the new characters and the tension was so thick I always had a hard time putting it down.

I was sent an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Please read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/07/book-review-heirs-and-graces-by-rhys.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.

Kudos

Erika (17789 KP) rated Shakespeare's Sonnets, Retold in Books

Nov 21, 2018

I received a copy of this book courtesy of the Penguin First to Read program in exchange for an honest review.
I remember in high school that Shakespeare was the bane of my existence. For some reason, high schools in the US only choose to have you read Romeo and Juliet (woof). I had read a few sonnets then, just for fun, and was completely befuddled.
Luckily, this book has come along. The format is great, the original sonnet is on one page, and the reinterpretation is on the other. I thought the first section of procreation sonnets was... bizarre and I hope I never read them again. I enjoyed the 'Dark Lady' sonnets at the end. This book is definitely a must-read if you've ever been interested in the sonnets, but can't wade through the original text with ease.

Kudos

David McK (3663 KP) rated A Ship of the Line in Books

Jun 30, 2019

A Ship of the Line

C.S. Forester | 1938 | Fiction & Poetry

8.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

2nd published but chronologically number 7 in CS Foresters Hornblower series, that sees Horatio Hornblower in command of his first ship-of-the-line, the 74 gun HMS Sutherland.

A ship-of-the-line, by the way, is simply that: a naval ship of 2+ decks of guns that was designed to stand in the line of battle back in the days when they largely sailed astern of each other, and when the battles devolved into firing broadsides at each other.

Under the command of Admiral Leighton, who has married Hornblower's extramarital flame from the previous novel (Lady Barbara Wellesley), Hornblower finds himself sailing the coast of Catalonia (Spain) and getting - as per usual - involved in all sorts of missions both on and off land, ending with a cliff-hanger ending when he and his ship fights alone against 4 enemy vessels.