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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated One Last Stop in Books
Jun 3, 2021
A dazzling, heartfelt queer romance
August Landry moves to New York City, just another stop among many in her quest to prove that she's fine being alone. Everything she owns fits in five boxes, and she sleeps on an inflatable mattress. She belongs nowhere and needs no one. But NYC feels different to August: her diverse group of roommates, who adopt her immediately; her job at an all-night pancake diner; and the subway. Because the subway brings Jane: beautiful, enigmatic, leather jacket-clad Jane. Then August realizes something; Jane is always on the subway because she has to be. She's trapped and displaced in time from the 1970s. It seems as if August--and her new band of friends--may be the only one to save her. Can August believe in something, someone, enough to free Jane?
"Truth is, when you spend your whole life alone, it's incredibly appealing to move somewhere big enough to get lost in, where being alone looks like a choice."
I've put off writing this review because it's hard to see how I can do McQuiston's beautiful romance any justice. This book is such a romantic, sexy, and heartwarming read. August is an excellent character. She's spent most of her life in her uncle's shadow, working with her mother to try to solve his missing person's case. August eventually declared herself done--done searching, done with mysteries. But then this beautiful woman appears on the subway, and she offers the biggest mystery of all to August. Why is Jane stuck on the subway and how can August help?
"And she can't believe Jane had the nerve, the audacity, to become the one thing August can't resist: a mystery."
McQuiston gives us the most amazing, diverse queer novel one could ever wish for. August is bi and Jane basically every lesbian's dream. It's impossible not to fall in love with this gorgeous Asian subway vision. Even better, through Jane and other events, it's a tribute to those who came before our generation. Jane was a (incredibly sexy) activist / riot girl in the 1970s, yet is shocked that you can typically be openly gay on the subway now. She comes to everyone's defense there. She's amazing. As for August's roommates, they are beautiful and diverse, including trans and gay characters, with the lovely Myla taking care of the group. There are several drag queens given legitimate, true storylines. To say how meaningful this is to the queer community--it's hard to even explain. All of these characters--roommates Myla, her boyfriend, Niko, and Wes; neighbor Isaiah; coworkers Lucie and Winfield--are real and treated with care. They are funny, flawed, and create the most amazing found family ever.
"Jane doesn't age. She's magnetic and charming and gorgeous. She... kind of lives underground."
As for August and Jane, this is a romance for the ages. This book is swoony and sexy. It will make you laugh; it will make you cry. McQuiston has written a lesbian character for us lesbians to ogle for years to come, and a romance to stack all other romances against. It's funny and heartwarming. There's magic and mystery. There's pancakes. It's a beautiful ode to New York City, the subway, and falling in love. There's seriously nothing not to love.
So yes, I loved this book. I love McQuiston's way with words--the humor, the romance, the way she allows the queer community to have meaningful love stories in our world. This book is flowing with passion, with beauty, and magic. 4.5+ stars.
"Truth is, when you spend your whole life alone, it's incredibly appealing to move somewhere big enough to get lost in, where being alone looks like a choice."
I've put off writing this review because it's hard to see how I can do McQuiston's beautiful romance any justice. This book is such a romantic, sexy, and heartwarming read. August is an excellent character. She's spent most of her life in her uncle's shadow, working with her mother to try to solve his missing person's case. August eventually declared herself done--done searching, done with mysteries. But then this beautiful woman appears on the subway, and she offers the biggest mystery of all to August. Why is Jane stuck on the subway and how can August help?
"And she can't believe Jane had the nerve, the audacity, to become the one thing August can't resist: a mystery."
McQuiston gives us the most amazing, diverse queer novel one could ever wish for. August is bi and Jane basically every lesbian's dream. It's impossible not to fall in love with this gorgeous Asian subway vision. Even better, through Jane and other events, it's a tribute to those who came before our generation. Jane was a (incredibly sexy) activist / riot girl in the 1970s, yet is shocked that you can typically be openly gay on the subway now. She comes to everyone's defense there. She's amazing. As for August's roommates, they are beautiful and diverse, including trans and gay characters, with the lovely Myla taking care of the group. There are several drag queens given legitimate, true storylines. To say how meaningful this is to the queer community--it's hard to even explain. All of these characters--roommates Myla, her boyfriend, Niko, and Wes; neighbor Isaiah; coworkers Lucie and Winfield--are real and treated with care. They are funny, flawed, and create the most amazing found family ever.
"Jane doesn't age. She's magnetic and charming and gorgeous. She... kind of lives underground."
As for August and Jane, this is a romance for the ages. This book is swoony and sexy. It will make you laugh; it will make you cry. McQuiston has written a lesbian character for us lesbians to ogle for years to come, and a romance to stack all other romances against. It's funny and heartwarming. There's magic and mystery. There's pancakes. It's a beautiful ode to New York City, the subway, and falling in love. There's seriously nothing not to love.
So yes, I loved this book. I love McQuiston's way with words--the humor, the romance, the way she allows the queer community to have meaningful love stories in our world. This book is flowing with passion, with beauty, and magic. 4.5+ stars.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2086 KP) rated The First Rule (Elvis Cole, #13; Joe Pike, #2) in Books
Dec 13, 2018
Revenge – Pike Style
There have been a string of home invasions in Los Angeles, but the latest target was Frank Meyer. He and his family have been found murdered in the aftermath, and their nanny has been rushed to the hospital, barely clinging to life. However, this time, the gang behind the crimes has made a big mistake. Frank was one of Joe Pike's men from his days as a mercenary. Even though the two haven't spoken in years, Pike still feels that loyalty and sets out to avenge his friend. Can he figure out why they were targeted and who is responsible?
I tend to think of Joe Pike as the strong, silent type, probably because he famously doesn't like to talk. The plot of this book shows us a different side of the character. He's still not a talker, but he is much more active and driven in his quest to avenge his friend. Unfortunately, the result didn't quite work for me. Part of it is me since I'm not a fan of revenge stories in general. The book is dark and violent, even for this series, and the twists weren't as good, some of them feeling forced into the story. Since it was the next in the series for me to read, I'm not sorry I read it, but it isn't author Robert Crais at this best. I suspect the fans who love the character of Joe Pike will enjoy this book more than I did.
I tend to think of Joe Pike as the strong, silent type, probably because he famously doesn't like to talk. The plot of this book shows us a different side of the character. He's still not a talker, but he is much more active and driven in his quest to avenge his friend. Unfortunately, the result didn't quite work for me. Part of it is me since I'm not a fan of revenge stories in general. The book is dark and violent, even for this series, and the twists weren't as good, some of them feeling forced into the story. Since it was the next in the series for me to read, I'm not sorry I read it, but it isn't author Robert Crais at this best. I suspect the fans who love the character of Joe Pike will enjoy this book more than I did.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Soulceress ( Mythean Arcana 2) in Books
Aug 17, 2023
110 of 235
Kindle
Soulceress ( Mythean Arcana 2)
By Linsey Hall
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
He hates what she is
Three hundred years ago, Warren sold his soul in exchange for the safety of his people. He lives immortal and inhuman, a life in the shadows, hiding his secrets. Until now, when he finally has the chance to reclaim his soul after three centuries of suffering…
She’s wanted him forever
Esha is a soulceress, an immortal who drains the magical powers of others. Shunned by everyone she meets, she’s a rogue mercenary who hunts evil for a living. The only man she cannot harm is Warren, and she’s wanted since she first met him. The only problem? He hates what she is as much as everyone else.
A passion they want to resist--but can’t
Esha is the only person who can help Warren reclaim his soul, but the simple quest soon becomes a deadly battle fraught with secrets that could tear them apart. Warren will have to rely on the woman he wishes he didn’t want—one whom he can’t resist. But Esha isn’t going to settle for so little this time around. She’s going to make him work for it.
I really loved hearing Warrens and Eshas stories it just all came together so well a few bits I hadn’t clues onto as well so it always nice when a book surprises you. Would you give up your soul for that one love? If it was this romantic sign me up! Recommend!
Kindle
Soulceress ( Mythean Arcana 2)
By Linsey Hall
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
He hates what she is
Three hundred years ago, Warren sold his soul in exchange for the safety of his people. He lives immortal and inhuman, a life in the shadows, hiding his secrets. Until now, when he finally has the chance to reclaim his soul after three centuries of suffering…
She’s wanted him forever
Esha is a soulceress, an immortal who drains the magical powers of others. Shunned by everyone she meets, she’s a rogue mercenary who hunts evil for a living. The only man she cannot harm is Warren, and she’s wanted since she first met him. The only problem? He hates what she is as much as everyone else.
A passion they want to resist--but can’t
Esha is the only person who can help Warren reclaim his soul, but the simple quest soon becomes a deadly battle fraught with secrets that could tear them apart. Warren will have to rely on the woman he wishes he didn’t want—one whom he can’t resist. But Esha isn’t going to settle for so little this time around. She’s going to make him work for it.
I really loved hearing Warrens and Eshas stories it just all came together so well a few bits I hadn’t clues onto as well so it always nice when a book surprises you. Would you give up your soul for that one love? If it was this romantic sign me up! Recommend!
Micky Barnard (542 KP) rated Postscript in Books
Nov 3, 2019
The sequel I didn’t know I needed
Review POSTSCRIPT was the sequel I never thought I needed. Let’s face it, PS I Love You finished in a good place and so it has existed for over a decade. I was worried that book two would sully the good memories I have of book one, I was worried it would disappoint, it did none of these things.
Holly was seven years down the line from Gerry’s death, living her life, happy, in a relationship and officially in a different phase of her life from when she recceived the original letters. I wondered where Cecelia Ahern would take us, without harping back to the experiences of the first book too much but Gerry’s letters were used for good, to empower others.
What I liked about Holly in this book was that she was still a bit of a hot mess. She didn’t have it all together, even after all this time, showing this was just a personality trait. What I also loved reading about was Holly’s grief for Gerry and the life she lost. The grief that shone through was dulled down but with occasional acuteness and this seemed real.
The quest that Holly went on alongside others in her PS I Love You club was a journey. I had my reservations about it just like her boyfriend, friends and family but I was won around by those characters of Bert, Genika and Jewel especially. I made it to 88% rather smugly thinking that ‘I’ve not cried, I wont now’… and then proceeded to sob twice before the end.
“…ultimately, it’s all anyone wants. Not to get lost, or left behind, not to be forgotten, to always be a part of the moments they know they’ll miss. To leave their stamp. To be remembered.”
Cecelia Ahern wrote about the journey towards death and the grief that ensues with sensitivity and tangibility. She also wrote it in an uplifting style. She connected me to the characters and narratives with skill and affection. I am so glad that this second instalment came along and made it seem as though no years had passed since the last book.
Holly was seven years down the line from Gerry’s death, living her life, happy, in a relationship and officially in a different phase of her life from when she recceived the original letters. I wondered where Cecelia Ahern would take us, without harping back to the experiences of the first book too much but Gerry’s letters were used for good, to empower others.
What I liked about Holly in this book was that she was still a bit of a hot mess. She didn’t have it all together, even after all this time, showing this was just a personality trait. What I also loved reading about was Holly’s grief for Gerry and the life she lost. The grief that shone through was dulled down but with occasional acuteness and this seemed real.
The quest that Holly went on alongside others in her PS I Love You club was a journey. I had my reservations about it just like her boyfriend, friends and family but I was won around by those characters of Bert, Genika and Jewel especially. I made it to 88% rather smugly thinking that ‘I’ve not cried, I wont now’… and then proceeded to sob twice before the end.
“…ultimately, it’s all anyone wants. Not to get lost, or left behind, not to be forgotten, to always be a part of the moments they know they’ll miss. To leave their stamp. To be remembered.”
Cecelia Ahern wrote about the journey towards death and the grief that ensues with sensitivity and tangibility. She also wrote it in an uplifting style. She connected me to the characters and narratives with skill and affection. I am so glad that this second instalment came along and made it seem as though no years had passed since the last book.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Silent Patient in Books
Sep 24, 2020
This complex story is told from two different perspectives, a story which was written down by Alicia, and another one, told by Theo, about his life. I really liked the characters in this book, they are very intriguing, some of them very charismatic, but at the same time very believable. I really liked Alicia’s story and her disturbed personality, but at the same time, I found her quite naive and sometimes annoying. Theo really surprised me, he is too messed up in his head to be a decent psychotherapist. His personality and thoughts were quite scary sometimes, but I absolutely loved the investigation he has done, to find out more about Alicia.
The narrative of this book is very layered, complex, and discusses many issues. The characters are sharing their thoughts about the relationships with their family and their spouses, and how that effected their present personalities. The author creatively incorporated his Greek heritage into this story, filled with Greek Gods and other bits and pieces. The story doesn’t stay still for long periods of time, there are plenty of surprising twists and turns throughout this book and it was a real page turner to me. The author discussed a very wide variety of topics, such as a difficult relationship with parents; blind love for their spouses; drugs; mental health issues etc.
The setting of this book feels very mysterious, and I liked that there are multiple locations used in this novel. The writing style is creative, well crafted, but easy and pleasant to read. The chapters are pretty short, and due to suspense, the pages just flew by for me. I really liked the ending of the book, it rounded the story well but there are many unanswered questions, which left me unsettled.
So, to conclude, this is a very amusing story, filled with complex and unique characters, and a plot, soaked in love, grief and betrayal. I strongly recommend to read this story and find out, whether Theo succeeds in his quest to make Alice speak again or not. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did
The narrative of this book is very layered, complex, and discusses many issues. The characters are sharing their thoughts about the relationships with their family and their spouses, and how that effected their present personalities. The author creatively incorporated his Greek heritage into this story, filled with Greek Gods and other bits and pieces. The story doesn’t stay still for long periods of time, there are plenty of surprising twists and turns throughout this book and it was a real page turner to me. The author discussed a very wide variety of topics, such as a difficult relationship with parents; blind love for their spouses; drugs; mental health issues etc.
The setting of this book feels very mysterious, and I liked that there are multiple locations used in this novel. The writing style is creative, well crafted, but easy and pleasant to read. The chapters are pretty short, and due to suspense, the pages just flew by for me. I really liked the ending of the book, it rounded the story well but there are many unanswered questions, which left me unsettled.
So, to conclude, this is a very amusing story, filled with complex and unique characters, and a plot, soaked in love, grief and betrayal. I strongly recommend to read this story and find out, whether Theo succeeds in his quest to make Alice speak again or not. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated American Idiot by Green Day in Music
Nov 2, 2017
Soda Pop & Ritalin
For some reason people like to slag Green Day, they are the butt of a lot of punk music jokes and to be honest I do get why. I understand why people see their use of makeup and their whole zany persona as a farce and don’t take them seriously, but no matter what you think of them in general, it is hard to deny that their seventh album, ‘American Idiot,’ perfectly captured the zeitgeist at the time, especially in the US. The album was an unexpected maturation of any of the band’s previous efforts and capitalised on their potential. When Billie Joe Armstrong wrote the album, he chose to channel his feelings into a cast of various characters and use a concept album format to display the emotions he and his peers felt at the time. I would argue the fact that American Idiot is definitively a concept album, as it doesn’t actually tell a cohesive story with a beginning, middle and end, instead opting for the approach of latching on to a certain feeling, whether it be rage or love and assigning that to a specific character and then throwing all of these characters into the mixing pot together. We hear the album from the perspective of the protagonist in the story, Jesus Of Suburbia, a young man who is sick of a broken system and feels disillusioned and uninspired by everything that he sees around him. The reason that so many people felt this way at the time of this album’s release, 2004, was due to the Bush administration’s misguidance and outright lies and due to the fallout from the 9/11 terrorists attacks that has never really gone away in America since the incident occurred. So, fed up of his suburban, dead end town Jesus leaves home and begins a quest of self discovery that involves a great deal of substance abuse, which ends up leading to the creation of an alter ego residing in Jesus’ mind who calls himself Saint Jimmy. Think Tyler Durden in fight club, but if he had a Mohican and ear stretchers. Jimmy leads Jesus on the thinly veiled path to revolution, which simply turns out to be a path to self destruction and eventually when Jesus hits rock bottom, (just like Fight Club,) he forces Jimmy to commit suicide and rids his mind of him. At the end of the album though Jesus’ fate is left ambiguous, but what is clear is that his journey has taken its toll on him, which is signified by the fact that he forgets the name of the girl that he fell in and out of love with during his spiritual quest. This album perfectly captured the mindset of a generation of kids forgotten by the system that was put in place to help them grow. American Idiot gives the man on the street a well informed, unified voice and actually injects some form of leadership into the political and social landscape at the time, even if it probably isn’t the form of leadership that your parents had in mind, or the government had put in place for you. A wake up call that is essential and still relevant today, this album and its story and character carries the important message that we shouldn’t settle for any less than what we deserve and what we deserve is often a lot better than what we end up getting. This album is pretty much the American version of Never Mind The Bollocks.
Erika (17788 KP) rated The Life and Trials of Oscar Pistorius (30 for 30) in TV
Nov 25, 2020
I love ESPN's 30 for 30 series (the Tonya Harding documentary is one of my favorite sports docs). When I saw that they had done a series about Oscar Pistorius, I was all in.
This series consists of 4 episodes, that are nearly 2 hours each. To clarify, these TV shows with really long eps are not the norm in the USA, like they are elsewhere.
I had watched the Dateline ep on the Pistorious murder a few weeks before I watched this series. Of course, the narrative is of that one was skewed towards the story of domestic violence, and justice for Reeva. This is the story that's peddled all over the world. Not that it's wrong, I'm a supporter of women in domestic situations, but it's always struck me as extremely biased.
This doc did focus on Oscar, his upbringing, and his quest to complete in the able-bodied (sheesh - that's awful) Olympics. His side of the story is highly plausible, and his actions were a product of his upbringing. The documentary films really shed like on the social situation in South Africa at the time. Honestly, I only took one history class that dealt with continent in general, so there wasn't really a focus on the country itself. Seriously, the only things that stood out in my mind regarding South Africa were their incredibly odd accents, Mandela, and District 9. So, I found the additional information extremely interesting.
Overall, I found it to be far more balanced than anything I had seen in the past regarding the case, which was refreshing.
This series consists of 4 episodes, that are nearly 2 hours each. To clarify, these TV shows with really long eps are not the norm in the USA, like they are elsewhere.
I had watched the Dateline ep on the Pistorious murder a few weeks before I watched this series. Of course, the narrative is of that one was skewed towards the story of domestic violence, and justice for Reeva. This is the story that's peddled all over the world. Not that it's wrong, I'm a supporter of women in domestic situations, but it's always struck me as extremely biased.
This doc did focus on Oscar, his upbringing, and his quest to complete in the able-bodied (sheesh - that's awful) Olympics. His side of the story is highly plausible, and his actions were a product of his upbringing. The documentary films really shed like on the social situation in South Africa at the time. Honestly, I only took one history class that dealt with continent in general, so there wasn't really a focus on the country itself. Seriously, the only things that stood out in my mind regarding South Africa were their incredibly odd accents, Mandela, and District 9. So, I found the additional information extremely interesting.
Overall, I found it to be far more balanced than anything I had seen in the past regarding the case, which was refreshing.
Shelle Perry (66 KP) rated Railroaded 4 Murder (Sophie Kimball Mystery) in Books
Sep 2, 2021
That Cover! 5 stars
But seriously, I honestly can imagine Streetman behaving that way. Every time I see the cover I giggle just a little bit. Between his actual antics and Sophie’s love-to-hate-him relationship, it is safe to say the dog is the star of the show (and he probably knows it too)
How Sophie keeps her sanity with her mom, her mom’s friends, and that dog is beyond me. Any one of them is a natural disaster waiting to happen without the involvement of the rest, but together???
When a friend of Sophie’s mom is wrongly accused of murdering her probably philandering husband, the book club goes undercover into a dance group and a model train club with some hilarious results. Actual experience with either activity is apparently not required. These Arizona seniors are a force to be reckoned with and they take no prisoners. With operation Agatha in full swing, Sophie is dragged into helping them find proof of the woman’s innocence any way she can.
You can’t go wrong with a J.C. Eaton book. Fun, (sometimes frustratingly) quirky characters, and a great quest of a mystery with a satisfying unsuspected ending coupled with just enough of the ongoing drama that is the life that Sophie shares with her mom and her sleuthing friends keep readers coming back for more, page after page, book after book. Plus, you know, a tap-dancing dog… It is always an enjoyable reading experience.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
I received an advance review copy for free through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
But seriously, I honestly can imagine Streetman behaving that way. Every time I see the cover I giggle just a little bit. Between his actual antics and Sophie’s love-to-hate-him relationship, it is safe to say the dog is the star of the show (and he probably knows it too)
How Sophie keeps her sanity with her mom, her mom’s friends, and that dog is beyond me. Any one of them is a natural disaster waiting to happen without the involvement of the rest, but together???
When a friend of Sophie’s mom is wrongly accused of murdering her probably philandering husband, the book club goes undercover into a dance group and a model train club with some hilarious results. Actual experience with either activity is apparently not required. These Arizona seniors are a force to be reckoned with and they take no prisoners. With operation Agatha in full swing, Sophie is dragged into helping them find proof of the woman’s innocence any way she can.
You can’t go wrong with a J.C. Eaton book. Fun, (sometimes frustratingly) quirky characters, and a great quest of a mystery with a satisfying unsuspected ending coupled with just enough of the ongoing drama that is the life that Sophie shares with her mom and her sleuthing friends keep readers coming back for more, page after page, book after book. Plus, you know, a tap-dancing dog… It is always an enjoyable reading experience.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
I received an advance review copy for free through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Last Girl To Die in Books
Aug 29, 2022
I have read one of Helen Field's books from the DI Callanach series (One For Sorrow) and it was absolutely brilliant so I thought I'd be on to a winner with The Last Girl to Die and whilst it's not as good as One For Sorrow, it's still a great read. This is a standalone so no worries about missing out on anything.
Sadie is a private investigator from Canada hired by Adriana's family to find her and it doesn't take her long to locate her body. She is a bit of a maverick and makes some questionable decisions which only serves to stir up the local constabulary and community in her quest to find out who the killer is. All is definitely not what it seems and soon Sadie has a list of suspects as long as her arm and at risk of becoming a target herself.
Helen Fields uses all manner of skills to immerse you into this story from myths, legends and folklore to her vivid descriptions of the Island of Mull, well fleshed our characters and a pace that moves along well and whilst I felt some of the situations Sadie put herself into as being a tad dubious, it did work with her character.
The Last Girl to Die is full of tension and unease which ramps up towards an ending I wasn't expecting at all ... I love it when that happens ... and I would recommend to others who enjoy dark mysteries that keep you guessing.
Thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for enabling me to read The Last Girl to Die and share my thoughts.
Sadie is a private investigator from Canada hired by Adriana's family to find her and it doesn't take her long to locate her body. She is a bit of a maverick and makes some questionable decisions which only serves to stir up the local constabulary and community in her quest to find out who the killer is. All is definitely not what it seems and soon Sadie has a list of suspects as long as her arm and at risk of becoming a target herself.
Helen Fields uses all manner of skills to immerse you into this story from myths, legends and folklore to her vivid descriptions of the Island of Mull, well fleshed our characters and a pace that moves along well and whilst I felt some of the situations Sadie put herself into as being a tad dubious, it did work with her character.
The Last Girl to Die is full of tension and unease which ramps up towards an ending I wasn't expecting at all ... I love it when that happens ... and I would recommend to others who enjoy dark mysteries that keep you guessing.
Thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for enabling me to read The Last Girl to Die and share my thoughts.
Janeeny (200 KP) rated The Illumination Of Ursula Flight in Books
May 8, 2019
Even though this book has a nice looking cover I can’t say that it is a book I would have picked up myself
The Goodreads blurb reads
“Born on the night of an ill-auguring comet just before Charles II's Restoration, Ursula Flight has a difficult future written in the stars.
Against the custom of the age she begins an education with her father, who fosters in her a love of reading, writing and astrology.
Following a surprise meeting with an actress, Ursula yearns for the theatre and thus begins her quest to become a playwright despite scoundrels, bounders, bad luck and heartbreak.”
On the face of it it sounds like a ‘coming of age’ historical drama, which it essentially was, and not in an era I really have much an interest in. So it was nice to read something a little out of my comfort zone.
As the blurb says, Ursula is a young girl with aspirations of the stage. Unfortunately for Ursula her parents have a life planned for her and being a lowly actress is not one of them. The story follows Ursula's struggles to follow her parents wishes whilst trying to stay true to herself.
I loved the way this was written, its told from Ursula's point of view and interspersed with little snippets of play writing by Ursula. Ursula is a very strong character that is way ahead of the era she lives in. What I loved most about this book was near the end, i won't spoil it, but suffice to say I think the author was very clever with the ending she chose.
To summarise, it’s a well written well reserached coming of aged historical drama with a strong female lead and an admirable feminist message.
The Goodreads blurb reads
“Born on the night of an ill-auguring comet just before Charles II's Restoration, Ursula Flight has a difficult future written in the stars.
Against the custom of the age she begins an education with her father, who fosters in her a love of reading, writing and astrology.
Following a surprise meeting with an actress, Ursula yearns for the theatre and thus begins her quest to become a playwright despite scoundrels, bounders, bad luck and heartbreak.”
On the face of it it sounds like a ‘coming of age’ historical drama, which it essentially was, and not in an era I really have much an interest in. So it was nice to read something a little out of my comfort zone.
As the blurb says, Ursula is a young girl with aspirations of the stage. Unfortunately for Ursula her parents have a life planned for her and being a lowly actress is not one of them. The story follows Ursula's struggles to follow her parents wishes whilst trying to stay true to herself.
I loved the way this was written, its told from Ursula's point of view and interspersed with little snippets of play writing by Ursula. Ursula is a very strong character that is way ahead of the era she lives in. What I loved most about this book was near the end, i won't spoil it, but suffice to say I think the author was very clever with the ending she chose.
To summarise, it’s a well written well reserached coming of aged historical drama with a strong female lead and an admirable feminist message.