Knaves Over Queens
George R.R. Martin, Emma Newman, Paul Cornell, Charles Stross, Marko Kloos, Mark Lawrence, Peter Newman, Melinda M. Snodgrass, Peadar Ó Guilín, Kevin Andrew Murphy and Caroline Spector
7.0
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The return of the famous shared-world superhero books created and edited by George R. R. Martin,...
Nicole Hadley (380 KP) rated The Lost History of Stars in Books
Jun 16, 2018
The main character, Lettie, who is a thirteen year old Dutch-Africkaner girl comes from a poor farming family. She endures the loss of her home with her mother and two younger siblings when the scorched earth policy employed by the British during the Boer War burns their farm and forces them to leave in a wagon. Their African maid, Bina, tries to stay with the family, but is given no choice by the soldiers but to return to her people.
Lettie and her family are sent to a concentration camp where the conditions are awful. Her father, older brother, uncles, and grandfather are sent to fight the British with guerrilla tactics. Lettie worries and wonders about Bina and her family. Often Lettie remembers the songs and wisdom Bina shared during her childhood and the history of stars that Grandpa shared with her at night under the sparkling sky.
The story is told from Lettie's point of view. The reader learns of her experience in the concentration camp. Lettie attempt to find the good in small moments. Her more treasured possession is her English dictionary, which she reads for comfort to pass time.
The story switches between the present and past. This allows the reader to understand life before the war and during the war. It give the reader background information to understand the family dynamics.
The Continent: The Continent Book 1
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science fiction fantasy young adult
Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall
7.7
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Adolf Hitler: My Part on His Downfall is volume One of Spike Milligan's outrageous, hilarious,...
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9.0
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Their motto was to be prepared, but nothing could prepare them for war. . . The New York Times...
historical literary women fiction
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10.0
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A POWERFULLY EVOCATIVE AND EMOTIONALLY CHARGED NOVEL FROM THE ACCLAIMED AUTHOR OF CORELLI'S MANDOLIN...
Historical Fiction First World War Family Saga
Merissa (14068 KP) rated Annie's Day in Books
Dec 9, 2025
The title is literally the story. Annie wakes up, and you go through the day with her as she gets lost in memories. It ends perfectly with her going to bed, and leaves a little extra to your imagination.
Annie is supported by her friends-Flo, Verna, and Iris. She also finds love along the way, although the path isn't smooth. You also see firsthand just how they felt about the various cover-ups, especially when it impacts them directly.
It is not an easy read as it tells, without glamourising, the horrors of war, specifically the war in the Pacific that doesn't get as much 'attention'. Told from Annie's perspective, you get to see what they had to deal with and just how much the nurses gave. I was surprised to read how nurses were given white feathers! That seems incredible to me, and such a slap in the face to them. While I enjoyed the writing style, it sometimes felt a little disjointed, and I would have to double-check something I'd read about a character or event. The Author's Note is definitely worth a read, and I dipped back to it more than once as the story progressed.
I would recommend this to any fan of historical novels, specifically World War II fiction.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Dec 9, 2025
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Exit West in Books
Jul 24, 2017
The Recovering: Intoxication and its Aftermath
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Addiction is seemingly inexplicable. From the outside, it can look like wilful, arrogant...
The Collected Tales of Nikolai Gogol
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Collected here are Gogol's finest tales - from the demon-haunted 'St John's Eve' to the strange...