Search

Search only in certain items:

I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am no fashionista and actually requested this book because I love looking at images of historical clothing. The sketches were beautifully but unfortunately I couldn’t see most of them on my tablet because they were chopped up between pages. It was bizarre. The photograph were intact, however, so I was able to enjoy those.

The images are accompanied by lengthy descriptions which I found fascinating. I had to read it in small doses, however, as it can by dry especially for someone who really isn’t into the ins and outs of fashion. I felt I would have enjoyed the book more if I were into such things. There was a lot I didn’t understand or recognize, so I passed over it. I honestly feel that, while I enjoyed the images, the text was lost on someone such as me.
  
HO
Heart of the Ocean
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I received an ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I am a lover of historical fiction and love anything paranormal so this story was one I was much anticipating so here goes.
Our heroine Eliza Robinson is sent to stay with her Aunt Mauve in the puritan community of Maybrook.
She comes to escape gossip after a refusal of marriage to her fathers business partner Mr. Thomas Beesly.
Eliza hears ghostly voices and later that night her aunt is murdered in her bed leading our Eliza on an adventure of ghosts murder romance and an old Journal belonging to Helena the deceased mother of our hero Jonathan Porter who supposedly drowned when Jon was a child.
I could say a lot more about this book but don't want to spoil it for anyone needless to say it was an excellent read and i really enjoyed it i do so love a happy ending give it a try you wont be disappointed.
  
The call of cthulhu  (2005)
The call of cthulhu (2005)
2005 | Horror
6
5.5 (2 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Plays great tribute to the silent era of films (1 more)
Great stop motion Cthulhu
It is made too imitate a classic silent movie which means it's going to be primitive in its production values and effects this movie is not going to be for everybody (0 more)
Experienced the madness like never before
The Call of Cthulhu 2005 was developed by the HP Lovecraft Historical Society celebrating the classic short story by the famed Gothic horror writer it was created purposely to correctly portray what a movie would be like if made during the time of the stories publication which is a silent era movie because of this the movie uses practical effects such as miniature toy sets and a stop motion Cthulhu monster

The movie follows the story of a researcher who is trying to learn the secrets of an ancient cult but soon realizes he may have bitten off more than he can chew when he comes across their God
  
TW
The Warded Man (Demon Cycle, #1)
10
7.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Disclaimer: I won a print copy of this book in a FirstReads giveaway.

When I first read the synopsis, I was hesitant to enter the giveaway, as I didn't know how much I would enjoy this book. However, I talked myself into it, and I'm definitely glad I did, because it's a great book. The idea of demons, or "corelings," rising through the ground every night to attack people and tear up everything is just really interesting, and I don't know why I was hesitant to begin with. I found myself growing attached to the three main characters as their stories unfolded, and I couldn't wait to see what happened on the next page. There's a ton of action, the paranormal/horror aspect of attacking demons, some historical elements, and even a little romance, so it's got something for everyone. I decided less than halfway through that I'm going to get the 2nd and 3rd books, and I can't wait to get started on them!!

5 stars
  
Melmoth: A Novel
Melmoth: A Novel
Sarah Perry | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry
10
7.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
A gothic, spellbinding novel.
A dark, gothic story, of a woman living an austere life in Prague, set in winter - which makes it all the more foreboding!
Melmoth is omnipresent throughout the novel. Helen, the main character, seems to have something in her past that she is punishing herself for. She makes sure that she has no enjoyment in her life: from food to clothes, to friendships. She does have some friends, though: Thea and Karel.
Karel finds some documents about Melmoth the Wanderer, and so an obsession begins.
For a dark, depressing novel, there is a lot of hope in it too. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It got to the stage where I was sure I could see a dark shadow in my peripheral vision - could it be Melmoth looking for company in her lonely wanderings?
This is a compelling read - once started, I really didn't want to stop. I enjoyed the historical detail in Karel's documents too.
Another great story from Sarah Perry.
  
Gone with the Wind Audiobook
Gone with the Wind Audiobook
Margaret Mitchell | 2009 | History & Politics, Romance
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Accents by the Narrator (1 more)
Historical vantage point
The people in the story. (0 more)
Audio Production is great
I struggled to care about these over privileged people as a whole. The main character especially. I made it through the first half of the book, which is 21 cds, and a ton of time. I felt like i invested a lot of my time into it, and didn't feel rewarded with a great classic piece of literature. That said it was well written for it's time and really provides insight into the thought and minds of the confederate side. It's a great slice of life for Civil war buffs. A lot of the racial language is cringe worthy by today's standards, but was probably very real for the time and even maybe lighter. I do not feel compelled to read the rest of it, one day when I am curious, I will watch the movie and that will probably be enough.
  
First entry in George MacDonald Frase's Flashman series, in which he (re)introduces us to Harry Flashman: a totally reprehensible anti-hero, who (through the entire series) cheats, lies and connives his way through Victorian society and the great events of the era: in this case, the disastrous retreat from Kabul.

By all accounts, the history of the books are actually pretty accurate: most of the people Flashman meets and interacts with were real personages of note, and the novels contain several footnotes providing yet more historical info on the events described. While it is taken to extremes, I think it's also fairly safe to say that the character of Flashman and the way he behaves probably isn't really that far away from the way some members of society did ...

(oh, and trivia note: MacDonald Fraser wrote the screenplays for 1973s "The Three Musketeers" and it's sequel "The Four Musketeers" as well as the James Bond film "Octopussy", amongst others)
  
Outlaw (The Outlaw Chronicles, #1)
Outlaw (The Outlaw Chronicles, #1)
Angus Donald | 2009 | Fiction & Poetry
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
"Robin Hood, Robin Hood, Riding throught the Glenn

Robin Hood, Robin Hood, and his bunch of blood-thirsty murderous outlaws ..."

Doesn't have quite the same ring, does it?

"Outlaw" is the story of Robin Hood, told from the perspective of Alan Dale. Like Bernard Cornwell's series of books about King Arthur (indeed, my copy of the book even had a "As good as Bernard Cornwell or your money back" sticker on it), Outlaw is a more earthy, more 'real', telling of the famous tale. All the famous characters are here: Robin Hood, Maid Marie-Anne (Marion), Little John, Friar Tuck, Guy of Gisbourne, and (obviously) Alan Dale himself.

Forget the recent BBC adaptation, or even the '91 film starring a not-very-English Kevin Costner; this is more what Robin Hood would have been like (if he ever existed) than the over-romanticised legendary figure.

Worth a read? If you like Cornwell (or Simon Scarrow's) style of historical fiction, then my answer is a definite yes.
  
The second book in Michael Arnold's planned <i>Captain Stryker</i> series of books, all set during the time of the English Civil War.

Despite being one of the defining period in English history, it's actually a subject rarely touched upon: when I was at school, we were taught more about the American Civil War than about the English counter-part! Short of this series, I can't - personally - think of any other novels set in and around the same period.

Like Cornwell's [i]Sharpe[/i] series of books, the events of this are all set in and around real historical events: in this case, the storming of Cirencester, the siege of Lichfield and the battle of Hopton Heath. If I'm honest, I wasn't familiar with any of these events, which is something I've always enjoyed about this type of book: a chance to learn some new history while also enjoying a good read! :)
  
TM
To Make a Match (Scandal in London, #3)
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Loosely based on Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, Liana LeFey gives us the tale of a younger sister desperate to find marital happiness and an older sister who seems intent on blocking her at every turn. The sisters nearly end up engaged to the wrong men.... but this is an historical romance, so of course it all works out in the end!

I found this a perfectly enjoyable, easy read, if not one of the best examples of the genre. Lady Victoria Lennox was a bit of a minx and did need holding back a bit, while her older sister, Lady Amelia, was pretty unlikeable for most of the book - it was hard to see what her admirer saw in her. Both main male suitors seemed decent chaps, if not a swoon-worthy as some heroes.... was never quite clear why Victoria's father always seemed so harsh on her though. Ah well.