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Cleopatra and Frankenstein
8.0
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New York is slipping from Cleo’s grasp. Sure, she’s at a different party every other night, but...
New York Trigger warning: suicide
ClareR (6256 KP) rated Madgermanes in Books
Feb 20, 2022
This is a really interesting period of history (for me, anyway!) and I enjoyed finding out about the ‘Madgermanes” or the Mozambicans who went to work in East Germany. After the wall between East and West Germany was erected, East Germany realised that they’d lost a lot of their workers to the West. So East Germany chose Mozambique as a sister country, and workers were sent to the GDR with promises of education, good work and good wages. Whilst they did get some education (if they largely sorted it out for themselves), the work could be simple and repetitive. What’s more, they only received half of their wages. They never got the half that had been sent back to Mozambique for ‘safekeeping’.
Housing for these visiting workers was usually in basic hostels, shared rooms, and away from the East Germans. Mixing was discouraged, as were relationships. Pregnancies were either terminated or the woman was sent home.
The pictures in the book are a wonderful mix of African and European, and some really big feelings are clearly illustrated. I loved it. I’d be really interested to know how many Mozambicans were able to stay in Germany and become German citizens. The novel implies that life was difficult for those who returned to Mozambique, financially, socially and culturally.
It’s a fascinating read, and one I’d recommend.
Housing for these visiting workers was usually in basic hostels, shared rooms, and away from the East Germans. Mixing was discouraged, as were relationships. Pregnancies were either terminated or the woman was sent home.
The pictures in the book are a wonderful mix of African and European, and some really big feelings are clearly illustrated. I loved it. I’d be really interested to know how many Mozambicans were able to stay in Germany and become German citizens. The novel implies that life was difficult for those who returned to Mozambique, financially, socially and culturally.
It’s a fascinating read, and one I’d recommend.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Child of Fear & Fire in Books
Mar 30, 2022
57 of 230
Book
Child of Fear & Fire
By G.R. Thomas
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fear feeds Wickedness.
It hungers for the tremor of a voice, the drop of a tear. Wickedness dines on the echo of a racing heart, delights in the falsetto of a scream.
Eliza lives darkness’s dream. A maid in a great house, owned by indifferent aristocrats, run by their three cruel daughters.
Daily beatings, tricks and cruelties by the Norlane sisters have left Eliza a mute shell, a vacant vessel besieged by fear. Yet, alone as she feels, as small and insignificant as her life seems, something is watching her.
Darkness lives in the forbidden forest beyond the neat and orderly civility of Norlane Hall. Wickedness hears Eliza’s silent tears, rises to the vibrations of her body that quivers in terror.
Wickedness awakens from its slumber and calls to her.
This was such an interesting tale. It’s was deep and so dark. We follow the life of a young housemaid that’s bullied, beaten and abused by the entitled. Three sister and a father who take liberties with this young girl until you could say the darkness of nature gives her a helping hand at getting her revenge. Totally mesmerising you didn’t know how this would end. I genuinely broke my heart for how Eliza was treated by them. What an ending though! Loved it!
Book
Child of Fear & Fire
By G.R. Thomas
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fear feeds Wickedness.
It hungers for the tremor of a voice, the drop of a tear. Wickedness dines on the echo of a racing heart, delights in the falsetto of a scream.
Eliza lives darkness’s dream. A maid in a great house, owned by indifferent aristocrats, run by their three cruel daughters.
Daily beatings, tricks and cruelties by the Norlane sisters have left Eliza a mute shell, a vacant vessel besieged by fear. Yet, alone as she feels, as small and insignificant as her life seems, something is watching her.
Darkness lives in the forbidden forest beyond the neat and orderly civility of Norlane Hall. Wickedness hears Eliza’s silent tears, rises to the vibrations of her body that quivers in terror.
Wickedness awakens from its slumber and calls to her.
This was such an interesting tale. It’s was deep and so dark. We follow the life of a young housemaid that’s bullied, beaten and abused by the entitled. Three sister and a father who take liberties with this young girl until you could say the darkness of nature gives her a helping hand at getting her revenge. Totally mesmerising you didn’t know how this would end. I genuinely broke my heart for how Eliza was treated by them. What an ending though! Loved it!
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2615 KP) rated Murder on Pleasant Avenue in Books
Oct 13, 2022 (Updated Oct 13, 2022)
Did Kidnapping Lead to Murder?
When Gino’s sister-in-law shows up at the detective agency Frank Malloy now owns, she is looking for help. One of the volunteers at the settlement house where she volunteers in her neighborhood of Italian Harlem has been kidnapped by the Black Hand. Soon Sarah has joined her husband, Frank, and Gino is trying to figure out what has happened. But just as they think they’ve gotten a handle on what is happening, a murder happens and Gino is the only suspect. Can they clear him before the Black Hand decides to take revenge on him?
It was a pleasure to jump back to 1900 once again and visit these characters. The action unfolds quickly. While I figured a few things out before the characters, I didn’t have the entire picture put together until they did. I did feel the final chapter felt forced into the book, but that was a minor complaint. I love spending time with these characters. We don’t see all the supporting players, but I was happy with some of the advances we saw for the core characters. I also enjoyed the seeds planted for some upcoming historical events. I’m so glad I’ve spent the time reading this series. Anyone who enjoys a good historical mystery will enjoy it as well.
It was a pleasure to jump back to 1900 once again and visit these characters. The action unfolds quickly. While I figured a few things out before the characters, I didn’t have the entire picture put together until they did. I did feel the final chapter felt forced into the book, but that was a minor complaint. I love spending time with these characters. We don’t see all the supporting players, but I was happy with some of the advances we saw for the core characters. I also enjoyed the seeds planted for some upcoming historical events. I’m so glad I’ve spent the time reading this series. Anyone who enjoys a good historical mystery will enjoy it as well.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2615 KP) rated Knot My Sister’s Keeper in Books
Dec 1, 2022
Finding Family and a Killer
Quilter Martha Rose never knew her father, and she has never known enough about him to even try to find him. All that changes when she takes a DNA test and learns she has a half-sister who also lives in the Los Angeles area. Giselle is very different from Martha, but she actually knew their father, that is until he disappeared when Giselle was twelve. Together, the two women try to find out what happened to him, but it’s been over thirty years. Will they be able to piece together any clues?
Naturally, this book needed a bit of time to set up the mystery, but it doesn’t take a word longer than it needs. Since I already knew Martha, I was quickly invested and enjoyed watching her work to figure out what happened all those years ago. The ending was satisfying. While quilting is mostly a back drop, it does come into play at one point in the story, which I appreciated. The characters are wonderful. I don’t know that I had appreciated how complex the characters in this series are before, but watching Giselle, who has no filter, made me appreciate how complex they really can be. Fans will enjoy this book. If you’ve been thinking about starting the series, I definitely recommend you jump in.
Naturally, this book needed a bit of time to set up the mystery, but it doesn’t take a word longer than it needs. Since I already knew Martha, I was quickly invested and enjoyed watching her work to figure out what happened all those years ago. The ending was satisfying. While quilting is mostly a back drop, it does come into play at one point in the story, which I appreciated. The characters are wonderful. I don’t know that I had appreciated how complex the characters in this series are before, but watching Giselle, who has no filter, made me appreciate how complex they really can be. Fans will enjoy this book. If you’ve been thinking about starting the series, I definitely recommend you jump in.
WH
Wild Highland Magic (MacInnes Werewolves 3)
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190 of 235 Kindle Wild Highland Magic ( MacInnes Werewolves 3) By Kendra Leigh Castle ...
You Won't Know Her Name
9.0
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There lives a little girl whom you will never know the name of, and for her, a terrible storm is...
bullying sexual assualt middle school junior high
ClareR (6256 KP) rated Triflers Need Not Apply in Books
Jun 27, 2022
Triflers Need Not Apply is based on the true story of Belle Gunness, a Norwegian who emigrated to America. And that’s what makes it so unnerving: her normality. Outwardly, Belle is a nice, god-fearing woman. But if you are married to her, that’s a different story.
I enjoyed how the two different sides of Belle were portrayed, and how her sister wanted to always think the best of her. But she knew there was a darker side. Belle’s children seemed oblivious to her proclivities, but would they have been? In fact, it does seem that at least one had a pretty good idea of her mothers capabilities.
Part of me likes to think that Belle did what she did to keep herself and her children financially safe. Men were a means to an end in a time where women had no rights. Belle really was a woman scorned - and boy, did she hold a grudge! There are some truly gruesome scenes described in an offhand way, so much so that I just got used to them: “Oh, she’s chopping them into bits! Well, that’ll make disposal easier, I suppose!” I mean, I’m not in the market for this type of thing, but it all seemed quite reasonable. That’s what made it truly horrific!
It’s a great story. I might bear some of Belle’s methods in mind…😉
I enjoyed how the two different sides of Belle were portrayed, and how her sister wanted to always think the best of her. But she knew there was a darker side. Belle’s children seemed oblivious to her proclivities, but would they have been? In fact, it does seem that at least one had a pretty good idea of her mothers capabilities.
Part of me likes to think that Belle did what she did to keep herself and her children financially safe. Men were a means to an end in a time where women had no rights. Belle really was a woman scorned - and boy, did she hold a grudge! There are some truly gruesome scenes described in an offhand way, so much so that I just got used to them: “Oh, she’s chopping them into bits! Well, that’ll make disposal easier, I suppose!” I mean, I’m not in the market for this type of thing, but it all seemed quite reasonable. That’s what made it truly horrific!
It’s a great story. I might bear some of Belle’s methods in mind…😉
Nine Lives and Alibis
8.0
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In Nine Lives and Alibis, the seventh in Cate Conte's Cat Café beloved cozy mystery series,...
River Girl
6.0
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A college student thought she was going on an ordinary vacation, but what she found was the most...
Contemporary Romance Action and Adventure