Title: The Confessions of Young Nero Author: Margaret George Pub Date: 7-Mar-2017 Rating: 5 Stars
The Confessions of Young Nero is the first installment of a two book series that follows the life of Nero, as he rises, at a young age, to become one of the better known emperors in Roman history. The story is fiction but the facts behind the story are very real. The author takes us into the world of Roman royalty in which greed, deception and murder are a part of everyday life.
We enter the story when Nero is a young child of four. He is not yet Nero, but Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus whose father is dead and mother has been exiled. At this early age he is introduced to the savagery that is part of his heritage when his uncle, the emperor, tries to kill him. Upon his Uncle’s demise, Nero’s mother, Agrippina, is able to return to Rome and reunite with her son. She sees young Nero as a way to achieve her ultimate goal of ruling the Roman Empire. All she needs is the right pawn. Continue reading “The Confessions of Young Nero by Margaret George”
Title: Come Sundown Author: Nora Roberts Pub. Date: 30-May-2017 Rating: 4 Stars
Come Sundown is the story of the Bodine family and is part romance and part thriller. The story opens twenty-five years ago when Alice, the prodigal daughter, who ran off to California to become a movie star, is returning home. Just miles from her family home she is abducted by a stranger known only as “Sir”.
Skip forward to the present and Bodine Longbow, she is the fourth generation, now runs the Bodine resort which sits on a sprawling thirty thousand acre ranch in Montana. Vacationers and honeymooners alike come to the resort to experience the cowboy life and Bodine runs the show seamlessly with the help of a large staff. Continue reading “Come Sundown by Nora Roberts”
The Postman’s Fiancée by Denis Theriault, is reminiscent of the movie While You Were Sleeping. In this story, Tania, a waitress in Montreal, falls in loves with one of her customers a postman by the name of Bilodo. Unbeknownst to Tania, Bilodo has already fallen for his haiku pen pal in Guadeloupe, a young woman he has never meet.
As fate would have it, Bilodo loses his memory after an accident in which Tania saves his life. Seeing an opportunity, Tania decides that she will tell Bilodo they are engaged. She moves him into her apartment and fabricates a web of lies that she will never be able to extract herself from. Bilodo’s physician believes that his memory will eventually return. What will Tania do then? Continue reading “The Postman’s Fiancee by Denis Theriault”
Title: The Boundary Stone Author: Gail Avery Halverson Pub Date: 16-Nov-2016 Rating: 5 Stars
The Boundary Stone by Gail Avery Halverson is the perfect example of why I accept requests for reviews and read authors that are new to me and/or debut authors. More than once I have found, as is the case here, a great story and fell in love with another author that I might have never known about.
Ms. Halverson has done a remarkable job with her debut novel. The plot was well thought out and the scenes were true to the period. The characters are beautifully drawn and her descriptive prose was spot on. I love it when the author describes a scene so well I feel like I am watching through my own eyes. Continue reading “The Boundary Stone by Gail Avery Halverson”
Title: A Fine Imitation Author: Amber Brock Pub. Date: 3-May-2016 Rating: 4 Stars
It is the roaring twenties in America, a time of social change and speakeasies. In 1920 women earned the right to vote and enjoyed more freedoms than ever before. Yet, for the wives of the elite high society these freedoms do not seem to exist. They are still stuck in the 19th century traditions and customs. For Vera this life is unrewarding. While she has plenty of money for all the trappings of high society: fine clothes, jewelry, art, etc., the endless teas, charities and a weekly luncheon with her mother have left her empty and wanting more.
Vera went to Vassar College and studied art history but she never has been able to put that knowledge to use since she married. Being the only person that understands fine art, she is asked to review the work of a French artist, Emil Hallan, whom is being considered to paint a mural for the luxury apartment complex her husband owns and they live in. She finds his work inspiring and makes the recommendation to hire him.
Once Emil arrives from France, Vera’s world is turned on its end. He is like a spring breeze to Vera in the depth of winter and it is not long before their mutual love of art leads to friendship and romance. Vera begins to see the world through Emil’s eyes and begins to question all she has ever known. In the end Vera may have to give up the security and known for the unknown in order to achieve a sense of self and purpose in her life. The big question is, will she have the strength to break free from the chains that society, her family and husband have all used to bind her to a meaningless life?
This is a well written debut novel. Ms. Brock did an outstanding job setting the scene of Vera’s life and showing how hard it is to shake off the binds of tradition and obligation. My only quam, and it is minor, I wished that Emil’s character had been a little more developed.
This book will appeal to those who love historical fiction and women’s stories. Since the story has an element of romance it will appeal to those readers also.
I received a free copy of A Fine Imitation by Amber Brock from Crown Publishing, via the Library Thing Early Reviews program, in exchange for my honest review.
Unliving the Dream is about Alex a wife, mother, career woman and entrepreneur who appears to have it all. That is until one day, while on a business trip, her husband James tells her he wants to take a break. Shortly thereafter, she discovers he has been having an affair with an employee, a person she called friend.
Alex now has to rethink her life and is left to deal with the aftermath of an unfaithful husband and a divorce. This includes dealing with two children, on her own, who are left hurt and confused by what they consider to be a betrayal by their father. Lily, the older of Alex’s two children, has a particularly hard time. She is very anger at her father and starts down a destructive path that could destroy her life before it has even begun.
During all this turmoil at home, Alex gets no support from James. He has become an absentee father who would rather take a romantic trip with his girlfriend than be a dad for his kids. In addition, James has become verbally abusive towards Alex at their work place. He constantly berets and belittles Alex even in front of employees. Through all of this Alex puts on a brave face and tries to stay calm. She feels like she has to support both her children and her employees.
For Alex it is a long road to healing. I believe this is because she concentrates so hard on everyone else that she forgets about herself. All during the story I keep thinking she needs to tell James where to get off. A couple of times I would have loved to tell her to wake up and smell the roses. Alex’s friends finally point out to her what the reader has known for a long time…. that James is an abuser and a scum bag. It is at this point that Alex finally is able to move on.
The first two thirds of the book went really fast. Mainly because of all the drama revolving around James and Lilly. Once that is resolved things slowed down and I had to work to get through the remainder of the story. All-in-all I still enjoyed. The author did a good job of getting us inside the head of Alex to understand all the complex feelings she was having behind the brave face she wore. In addition, the story is a very realistic view of what can happen after a divorce and reminder to all that life does not always turn out as we have planned.
This book will appeal to anyone who likes women’s fiction especially stories like this where the character rises above adversity with the calm and determination of Alex.
I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review.
