Category: Book Critic

Book Critic, Book Review, Books, Reading

Review: The Secret Daughter of the Tsar by Jennifer Laam

by The Lit Bitch3 Comments on Review: The Secret Daughter of the Tsar by Jennifer Laam

In 1917, Imperial Russia was coming to an end. The Bolsheviks came to power and the powerful Romanov family was sent into exile. After being held captive, they were all supposedly executed by firing squad in 1918.

Tsar Nicholas, his wife The Empress and Grand Duchess Olga, and their four children were all executed on that fateful day ending the Romanov dynasty. But what if there was a fifth child?

That’s what author Jennifer Laam does in her novel The Secret Daughter of the Tsar. Veronica is finishing up her post graduate research and if she’s being honest…it’s not going well. Her supervisors aren’t impressed with the direction her research is going, not to mention things in her personal life aren’t going to well either.

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Book Critic, Book Review, Books, Literary Criticism, Reading

Review: Rasputin’s Shadow by Raymond Khoury

by The Lit Bitch1 Comment on Review: Rasputin’s Shadow by Raymond Khoury

In the coal mines of turn of the century Russia, a group of unsuspecting workers suddenly and completely without warning they all turn aggressive, violent, and paranoid.

Shortly following the strange and savage incident, a scientist and Grigory Rasputin blow up the mine to conceal all evidence of the incident.

In modern day New York City a Russian diplomat seems to have jumped to his death.

Though it appears to be a suicide, there are some tell tale signs that he was more likely pushed from the window.

The owners of the apartment Leo Sokolov, a retired physics teacher from Russia and his wife, are also missing. FBI agent Sean Reilly is sent to investigate and locate the missing husband and wife.

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Book Critic, Book Review, Books, Literary Criticism, Reading

Review: Havisham by Ronald Frame

by The Lit Bitch1 Comment on Review: Havisham by Ronald Frame

What is it about Catherine Havisham that you remember the most from the classic Great Expectations? Is it all the clocks stuck on a specific time? The old decaying wedding dress?

Whatever it is about Miss Havisham, she haunts not only the novel but our memory long after reading Great Expectations.

Do you find yourself wondering what her life might have been like prior to being jilted at the alter? What might her back story have been? I know I thought about this the entire time I was reading Great Expectations.

In Ronald Frame’s novel, Havisham, we get a chance to see what Catherine Havisham’s life was like before she became the haunting figure we know so well.

Catherine Havisham was from ‘new money’. Her father did rather well with this brewery and provided some finery for his daughter. She is always aware that the Havisham names means something in her town.

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Book Critic, Book Review, Books, Literary Criticism, Reading

Review: The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes

by The Lit Bitch7 Comments on Review: The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes

1916 occupied France, a young artist named Edouard LeFevre, leaves his wife, Sophie, to fight in the Great War.

Before he left, he painted her portrait and titled it ‘The Girl You Left Behind’. This painting has become her most prized possession.

When her husband and is imprisoned, Sophie clings to the painting. Unfortunately the painting is admired by many in the small village…particularly the local Kommandant.

He not only falls in love with the painting but with the real life subject as well and essentially holds Sophie captive.

Sophie is soon faced with some tough decisions. She loves her husband desperately but she is stuck in an awkward situation with the Kommandant’s attention.

She is desperate to see Edouard again and ultimately decides to put her life and reputation on the line for that dream to come true.

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Book Critic, Book Review, Books, Literary Criticism, Reading

Review: Declan’s Cross (Sharpe and Donovan #3) by Carla Neggers

by The Lit Bitch2 Comments on Review: Declan’s Cross (Sharpe and Donovan #3) by Carla Neggers

Marine Biologist, Julianne Maroney, has just had her heart broken by her long time friend recently turned lover, Andy Donovan.

She needs to take some time to herself so when she meets Lindsey Hargreaves, a fellow marine science enthusiast, she welcomes the chance to make a chance.

Lindsey has a field office in Ireland that she is trying to get off the ground and would love to have Julianne’s help setting it up.

Julianne accepts without a second thought and books her ticket to Ireland almost immediately.

Meanwhile, FBI agents Emma Sharp and Colin Donovan (Andy’s brother) are in Ireland on holiday when they learn that Julianne is going to be staying in the small village of Declan’s Cross.

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