Category: Book Critic

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

Review: The Ivy Tree by Mary Stewart

by The Lit Bitch7 Comments on Review: The Ivy Tree by Mary Stewart

What would you do if you came face to face with your doppelgänger? Conner (Con) Winslow gets the shock of his life when he see a woman standing in the fields of the Whitescar estate…the long list heiress of Whitescar, Annabel Winslow as returned from the dead!

It has long been believed that Annabel died eight years ago. She had a fight with her Grandfather and fled the country to America where it was later reported she was dead.

In Mary Stewart’s gothic novel The Ivy Tree, a woman shows up at Whitescar with an erie resemblance to Annabel…it is hard to dismiss as coincidence.

Con approaches the woman…even her own cousin has his doubts about this woman but the resemblance is uncanny! The woman is in fact Mary Grey from Canada….but to Con she is a dream come true! Continue reading “Review: The Ivy Tree by Mary Stewart” →

Book Challenges, Book Critic, Book Review, Books, Gen Lit, Literary Criticism, Reading, Reading Challenges

Review: Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle by The Countess of Carnarvon, Fiona Carnarvon

by The Lit Bitch12 Comments on Review: Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle by The Countess of Carnarvon, Fiona Carnarvon

Don’t we all wish we could wave our magic wands and become the Crawley family living the high life at Downton Abbey?

For Lady Almina Carnarvon that dream was a reality.

With Downton Abbey sweeping the telly waves, fans are salivating at the mouth for more Downton–I know I am! This book was extremely appealing to me for the obvious–a promise of more Downton! When the publisher sent me a copy for review, I was over the moon–checking my mailbox daily in eager anticipation!

I am always a little iffy about non-fiction and biography books because they can often become rather dry and scholarly for my taste…that’s all well and good if I am reading a book for a history class but when I am reading for fun, I want a story.

That was not the case with this book–it was absolutely riveting! I would call this one un-put-downable…it was a smashing read and I enjoyed every page! Books like this make me excited about history!  Continue reading “Review: Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle by The Countess of Carnarvon, Fiona Carnarvon” →

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Review: A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire #2) by George R.R. Martin

by The Lit Bitch6 Comments on Review: A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire #2) by George R.R. Martin

War is coming.

All over the Seven Kingdoms, chaos  reigns! With King Robert dead and the Lannister family on the brink of scandal…the fate of the Iron Throne is in question–four different self professed ‘kings’ proclaim their imperial rule over the Seven Kingdoms threatening to divide the realm. Brother against brother–house against house–alliances made and broken–war changes everything.

A Clash of Kings is the second in George R.R. Martin’s epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire. I think this is the longest and most complex books I have ever read (1,009 pages). Though it is long, the story itself is rich and the prose lyrical–this series definitely reads like a hero’s ballad adventure.

As I mentioned in my review of the first book Game of Thrones, the series itself is intricate and tedious. Once you get into the story as I did with this book and figure out how to read high fantasy such as this…the reader can fully appreciate the story, characters, prose, and plot.  This series is a beautifully written adventure and I can wholeheartedly say I liked this book much better than the first because I could appreciate the story more once I knew how to navigate the genre. Continue reading “Review: A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire #2) by George R.R. Martin” →

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

Review: The Rose of Martinique: A Life of Napoleon’s Josephine by Andrea Stuart

by The Lib BitchLeave a Comment on Review: The Rose of Martinique: A Life of Napoleon’s Josephine by Andrea Stuart

Josephine Bonaparte was the Jacqueline Kennedy of her era. She was a fashion icon and patron of the arts, who was also renowned for her charm, beauty, and compassion.

Josephine worked hard to constantly reinvent herself and her public image, even Madonna would be impressed by her efforts. Despite the veneer of glamour this woman had a rough life, but fought through it all dressed to kill and with a smile firmly in place.

Andrea Stuart’s biography provides a fascinating account of Josephine’s chaotic life from her birth on the island of Martinique, to her unhappy first marriage, her imprisonment during the French revolution, and finally her tumultuous relationship with Napoleon.

Stuart does a fantastic job of making history read like fiction. Normally there are places in a biographies that I struggle to read through, but Stuart held my attention through each chapter. Continue reading “Review: The Rose of Martinique: A Life of Napoleon’s Josephine by Andrea Stuart” →

Book Critic, Book Review, Books, Gen Lit, Literary Criticism, Random, Reading

New Contributor: The Lib Bitch

by The Lit Bitch2 Comments on New Contributor: The Lib Bitch

I am very pleased to announce that I am taking on an additional bitchin’ reviewer for my blog! Please welcome The Lib Bitch–also known as my ever so charming sister!

The Lib Bitch (not to be confused with yours truly) will be adding flavor and variety to our blog. She picked the “Lib Bitch” since she is a Librarian. She has similar reading/literary interests as me but they are different enough to add a unique tone and content! I am very excited about this venture 🙂 I will be posting a more complete bio soon…be watching for her reviews!

Here is a brief bio for The Lib Bitch:

Occupation: Librarian
Areas of Literary Interest: History, Historical Fiction, Biography, Fashion, Women’s Issues, Art, Food
Things I Heart (aside from books): Dessert, Ballet and Pilates, Jewelry, Making Lists, Cats, Tea, French Things, and Baby Sloths
Favorite Author: Jane Austen for life.