Review: The Lost Duchess by Jenny Barden

We all know there is a ton of historical fiction out there that takes place in Elizabethan England….typically in the court.

The market is simply flooded…so how do you create a new and different take on a saturated topic?

Well you take your Elizabethan heroine out of the court!

Emme Fifield is a lady in waiting to Queen Elizabeth.

Her life is pretty much wrapped up in the treacherous court and all she has is a good reputation and name.

Well all that changes when she is ruined by a lord who will stop it nothing but to have her. Her reputation and future prospects are a disaster.

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Review: Silver Bay by JoJo Moyes

Liza McCullen lives in the small community of Silver Bay with it’s pristine beaches and secluded lifestyle, she feels completely at ease and safe in her life.

Liza and her family run a small hotel there that features small exhibitions to see dolphins, whales, and all the beautiful sea creatures of the Australian coast.

Running the whale watching tour is something extremely important to Liza, but not as important to her as raising her daughter Hannah.

All of the women in Liza’s family have secrets…but none so big as Liza.

Though she is the strong one in her little family, deep down she is as fragile as the delicate marine life she loves so much…with a big secret.

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Review: Beyond the Wall: Exploring George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire by James Lowder

After recently re-reading A Game of Thrones, I couldn’t help but crave more of the epic story!

I’ve read all the books at least once and after this recent re-read I’ve been scouring the discussion forums for more theories and insight into A Song of Ice and Fire.

So needless to say, reading this book was a no brainer. I’ve read a lot of reviews about this anthology, and most people say that you can find better material online in the discussion groups for free.

While there is a plethora of material online, a lot of it isn’t structured or supported by research which was what I was looking for….something a little more organized.

This novel had a broad selection of essays about A Song of Ice and Fire and Westeros. Some were interesting and thought provoking while others left me wanting.

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Take Two Review: A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire #1) by George R. R. Martin

I’ve been nerd-ing out these last few weeks. I saw a co-worker with a copy of A Game of Thrones and she asked me a few questions about the prologue.

It’s been two years since I read the first novel so I gave her a recap from memory.

Well I went home and thought I wonder if I gave her the right answers…I’ll re-read just the prologue. Well the next thing I know I’m 100 pages in!

I love this series. It’s so rich, textured, and character driven. I can’t say enough good things. You don’t have to be a fantasy reader to enjoy this series. It’s one of the best books and series I’ve ever read hands down.

But thinking back to my first review two years ago, I don’t think I thought that about the book. I decided to do a re-review on A Game of Thrones to see what all I picked up this reading that I perhaps didn’t on the first go around.

So I am not going to give a lot of background on this book since you can see it all from my first review.

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Review: The Lincoln Myth (Cotton Malone #9) by Steve Berry

All is not as it seems. A simple phrase that could be dangerous in the wrong hands.

Abraham Lincoln must make a choice, keep the secret or not. He could save thousands or have the country torn apart…..Lincoln alone holds the power.

Retired agent, Cotton Malone is asked by his former boss to do a favor.

It sounds relatively cut and dry, but as soon as he agrees he realizes this is a bit more involved than he originally expected.

Unbeknownst to him, his girlfriend is also being recruited for this ‘favor’. This only complicates matters further as she is in deep cover.

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