Literary Criticism
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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…
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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…
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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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Review: Dark Aemilia: A Novel of Shakespeare’s Dark Lady by Sally O’Reilly
The story of Aemilia Bassono and William Shakespeare is wrought with passion, love, poetry, and a little magic. While the story is about both William and Aemilia, the main protagonist of the novel is Aemilia herself. She is an illegitimate child raised in the court of Queen Elizabeth. She was taken in by the Countess of Kent who made sure she was educated and prepared to eventually become part of the Queen’s household. While at court she becomes the mistress to Henry Carey but when he tires of he she is married off to Alfonso Lanyer–a lowly court musician. But not before she meets William and begins an affair with…
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Review: Time and Again (Time #1) by Jack Finney
It’s not very often that I see a book on Goodreads that has over 7000 ratings and it still carries over a 4 star average! When I got this book for review, I had read so many wonderful reviews that I couldn’t wait to start reading it! It would be hard to put this book into a specific category as there are so many wonderful elements to it: mystery, time travel, sci fi, romance, and historic fiction! Si Morley is working as an artist in an advertising firm when a visitor makes him a mysterious offer. Si’s life is pretty dull and he longs for something different and exciting. This…
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Review: Daughter of the Gods: A Novel of Ancient Egypt by Stephanie Thornton
Author Stephanie Thornton has an affinity for lost women in ancient history. I had the pleasure or reading her first book about Empress Theodora last year and absolutely loved it. I was thrilled when I heard about her latest novel, Daughter of the Gods, about one of Egypt’s most notorious female pharaoh, Hatshepsut. This time we venture into ancient Egypt where the country has known peace for quite some time. Thutmose reigns and with one surviving son, Thut and two daughters Neferubity and Hatshepsut. Neferubity is to marry Thut to ensure the pure blood lines, while Hatshepsut is free to be as wild as her patron goddess, Sekhmet, is. The goddess of war is…
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Review: Long Live the King (Love & Inheritance Trilogy #2) by Fay Weldon
Like many fans of the show, Downton Abbey, I am constantly on the look out for upstairs/downstairs inspired books to tide me over until the next season of Downton comes out! I stumbled upon Fay Weldon’s latest novel in the Love and Inheritance series, Long Live the King and was thrilled to learn that Weldon was actually the writer of the original series Upstairs Downstairs. This novel is full of Edwardian era intrigue, not to mention a healthy dose of occultist practices such as seances and communicating with the dead. Queen Victoria is dead and along with her, the restrictive lifestyle that had defined her reign. Her son, Bertie is to take the throne and…
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Review: The Imposter Bride by Nancy Richler
In post WWII Montreal, Lily Azerov arrives to meet her betrothed for the first time. But this stranger harbors a secret. In Eastern Europe she stumbles upon a dead woman and assumes her identity. After fleeing Eastern Europe for Palestine, as a new woman, she becomes engaged via mail order to a Canadian names Sol Kramer. After arriving in Montreal, Sol refuses to marry her rather quickly after the meeting. Luckily for Lily, his brother Nathan steps in and marries her. At the wedding, a couple of uninvited guests of the groom arrive. Ida has heard from her cousin, Sonya, in Tel Aviv that a woman has been there pretending to…
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Review: Letters from Skye by Jessica Brockmole
What do you do with a married woman besides leave her alone? David Graham is stuck in quite the predicament! His letters and heart have been laid before a woman half way around the world, now it’s up to her to decide if she will erase him from her life completely or risk a correspondence. A forbidden love story written entirely in letters spanning two world wars? Be still my heart! This is the book I’ve been looking for! I am a real romantic at heart and to me there is nothing more romantic than a love letter. But that’s not exactly how this story starts out. Elspeth Dunn is…
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Review: A Little Folly by Jude Morgan
Valentine and Louisa Carnell have lived under the overly cautious eye of their father for their entire lives. They have scarcely been allowed to leave their country estate in Devonshire nor have they been allowed visitors. Their father has purposefully alienated them from their deceased mother’s family so it’s mostly been just the three of them for years. Then suddenly, their father dies leaving them a comfortable fortune and the forbidden freedom they have been craving. Valentine and Louisa have received a condolence letter from their estranged cousins who happen to be visiting a few towns away and plan on heading home via Devonshire. The siblings agree that their first…
