Literary Criticism
-
Review: The House of Hawthorne by Erika Robuck
Sophia is a talented artist and writer. Her well known Salem family has discouraged her from pursuing traditional women’s roles such as marriage, in favor of pursuing her creative and educational talents. Plagued by debilitating headaches, Sophia spends a lot of time in bed and her parents even send her to Cuban in hopes of curing her headaches. While she is in Cuba, she begins writing about some of the slavery she has witnessed in her journal, when she returns to Salem, Massachusetts she catches the eye of upcoming writer Nathaniel Hawthorne. From their first meeting, Nathaniel and Sophia begin an intense romantic relationship that despite many setbacks leads to their marriage.…
-
Review: The Middle of Somewhere by Sonja Yoerg
Intense is about the only word I can use to describe this novel! This book is about one woman’s quest to find herself on the John Muir trail in the western U.S. for 18 day of backpacking. Liz Kroft’s 30th birthday is coming and she is literally heading for the hills. Liz, is in conflict over secrets she harbors and is suffering remorse over her past actions. Her emotional baggage weighs her down more than her backpack, but a three week trek promises the solitude she craves—at least until her inexperienced hiker boyfriend, Dante, decides to tag along. She is clearly less than happy about that situation. His broad moral streak makes…
-
Review: The Gates of Evangeline by Hester Young
If you like Southern Gothic novels and ghost stories then this is the perfect novel to curl up with on a chilly fall night! Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Cates is a recently bereaved mother whose child died of a brain aneurysm. Not to mention her husband left her for another woman. Charlie begins experiencing very vivid dreams about children, which makes sense based on the tragedy she has gone through. But she soon realizes the dreams are something more, they are messages and warnings that will help Charlie and the children she sees, if only she can make sense of them. After a little boy in a boat appears in Charlie’s dreams…
-
Review: Decompression by Juli Zeh
German attorney Sven Fiedler and his girlfriend, Antje, move to the Cayman Islands, where he hopes to escape a culture of materialism. On the Cayman Islands, Sven hopes things will be simpler and more relaxing….less of a rat race, which is exactly what Sven finds. Basically, life couldn’t be better for Sven and Antje. Sven and Antje open up a diving business and Sven’s approach was simple: take the mechanics of diving seriously, instruct his clients clearly, and stay out of their personal business as best he can. Life is going well for them….until two German tourists–Jola von der Pahlen, a daytime soap star on the verge of cinematic success, and Theo…
-
Review: At the Water’s Edge by Sara Gruen
Maddie has not idea that New Years Eve 1942 is going to be a day where everything in her life changes The belle os the ball and Philadelphia society is married to Ellis and lives a life of shelter and privilege. While there is a war raging across the pond, Maddie and her husband Ellis aren’t really that in touch with it. Ellis and his best friend Hank should be enlisting in the war like all the other men their age but they both have medical conditions and aren’t allowed to join. Ellis’s father is beyond ashamed of his son’s inability to enlist and reminds Ellis of it on a…
-
Review: Ruin and Rising (The Grisha #3) by Leigh Bardugo
Ravka has fallen and now the Darkling rules and the people look to Alina, the Sun Summoner for liberation. Alina has taken refuge in the tunnels below the city where the Apparat and his zealots treat her like a saint. But deep below the ground Alina is weakened. She can’t summons her power and she continues to grow weaker. After months below ground, her loyal friends help free her and they continue on their quest to bring together the three amplifiers. Without all three amplifiers they don’t stand a chance against the Darkling. In order to gain an upper hand, Alina must learn as much about the Darklings past as she…
-
Review: Once Upon a Crime (A Brothers Grimm Mystery #2) by P. J. Brackston
Gretel (yes, that Gretel) is a plump 35 year old woman, still living with her brother Hans and working as a private investigator. She has just received a new case….while it’s nothing glamorous, it is still a case. Gretel is charged with finding three abducted cats. Not three missing cats….three stolen kitties! Her client assures Gretel that the cats would never just run away, someone must have taken them but she has no idea why. Reluctantly Gretel accepts….she feels that her skills would be better suited for something better, but she takes the case anyway. In the mean time, the small Bavarian town of Gesternstadt is about to be rocked to its foundations by…
-
Review: Siege and Storm (The Grisha #2) by Leigh Bardugo
Alina and Mal have been forced into hiding across the True Sea. Alina is haunted by her memories of what happened on the Fold while Mal is eager to put as much distance between the girl he loves and the Darkling, as possible. The Darkling is now more powerful than ever and has a plan that will test the boundaries of the world as they know it unless Mal and Alina can find a way to destroy him. While she can’t be sure….Alina senses that if she brings all three amplifiers together, she will hopefully be powerful enough to defeat him. But how does one find ancient, mythical items? The Darkling…
-
Review: The Ambassador’s Wife by Jennifer Steil
This book made me want to quit my job and apply at the U.S. Embassy immediately! I really enjoyed reading this one! It was a nice break from some of the books I’ve been reading lately. I thought this book was going to be much different than it was….for one I thought it was going to be set in like the 1940’s or something but it’s not….it’s actually a modern novel. I don’t read a lot of contemporary fiction but I do make exceptions when the book or premise sounds unique and different and this fit the bill. Artist Miranda is living in Mazrooq where she instructs Muslim women on painting….the…
-
Review: Enchantress of Paris: A Novel of the Sun King’s Court by Marci Jefferson
Marie Mancini was destine to disgrace her family. The stars foretold her shame and for most of her life, her family has kept her closest at a convent to avoid said ‘disgrace’. Ignoring the stars and horoscopes, Marie’s uncle and guardian, Cardinal Mazarin along with her other sisters call her to court where she catches the eye of King Louis XIV. Even though the King is sharing his bed with Marie’s sister Olympia, he is clearly captivated by the studious and witty Marie. With the death of one of Marie’s sisters, the Cardinal wants her to return to the convent and become a full fledged sister. Upon hearing of Marie’s scheduled departure, the…