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The Necklace by Claire McMillan

July 14, 2017

necklace

  There are few literary set-ups more likely to grab my attention than the wealthy family black sheep/outcast who unexpectedly comes in to power when the patriarch/matriarch dies. What could go wrong? Everything and that’s what makes it so delightful. Claire McMillan must know this because it is the premise for her new novel, The Necklace. Nell Merrihew has never spent ... Read More...

4 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: family, historical fiction, Touchstone, wealth

The Lost Letter by Jillian Cantor

July 5, 2017

lost

  In the present Kate’s father is succumbing to dementia. As his memory flickers on and off, she wants to give his life’s work meaning and so takes his enormous and beloved stamp collection to an appraiser to see if any of the stamps are valuable. In the past, Kristoff is an orphaned artist working as an apprentice for the renowned master stamp engraver, Frederick Faber. ... Read More...

4 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: historical fiction, Riverhead Books, WWII

June Reading Wrap-Up

July 3, 2017

june

  Quick disclaimer: it never got anywhere near warm enough in Seattle in June for outdoor swimming so this photo is fake news. There was no lounging and reading by the pool—I was wearing socks the last week of the month, but that’s all right for me. I spent three days in the 90° heat with 80% humidity that was Cleveland and it was more than enough to remind me why I love ... Read More...

5 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Feature Tagged: 16th century, Ballantine, contemporary life, England, family saga, historical fiction, India, literary, Mariner Books, mini-reviews

It’s Monday, June 12th: What Are You Reading?

June 12, 2017

lost

Monday again? There is nothing like a vacation filled with family, momentous occasions (high school graduation, reunion with college friends) to dynamite even the best of reading intentions. What I mean is: I didn't finish Everybody’s Son until last night. Yes, I only read one book last week, which is…bizarre. OK, I binge watched the new season of Orange is the New Black, but ... Read More...

5 Comments
Filed Under: Feature, Reading Tagged: historical fiction, Riverhead Books, WWII

April Reading Recap

May 1, 2017

april

  Safe to say that April stayed more true to form than March, in that we had A LOT of rain, which is fine because now we have flowers everywhere. My reading was not quite so productive. I did have a 5 star winner with The Takedown, but beyond that I was stuck with hit or miss books.     Desperation Road by Michael Farris Smith: One of those novels ... Read More...

7 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Feature Tagged: Berkley, France, historical fiction, Hollywood, literary, Little Brown and Company, mini-reviews, pop culture

Feast of Sorrow: A Novel of Ancient Rome

April 24, 2017

feast

  One of the grandest things that can happen to a reader is coming across a book with a new perspective on a subject they’ve read about extensively. Recently, I read Crystal King’s Feast of Sorrow, a novel about Italy in the time of Caesar Tiberius, because, hello, I read all of the Colleen McCullough Masters of Rome books and just finished reading a novel about Nero. I ... Read More...

2 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: debut, food, historical fiction, Italy, Touchstone

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