Julie's Review: Rebel Queen

Author: Michelle Moran
Series: None
Publication Date: March 3, 2015
Publisher: Touchstone
Pages: 455
Obtained: via author
Genre:  Historical Fiction
Rating: 5/5
Bottom Line: Empowering, Inspiring and Riveting
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Summary: From the internationally bestselling author of Nefertiti and Cleopatra’s Daughter comes the breathtaking story of Queen Lakshmi—India’s Joan of Arc—who against all odds defied the mighty British invasion to defend her beloved kingdom. When the British Empire sets its sights on India in the mid-nineteenth century, it expects a quick and easy conquest. India is fractured and divided into kingdoms, each independent and wary of one another, seemingly no match for the might of the English. But when they arrive in the Kingdom of Jhansi, the British army is met with a surprising challenge. Instead of surrendering, Queen Lakshmi raises two armies—one male and one female—and rides into battle, determined to protect her country and her people. Although her soldiers may not appear at first to be formidable against superior British weaponry and training, Lakshmi refuses to back down from the empire determined to take away the land she loves. Told from the unexpected perspective of Sita—Queen Lakshmi’s most favored companion and most trusted soldier in the all-female army—Rebel Queen shines a light on a time and place rarely explored in historical fiction. In the tradition of her bestselling novel, Nefertiti, and through her strong, independent heroines fighting to make their way in a male dominated world, Michelle Moran brings nineteenth-century India to rich, vibrant life. ~michellemoran.com  

Review: Rebel Queen  isn't the story of a war but a story of a Queen strong enough to try to fight the British to save her country. While we might all know how that ends for India, it is the story of Queen Lakshmi and her private all female guards. The story is told from one of her Durga Dal soldiers, Sita. This make the Queen seem that much more accessible when you see her from a close confidante's point of view. She is very much a Queen of the people of Jhansi.

Sita is the heart of the story. It is her story to tell. We learn of her path to being a Durga Dal as she is later in life and reviewing her journals for an autobiography. We learn of her father's determination to make a life for her even though girls are seen as a burden instead of a joy. He makes sure that Sita has the training that she needs both mentally, emotionally, and physically so that when an opening makes itself available, she is ready. While Sita is all of these things when she is picked as the newest Durga Dal, it is the political webs that she will need to not get caught up in. She will need to learn friend from enemy and that it not always an easy task.

Must of the book focuses on the relationship between the rani and her staff. It isn't until the last quarter of the book that we get the feel for the Queen in battle. There is no doubt about her leadership ability and her passion for her people.

Ms. Moran always has a way of pulling her readers in immediately. I pretty much pre-order anytime she has a book out, even if I'm not sure or know nothing of her subject matter. She makes each of historical figures jump off the pages. Her lush descriptions in Rebel Queen of India and the palace are easy to create in your mind as you read.

It is always evident that Ms. Moran does her homework (aka research) when it comes to her subject matters. I love how she travels to the places that she is researching. She really throws herself into the research. If you want to see her travels through India then you need to check out her website, Michelle Moran, because her pictures are gorgeous. If this happens to be your first Michelle Moran book than you must immediately read her back-list. I swear you won't regret it.



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Julie's Review: The Thirteenth Tale

Author: Diane Setterfield
Series: None
Publication Date: October 9, 2007
Publisher: Washington Street Press
Pages: 432
Obtained: borrowed from a friend
Genre:  Gothic
Rating: 3.5/5
Bottom Line: Underwhelming
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Summary: When Margaret Lea opened the door to the past, what she confronted was her destiny. All children mythologize their birth... So begins the prologue of reclusive author Vida Winter's collection of stories, which are as famous for the mystery of the missing thirteenth tale as they are for the delight and enchantment of the twelve that do exist. The enigmatic Winter has spent six decades creating various outlandish life histories for herself — all of them inventions that have brought her fame and fortune but have kept her violent and tragic past a secret. Now old and ailing, she at last wants to tell the truth about her extraordinary life. She summons biographer Margaret Lea, a young woman for whom the secret of her own birth, hidden by those who loved her most, remains an ever-present pain. Struck by a curious parallel between Miss Winter's story and her own, Margaret takes on the commission. As Vida disinters the life she meant to bury for good, Margaret is mesmerized. It is a tale of gothic strangeness featuring the Angelfield family, including the beautiful and willful Isabelle, the feral twins Adeline and Emmeline, a ghost, a governess, a topiary garden and a devastating fire. Margaret succumbs to the power of Vida's storytelling but remains suspicious of the author's sincerity. She demands the truth from Vida, and together they confront the ghosts that have haunted them while becoming, finally, transformed by the truth themselves. The Thirteenth Tale is a love letter to reading, a book for the feral reader in all of us, a return to that rich vein of storytelling that our parents loved and that we loved as children. Diane Setterfield will keep you guessing, make you wonder, move you to tears and laughter and, in the end, deposit you breathless yet satisfied back upon the shore of your everyday life. ~powells.com

Review: The Thirteenth Tale is a book that people seem to love but unfortunately I am not in that category. I was completely underwhelmed by the novel. I figured out aspects of the story early on and by the time she pulled out the big twist, I just didn't care.  It's not to say that Ms. Setterfield doesn't know how to set the tone and atmosphere of a novel because she certainly does. One of the things I enjoyed was her description of Angelfield both past and present. I felt like I could see the stately house both as it was when the twins were living there and now as a ruins.

I don't always feel like I have to connect  with the characters but I should either connect with them or be engrossed in their tale but I wasn't. I wasn't sure if Miss Winter was really going to be telling the truth to Margaret or if she was just going to lead her on a wild goose chase as well. Margaret was fighting her own demons as well. She has been keeping a secret from her parents and her parents have been keeping a secret from her. It would have all been easier for all of them if they would have just been honest.

My favorite character in the novel was Aurelius. Once introduced in the novel, I knew he would be an integral part of the story. I also feel like he was the one who got hurt the most and while he might have answers now, he'll never fully recover from the losses he has endured.

If you are into Gothic tales, then this one will definitely interest you but if I had to pick another Gothic tale to read again it would be Kate Morton's The Distant Hours.


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Julie's Review: Accidents of Marriage

Author: Randy Susan Meyers
Series: None
Publication Date: September 2, 2014
Publisher: Atria Books
Pages: 368
Obtained: purchased
Genre:  Contemporary Fiction
Rating: 4.5/5
Bottom Line:An intriguing look at how one moment alters a family for good
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Summary: From the bestselling author of The Comfort of Lies, an engrossing look at the darker side of a marriage—and at how an ordinary family responds to an extraordinary crisis. Maddy is a social worker trying to balance her career and three children. Years ago, she fell in love with Ben, a public defender, drawn to his fiery passion, but now he’s lashing out at her during his periodic verbal furies. She vacillates between tiptoeing around him and asserting herself for the sake of their kids—which works to keep a fragile peace—until the rainy day when they’re together in the car and Ben’s volatile temper gets the best of him, leaving Maddy in the hospital fighting for her life. Randy Susan Meyers takes us inside the hearts and minds of her characters, alternating among the perspectives of Maddy, Ben, and their fourteen-year-old daughter. Accidents of Marriage is a provocative and stunning novel that will resonate deeply with women from all walks of life, ultimately revealing the challenges of family, faith, and forgiveness. ~powells.com 


Review: Accidents of Marriage explores the inner workings of one family and one marriage. This is another case of me saying "You never know what happens behind closed doors." You see Ben is a highly successful attorney in the DA's office and is always so poised, put together and in control. If his employees and co-workers saw how he acted at home, they'd be shocked. You see Ben often yells, screams and throws things. His is mad all the time. It is evident from the start he has some anger issues going on. These things make it very hard to like him. I feel sorry for him and pity him but definitely did not like him. He's very selfish and self-righteous and I never saw him change or understand that.

It's easy to like Maddy because we can all identify with her in some capacity. Working-mom, loyal friend, wife, frazzled by all the things she has to get done. It's also easy to criticize her; why doesn't she just leave? Can't she make him get help? You also understand why it may not be easy for her to address any of those questions. She loves him and sometimes loves makes us endure the things we know we shouldn't.

I feel the most of the their oldest daughter, Emma. As Maddy tries to recover from the accident, Emma becomes a surrogate mother to the children. All while she is still a child herself. While I wasn't sure if Emma could rise to the occasion I was happy she was able to. Even those she rose to it, it was still way too much on her young shoulders, even with the help of her grandmother. I'm not surprised that she rebels as any teenager would.

Maddy will have her share of mountains to climb but I loved the ending of the book. There's a part in the end where Ben and her are talking about the state of their marriage, Maddy tells him that she needs to concentrate on her and getting better. There is so much emotion and history in that conversation that it summed up the book so well.

Ms. Meyers has a fantastic way of putting you in the novel as a "fly on the wall" instead of just a reader. Her books suck you in and you almost immediately care for the characters. She always has an interesting perspective given her career history and it definitely adds layers to her novels.

I can't recommend Accidents of Marriage enough and The Murderer's Daughters is fantastic as well.


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Jenn's Review: The Silkworm

Author: Robert Galbraith (Pseudonym), J.K. Rowling
Series: Cormoran Strike #2
Publication Date: June 24, 2014
Publisher: Mulholland Books
Pages: 455
Obtained: purchased
Genre:  Crime, Mystert
Rating: 5/5
Bottom Line: Captivating
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Blurb:  When novelist Owen Quine goes missing, his wife calls in private detective Cormoran Strike. At first, Mrs. Quine just thinks her husband has gone off by himself for a few days—as he has done before—and she wants Strike to find him and bring him home.

But as Strike investigates, it becomes clear that there is more to Quine's disappearance than his wife realizes. The novelist has just completed a manuscript featuring poisonous pen-portraits of almost everyone he knows. If the novel were to be published, it would ruin lives—meaning that there are a lot of people who might want him silenced.

When Quine is found brutally murdered under bizarre circumstances, it becomes a race against time to understand the motivation of a ruthless killer, a killer unlike any Strike has encountered before... 

  Review:   Rowling as Galbraith is just as enthralling as Rowling as Rowling. There is something engaging about the worlds and characters she creates that makes them captivating. I’ve actually been saving this novel for a while because I knew I’d be disappointed to have to wait for the next installment… and I am.

Cormoron has been busy since the Landry case, although for once he’s not scrambling for cases, he’s scrambling to keep up with his caseload. Yet when Mrs. Quine walks into his office with an odd request that may or maynot recompense, Strike feels inclined to take on her case. From the beginning nothing plays quite right with the case and as the idiosyncrasies mount, Cormoran gets pulled further into the case.

Robin is frustrated at home and at work. Her fiancée continues to disparage her career choice and her association with Strike in general. Strike, sensing the tension, has been trying to shift investigative responsibilities away from Robin which is making her miserable as that’s the part of her job she enjoys most. When Strike is forced to rely on her, Robin does her best to prove her value but her extra efforts will not go unnoticed on the home front.

As per usual, I had no idea where the mystery was headed. The twists and turns had me completely flummoxed… and thoroughly intrigued. I had a difficult time putting it down. If you are looking for spellbinding contemporary crime novels with realistic characters the Cormoran Strike series is definitely for you.

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Julie's Review: The Girl on the Train

Author: Paula Hawkins
Series: None
Publication Date: January 13, 2015
Publisher: Riverhead Books
Pages: 336
Obtained: purchased
Genre:  Thriller
Rating: 4/5
Bottom Line: Trippy
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Summary: A debut psychological thriller that will forever change the way you look at other people's lives. Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. “Jess and Jason,” she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost. And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel offers what she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably entwined in what happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good? Compulsively readable, The Girl on the Train is an emotionally immersive, Hitchcockian thriller and an electrifying debut. ~amazon.com  

Review: The Girl on the Train is a trippy thriller with not a single likable character. I am of the thought though that you can still appreciate a book even if you can't like or identify with the characters. Rachel is a drunk. Megan has some mental issues. Anna is a narcissist veiled as a loving wife and mother. Don't even get me started on the men in the book. Pretty much all of the characters are pathetic. That doesn't mean you shouldn't read this book because you should if you like thrillers especially ones that have you turning the page wondering what the heck was going on.

The novel alternates views but for this reader the most interesting POV was Rachel's. Was she seeing things as they really were or was her alcohol swimming brain altering her view? I vacillated between feeling sorry for Rachel and finding her pathetic. In the end though, I felt sorry for her. She was emotionally abused and walked all over. These things take a toll on someone and can change a person and how they cope with life. Rachel needs to take control of her life and by the end of novel I had hope for her.

Unfortunately for most of the novel Rachel is desperate to have some normalcy in her life so she makes up lives for the people she sees out the window of her train. She's desperate to be involved in something that she really does pick the wrong situation to insert herself into.

I figured the mystery out about halfway through the novel but I wanted to see how Ms. Hawkins would reveal it to the characters. I kind of hate to admit this but in the end I feel like Anna got what was coming to her. In many ways she was no better or different than the men in the novel. She was a home-wrecker who chose to not see the signs that things weren't what they seemed.

I know this book is getting a lot of comparison to Gone Girl but other than the unreliable narrator I don't see the similarities. I thought the ending of Gone Girl was much more twisted than The Girl on the Train.

If you want to read a page-turner of a thriller, then you should definitely pick up The Girl on the Train.


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Julie's Review: It Takes a Witch

Author: Heather Blake
Series: Wishcraft #1
Publication Date: January 3, 2012
Publisher: Obsidian
Pages: 320
Obtained: purchased
Genre:  Mystery, Paranormal
Rating: 3.75/5
Bottom Line: Great cozy mystery with a bit of witchcraft thrown in
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Summary: Darcy Merriweather has just discovered she hails from a long line of Wishcrafters-witches with the power to cast spells by making a wish. She's come to Enchanted Village to learn her trade but finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation... ~product description

Review: It Takes a Witch is a great book to curl up with when you need something cozy to read. Ms. Blake (who also writes as Heather Webber) never lets me down with her wonderful heroines and Darcy is no different. She recently learned that she has witching powers which is the ability to grant wishes. Of course there are always catches to new powers and Darcy is definitely still learning. Darcy is trying to figure out who murdered a resident of the Enchanted Village,Alexandra Shively, because she doesn't think that it's the person the police arrested.

What ensues is Darcy looking at each of the residents closely. While doing the sleuthing she also gets to know each of the inhabitants powers usually by accident.  Darcy isn't really even sure of all of the rules that go a long with her new found powers. Not to mention the dreamy former state police officer that is helping to investigate the rash of pickpockets in the village, who seems to only have eyes for Darcy.


What I love about they way Ms. Blake writes is that I immediately want to move to the location. While the Enchanted Village might be a tourist destination it is where witches live in safety. Plus it just seems like the kind of town that you can relax in and feel at home in. Plus I just love all the characters she has for this little town. Aunt Ve is a hoot and Harper is a great free-spirit to Darcy's worrywart personality.

Also, I can't wait to see what happens with Nick and Darcy. It should also be fun learning who has what witchy powers and how they all interact.

I already have the next two books (A Witch Before Dying, The Good, the Bad, and the Witchy in the series on my shelf and will definitely be looking to get back to them soon. If you love cozy mysteries and a bit of paranormal, then this series is for you.

Jenn's Review


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