“But now the doctor has told him she cannot have more children,” whispered Martha. “So he’s turning to you. Men have these physical needs, it’s a fact of life. If they can’t […]
Ken Follett offers up another marvelous story in this volume, about the hunger, cruelty, power politics and Viking raids that beset the small community of Drane’s Ferry (sp? – I only heard […]
This volume gripped me from beginning to end, enhanced greatly by narrator Nicola Barber. We learn about the meeting between Miss Agatha Miller and Subaltern Archibald Christie at a ball in 1912, […]
In LINEAGE OF GRACE, Francine Rivers explores the lives of five women who lived in the Middle East during the time of the Old Testament. I never expected to enjoy this volume […]
I could almost feel a storm gathering in the prickles going up and down my neck. Leave, a small voice whispered. I frowned and shook myself. Don’t be ridiculous, I whispered back. […]
I loved this volume! I loved Diane Zahler’s alternative “history” to SLEEPING BEAUTY (interwoven with the tale we know & love) in which when the princess pricks herself, her naughty sister pinches […]
A TRUE PRINCESS is a fresh take on a well-loved fairy tale. It was so cleverly written that it wasn’t until near the end that I finally figured out which fairy tale […]
I wasn’t sure what to think when I picked up this book. I hoped for some inspiration, as I’m dipping my toe into retelling Fairy tales for the YA crowd, but it’s […]
I held his gaze with my own, determined not to betray the fluttering in my chest as my heart leapt into my throat. I knew from watching Mrs. Clayton that a lady […]
This volume picks up where volume 3 left off, and concerns the younger generation of Romans: Faustina’s daughters, their friends and suitors. Kate Quinn’s writing has great strengths. The way she does […]
FAREWELL MY LIFE, which recently won the 2021 Independent Press Award prize for Women’s Fiction is running a 99-cent promo this week: https://preview.mailerlite.com/d6n9s8. If you wish to sign up for my newsletter, […]
This volume picks up where Volume 1 left off. Thea and her husband are living in Scotland, raising a second family, while their eldest son 18-year-old Vix (short for Vercingetorix) joins the […]
As is usual with second volumes in a series, this one did not quite match up to Kate Quinn’s first, her MISTRESS OF ROME. What drove the first novel was the high-stakes […]
The clock hand crawled to eleven o’clock, then carriage wheels groaned up the hill and rolled to a stop. Maria flew out of her seat, disappearing into the foyer while I followed […]
Before I talk about this stunning debut novel, I would like to give a shout-out to the narrator, Elizabeth Wiley. Our pleasure in the audiobook experience is so dependent on the narrator. […]
THE LION & THE ROSE really made this duology. I already loved THE SERPENT & THE PEARL, where Carmelina is making her crostata, marzipan & tortes, Giulia is running downstairs gossiping & […]
Kate Quinn is such a talented writer. THE SERPENT & THE PEARL (the first in a duology about the Borgia Pope Alexander VI in 1490s Rome) begins with a sniff. Carmelina is […]
“This intriguing tale explores the hopes, plans, and struggles of Angelina, the stubborn youngest daughter of a troubled Italian-American family, and her two daughters. A widow, Angelina became a “fallen woman,” acting as a mistress over the years in an attempt to earn her own money, and the story opens just as her life begins to change.
The author has clearly done a great deal of historical research into the time, filling the story with details about the clothes, buildings, and passersby, to where readers can enjoy an immersive experience. The dialogue similarly seems to fit, with some lines in Italian and then translated into English to give the feel of the characters and the way they’ve kept their heritage alive.”
“The author knows her characters very, very well; this shows in the consistent and very individual way they act. This is not a plot-driven story; it’s character-driven. In this book, the characters are the jam which holds everything together. The best example of this is Grace, the talented violinist, who, simply, jumps off the page. I loved her.”
“I loved the elaborate descriptions of all the places in this book. This is the kind of book that shows instead of just telling.
I also loved the historical setting and how the everyday situations were described. The novel is set in Berlin, in the middle of the two wars, so the Nazis are obviously an important factor in the story.
The characters are very well-developed and interesting to read about. Angelina is a fascinating character, as is Grace. Along the duration of the book, Grace learns a lot about herself. I was amazed by her quiet yet vibrant personality, and her brilliant talent.”
