my name is anton
Fiction, Historical, Illness, Loved-it, NetGalley

A New, Unexpected But Very Heart-Warming Story From Catherine Ryan Hyde My Name is Anton: A Novel by Catherine Ryan Hyde

Writing yet another review for a book by Catherine Ryan Hyde makes me feel dejavu. Every couple of months a new book of hers comes out, I instantly grab it despite any other review commitments, and I never regret it. So far, all her books have just been so good that I can’t resist reading them as soon as possible.…

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villa of delirium
Edelweiss, Fiction, Historical, Loved-it

A Tour Of A Forgotten Age Through This Amazing Historical Novel Villa of Delirium by Adrien Goetz, ★★★★✬ 4.5 stars

When I started reading Villa of Delirium, I didn’t know for sure what it was about – I often start novels without looking into it much – I’d rather the book tell me the story than the blurb. And the blurb told me it was set in a beautiful Greek villa, built based on ancient styles. That’s something I’ll always…

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lizards tale
Diversity, Fast-paced, Fiction, Historical, Kidlit, Loved-it, NetGalley, Other-cultures

Spies, Adventure, Pre-war Hardships And Tough Kids – Another Great Middle Grade Story For You Lizard's Tale by Weng Wai Chan

Time to review another great middle grade story – this one’s called Lizard’s Tale and it’s vibrant and unforgettable. Even though at first, it was a bit hard to get into it (because life was so hard for the characters!) and I had put the book on hold, after I sat down with it another time, I could not peel…

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Fiction, Historical, Illness, Loved-it, NetGalley, Society

Catherine Ryan Hyde Does It Again – A Beautiful Coming Of Age Novel About Compassion And Friendship Stay by Catherine Ryan Hyde

Catherine Ryan Hyde does it again – Stay is a serious, deep and very beautiful, yet realistic and down to Earth novel. This is my second book by her, and I was completely blown away by the first one, Where Is Luis Velez, so I was a little bit worried about reading another one (despite buying up ANYTHING by her…

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room full of night
Dark, Edelweiss, Fast-paced, Fiction, Historical, Thiller / Mystery

A Dark Semi-Slow-Burn Thriller About Some Forgotten WWII Nightmares A Room Full of Night by T.R. Kenneth

When I got this book off Edelweiss as a free download, I didn’t know if I’d like it. I don’t read a lot of thrillers either, but something in the blurb just hooked me. And it made for some good reading! For lovers of thrillers and conspiracy theories, it’s definitely worth a go. Check out on Goodreads ★★★✬☆ 3.5 stars…

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heavens sandra newman
Diversity, Fiction, Historical, Illness, Magical realism, Society

A Book That Brings Some Magic Back Into The 21st Century The Heavens by Sandra Newman

It’s been a while that I’ve read a book like The Heavens – one that’s essentially a contemporary, but somehow feels so much like a fairytale. And it’s not that it’s got any fairytale stuff going on at all – perhaps it just hints at magical realism or something like that. No, it’s more in the way the story is…

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forty rules of love
Fiction, Historical, Loved-it, Spiritual, Well known books

A Story of Love, Friendship And Spirituality – In A Magical Setting The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak, ★★★★★ 5 stars

The Forty Rules of Love has been on my wish list for a long time, and I wish I had got to it sooner. I instantly fell in love with it! Although, when I think about it, maybe it’s best to read books when you’ve forgotten even the blurb. This is how I picked up the forty Rules of Love…

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caseroom
Fiction, Historical, Women's

[Historical] Women’s Struggle Entering The Workforce In Publishing The Caseroom by Kate Hunter

The Caseroom is a historical novel on the harsh realities of women first entering the workforce, reimbursed only ‘half as good’ as the men, and considered true enemies by the males in the workforce. Excluded out of every possible union and denied companionship, women still didn’t give up. This is a tale of Iza and the hardships she suffered not only…

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feathered serpent dark heart of sky
Diversity, Edelweiss, Historical, Loved-it, Myths, Non-fiction, Other-cultures

[Myths] Mesoamerican Mythology Is Mighty Cool!! + 3 Reasons To Read It Feathered Serpent, Dark Heart of Sky: Myths of Mexico by David Bowles

I’ve always been incredibly interested in the rarer myths – so you’re probably not surprised that I’m reviewing the lost myths of South America here. The truth is, because of historical bias, the media and many more factors (and the simple fact that not much actually remains of these cultures), we imagine them to have been ruthless, mysterious… unknowable. When…

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sugar money
Fiction, Historical, NetGalley, Other-cultures

[Historical fiction] The Harsh Realities Of Slavery In Martinique, 1765 Sugar Money by Jane Harris

At first I was reluctant to request Sugar Money because I’m a weakling at handling slavery stories sometimes. I turn into a puddle of sobs. But, despite being quite detailed about the hardships of slave life in 1765, it was a very engaging read. It doesn’t have a very happy ending, as you might surmise, but it tells a story worth…

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snow flower and the secret fan
Buddy read, Fiction, Historical, Loved-it, Other-cultures, Well known books, Women's

Read About Women’s Struggles And Relationships In Traditional China Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

I LOVED Snow Flower and the Secret Fan! It was sad, yet fulfilling, true and honest, yet fictional. A truly moving story about the hardships of being a woman in nineteenth-century China. Yes, foot binding too. We’ll get there. By the way, this is going to be a buddy read review, so get ready to read a lot of questions and answers!…

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the mermaid and mrs hancock
Fiction, Historical, Magical realism, NetGalley

The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gowar Mermaids, Merchants And Courtesans... In A Book

The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock, when you first read its name, conjures up a certain magic, which only intensifies when you look at the cover. Which is why I absolutely did not know what to expect from this book! So let’s see what it’s all about! Check out on Goodreads Get at Book Depository ★★★★☆ 4 stars It’s the autumn…

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plague charmer
Dark, Fiction, Historical, Loved-it, Magical realism, NetGalley

The Plague Charmer by Karen Maitland Dark, Atmospheric And Very Medieval

If you like reading well researched, incredibly atmospheric, not sugar-coated historical novels about the middle ages, The Plague Charmer is just for you. My review of this wonderful book has been long overdue, so let’s start. Check out on Goodreads Get at Book Depository ★★★★✬ 4.5 stars Life is pretty tough in the middle ages – work is hard, food is…

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