Tag Archives: Historical

Book Title:
Until We Meet Again
Book Author:
Renee Collins
Publishing Date:
November 3rd, 2015
Publisher:
Sourcebooks Fire
Date Read:
October 27th, 2015

Synopsis

They exist in two different centuries, but their love defies time.

Cassandra craves drama and adventure, so the last thing she wants is to spend her summer marooned with her mother and stepfather in a snooty Massachusetts shore town. But when a dreamy stranger shows up on their private beach claiming it's his own—and that the year is 1925—she is swept into a mystery a hundred years in the making.

As she searches for answers in the present, Cassandra discovers a truth that puts their growing love—and Lawrence's life—into jeopardy. Desperate to save him, Cassandra must find a way to change history…or risk losing Lawrence forever.

My Review

This book was absolutely beautiful.  It was romantic, it was thoughtful, and it was completely original.  The writing flowed so well, and the words just wrapped you in the story and created a sweet time-travel romance that will make your … Continue reading

5 stars
2 Comments
Book Title:
Wolf by Wolf
Book Author:
Ryan Graudin
Book Series:
Wolf by Wolf, #1
Publishing Date:
October 20th, 2015
Publisher:
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Date Read:
October 11th, 2015

Synopsis

Code Name Verity meets Inglourious Basterds in this fast-paced novel from the author of The Walled City.

The year is 1956, and the Axis powers of the Third Reich and Imperial Japan rule the world. To commemorate their Great Victory over Britain and Russia, Hitler and Emperor Hirohito host the Axis Tour: an annual motorcycle race across their conjoined continents. The victor is awarded an audience with the highly reclusive Adolf Hitler at the Victor's ball.

Yael, who escaped from a death camp, has one goal: Win the race and kill Hitler. A survivor of painful human experimentation, Yael has the power to skinshift and must complete her mission by impersonating last year's only female victor, Adele Wolfe. This deception becomes more difficult when Felix, Adele twin's brother, and Luka, her former love interest, enter the race and watch Yael's every move. But as Yael begins to get closer to the other competitors, can she bring herself to be as ruthless as she needs to be to avoid discovery and complete her mission?

My Review

Five stars simply aren’t enough for this book.   Ryan Graudin has spun a creative tale about heartbreak, revenge, and what it means to find yourself, even if you feel you’ve been lost for a long time. Yael has had … Continue reading

5 stars
2 Comments
Book Title:
Daughters Unto Devils
Book Author:
Amy Lukavics
Publishing Date:
September 29th, 2015
Publisher:
Harlequin Teen
Date Read:
October 15th, 2015

Synopsis

When sixteen-year-old Amanda Verner's family decides to move from their small mountain cabin to the vast prairie, she hopes it is her chance for a fresh start. She can leave behind the memory of the past winter; of her sickly Ma giving birth to a baby sister who cries endlessly; of the terrifying visions she saw as her sanity began to slip, the victim of cabin fever; and most of all, the memories of the boy she has been secretly meeting with as a distraction from her pain. The boy whose baby she now carries.

When the Verners arrive at their new home, a large cabin abandoned by its previous owners, they discover the inside covered in blood. And as the days pass, it is obvious to Amanda that something isn't right on the prairie. She's heard stories of lands being tainted by evil, of men losing their minds and killing their families, and there is something strange about the doctor and his son who live in the woods on the edge of the prairie. But with the guilt and shame of her sins weighing on her, Amanda can't be sure if the true evil lies in the land, or deep within her soul.

My Review

On the cover of this book, there is a quote from the lovely author, Cat Winters, which states: “Imagine Stephen King writing Little House on the Prairie.”  This one statement can sum up this entire book.  It’s a dark, disturbing … Continue reading

4 stars
5 Comments
Book Title:
Sweet Madness
Book Author:
Trisha Leaver and Lindsay Currie
Publishing Date:
September 15th, 2015
Publisher:
Merit Press
Date Read:
October 3rd, 2015

Synopsis

Seventeen-year-old Bridget Sullivan is alone in Fall River, a city that sees Irish immigrants as nothing more than a drunken drain on society. To make matters worse, she's taken employment with the city’s most peculiar and gossip-laden family—the Bordens. But Bridget can’t afford to be picky—the pay surpasses any other job Bridget could ever secure and she desperately needs the money to buy her little sister, Cara, passage to the states. It doesn’t hurt that the job location is also close to her beau, Liam. As she enters the disturbing inner workings of the Borden household, Bridget clings to these advantages.

However, what seemed like a straightforward situation soon turns into one that is untenable. Of course Bridget has heard the gossip around town about the Bordens, but what she encounters is far more unsettling. The erratic, paranoid behavior of Mr. Borden, the fearful silence of his wife, and worse still…the nightly whisperings Bridget hears that seem to come from the walls themselves.

The unexpected bright spot of the position is that Lizzie Borden is so friendly. At first, Bridget is surprised at how Lizzie seems to look out for her, how she takes a strong interest in Bridget’s life. Over time, a friendship grows between them. But when Mr. Borden’s behavior goes from paranoid to cruel, and the eerie occurrences in the house seem to be building momentum, Bridget makes the tough decision that she must leave the house—even if it means leaving behind Lizzie, her closest friend, alone with the madness. Something she swore she would not do.

But when Bridget makes a horrifying discovery in the home, all that she thought she knew about the Bordens is called into question…including if Lizzie is dangerous. And the choice she must make about Lizzie’s character could mean Bridget’s life or death.

Sweet Madnessis a retelling of the infamous Borden murders from the point of view of Lizzie’s Irish maid, Bridget Sullivan.

My Review

Lizzie Borden took an axe, And gave her mother forty whacks. When she saw what she had done, She gave her father forty-one.   We all know this rhyme, right?  We’ve all heard of Lizzie Borden, but no one really … Continue reading

5 stars
4 Comments
Book Title:
Queen of Always (Stolen Empire #3)
Book Author:
Sherry D. Ficklin
Book Series:
Stolen Empire, #3
Publishing Date:
September 15th, 2015
Publisher:
Clean Teen Publishing
Date Read:
September 10th, 2015

Synopsis

LONG LIVE THE QUEEN

If her time at court has taught Catherine anything, it’s that there is no room for weakness in Imperial Russia. With the Empress’ health failing and rumors of a change in the line of succession, her place in the royal line is once more in jeopardy. Tormented by her sadistic husband and his venomous mistress, Catherine must once more walk the fine line between pleasure and politics—between scandal and survival.

When her young son becomes the target of those rebelling against Peter’s reign, Catherine will have to rise up to protect herself, her child, and her nation from his unstable and potentially catastrophic rule. This means putting herself at odds with the most dangerous man she’s ever known, trusting those who once proved to be her enemies, and turning a nation against its sovereign. In the ultimate battle for the crown, new alliances will be forged, loyalties will be tested, and blood will be shed.

Don’t miss this breathtaking conclusion to the Stolen Empire series!

Queen of Tomorrow is a YA historical fiction based on the life of young Catherine the Great. Fans of the hit TV show REIGN will devour this scandalous glimpse into the life of one of the most dynamic women in history.

My Review

If you haven’t read the first two books in this series, go read them now.  Really, go read them.  I’ll be here when you get back. All finished?  Great!  Now, weren’t they absolutely fantastic?! I mean, that beautiful cover alone … Continue reading

5 stars
2 Comments
Book Title:
Queen of Tomorrow (Stolen Empire #2)
Book Author:
Sherry D. Ficklin
Book Series:
Stolen Empire, #2
Publishing Date:
July 14, 2015
Publisher:
Clean Teen Publishing
Date Read:
July 9, 2015

Synopsis

Sophie―now Catherine, Grand Duchess of Russia―had a tough first year at Imperial Court. Married at sixteen to Grand Duke Peter, heir to the throne, and settled in their own palace, things start to look up. As a new day dawns, Catherine thinks only of securing her future, and the future of their country, during one of the greatest political upheavals of her time. Fighting desperately against forces that try to depose the Empress Elizabeth and put the young Prince Ivan on her throne, Catherine soon finds herself in the middle of a war brewing between her beloved Prussia and her new empire. While navigating the fragile political landscape, she quickly realizes that she has only begun to discover the tangled web of deceit and infidelity woven over the lavish court of Oranienbaum Palace. When a strange and delicate alliance forms between the young couple, Catherine glimpses a future of happiness, only to see it vanish at the hands of those who still seek to end her life―and prevent her reign. Out of favor with the empress and running out of options, Catherine must sacrifice her own innocence on the altar of Russia if she is to save the nation and herself. To survive, she will have to do the unthinkable, betray those closest to her and become something greater and more dangerous than she ever imagined she could be… a queen.

My Review

Rarely have I come across a second book in a series that is even close to being as good as the first.  This is one of those cases where I actually enjoyed the second book better than the first. I … Continue reading

5 stars
4 Comments
Book Title:
Queen of Someday (Stolen Empire #1)
Book Author:
Sherry D. Ficklin
Book Series:
Stolen Empire, #1
Publishing Date:
October 7, 2014
Publisher:
Clean Teen Publishing
Date Read:
July 8, 2015

Synopsis

ONE GIRL WILL BRING AN EMPIRE TO ITS KNEES... Before she can become the greatest empress in history, fifteen-year-old Sophie will have to survive her social-climbing mother’s quest to put her on the throne of Russia—at any cost. Imperial Court holds dangers like nothing Sophie has ever faced before. In the heart of St. Petersburg, surviving means navigating the political, romantic, and religious demands of the bitter Empress Elizabeth and her handsome, but sadistic nephew, Peter. Determined to save her impoverished family—and herself—Sophie vows to do whatever is necessary to thrive in her new surroundings. But an attempt on her life and an unexpected attraction threatens to derail her plans. Alone in a new and dangerous world, learning who to trust and who to charm may mean the difference between becoming queen and being sent home in shame to marry her lecherous uncle. With traitors and murderers lurking around every corner, her very life hangs in the balance. Betrothed to one man but falling in love with another, Sophie will need to decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice in order to become the empress she is destined to be. In a battle for the soul of a nation, will love or destiny reign supreme?

My Review

I wasn’t sure what I was expecting when I started reading this.  The cover is absolutely beautiful, and I won’t lie – it definitely made me want to read this.  Then I read the description of the book, and it … Continue reading

4.5 stars
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