reecaspieces

Overview

In the tradition of the spellbinding historical novels of Philippa Gregory and Kate Morton comes a stunning story based on a real-life Tudor mystery, of a curse that echoes through the centuries and shapes two women’s destinies…

1560: Amy Robsart is trapped in a loveless marriage to Robert Dudley, a member of the court of Queen Elizabeth I. Surrounded by enemies and with nowhere left to turn, Amy hatches a desperate scheme to escape—one with devastating consequences that will echo through the centuries…

Present Day: When Lizzie Kingdom is forced to withdraw from the public eye in a blaze of scandal, it seems her life is over. But she’s about to encounter a young man, Johnny Robsart, whose fate will interlace with hers in the most unexpected of ways. For Johnny is certain that Lizzie is linked to a terrible secret dating back to Tudor times. If Lizzie is brave enough to go in search of the truth, then what she discovers will change the course of their lives forever.

Review

Lizzie must hide from the public due to a scandal. She is not at all happy about it. She has worked hard to get where she is. Now it has all changed.

This is a unique and intriguing read. I was a little hesitant at first. With all the psychic references and the jumping of time, I did not think I would enjoy it as much as I did. The author did a fabulous job explaining where, what, when and how. And did so in such a way…you had to find out what was going to happen next.

The characters are another intriguing aspect of this read. I was fascinated with Amy Robsart then add in Johnny…boy…what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.

This novel does not quit! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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About the author

USA Today bestselling author Nicola Cornick has written over thirty historical romances for
Harlequin and HQN Books. She has been nominated twice for a RWA RITA Award and twice for
the UK RNA Award. She works as a historian and guide in a seventeenth century house. In
2006 she was awarded a Masters degree with distinction from Ruskin College, Oxford, where
she wrote her dissertation on heroes.

SOCIAL:

Author Website: https://www.nicolacornick.co.uk/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/NicolaCornick
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicola.cornick/
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/nicolacornick/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/63843.Nicola_Cornick

Overview

A tight, captivating story of a naive child’s encounters with a Soviet dictator, the 20th novel by Robert Littell

After the sudden death of his nuclear physicist father and the arrest of his mother during the Stalinist purge of Jewish doctors, young Leon Rozental—intellectually precocious and possessing a disarming candor—is hiding from the NKVD in the secret rooms of the House on the Embankment, a large building in Moscow where many Soviet officials and apparatchiks live and work. One day after following a passageway, Leon meets Koba, an old man whose apartment is protected by several guards. Koba is a high-ranking Soviet officer with troubling insight into the thoughts and machinations of Comrade Stalin.

Through encounters between a naive boy and a paranoid tyrant, Robert Littell creates in Comrade Koba a nuanced portrayal of the Soviet dictator, showing his human side and his simultaneous total disregard for and ignorance of the suffering he inflicted on the Russian people. The charm and spontaneity of young Leon make him an irresistible character—and not unlike Holden Caulfield, whom he admits to identifying with—caught in the spider’s web of the story woven by this enigmatic old man.

Review

Leon’s mother has been arrested by the KGB. Leon is hiding in his apartment complex, The House On the Embankment. He comes across an old man’s apartment one day. This man is heavily guarded but somehow Leon manages to meet the man and they strike up a “friendship”.

I enjoyed reading this point of view about Stalin or Koba, as he is known in this novel. It is extremely unique and interesting. I did not think the author got the children quite right though. I am not exactly sure what is missing. This story also leaves you wanting more at the end. I have mixed feelings about books which do this. However, this left enough to the imagination to determine Leon’s future.

This was not the book I expected when I started reading. I always just barely scan the blurb of a book. I saw the words Stalin and Russia and thought…GREAT… a change of pace. And this was! It was a wonderful change of pace for me. It is very well researched and rich with history. And I am a little torn with looking at Stalin the man and not Stalin the dictator. Very unique indeed.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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Overview

Raised on the sprawling and rugged Wyndcliff Estate near the dangerous coast of South Cornwall, Evelyn Bray lives with her grandfather, a once-wealthy man now reduced to the post of steward. Evelyn is still grieving her father’s death and her mother’s abandonment when a passing ship is dashed against the rocks.

Liam Twethewey is a mere two and twenty when he inherits Wyndcliff Estate from his great uncle. His optimistic plans of opening a china clay pit to employ the estate’s tenants meets unexpected resistance, and rumors of smuggling and illegal activity challenge his newfound authority.

Brought together by troubling questions surrounding the shipwreck, Evelyn and Liam uncover even darker mysteries shrouding the estate. But as they untangle truth from deception, their loyalties separate them—and their budding love might not be strong enough to overcome the distance.

This latest Regency romance from Sarah E. Ladd evokes the captivating worlds and delicious dramas of Jane Austen, Daphne du Maurier, and Winston Graham.

“An expertly woven tale of secrets, danger, and heartfelt romance. A riveting and deeply emotional read.” —Mimi Matthews, USA TODAY bestselling author

Review

Liam has just inherited Wyndcliff Estate. He plans to make this estate profitable. He is investigating opening a China clay pit to help the tenants and the estate survive. However, after a shipwreck, which happened on the shores of Wyndcliff, Liam realizes there is more going on under his nose and he must put a stop to it.

Evelyn is living with her grandfather, the steward of Wyndcliff. She has been living with him since the death of her father and the abandonment of her mother. But, with the arrival of the new owner, Liam, her grandfather has become a different person.

I enjoyed the gothic feel of this read. The strange cliffs, the mysterious shipwrecks, the strange happenings with the tenants really create a good mystery. And the connection between Liam and Evelyn just add fuel to the fire!

This is an enthralling gothic romance. I needed something different and this one hit me at the perfect time.

Need a quick, suspenseful romance…this is it!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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Overview

One City. One Movement. A World of Stories.

Stories from Suffragette City is a collection of short stories that all take place on a single day: October 23, 1915. It’s the day when tens of thousands of women marched up Fifth Avenue, demanding the right to vote in New York City. Thirteen of today’s bestselling authors have taken this moment as inspiration to raise the voices of history and breathe fresh life into their struggles and triumphs.

The characters depicted here, some well-known, others unfamiliar, each inspire and reinvigorate the power of democracy. We follow a young woman who is swept up in the protests when all she expected was to come sell her apples in the city. We see Alva Vanderbilt as her white-gloved sensibility is transformed over the course of the single fateful day. Ida B. Wells battles for racial justice in the women’s suffrage movement so that every woman’s voice can be heard. Each story stands on its own, but together Stories From Suffragette City becomes a symphony, painting a portrait of a country looking for a fight and ever restless for progress and equality.

With an introduction by Kristin Hannah and stories from: 

Lisa Wingate
M.J. Rose
Steve Berry
Paula McLain
Katherine J. Chen
Christina Baker Kline
Jamie Ford
Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Megan Chance
Alyson Richman
Chris Bohjalian
and Fiona Davis

Review

I am not a huge fan of short stories. But this is a book all women should read. It just gives you an idea of what women went through to earn the right to vote. These strong women who went before us and secured this right for all women should never be forgotten and should be honored. You can honor them today by casting your ballot.

Through many trials with their families and their friends, these women succeeded. We should never take this for granted and we should never forget.

Always vote! It is your right!

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BOOK SUMMARY:

RESCUE YOU
Author: Elysia Whisler
ISBN: 9780778310082
Publication Date: October 27, 2020
Publisher: MIRA Books

She needs a fresh start. He’s got scars that haven’t healed. With the help of some rescue dogs, they’ll discover that everyone deserves a chance at happiness.

After a year of heartbreak and loss, the only thing keeping Constance afloat is the dog rescue she works at with her sister, Sunny. Desperate for a change, Constance impulsively joins a new gym, even though it seems impossibly hard, and despite the gym’s prickly owner.

Rhett Santos keeps his gym as a refuge for his former-military brothers and to sweat out his own issues. He’s ready to let the funny redhead join, but unprepared for the way she wiggles past his hard-won defenses.

When their dog rescue is threatened, the sisters fight to protect it. And they need all the help they can get. As Rhett and Constance slowly open up to each other, they’ll find that no one is past rescuing; what they need is the right person—or dog—to save them.

Review

Rhett has some remaining issues left over from a war wound, inside and out. He struggles to overcome so many challenges. Enter Constance… she just shows up at his gym one day and Rhett cannot stop thinking about her.

Give me a good romance with dogs and I am hooked. I enjoyed so much about this novel. I love Rhett and Constance. Rhett has had a rough time of it. Constance is hurting in her own way as well. These two find each other through a gym and tough workouts. They develop a bond and it just gets stronger as the story unfolds.

And don’t forget about Sunny. Sunny is Constance’s sister. She is tough as nails and steals dogs to save their lives…she is a character I truly admire.

Need a good, soul searching romantic interlude….this is it! Grab your copy today! Plus…it has dogs!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

About the Author

Elysia Whisler was raised in Texas, Italy, Alaska, Mississippi, Nebraska, Hawai’i and Virginia, in true military fashion. Her nomadic life has made storytelling a compulsion from a young age. She doubles as a mother, a massage therapist and a CrossFit trainer and is dedicated to portraying strong women, both in life and in her works. She lives in Virginia with her family, including her large brood of cat and dog rescues, who vastly outnumber the humans.

SOCIAL:

Author Website: https://www.elysiawhisler.com/

TWITTER: @ElysiaWhisler

Facebook: @ElysiaWhisler

Insta: @ElysiaWhisler

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19812585.Elysia_Whisler

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Overview

A heartwarming novel about secrets of youth rediscovered, hometown memories, and the magical moments in ordinary lives, from the beloved author of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe

“Reading this novel is like entering a second childhood.”—Kirkus Reviews 

Bud Threadgoode grew up in the bustling little railroad town of Whistle Stop with his mother, Ruth, church-going and proper, and his Aunt Idgie, the fun-loving hell-raiser. Together they ran the town’s popular Whistle Stop Cafe, known far and wide for its fun and famous fried green tomatoes. And as Bud often said of his childhood to his daughter Ruthie, “How lucky can you get?”

But sadly, as the railroad yards shut down and Whistle Stop became a ghost town, nothing was left but boarded-up buildings and memories of a happier time.

Then one day, Bud decides to take one last trip, just to see what has become of his beloved Whistle Stop. In so doing, he discovers new friends, as well as surprises about Idgie’s life, about Ninny Threadgoode and other beloved Fannie Flagg characters, and about the town itself. He also sets off a series of events, both touching and inspiring, which change his life and the lives of his daughter and many others. Could these events all be just coincidences? Or something else? And can you really go home again?

Review

Bud decides to go back home to Whistle Stop one last time. He just wants to revisit old memories. However, it is not as easy as he thought. He meets some new people and has some new experiences which change his life for the better!

I have loved Fannie Flagg forever! But, this book is a little different. This does not feel like or read like a novel. It is a bunch of short stories about the people of Whistle Stop. There is really no plot. It just rambles in places.

The first part of the book jumps time a good bit. It can get confusing on who is who. But, it is still an ok read. It is heartwarming and full of cute characters and southern ways.

I received this copy from the publisher for a honest review.

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