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Life for the ancient Greek women was difficult with all the testosterone everywhere - battles, politics and bad behavior was the norm. If Helen had the face that launched 1,000 ships and caused a fragile political ecosystem to fall apart then her sister Clytemnestra had the brains and patience to put it back together again. Married off to a tyrant, she lost almost everything waiting for the perfect time to strike back. These fierce Spartan women trained as warriors but were married off and told they had nothing more to offer than give their husbands children. The could take away their voice but not their brains. This is for every woman who thought that the Greek classics were a bit slanted towards the men. Meet the real women of Sparta. 4 stars 
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Nicole meets the man of her dreams and after a few years they move from London back to his family home in Lagos, Nigeria. Nicole has everything at her disposal - a nanny for their two boys, a lavish home and plenty of money for shopping and socializing with her group of expat wives called the Nigerwives. Still she doesn't like how her husband feels distant and his family all cater to the alpha male, her father-in-law and his "my way or the highway" attitude. Suddenly, Nicole disappears after going on a day trip with friends. Did she run off or did someone kill her? Nicole's aunt arrives to get some answers and seems to be the only one concerned. With no body how will they know for sure and it seems the police don't want to rock the boat with this important family. Clever debut that speaks to the loneliness some feel when trying to fit into another country's culture and the frustration for those who seek answers and get caught up in politics instead. Sometimes living a life of privilege is not all it is cracked up to be. 4 stars  Violet wants to be a scribe anything other than a dragon rider but with a general for a mom and a brave dragon rider sister there isn't a choice. There certainly isn't much of a chance she will get through the entry contest let alone get paired with a dragon and survive training. Not only is she less than 100% physically ready to do the challenge but most of the other contestants want her to fail (and by fail I mean die). Alliances are made. Challenges are met and a new warrior is born. Those who can't handle the heat are dragon toast. The characters all work for me, the relationship both mental and physical between dragons and their chosen riders is well developed and there is a bad boy romance. This new fantasy series is for those of us who thought the GAME OF THRONES dragons got a raw deal and readers who enjoyed the battles and political backstabbing of HUNGER GAMES and RED RISING. Works for older YA readers and adults won't be embarrassed to show the cover. Ready for the next installment now. 4 1/2 stars  A violent and gory spin on The Little Mermaid fairy tale. A mermaid leaves the sea to live on land with the man she loves but she does not get the fairy tale ending. Years later her daughters have bled and burned the kingdom down forcing the mermaid to flee with a somber doctor hiding behind a plague mask. They hunt and become the hunted when they run into a nightmarish group of bloodthirsty kids who are tortured and torture others in a village controlled by bizarre surgeons. The story is written in a fairytale style yet it definitely falls into the horror category. Not for those looking for a Disney reboot but it is a prime example of blending genres. 3 stars  A multi-generational story that is centered in Kerala India. It is considered to be a beautiful place but also the cursed scene of an abundance of drownings. Abraham Verghese's prose is as lush as the surroundings and spanning over 75 years we get a complete history of Kerala and arranged marriages, the caste system, British rule and colonialism, the mix of three religions and importance placed on education. The book is huge and while I enjoyed the beginning over the end and learning about the natural beauty and the strange drownings it was still a bit of a challenge. For readers that appreciate a James Michener-esque deep dive approach to a country and its people. 3 1/2 stars  Maggie lives and works in a fascinating place - the Tower of London. Her father is a Beefeater and she has lived there long enough to know better than to leave her underwear hanging on a line or closing her window from prying tourist eyes but sometimes she forgets where she is. She would also love to avoid the cellar stair's playful yet determined ghosts but it is her job and this is her life after a breakup with a giant jerk and her decision to move back home with dad. She still believes in love and a fairytale ending. When a drop dead gorgeous new guard arrives who is the embodiment of Prince Charming she starts to think maybe wishes do come true. Now all Maggie has to do is make him see that she is interested in more than friendship and being one of the boys. This checks off all the boxes for me - a feel good romance, a realistic slightly off kilter heroine with a good heart, an unusual setting and a treasure trove of historical trivia about the Tower. Witty, interesting and full of heavy happy sighs you will be rooting for Maggie all the way. On a side note, I really loved the back story of the Ravenmaster. 4 stars  As someone who has visited and appreciated the wild natural beauty of the Hawaiian Islands several times I thought I was being a good visitor respecting the islands and the islander's culture. I was wrong because I was seeing it through the eyes of a vacationer. This multi-generational story is centered around a strong family in Hilo with a proud heritage of community leadership and skill in storytelling through dancing the hula. From Hulali, Laka and Hi'i who have all competed for the right to be named Miss Aloha Hula which is the highest honor given to this ancient art and are proud of their heritage. With the addition of Hi'i they will all question what it means to be Hawaiian and who should be given the right to that heritage. While part of the story is about the up and down dynamics of their family and extended aunties and uncles of Hilo it is also very much a call to arms. The native people of Hawaii are fighting a culture war to save The Kingdom and their history from being erased as well as no longer content waiting forever for the US government to make good on broken promises on giving back inherited land while freely giving away the rights to further unwanted tourism. Something to remember the next time you have a drink at a resort's tiki hut while watching the luau show. All that calm natural beauty cast against the upheaval created by humans drawing a line in the sand. I also listened to the audiobook version for the correct pronunciation and to truly enjoy the melodic Hawaiian phrasing and distinct voice which was handled beautifully. For fans of historical stories of the islands involving native populations such as MOLOKA'I and RED SKY OVER HAWAII. 4 1/2 stars  An in-depth look at the 10 weeks of planning that led to the march on Birmingham Alabama which in 1963 was the epitome of segregation, violence and racial tension. Journalist Paul Kix gives us a wonderful background of the key players and also some of the lesser known events that led to the shift from peaceful marches and sit-ins to forcing the revolution that would finally lead to real change. In his "fly on the wall" writing style we are able to understand the background and character of a broad group of people instead of just spitting facts. Using new interviews and information just released to the public we can feel like we were in the room and on the street amidst the violence. It is a fitting tribute to their sacrifice and leadership and one we still strive to follow 60 years later. 4 stars  There is something very comforting ,like wearing a pair of worn slippers, about reading a Dr. Ruth Galloway mystery. Ruth teaches archeology at a British University and sadly just learned that they are letting go of the department. Her side gig is helping the police as a consultant when bones are unearthed and since a skeleton has just been found behind an old wall Ruth is once again called upon to figure out who they belong to. This case involves a student who went missing years ago after she was on an archeological field trip. It is even closer to home since one of the last people to see this girl is a friend of Ruth's and the partner of one of the police officers on the case. The side story is we are no closer to closure on Ruth and DI Nelson's on again/off again romantic entanglements and a possible vie for Ruth's attentions. Elly Griffiths excels in taking a modern police procedural and mixing it up with ancient ruins, druids and all sorts of interesting folklore. The burning question for some fans was not who killed Emily and stuck her behind the wall but are Ruth and Nelson ever going to be together but that dear reader is for you to puzzle out on your own. Fans of her other Ruth Galloway books and tv series as well as those of us who enjoy a cozier mystery but with intensity will certainly be satisfied. 4 stars  Dennis Lehane delivers another one two much in this taunt story of life in 70's South Boston just as forced busing and a powder keg of racial hatred is about to burst into flame. Mary Pat has played by the Irish neighborhood code her whole life as have her neighbors but now that her teen daughter is missing the same night that a young black man is savagely killed, she starts to wonder why. Tight lips tell her nothing and she knows the police won't do anything anyway so she uses her own influence to get information about her daughter. One caring detective wants Mary Pat to back down and is trying to bring in the people responsible but as more of the story comes to light both are powerless to stop what has already been set in motion. One thing is certain, never underestimate a mom protecting her young. Based on his own experiences growing up in South Boston the author gives us a gut punch that is both tender and brutal. This will appeal to die hard crime readers as easily as those who want a snapshot of history with deep characters. One of his best. 4 1/2 stars  |
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