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A sweet cautionary tale as seen through the eyes of a large tortoise for over a century. She goes by many names over the years as the only tortoise on a large estate and is witness to the good and bad in the humans around her as well as the lives of the other animals who live on the estate. She makes several human friends in her lifetime but Lucy, names the tortoise Magic and remains with her throughout her life. Magic sees the estate change owners and purpose from family estate to animal sanctuary and in the last part of her life is given another tortoise as a companion. Through Magic we have insight into a century of wisdom, joy, pain and awareness of her surroundings that most people never take the time to see. A delightful story that begs to be read slowly and pondered as if Magic were reading it. 4 stars 
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In a world that brings to mind ancient Rome a city stands on the brink of disaster. On one side of the city wall stands the old regime of powerful magistrates with their old ways of prophecy and adherence to the Gods ,while the other side stands the rebellion the citizens who have gone without and have been exiled. Luca is on the outside of the walls a legionnaire who becomes a symbol of the resistance. Maris is on the inside, a novice priestess who is forced to take her mother's place as a magistrate after her untimely death. Both know the risk of being together and are desperate to stop the devastation that will come if war continues. Can they trust each other and how they feel about each other to make it through the revolution. Magic, the change of the old ways of priestesses and the gods to new government, friendship turning to love, trust and lots of political upheaval is what is in store for you in this two part story. For fans of the RED RISING series by Pierce Brown, classic Roman tales like I,CLAUDIUS by Robert Graves and romantasy hybrids of ancient power struggles and star-crossed lovers. Adrienne Young's debut will have you wanting book two and more without having to wait. 5 stars  Take an abandoned hotel in Switzerland, an art appraiser that can't get past a mistake as a child that caused her sister's death, magical objects and moving octopus tattoos, a brilliant composer whose mind is trapped in a war where he survived when others did not and add a way to travel back in time to find the truth and that is the basis for THE WHITE OCTOPUS HOTEL but the true beauty of this book is the mystical hotel itself which the author has described down to the last detail. The characters evolve as does Eve and Max's circular relationship as she travels back and forth through the years at the hotel. The story is clever, there is always a touch of the surreal with objects and people appearing at the corner of the eye and I loved how these broken people through guilt and regret found each other. If you have ever touched a wall in an old place and tried to glimpse what life must have been like then you will find the magic and time travel in this book irresistible. For fans of THE WARM HANDS OF GHOSTS and THE LISTENERS. 4 1/2 stars  A memoir-like novel of two generations of women - one born in China and one born in the US. Loo Shu-hsin from her birth in 1925 throughout her life was told that it was too bad she was born a girl because she would have gone far. She hears the cries of "bad bad girl" even through she is exceptionally bright and fortunate to have been given a good education . Loo, now called Agnes, travels to the states to pursue her Phd where her life takes a different path. She meets another Chinese student and after they marry and have children Agnes drops out of the Phd program.
Her story is like that of many women of the day both Chinese and American in that the man rules the household, was the major bread earner and it was the women's duty to put family and home first. When the author is born and is just as outspoken as her mother before her we hear the familiar "bad, bad girl" again. Themes of outspoken daughters forging a new path, mother/daughter relationships and the complexities of straddling two cultures for the promise of a better life are well covered in this deeply personal love letter to her mom and historical story. 4 stars A dual timeline of unusual young women trying to find their way through power struggles and changing times. In Northern Britain the body of a woman is unearthed, thought to be that of a murder victim buried in 1961. Agnes, a forensic bone specialist, is brought in to date and identify the body that ends up dating back all the way to the Roman Age. Agnes is more comfortable with the dead than with social situations with the living but she does her best to solve the mystery even as she gets caught up in a battle between those preserving the peat moss bog and developers who want to build on it. The second voice is of the bog woman herself as she is caught in a power struggle of her own between the old ways and her family's role as druid and the incoming Romans. The third voice is that of the moss and the bog as it ponders why it is given metal objects for nourishment instead of the fruit it wants. Themes of female power struggles, old ways vs. new and the connection of nature and humans as a keeper of secrets and treasure trove of knowledge. The audiobook narration was spot on and what could have been a difficult transition between characters and time periods was seamless. Readers of magical realism, climate change and historical fiction of ancient times will appreciate this. 4 stars  An epic saga the likes of Ken Follett or James Michener featuring the early days of the Tongan Empire in what is now the Polynesian Islands. Survival on these islands means a steady food supply, no devastating storms, strong leadership and avoiding warring tribes from other islands. One island is dying and they must find another island to relocate. Warring islands, power struggles and fear all play a part in this story but at its heart it is the exploration, quest for the unknown and trust that I enjoyed. A strong female leader, island culture, ancient navigation practices using star tattoos and a magical parrot added to the uniqueness of this story. This is not a quick read but it is a captivating look at a culture we know little about. 4 stars  Hard as nails yet compassionate women dependent on the whims of powerful men. Meet the women of the Klondike Gold Rush. Three women make their way against the growing madness, desperation and lust over shiny gold nuggets that has taken over Dawson City. Kate, a journalist, comes alone except for her dog searching for her sister who is in danger. Ellen, a wife little prepared for the rigors of life in the camps, trying to keep ahead of the mounting debt and desperation of her husband's search for gold on their chunk of land. Martha, the hotel owner, who treats her girls like daughters but whose future is threatened by a power hungry landowner bent on taking it all away from her. The savage death of a woman brings these women together to find her killer. Beautifully written, Beth Lewis presents a classic western tale with a fresh perspective. A land of incredible beauty and savagery both from the wilderness itself and those fighting to get rich from it. Readers of LONESOME DOVE and THE PROSPECTORS as well as female driven westerns such as OUTLAWED, LONE WOMEN and HOW MUCH THESE HILLS IS GOLD will find much to love here. I didn't want it to end. 5 stars  Lulu is the perfect 50's housewife - up at the crack of dawn in full makeup and hair, a full breakfast on the table for her husband then spending the rest of the day taking care of the kids, cooking, cleaning, shopping and perfectly lipsticked and put together when her husband comes home to a full dinner. There is only one problem - after the second baby she can't keep up. There are days she barely gets dressed let alone creates a new jello masterpiece and has even served tv dinners! Oh, the horror!. All at once it seems like her husband and the new neighbor, who she doesn't trust, are conspiring to get her "help". She hears rumblings of "hysteria", pills to make her happy and worse. One woman's nightmare of postpartum depression and sleep deprivation makes for a shocking and sad story that feels very believable. Readers of Ellen Marie Wiseman and women centric historical fiction will enjoy this. I always appreciate and recommend reading the discussion questions and author's note at the end. 4 stars  The drama caused by the radio drama "The War of The Worlds" in the states took eleven years before unleashing the same panic in Ecuador. In 1949 violence and panic erupted as people thought they were being attacked by aliens and were in fear for their lives. For one young girl who lost both her parents and has now returned from years at boarding school those events continue to haunt her. For the boy she grew up with and loved the disaster lingers as well. Their families once friends are now enemies. The chapters alternate between two time lines covering friendship, jealousy, a love triangle and the broadcast that changed everything. Emotional and dramatic - a story of love, betrayal and women without a say in their lives that is cross-cultural and timeless. Based on a true story this is historical fiction that will resonate with women. 3 1/2 stars  As WWII rages overseas Virginia is left a widow. Her situation goes from bad to worse when she is the victim of date rape and left pregnant by her attacker. Since he comes from a powerful family in Washington there is no support only danger. She runs to Seattle changing her name so she can begin again and raise her baby in peace. Her apartment complex feels like a refuge but that changes when a murder occurs. With one eye looking over her shoulder she very much wants to help but it will put her in danger once again. Spies, amateur detectives, hitmen, secrets, complex wartime relationships and one tough woman on the run - there is more action going on in these pages than in most full mystery series. Fans of Ken Follett, Graham Moore and Kate Quinn will find much to enjoy here. 4 stars  |
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