Svetlana's Reads and Views

I've actually gotten the idea from talking to my brother-in-law, who mentioned he wanted to visit my blog and see which historical fiction I might recommend. Dedicated to Logan W. for idea If someone is to ask me what kind of historical fiction I would recommend, first of all I might freeze because historical fiction is very broad, and not just in different time periods. I've had a chance to read historical fiction novels that take place about 10,000 years ago to ones that take place in 1980s (ugh why is 1980s historical fiction? Am I that old?) And it's not just time periods, it's also what type of historical fiction one might enjoy. Do you want to read stories that focus more on psychology, drama and intrigue, ones that are detailed, or do you want to read stories that are focused more on fighting and battles? There are no wrong answers in deciding what to read or enjoy. So, what type of period are you interested in? What continent will the time period be set in? ...

In either May or June, stay tuned for a review for this book! Book Description: Feeling a patriotic duty to defend his country after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, seventeen year old, Angelo J. DiMarco, enlists in the U.S. Army. Severely short of frontline fighters, the Army rushes Angelo through Ranger training and sends him to Italy as part of the 1st Ranger Battalion. Their objective: stop the German invasion. Fighting on the front lines in Italy, the German’s teach Angelo a sobering lesson on life when they capture him during the bloody battle of Cisterna. Against insurmountable odds, Angelo miraculously escapes in a way that stretches the imagination. He survives behind enemy lines for over five months, hiding from the Germans and trying to outmaneuver them. He begs for food, sleeps in barns and suffers from many ailments, including dehydration, malnutrition, malaria and exposure to the elements. More Than a Soldier is Angelo DiMarco’s powerful story of survival, re...

Name of Book: The Queen's Maid of Honour Author: Michael Stolle ISBN: 9781530621156 Publisher: Self Published Part of a Series: The French Orphan Type of book: Catholics vs Protestants, King, secret service for king, friendship, 1643, adventures, seduction, goals, revenge, fortuntelling, Oliver Cromwell, the Queen Year it was published: 2016 Summary: The year is 1643. The scheming Cardinal Mazarin is now Prime Minister of France, but on the other side of the Channel, unrest in England grows daily, as civil war is erupting. As the political situation in England deteriorates, the royal court flees London for Oxford, and King Charles is desperate to secure both funding and troops to come to his aid. Mazarin, every bit as devious as his predecessor, Richelieu, engages the services of François de Toucy to save the Queen of England, a former royal princess of France. François and his friends will set sail for England, in a quest to ensure the safety of the queen. ...

Name of Book:  under the Spell of the serenissima Author: Michael Stolle ISBN: 97814942117594 Publisher: Self published Part of a Series: The French Orphan Type of book: 1642 or 1643, Italy, France, travel, friendship, adult, Cardinal Mazarin, ring, the templars, revenge, relationships, trapped Year it was published: 2013 Summary: The third in the French Orphan series follows the exploits of Pierre, former penniless orphan who discovers he is heir to the de Beauvoir inheritance. So far, Pierre has found friends in unexpected places, been surprised by love, learned the true meaning of friendship, discovered the extent of human cunning and depravity and dodged numerous attempts by his closest family member to despatch him to the next world. In Under the Spell of the Serenissima Pierre’s search for the third Templar ring continues, but as ever, his path is not a smooth one. Pierre and Armand, along with Jean and Edoardo, are making for Venice, unaware that ...

Name of Book: The Mourning Ring Author: Sarah Parke ISBN: 9781539635734 Publisher : Self published Type of book: 1832, England, Bronte siblings, fantasy, Angria, Glass Town, kingdom, fairies, secrets, stories, creativity, group effort Year it was published: 2016 Summary: Sixteen-year-old Charlotte Bronte lives to tell stories. She longs to improve her fortunes through her writing. Charlotte’s father expects her to leave behind her childish fantasies in order to set an example for her three younger siblings. But the Bronte children hold a secret in their veins—a smidgeon of fairy blood that can bring their words to life. When Charlotte discovers that the characters from their childish stories exist in an alternate world called Glass Town, she jumps at the opportunity to be the heroine of her own tale. The city of Angria teeters on the brink of civil war and Charlotte and her siblings must use their magic and their wits to save its people from a tyrant with magic...

Name of Book: Shadow of Whimsy Author: Ann Hymes ISBN: 978-1-944962-13-5 Publisher: Secant Publishing Type of book: Massachusetts, fertility issues, love interests, secrets, marriage, relationships, modern times, Cape Cod, life Year it was published: 2016 Summary: Several generations of one family have lived, loved, and lied at Whimsy Towers, a unique oceanfront house in Chatham, Massachusetts. Strong women who refuse to be suffocated by marriage have found excitement and refuge in this house filled with artists and parties. Love surfaces in unexpected ways. The newest owner, Theresa Alston Crandall, has just inherited the property and leaves her too-predictable husband in Virginia to spend time on the Cape and unravel family secrets and history. She swims, reflects, explores, and watches dramatic cloud formations float high over the ocean as she sorts through the choices in her path forward. Romance arrives in the form of a young widower and landscape gardener w...

Title of the book:Assata Shakur; a 20th century Escaped Slave Author: Barbara Casey Publisher: Strategic media Books Publishing Date: 2017 ISBN: 978-1939521606 Summary: In May 1973, Assata Olugbala Shakur was involved in a shootout on the New Jersey Turnpike in which she was accused of killing New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster and assaulting Trooper James Harper. This resulted in her indictment of first-degree murder of Foerster and seven other felonies related to the shootout. A member of the Black Panther Party, she became a prime target of the Federal Bureau of Investigations Counterintelligence Program. When she joined the Black Liberation Army and went into hiding, between 1973 and 1977, she was placed on the FBIs Most Wanted List for three bank robberies, the kidnapping and murder of two drug dealers, and the attempted murder of two New Jersey police officers. In March 1977 Assata Shakur was convicted of murdering state trooper Werner Forrester and was impri...

Name of Book: The Last Chance Matinee Author: Mariah Stewart ISBN: 978-15015991-6 Publisher: Gallery Books Part of a Series: The Hudson Sisters Trilogy Type of book: Yoga, healthy eating, life changes, secrets, sisterhood, relationships, women's fiction, Pennsylvania, contemporary times, renovating, details, slow build, building relationships Year it was published: 2017 Summary: From New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart comes the first novel in her all-new series, The Hudson Sisters, following a trio of reluctant sisters as they set out to fulfill their father’s dying wish. In the process, they find not only themselves, but the father they only thought they knew. When celebrated and respected agent Fritz Hudson passes away, he leaves a trail of Hollywood glory in his wake—and two separate families who never knew the other existed. Allie and Des Hudson are products of Fritz’s first marriage to Honora, a beautiful but troubled starlet whose life en...

Title of the book:  Mama's Knight; a cancer story of love Author: Aurora Whittet Publisher: Wise Ink Publishing Publishing Date: 2016 ISBN: 978-1-945769-08-5 Summary: Once upon a time . . . It’s how all heroes begin their story, and you’re a hero, too! Your mama has cancer, and it’s a scary journey, but you can help your mama just by being you—special, wonderful, YOU. Your mama loves you just the way you are. You are your mama’s knight. Mama’s Knight: A Cancer Story of Love is an emotional toolbox that can help kids and parents communicate about what it means for Mama to have cancer. The book is filled with tools and activities designed to make coping with illness easier on both parent and child, and can be personalized for each child. Author Info: (From iRead Book Tours) Meet the Author: ​ Aurora Whittet started out as a wild red-haired girl in Minnesota dreaming up stories for her friends to read. Today, she has completed Bloodmark, Bloodrealms, and Bloo...

Name of Book: The Confessions of Young nero Author: Margaret George ISBN: 978-0-451-47338-7 Publisher: Berkley Books Type of book: Rome, Emperor Nero, 40 ME-64? ME, Acte, creativity, torn, secrets, poisonings, marriages, tradition vs innovation, changes, life, love, mentoring, passion Year it was published: 2017 Summary: The New York Times bestselling and legendary author of Helen of Troy and Elizabeth I now turns her gaze on Emperor Nero, one of the most notorious and misunderstood figures in history. Built on the backs of those who fell before it, Julius Caesar's imperial dynasty is only as strong as the next person who seeks to control it. In the Roman Empire no one is safe from the sting of betrayal: man, woman or child. As a boy, Nero's royal heritage becomes a threat to his very life, first when the mad emperor Caligula tries to drown him, then when his great aunt attempts to secure her own son's inheritance. Faced with shocking acts of treachery...

Name of Book: The Varangian Author: Bruce McBain ISBN: 978-1-943075-24-9 Publisher : Blank Slate Press Part of a Series: Odd Tangle-Hair's Saga Type of book: Greece, 1037-1042, guard, castration, control, Constantinople, Sicily, war, ruling, siblings, power, peasantry, emperors, empresses, Varangians, eunuchs, secret religions Year it was published: 2016 Summary: The Varangianis the final entry in Bruce Macbain's Odd Tangle-Hair Saga and brings Odd's challenging adventures to a climactic and satisfying finish. On a secret diplomatic mission to the Emperor's court in Miklagard, the Viking's name for Constantinople, Odd meets the members of the fearsome Varangian Guard whose elite Viking members served as the Emperor's personal bodyguards. Harald, his former master and the man he's been sent to murder, now serves among the guards. Court intrigue and imperial dynastic disputes provide the backdrop for the conflict between Odd and Harald. L...