Svetlana's Reads and Views

 Name of Book: Author: ISBN: Publisher: Part of a Series: Type of book: vampires, dark,  LGBtQ+ romances, romantasy, power, blood, adult content, fantasy, love triangle, throuple, MFM relationship, female to male trans character  Year it was published: Summary: Characters: Main characters are Shan LeClaire, Samuel Hutchins and Isaac De La Cruz. I don't think their personalities have really changed from the previous books. Shan continues to plot and scheme; Isaac continues to be obsessed with power and to dominate, and Samuel continues to be the conscience for Isaac and Shan. The arcs are definitely a lot more high stakes, and there are more fascinating secondary characters in terms of Shan's brother, Anton and the Eternal King. Anton is a complicated character who is put into a very position, that of a minority afforded more privileges than many of his ilk do. Eternal King could be worked on a lot more, and I am definitely curious as to why the Eternal King is so obsessed...

 Name of Book: Author: ISBN: Publisher: Part of a Series: Type of book: Dark, romance, fantasy, romantasy, immigrant narrative, foreigner narrative, female to male trans character, LGBtQ+ romances, immortality, blood, cutting, vampires, gothic  Year it was published: Summary: Characters: Main characters are Shan and Samuel, although I would argue that Isaac should also have been one of the main characters as well. Shan is a half foreigner and comes from a disgraced bloodline and also has an Unblooded twin brother. She is the leader and seems to have strong yet fragile self control in trying to hold on to so many elements in her life, from her family life to her work life. She is highly ambitious and determined to reach her goals, no matter the cost she will incur from her actions. Samuel is an Unblooded human who seems to be extremely naïve and due to a mysterious power he has, he is hesitant and afraid of letting other people enter his heart. He seems to be a complete foil to...

  Title of the book: Author: Publisher: Publishing Date: ISBN: Summary: Author Info: Personal Opinion: Before I begin the review, I need to ask myself what I was expecting from the book? I was fortunate that in the past I read nonfiction fiction that are very entertaining, valuable and makes it easy for lay reader to explore themes and ideas within the pages, thus I was expecting lively writing and stories on how things are related to one another as well as background on different animals. While I got that, most of the focus was on creating the ideal tree of life, and avoiding common pitfalls which seemed a lot like a textbook and took some charm away. The second half, when the author traces human's family tree all the way to LUCA (Last Unknown Common Ancestor) was definitely entertaining for me. I liked learning different facets of biological history and how loosely we are related to others, but I did feel that focusing on the tree of life detracted a bit from that.  This was...

  Title of the book: Author: Publisher: Publishing Date: ISBN: Summary: Author Info: Personal Opinion: If it was up to me, I would personally buy and mail this book to people I know because its just that good. For the curious reader its not a progressive book that ignores or dehumanizes those of European origins that also uses the words "white privilege" but instead it calls upon poor people no matter race or religion or creed and gives us hope and an action plan to follow and unspools from our eyes the ugliness that has been fed to us for centuries. The chapters are extremely well researched that are dotted with difficult lessons as well as anecdotes and more than anything its a unifying book rather than divisive one, and both sides of the parties are called out for failure. I definitely dream that the author's words will one day be put into action instead of just being on paper.  This was given for review 5 out of 5 (0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia ...

  Title of the book: Author: Publisher: Publishing Date: ISBN: Summary: Author Info: Personal Opinion: I don't know how to start this review, besides the fact I loved the book to pieces (my 9 year old son who has a Chinese heritage also loved listening to the summaries) but I think I will start with my own anecdote.  Not far from where I live is a historical farm that I visit once a year or so and right across from the historical buildings is a road with modern day cars driving through as well as numerous shops.  First time I saw it, there is something poignant in seeing modern day when one is on historical grounds, and that moment continues to haunt me still. While intimate with anecdotes about various villagers that lived and made their homes within the village, there is the same emotion of poignancy watching progress and seeing the community begin to disappear. The past doesn't appear with rose colored glasses in THE ARTISANS, but knowing the progress and the future do...

  Title of the book: Author: Publisher: Publishing Date: ISBN: Summary: Table of Contents: Introduction Part I:Slavery and Antislavery The Rise and Fall of American Slavery 2011 The Slave Ship 2008 American Slavery: The First Two Centuries 1999 The Line 2024 Washington and Slavery 2019 Inside the Largest Slave Auction 2018 Israel Hill 2004 States Rights and Fugitive Slaves 2015 Lincoln and Brown 2020 Lincoln and Douglass 2007 Part II: The Civil War and Reconstruction Death and Meaning in the Civil War 2008 The Civil War in "post Racial" America 2011 The Emancipation of Abraham Lincoln 2012 On Jefferson Davis 2000 The Making and the Breaking of the legend of Robert E Lee 2017 Longstreet 2023 The War within the confederacy 2010 Why Reconstruction matters 2015 Donald Trump's Unconstitutional Dreams 2018 We should embrace the ambiguity of the 14th amendment 2018 Boston's Black activists 2012 Colfax 2008 When the court chooses the president 2004 Part III: Jim Crow America ...

  Title of the book: Author: Publisher: Publishing Date: ISBN: Summary: Author Info: Personal Opinion: Although I know its for adults, I read it to mine 9 year old son who loves science. There are a few situations that I didn't feel comfortable about, namely the Zyklon B or the abortifacient that was used by Indigenous women as well as the intimacy, (Am not blaming the author nor the book) but aside from that, I would imagine any curious middle grade to preteen child will enjoy learning about insects as well as the power they have had over humanity. Having said that, I also enjoyed the read because of the amazing amount of knowledge that's packed into the pages. The story begins with the history of insects, narrated by a woman to her younger brother. In a short time the phone beeps and we move on to a New York without humanity where the insects travel to the library to explore more about themselves. (My son had two important questions: "What happened to the humans", a...

 Name of Book: Author: ISBN: Publisher: Type of book: Brazil, Indigenous populations, 1871, children,  prepubescents, Germany, royalty, diaries, cultures, tales, connections, contemporary, pictures,  Year it was published: Summary: Characters: Its definitely interesting to note that if one was to ask me the powerful aspect of the book, they wouldn't be the characters. The characters are there, such as Ina-e, a young woman who is twelve and is all too happy to live within her tribe. She is also a twin (strange because I am certain that in Indigenous Tribes twins are seen as a curse?) and is seen as powerful because a panther has looked after her when she got lost from her family. There is also the Indigenous boy who comes from a rival tribe and was captured and also given to the German scientists who is older than Ina-e. There are the German scientists, one a weak but kind-hearted man while another is more adventurous and best described as greedy. And yes a jaguar/panther ...

  Name of Book: Author: ISBN : Publisher : Type of book: 2018, history, past, Germany, Swtizerland, travel, mountains, wealth, faux wealth, drugs,  alcohol, mother/son relationship, absurd situations  Year it was published: Summary: Characters: Main characters are Christian and his mother as well as his dead father. Christian is (perhaps) a fifty something man who believes his mother will die and he goes back to spend some time with her for her 80th birthday and decides to take a trip to Switzerland. While he and his mother are traveling, he is feeling guilt for his past, his family history and of unknown past. His mother is a drug addict alcohol drinking 80 year old woman. She is daughter of a Nazi and often makes Christian feel guilty and diminishes his value. She loves stories though, is strong headed and determined to get rid of the ill gotten money. His dead father is a socialist/communist who was polar opposite of his wife but who also plays a silent part in Christi...

  Name of Book: Author: ISBN: Publisher: Part of a Series: Sequel to How to Become Dark Lord and Die Trying (Dark Lord David duology) Type of book: Fantasy, humor, earth girl stuck in fantasy novel, relationships, love, another world, battles, war, friendships  Year it was published: Summary: Characters: There are old favorites and new in this book. Main characters would be Davi and Tsav as well as the new friends in terms of Johann who is Davi's on and off ex in previous lifetimes and his husband Matthias who is related to an evil duke. There is also Cyrus one of the founders. Davi continues to show off her personality as she gets closer and closer to Tsav and she also learns a bit about her past and herself. Tsav definitely seems to take a backseat and seems to be more of a prop for Davi in my opinion although she does make her feelings and wishes known. Johann is best described as hypersexual yet someone on marijuana and is very similar to Davi?  And Matthias is highly...

   Name of Book: Author: ISBN: Publisher: Type of book: Relationships, connections, contemporary times, 2020s, mother/daughter relationship, Minnesota, ghosts, mysteries, secrets  Year it was published: Summary: Characters: Main characters would be Alice and Fern. Alice is the mother who does miniatures and comes from an abusive household. Alice is very afraid of a lot of things and quite often doesn't allow for Fern to have a stable life or community. I also get the sense that the two are more like sisters than mother and daughter. Fern is a precocious, curious and can see ghosts. She also loves mysteries and often tries to fit them into her real life. The side characters include Noel, Alice's love interest who is a medieval historian and is into monks as well as the landlady, the mermaid lady, a soldier and a psychic, and, eventually, a ghost who is a con artist and is looking for her sister.  Theme: There is a connection between everything Plot: The story is in th...

  Title of the book: Author: Publisher: Publishing Date: ISBN: Summary: Author Info: Personal Opinion: This is something close and personal to my heart, in particular since I share ancestry and parentage of the people within the book, thus this is a very personal topic for me. Coming in from Soviet Union as part of the 90s diaspora, I learned the hard way that prejudices aren't eliminated but are hidden inside. Thus the explosion of Jew hatred (or Judophobia as I will call it in my blog instead of antisemitism) didn't surprise me, but saddened me instead. Yet, how quickly the world and American Jews forget the Judophobia that existed throughout the few centuries, and how it didn't go away at all but instead it felt as if we were the ostriches seeking a moment's reprieve amongst the hatred. As the title implies, the narrative focuses on Judophobia from earliest colonial times and remarks to post October 7th 2023, thus besides the Judophobia there is little history of Jew...

  Title of the book: Author: Publisher: Publishing Date: ISBN: Summary: Author Info: Personal Opinion: I love reading science books where I can learn fascinating new facts that I hadn't known before, and this book is just full of them! Every piece of inhospitable corner, from light to darkness to cold to heat is just overflowing with a lot of eye opening information on the type of life that survives and thrives in these harsh conditions, giving me hope that life can and will overcome adversity. I loved learning about various species that made these extremes their homes, practically all of them I hadn't known or heard of before. If you are looking to learn new scientific facts about life as well as endless possibilities of what we can learn about about ourselves and life, then this is a book to be treasured and enjoyed.  This was given for review 4 out of 5 (0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forgettable, 4: Go...

  Title of the book: Author: Publisher: Publishing Date: ISBN: Summary: Author Info: Personal Opinion: I was really excited about reading this book. I was excited to see the fairytales and their not so beautiful parts which is what I got. I was also excited to learn that the author knew about Howard Schwartz, the Jewish folklorist. What I enjoyed about the book are diversity of fairytales from almost all continents ( did she include any Australian/Aboriginal stories?) There are about 25 stories and they are very diverse, coming in from places as far as South America, different parts of Asia, Central America, Europe and even some Indigenous peoples. And yes there is a Jewish folktale. A lot of folktale are also unforgettable and there is a lot of passion from the author. What I didn't like is the commentary, references to modern day life that I don't understand and references to stories that don't even appear in the book. The style is this: first the author retells the fairy...

   Name of Book: Author: ISBN: Publisher: Part of a Series: Type of book: Fantasy, desert, colonialism, royalty, military, war, religion, hidden worlds  Year it was published: Summary: Characters: From some chapters that  I read the main characters are Luca, Touraine and yes, Pruett, Touraines former lover. The characters do grow and change parts of themselves as the story goes, questioning and wondering if their choices are the right ones. And yes they do make very questionable decisions.  Theme: It's possible to grow and mature  Plot: Story is in third person narrative from what seems like everyone's point of view, although the primary characters were Touraine and Luca, and Touraines former lover Pruett. I also will mention that one should read this immediately after reading THE UNBROKEN. Because there is no summary at the front at what to expect. It honestly felt as if the characters had matured and grown from some parts I have read and seen, yet the sto...

   Name of Book: Author: ISBN: Publisher: Part of a Series: Type of book: Italy, family, 1950-1951, six months, travel, affair, work, old vs new, diary, breaking society's roles  Year it was published: Summary: Characters: Main characters are Valeria and her family. There is Valeria who is longing to be more than just a housewife, but she feels constrained by society and her family to remain as she is. She is also dealing with a lot of changes when it comes to her family and society. While Valeria is struggling with roles and family obligations, HER husband DESIRES to have a change of career and to be more than he is, a mere provider. Her son wants to leave for Argentina and quite often is old fashioned on his views, especially as it relates to his younger sister. The youngest sister, Mirella, is perhaps a modern day girl who wants to break out of the societal constraints by working and having an affair with a married man.  Theme: It's amazing what diaries can reveal...

   Name of Book: Author: ISBN: Publisher: Part of a Series: Type of book: 1983, New York, Paris, 1980s to 2020s, counselling, winter, seasons, lost in language, colors, modeling, lost innocence  Year it was published: Summary: Characters: Main character is the sixteen year old girl, an unnamed narrator who sought fame but paid the price. She is from Scandinavia and lives in New York with her mother. However, one day she catches a photographer's eye and thus begins the story of bildungsroman and lost innocence. She often tiptoe a lot during the book, having the reader go on wild goose chases, at the same time the prose and revelations become less and less shocking as story goes on. There is also the girls mother who acts more as a sister than a mother and who is afraid of exerting her own authority.  Theme: Memory and experiences create strength and fragility  Plot: The story is in first person narrative from the girls point of view, and yes the time jumps around...

  Title of the book: Author: Publisher: Publishing Date: ISBN: Summary: Author Info: Personal Opinion: I am truly and honestly speechless when it comes to this book, and I mean in a good way. Written as both incorporating poetry and science, this is both a deep meditation and filled with facts and wonders about what we can learn from Earths history. Its definitely easy to take earths building blocks for granted. They were always there, and I doubt many people think of the how and why earth is the way it is. ( at least in my case, I admit.) However, upon reading Strata, I gained a lot of appreciation of how and why earth became the way it did. Starting from the time of Great Oxygenation Event about 2.5 billion years ago, and skipping to "snowball earth" 720 million years ago then to plants and mud 458 million years ago and at last to heat or time before dinosaurs 252 million years ago, I doubt readers will find the book boring or disappointing. If you are seeking something for...

    Name of Book: Author: ISBN: Publisher: Type of book: Medieval, England, 1152, fantasy, magic, angels, wizardry, manipulation, villages, kidnapping, shapeshifters, friends  Year it was published: Summary: Characters: Main character includes Once Was Willem, a preteen boy that died at a young age but then gets resurrected. There are plenty of secondary characters such as Once Was Willems friends like the shapeshifters Anna and her brother Kel, Unsung Jill, and Morjune. Although The story is from Once Was Willems point of view, I feel that we don't really get to know him as well the other characters. He is definitely wise for his years and isn't big on others suffering. Kel is a shapeshifter from the North who is capable of transforming into a bear and he has strong moral principles about right and wrong. Anna is his half sister but is extremely passionate and devoted to him and his wellbeing. Morjune was a healer and a magician of sorts who is accused of witchcraft. She...

    Name of Book: Author: ISBN: Publisher: Type of book: 2010s? Thanksgiving, theater, relationships, power, #MeToo, New York, wandering, quirky characters, drugs  Year it was published: Summary: Characters: Main characters would definitely be Mona and Milton. Mona is an extremely talented theater actress who is dealing with a lot in her life such as getting the role of Cleopatra, her family and her decisions throughout the years, especially as it relates to her beloved mentor Milton Katz. Mona is one of the characters that is either liked or hated and is very prickly towards other characters, or else doesn't see the nuances. She also does drugs casually and feels incapable of facing up to stressful situations. Milton is Monas mentor and a theater director who is capable of working magic and pulling it out using old fashioned ways that will involve a lot of #MeToo. It feels as if there really wasn't a redemption arc built into his story, while I feel as if there should ha...

 Name of Book: Author: ISBN: Publisher: Part of a Series: Type of book: 2014, India, Indian male/American female relationship, identity, purpose, movies, media, celebrations, Indian life, caste, unspoken things, brutality, stereotypes, philosophy, friendships, chances  Year it was published: Summary: Characters: There are a lot of characters, but main ones I will focus on are Naren, Rohit and Amanda. I would say that Amanda and Rohit literally stole the novel. Naren is a smart man who often questioned his role and race while living in USA.  Seriously, there is very little of him in the book. Rohit is Narens younger brother who wants to discover the identity and himself, even at the cost of his friendships. He is best described as impulsive, talented, creative, and at times trying his best, especially towards Amanda. Amanda is slightly older than Rohit and I hate saying this, but she is a very typical and naive American woman, often applying American thoughts and ideas to ...

 Name of Book: Author: ISBN: Publisher: Part of a Series: Type of book: Germany, 1917-1918, trench warfare, meaning of war, reality of war, death, contrast, friendship, military, soldier life  Year it was published: Summary: Characters: While there are plenty of characters, two of the ones that really struck me are Paul and Kat show were in the same unit. Paul used to have passion for literature and had hoped to become a teacher before getting caught up in the Great War. Still he philosophies and often asks incredibly difficult questions that cannot be easily answered. Kat is Paul's mentor who is resourceful and has a soft spot for Paul. Quite often it's because of Kat that Paul and his unit are capable of surviving the downs of war.  Theme: What is the point of war?  Plot: The story is told in first person narrative from Paul's point of view, from the time they got an unexpected bounty of food up until a calm day at the end of the novel. The story focuses a great de...

  Title of the book: Author: Publisher: Publishing Date: ISBN: Summary: Author Info: Personal Opinion: Few years ago my son became friends with a boy whose family is from Iran,and I grew fascinated with Persian culture and when I learned about Shahnameh, I quickly jumped to read and review this epic. I think what I thought was that the story would make a brief mention of my ancestors who have lost their land to Persians thousands of years ago, and I also hoped to see historical figures that frightened the Ptolemaic rulers of Egypt. While I was disappointed neither of my hopes were realized, I was not disappointed to be introduced to the stories of valiant kings, both fictional and historical who have left such amazing tales in their wake, long after the beauty of Persian culture has succumbed to Islam. The story reads more as a prose than poetry, although one does get poetry too.  The story is also divided into two parts: the longest focusing on ancient mythology, and shortest...

 Name of Book: Author: ISBN: Publisher: Part of a Series: Kingdom of Oak and Steel Type of book: Fantasy, secrets, detective, hierarchy, Intelligence, guesswork, royalty, the mysterious disease, magic, fantasy religion  Year it was published: Summary: Characters: Main characters are Sargent Holt Hawley, often called Hawley; Enelda Drake and Lady Iveta Snowsill. Hawley is an orphan who is principled and often does right things that could lead him to trouble. He is also disgraced and isn't of the Blood, which implies he is on the lower end of hierarchy. He is determined and does the best he can with what he has. Enelda Drake is the Last Vigilant and is often ten steps ahead of Hawley. She is intelligent, a willing recluse yet something of the past is left in her. She and Hawley don't get along, especially in terms of her excusing the religion from bad qualities. Iveta is a ward and companion to Kings true daughter. She is generous, questioning and is capable of putting others ah...

   Title of the book: Author: Publisher: Publishing Date: ISBN: Summary: Author Info: Personal Opinion: There was plenty to love and enjoy about THESE TRUTHS: the philosophical arrays into the meaning of citizenry and personhood, the writing style that is designed for a layperson, and the ending point of 2016 as well as focus on political parties. While I enjoyed these parts a lot, I found myself being unsatisfied with certain elements such as the constant focus on slavery, treating other races as mere tokens instead of people with their own stories, the lack of glossary or mention of presidential list which made it harder to identify the time the events took place. The author also glazed over some events while on others she dug very deeply, and for readers who are seeking a generalized or beginner history, then this will be a poor fit. I understand that this is the authors right to include and exclude as she feels, and she mentions it as well, but I feel in certain parts a st...

  Name of Book: Red Water  Author: Jurica Pavicic (trans Matt Robinson)  ISBN:  9781916725157 Publisher: Bitter Lemon Press Type of book: Croatia, Dalmatian Coast, 1989-2017, mystery, disappearance, secret, small life, the war, breaking communism, siblings, determination, affects of disappearance  Year it was published: 2017 (2025) Summary: A woman disappears after a beach party, and the search for her reveals Croatia's complex history well beyond the fall of Communism. Silva is beautiful and cheeky, she has many admirers; but the police investigation reveals a more complex young woman than her family knew—a  high school student who dabbles in drugs and deals in heroin. But Silva’s brother loves her and stubbornly continues the search for her amid the upheavals of Croatian society. The following years will see the fall of communism and five long years of war. It will be almost 30 years till Silva’s fate is revealed.  "This finely engineered, ...

 Name of Book: Author: ISBN: Publisher: Type of book: 2000s-2060s, travel, siblings, Buenos Aires, music, art, Paris, speed of light, Europe, Asia, South America, talent, destruction, survival  Year it was published: Summary: Characters: The main characters characters would be Nina and Jeremias Goldstein. Both are best described as creative and adrenaline type junkies, Nina when it comes to romance, and Jeremias towards music. Nina often loves to show the figurative middle finger to the world. Jeremias is lost to the world and seems to be more of follower than leader. There are a few secondary characters like the "editor" Angelica Oshiro as well as Matthias who has decided to travel to gaza and the siblings extremely uncaring and absentminded mother.   Theme: Be ready for the future  Plot: The story is in first person narrative from Ninas and Jeremias points of view, although most of the story is of Nina. The tale begins in Buenos Aires in early 2000s as we get ...

 Name of Book: Author: ISBN: Publisher: Part of a Series: Type of book: North, war, politics, fantasy, Sutherners, Anakim, Albion, fighting, weapons, harshness, autumn to spring  Year it was published: Summary: Characters: Main characters include Roper, Bellamus and Uvoren. At the start Roper seems to be a naive youth who is in shock at the sudden death of his father, and he makes a right but highly unpopular decision. However, throughout the book Roper grows and becomes a bit more ruthless towards his adversaries, even going against the wisdom. Bellamus is a human upstart who is on the side of antagonist and who is also very ambitious but has experience in handling the capricious and mercurial queen of his country. Uvoren had a high position as a Sacred Guardsman and enjoyed popularity and isn't above taking advantage of Ropers naivete or else backstabbing. It is interesting to note that despite his despicable deeds, he had some sort of boundaries towards Roper.   T...

 Name of Book: Author: ISBN: Publisher: Part of a Series: Type of book: Based on Moby Dick, 1849-1905, Nantucket, Massachusetts, quest, South America, Europe, generational trauma, repetition cycle, travel, female-centric,  Year it was published: Summary: Characters: Main characters are Evangeline, Rachel, Mara and Antonia. Evangeline begins the story in 1849, when her husband is lost but she refuses to acknowledge the truth. She is charming, filled with secrets and is lonely. At the same time Evangeline wants to focus on present rather than worry about tomorrow, especially as it pertains to her future family. Rachel is Evangeline's daughter and she is curious, determined and wants to find out the truth badly, which causes her to make some questionable choices and decisions. Mara is Rachel's daughter and she is a lot like Rachel yet towards the end she also exhibits a lot of Evangeline's characteristics. Antonia is Mara's daughter and it is up to her and her grandfather ...

    Title of the book: Author: Publisher: Publishing Date: ISBN: Summary: Author Info: Personal Opinion: When one says Egypt, I imagine that the Egypt that is imagined is one of ancient pyramids and pharaohs or Alexander the Great, or Egypt of Cleopatra, Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. But Egypt that's not often thought about is one between Alexander the Great and Cleopatra; the Egypt of Ptolomies. This is the time period that is covered in this book, a bridge between ancient Egypt and Roman protectorate, and boy was I in for a wild and unpredictable history ride, especially as it involves ancient Iran and the truth of how Rome became the ruling power of Egypt. I thought I knew everything there was to know, but its a lie, and I learned a whole lot more. If you want to understand the Egypt before it became Roman protectorate as well as how the Ptolemaic Dynasty influenced the future, giving way to Roman Empire, and if you are looking for something beyond the typical ancient Phar...

 Name of Book: Author: ISBN: Publisher: Part of a Series: Type of book: Detective, mystery, 1950s, New York, murder, lawyers, mafia, life threatening, ex boyfriends,  Year it was published: Summary: Characters: Main characters would be Deborah "D.J" Ryan and Sam Monroe as well as the dead socialite Laura Nielson. Sam is a Korean War Vet turned lawyer who is perhaps looking for something long term and has high hopes in getting back with Laura. He is methodical, a risk taker, and often impulsive. He also desires to do things himself and involve other people as little as possible. D.J Ryan definitely matches Sam in stubbornness and is good at looking possibilities as well as providing necessary resources and money. Laura, well, I can't talk a lot about her without spoiling the story, but there is a whole ton that she hides underneath, namely trauma and how trauma has affected her.  Theme: Do you really know that person beyond their labels?  Plot: The story is in third p...

 Name of Book: Author: ISBN: Publisher: Part of a Series: Type of book: Fantasy, con, nobility, Italy based setting, masks, fortune telling, lack of trust, changes, lives, mysteries, numbers, magic, past Year it was published: Summary: Characters: Main characters would definitely be Ren, Vargo and Grey. Ren is a con artist who is now having to juggle multiple masks and identities at once; that of Renata, a sophisticated impoverished noblewoman, Arenza, a clanless szorza (fortuneteller) and Rose, a vigilante helper to the famous Rook. Having so many identities, along with being herself is tiring for Ren, but she does grow more vulnerable and trustworthy, in particular to Vargo and Grey. Vargo was perhaps the most intriguing character in the story, as the readers learn about the mysterious helper and watch him grow up from being selfish to somewhat selfless. Grey also went through some change, in particular deciding to reveal an important secret to Ren and maybe even Vargo. Definitel...

    Title of the book: Author: Publisher: Publishing Date: ISBN: Summary: Author Info: Personal Opinion: Unfortunately I am the rare minority that wasn't a fan of SPQR, the authors book about Rome from the time of myth to 200s of modern era? I am happy to report that in the case of EMPEROR of Rome, I am definitely a big fan. It's organized, has a character list and information is easy to find. Maybe because I am more familiar with Roman Empire, I was able to enjoy this book a lot more than the previous one. The author covers a lot about Roman emperors, from how they were seen by their subjects to their travels and even to their deaths, often using historical evidence and admitting when none exists. There is high intimacy with this  subject matter, and the reader becomes more and more eager to see what else the author will reveal about the emperor's and their families. While I don't think it's a good starting point when it comes to Roman Empire history, but it a good...

    Title of the book: Author: Publisher: Publishing Date: ISBN: Summary: Author Info: Personal Opinion: I am guilty of admitting that I took ancient prehistory as facts, never really questioning or wondering how we know what we know, and is it accurate or just built from imaginations? In this book the author dares to tackle our history of prehistory, how the all too familiar ideas of ideology were not benevolent and of how much prehistory is more of a fantasy than reality. Starting in 1750s with European gaze of Indigenous people, and ending in present time, the author leaves no stone unturned in search for the truth. A highly recommended and entertaining as well as thought provoking read.  This was given for review  5 out of 5 (0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forgettable, 4: Good, enjoyable 5: Buy it, keep it and never let it go.)

    Title of the book: Author: Publisher: Publishing Date: ISBN: Summary: Author Info: Personal Opinion: Quite recently I started to challenge myself by reading about topics that I hadn't read or known of before. THE BLUE MACHINE seems to be a perfect representation of what I don't know and of learning a lot of fascinating facts about how the world works, in particular as it relates to the ocean. There is a lot I found clear, but also a lot I was confused about, especially in trying to understand the knowledge in context with given information. The writing and stories are definitely of passionate nature, and it's easy for the reader to get caught up with the authors ideas and tangents, in particular as it relates to creatures living in the ocean. All in all, a beautiful and hypnotic book that dares to remind readers of their planets oceans.  This was given for review  4 out of 5 (0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readab...

    Title of the book: Author: Publisher: Publishing Date: ISBN: Summary: Author Info: Personal Opinion: From cover to cover I loved reading these essays, especially of the timeless importance they have in linking the past to the present. Most of the essays were 2000s, and in mine experience the first few essays were not challenging. However, as time moved on and the author covered more and more topics, complexity appeared in full force. Some essays I found difficult to comprehend, especially as they relate to law because the author really takes it apart into pieces. For readers who seek an intellectual stimulation as well as a puzzle, this will be a perfect read to pass time.  This was given for review  5 out of 5 (0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forgettable, 4: Good, enjoyable 5: Buy it, keep it and never let it go.)

    Title of the book: Author: Publisher: Publishing Date: ISBN: Summary: Author Info: Personal Opinion: Prior to reading the book I had no idea that decision making is a very complex procedure, or that certain parts of the brain are responsible for why we decide what we decide. Yet in this lively and passionate account about choices, that is what the reader ends up getting. The book begins with what sounds like simple yet common sense things that a reader should know about and then moves on to how it's possible to make changes, and of how other people influence our choices and behaviors. For an enlightening read and to see behind the scenes work of brain, I would highly recommend it.  This was given for review  4 out of 5 (0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forgettable, 4: Good, enjoyable 5: Buy it, keep it and never let it go.)

  Name of Book: Hunkeler's Secret Author: Hansjorg Schneider trans Astrid Freuler  ISBN: 9781916725126 Publisher: Bitter Lemon Press  Part of a Series: Inspector Hunkeler #9 (6 are untranslated)  Type of book: Switzerland, Alsace, 2010s, revenge, hidden past, banking, family, Europe, farming, France, ww2, rejection of Jews  Year it was published: 2015 (2025) Summary: Hunkeler, now a retired inspector of the Basel police force, is hospitalized following an operation. He’s sharing a room with cancer patient Stephan Fankhauser, an old acquaintance, and former head of Basel Volksbank. One night, a groggy Hunkeler witnesses something that makes him question his senses. When he is told the next day that Fankhauser has died, Hunkeler grows suspicious. The body is quickly cremated with no autopsy performed, leaving Hunkeler determined to get to the bottom of the matter. His unorthodox investigation uncovers truths that will threaten Switzerland’s carefull...

 Name of Book: Author: ISBN: Publisher: Part of a Series: Type of book: atomic power, history, ww2, 2011 incident in Japan, nuclear power, history of nuclear power, 2024 Olympics, speculative, fiction  Year it was published: Summary: Characters: There are at least three or four characters. There is the grandmother character who is starting to suffer from Trinity disease and Who is quiet and introspective. The mother character seems to be caught up between past present and future at a deadly cost to her, and the daughter who is a typical teenager and is sullen and seemingly unaffected. There is also the sister but I don't think she has large part in the story.      Theme: How do paths cross and influence each other Plot: The story is in first person narrative from a woman's point of view about one day of her life when Olympics arrived in Tokyo in 2024. The woman's mother suffers from a mysterious disease called Trinity Trinity Trinity, and woman has to worry abou...

    Title of the book: Author: Publisher: Publishing Date: ISBN: Summary: Author Info: Personal Opinion: I never imagined that I would one day be giving a book about future of robots five stars. Yet here we are. While I still have misgivings when it comes to robots, the author has done an excellent job of reassuring me that things aren't as bleak as they appear. In fact there is definitely excitement in exploring how robots and humans can benefit from one another. The arguments the author has made, namely that she will present a future more bright with robots as well as their potential is very well written, and in addition to detailing the possible future, there are also simple sections of how they work and what they need to work. Yes, I highly recommend this book, and in future will give it to my 9 year old son to read.  This was given for review  5 out of 5 (0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forge...

 Name of Book: Author: ISBN: Publisher: Part of a Series: Type of book: Byzantium, 418-468 ME, christianity, Jerusalem, beginning of pogroms, relationship with self, chaste marriage,  divisions in christianity, growing up, traveling, relatives, court politics, isolation   Year it was published: Summary: Characters: There are a lot of characters, but main ones would be Athenais, Theo, Paulinus, and Pulcheria. Athenais is an intellectual who seems meek in beginning and isn't confident in herself, in particular when it comes to Theo. Theo is very protective, very extreme in his beliefs and has his own insecurities. Paulinus is loyal friend to both Theo and Athenais and has his own secret. Pulcheria is Theos sister who gave up her chance of marrying and having kids to help Theo rule the Empire. She is a powerful and frightening woman but also loyal to family and is afraid of giving up power.  Theme: There is a path for everything  Plot: The story is written in ...