Svetlana's Reads and Views

  Title of the book: Family of Spies; A World War II Story of Nazi Espionage, Betrayal, and the Secret History Behind Pearl Harbor  Author: Christine Kuehn  Publisher: Celadon  Publishing Date: 2025 ISBN:978-1-250-34446-5 Summary: A propulsive, never-before-told story of one family's shocking involvement as Nazi and Japanese spies during WWII and the pivotal role they played in the bombing of Pearl Harbor. It began with a call from a screenwriter, asking about a story. Your family. World War II. Nazi spies. Christine Kuehn was shocked and confused. When she asked her seventy-year-old father, Eberhard, what this could possibly be about, he stalled, deflected, demurred, and then wept. He knew this day would come. The Kuehns, a prominent Berlin family, saw the rise of the Nazis as a way out of the hard times that had befallen them. When the daughter of the family, Eberhard's sister, Ruth, met Nazi leader Joseph Goebbels at a party, the two hit it off, and they had...

  Name of Book: Lord of Ruin Author: K.M Enright  ISBN: 9780356521169 Publisher: Orbit  Part of a Series: Age of Blood 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: 2025 Summary: Dark, sexy, and twisty, this book will seize you by the throat and hold your attention to the very end' Andrea Stewart, author of Bone Shard Daughter, on Mistress of Lies LOVE WILL BE THEIR RUIN It has been six months since the failed coup led by Isaac De La Cruz, and Shan LeClaire is struggling under the mantle of Royal Blood Worker. Left with a dwindling blood supply and a ravenous nation whose thirst will drown them, Shan is forced to turn to darker means to fill the need. And that is only the start of the horrors her Eternal King asks of her. Now Councillor to the King, Samuel is trapped in a labyrinthine world of politics and bylaws. C...

  Name of Book: Mistress of Lies Author: K. M. Enright  ISBN: 9780356521138 Publisher: Orbit  Part of a Series: Age of Blood 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: 2024 Summary: FATE IS A CRUEL MISTRESS The daughter of a powerful but disgraced Blood Worker, Shan LeClaire has spent her entire life perfecting her blood magic, building her network of spies, and gathering every scrap of power she could. Now, to protect her brother, she assassinates their father and takes her place at the head of the family. And that is only the start of her revenge. Samuel Hutchinson is a bastard with a terrible gift. When he stumbles upon the first victim of a magical serial killer, he's drawn into the world of magic and intrigue he's worked so hard to avoid - and is pulled deeply into the ravenous and b...

  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: Our Fragile Freedoms: Essays Author: Eric Foner Publisher: W.W. Norton Publishing Date: 2025 ISBN: 9781324110613 Summary: A treasury of current writings by one of the most acclaimed and influential historians of the United States. Eric Foner has done more to shape the public and professional understanding of American history than any other scholar. The preeminent historian of the Civil War era, Foner’s keynote has been American freedom and its changing meanings and boundaries. We see in his award-winning works how freedom has been a birthright for some and a struggle for others, that rights gained can also be lost, that they must always be tended with knowledge and vigilance. This volume collects fifty-eight of Foner’s more recent reviews and commentaries. Together they show the range of his interests and expertise, running from slavery and antislavery through the disunion and remaking of the United States in the nineteenth century, Jim Crow and the c...

  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: Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me Author: Django Wexler ISBN:  9780356519005 Publisher: Orbit 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: 2025 Summary: The hilarious sequel to How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler! Dark Lord Davi rules the kingdom, but she must now break the time loop that binds her in this hilariously bloody conclusion to the Dark Lord Davi duology. Davi has left the horde behind her, hoping to find a peaceful solution to keep the Kingdom from being destroyed this time. But her plan to guide the Kingdom to peaceful prosperity is thwarted when she finds her usual love interest, Prince Johann, already married and the bloodthirsty Duke Aster running the government. Johann's new husband is everything Davi is n...

   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: F*cked up fairytales; sinful cinderellas, prince alarmings, and other timeless classics  Author: Liz Gotauco Publisher: W.W. Norton Publishing Date: 2025 ISBN: 9781324106333 Summary:  Bawdy, shocking, and hilarious interpretations of classic and rare fairy tales from a beloved TikTok storyteller. Based on the wildly popular TikTok series, F*cked Up Fairy Tales presents modern retellings of some of the strangest and darkest stories humans had the audacity to invent. Inspired by sources across the world, “Cosbrarian” Liz Gotauco conjures gossipy animals, homicidal royals, doomed commoners, and shape-shifting beaux—all reckoning with complicated, adult problems that “Disney versions” have sanitized. In entertaining asides, Gotauco offers insight into the stories’ contested origins, spills deliciously weird details about fairy tale authors like Madame de Aulnoy and the Brothers Grimm, and explores timeless themes that have long tickled the huma...

   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...