Svetlana's Reads and Views

  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...