Svetlana's Reads and Views

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach , where bloggers post the first paragraph(s) of a book they are currently reading or planning to read sometime soon. Mainly because I am seeking somewhat shorter books and because I am pretty sure that a paperback release is happening, I decided to embark on reading The Wartime Sisters by Lynda Cohen LOIGMAN for Fresh Fiction website, which I am strongly enjoying, even though it's a WWII tale. What is different about it though is that it takes place in USA, and it doesn't have suffering or resistance or Europe. I understand the importance of WWII, but oh how often i wish that historical fiction could make use of other time periods besides WWII... Part One Ruth Brooklyn, New York ( 1919-1932) Ruth was three ears old when her sister was born. Like most firstborn children, Ruth assumed her younger sibling would be a miniature version of herself. She would have str...

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach , where bloggers post the first paragraph(s) of a book they are currently reading or planning to read sometime soon. Well at least my post isn't late and I'm caught up with leaving replies to the comments. This week's book will be long, but I hope many will enjoy it: Here's When Christ and His Saints Slept by Sharon Kay Penman, which sounds really, really good :D Enjoy your week everyone! Prologue Chartres cathedral France January 1101 Stephen was never to forget his fifth birthday, for that was the day he lost his father. In actual fact, that wasn't precisely so. But childhood memories are not woven from facts alone, and that was how he would remember it. He'd come with his parents and two elder brothers to this great church of the Blessed Mary to hear a bishop preach about the Crusade. He didnt know who the bishop was, but his sermon was a l...

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach , where bloggers post the first paragraph(s) of a book they are currently reading or planning to read sometime soon. Sorry for late post, but am blaming it on a certain addictive game I'm playing, Royal Chaos, where ten minutes turn to three hours...I'm done with Master and Margaret and have begun my book tour book, Stefan's Promise by Sam Rennick. So far it's really enjoyable :) I still have quite a long way to go with Forgotten Reflections. But yes, my first 2020 book is Stefan's Promise by Sam Rennick which is about the friendship between men.  The book I'll feature today, The Road to Urbino is going to examine how culture plays into our actions and deeds, and its supposed to be vivid, detailed and descriptive. Enjoy's today pick! The Road to Urbino by Roma Tearne I 1  Learning to paint a fresco Last night I dreamt I was...

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach , where bloggers post the first paragraph(s) of a book they are currently reading or planning to read sometime soon. Am still reading the last two 2019 books, and while with one I'm halfway through, (The Master and the Maid by Laura Libricz,) the other one, well 20 percent I believe? Important thing is that I like them and I'm enjoying reading them. I also need to write the reviews for the books I have. So today's sample comes from Tell Me Everything by Amy Hatvany, and I should warn the readers that even within the few pages, the topics are written more for adults rather than other age groups, and they include the idea of swinging, sex and marriage. With that said, enjoy today's pick! Tell Me Everything by Amu Hatvany Prologue The first thing you should know about me is that I love my husband. The second is that I occasionally have sex with other...

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach , where bloggers post the first paragraph(s) of a book they are currently reading or planning to read sometime soon. Most likely it will take me awhile to get to this book because the two books I am reading now are, well pretty thick: one at 470+ pages and another at 300+ pages, and I have recently started them this week, so most likely, Run Me To Earth by Paul Yoon will be my first January 2020 book. I hope you'll enjoy this week's selection.  Alisak (1969) At the farmhouse, the three friends asked each other where they went to at nights.  They had finished most of their duties for the day and were sitting down on the floor together in the corner of the long room that had, two decades ago, held dances and lavish parties but had now been converted into a ward.  "A ship," Prany said. "I go to a very large ship."  "Somep...

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach , where bloggers post the first paragraph(s) of a book they are currently reading or planning to read sometime soon. Originally I either intended to begin The Master and the Maid by Laura Libricz or Run Me To Earth by Paul Yoon. Instead I'll be starting Forgotten Reflections by Young-Im Lee simply because I finished up The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, today is someone's birthday and the book has the name of my first love. I hope you'll enjoy this week's selection.  Part I Prologue "Do you believe our time will ever come?" The old lady said, dying all alone in an empty hospice room, overlooking the bright night lights of Seoul.  She was not alone, no. She was in the city that never sleeps where a thousand lights stood witness to her passing with eyes that never blinked. They stood at an arm's length aw...

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach , where bloggers post the first paragraph(s) of a book they are currently reading or planning to read sometime soon. I wanted to introduce the readers this week to The Wife Between us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, but I began the book yesterday, and so far its a good book. This week I'll be introducing an indie book that talks about the Thirty Years' War in Germany, and that I feel does and should deserve attention. (Also, this will be my next read!) The Master and the maid by Laura Libricz  Part I Chapter One Nuremberg, Germany- May 1616 Katarina twisted the tap on the wooden barrel of beer. Foam spluttered into the tankard and sprayed the white apron covering her coarse brown dress.  "Willi, get me another barrel," she shouted over the heads of three men sitting at the table nearest her. The three men swayed from side t...

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach , where bloggers post the first paragraph(s) of a book they are currently reading or planning to read sometime soon. I am kind of sad that my previous post of It's Monday! What Are You Reading? Didn't encourage any comments :( so almost done with At Least Know This and will begin I'm Fine and Neither Are You by Camille Pagan soon.  Here is the read next in line after I'm Fine and Neither Are You by Camille Pagan. Enjoy! The Limits of the World by Jennifer Acker Part I  1.  Urmila rearranged the animals. They were homely, unwelcoming; no one was buying. Should she group them by type: elephants next to rhinos next to giraffes?  All morning, only two customers came into the shop. The first peered, scowled in confusion, then left. The second was a girl with hair stuck together in clumps, wanting to buy a dashiki.  "You want to dr...

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach , where bloggers post the first paragraph(s) of a book they are currently reading or planning to read sometime soon. So, after doses of heavy reading, I am hoping to be able to relax and enjoy this book that is contemporary and doesn't require very deep thought. Has anyone read this book yet? And if so, is it good?  I'm Fine and Neither Are You by Camille Pagan Chapter One Mistakes were made. The first wasn't even something I did; it was only a germ of an idea, fleeting but infectious. I had just sat on the toilet and was mulling over the day's to-dos and why-didn't-Is when a single thought shot past all the rest: I want out.  Maybe it was the photo I had seen on my phone moments earlier. One of my college friends was on vacation yet again, and had posted a shot of the vast Caribbean horizon beyond her sandy pedicured toes. A novel ...

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach , where bloggers post the first paragraph(s) of a book they are currently reading or planning to read sometime soon. I sincerely hope to read this particular book before the year is out. Right now its in the final round of Goodreads Choice Nominee for 2019, for Mystery and Thriller, and prior to that, it also held a debut category. Even the page, which I will share here, promises instant seduction. What book are you excited about reading?  Miracle Creek by Angie Kim The Incident  Miracle Creek, Virginia Tuesday, August 26, 2008 My husband asked me to lie. Not a big lie. He probably didn't even consider it a lie, and neither did I, at first. It was such a small thing, what he wanted. The police had just released the protesters, and while he stepped out to make sure they weren't coming back, I was to sit in his chair. Cover for him, the way coworke...

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach , where bloggers post the first paragraph(s) of a book they are currently reading or planning to read sometime soon. As soon as I will be done with a book, A HERO BORN by Jin Yong is on my TBR read. Hailed as a Chinese Lord of the Rings, and coming from Hong Kong, I have great interest in starting to read the classic. A Hero Born by JIN Yong Chapter One SUDDENLY A SNOW STORM I The Qiantang River stretches from the west, where its waters swell day and night, past the new imperial capital of Lin'an and the nearby Ox Village, on to the sea in the east. Ten cypresses stand proudly along its banks,  their leaves red like fire. A typical August day. The grasses are turning yellow beneath the trees and the setting sun is breaking through their branches, casting long, bleak shadows. Under the shelter of two giant pine trees, men, women, and children have gathered to lis...