Svetlana's Reads and Views

  Name of Book: Iron Curtain Author: Vesna Goldsworthy ISBN: 978-1-324-02172-8 Publisher: W.W. Norton  Type of book: Iron Curtain, Soviet Union satellite, 1981-1987, marriage, relationships, international wedding, United Kingdom, heritage, ancestry, motherhood, elite, spying, Year it was published: 2023 Summary: Milena Urbanska is a red princess living in a Soviet satellite state in the 1980s. She enjoys limitless luxury and limited freedom; the end of the Cold War seems unimaginable. When she meets Jason, a confident but politically naive British poet, they fall into bed together. Before long, Milena is planning her escape. She follows Jason to London, where she’s shocked to find herself living in bohemian poverty. The rented apartment is dingy, the food disgusting, and Jason’s family withholding, but at least there are no hidden cameras recording her every move. As she adjusts to her new life, however, Milena discovers the dark side of Jason’s idea of freedom. With cool wit ...

  Title of the book: Impossible to be human Author: Robert Kalich Publisher: B&B  Publishing Date: 2022 ISBN: 978-1-933480-52-7 Summary: Facing the idiosyncrasies of his life and character, David Lazar mercilessly analyses his success. Can we accept irreconcilable contradictions? Can people change? And what does it mean to be human? Peeling layers of conventions and domestication, Lazar is gradually facing the man he once was, his past emotionless and cold existence. He cannot help but wonder: is he still that man or has the love of his wife redeemed him? Can a driven sports handicapper who climbed 'Mt. Gamble' to become the most successful professional handicapper of his generation, become a loving, devoted husband and father? Can writing his life storypurge his flaws? The puzzle of life’s inconsistencies grows as Lazar is baffled by his clandestine meetings in his NYC penthouse with Duck, the US president. They go way back when David was Duck’s object of admiration. Thes...

 The Sunday Post The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly or for a monthly wrap up. See rules here:  Sunday Post Meme #21 Return to Love Nikki Literally, everyday for the last five years or so, I have been playing Love Nikki, a dress up game. Last year there were grumblings and realization that Love Nikki was being horrible to American server but great to Chinese server. There was a boycott and I made a decision to stop participating playing Love Nikki for almost a year. Yesterday I decided to go back to Love Nikki and let me say that so little was done to the demands. Checking facebook page, the boycott was over. I am honestly sad because literally people went back to the game for mere crumbs... My son's extra tooth is loose (thank goo...

   Name of Book: The Foxglove King Author: Hannah Whitten ISBN: 9780316434997 Publisher: Orbit  Part of a Series: The Nightshade Crown  Type of book: Fantasy, darkness, death, catacombs, witches, magic, prophecies, secrets, understanding, royalty, poison, war, undeath  Year it was published: 2023  Summary: In this lush, romantic new epic fantasy series from New York Times bestselling author Hannah Whitten, a young woman's secret power to raise the dead plunges her into the dangerous and glamorous world of the Sainted King's royal court. When Lore was thirteen, she escaped a cult in the catacombs beneath the city of Dellaire. And in the ten years since, she’s lived by one rule: don’t let them find you. Easier said than done, when her death magic ties her to the city. Mortem, the magic born from death, is a high-priced and illicit commodity in Dellaire, and Lore’s job running poisons keeps her in food, shelter, and relative security. But when a run goes wrong...

    Name of Book: The Sapphire Altar Author: David Dalglish  ISBN: 978-0-7595-5712-3 Publisher: Orbit  Part of a Series: Vagrant gods  Type of book: fantasy, religion, secrets, gods and goddesses, savior, war, conquer, colonization, history  Year it was published: 2023 Summary: In this epic fantasy from a bestselling author, a usurped prince must master the magic of shadows in order to reclaim his kingdom and his people. ​ Cyrus wants out. Trained to be an assassin in order to oust the invading Empire from his kingdom, Cyrus is now worried the price of his vengeance is too high. His old master has been keeping too many secrets to be trusted. And the mask he wears to hide his true identity and become the legendary "Vagrant" has started whispering to him in the dark. But the fight isn't over and the Empire has sent its full force to bear upon Cyrus's floundering revolution. He'll have to decide once and for all whether to become the thing he fears or lose the...

 The Sunday Post The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly or for a monthly wrap up. See rules here:  Sunday Post Meme #20 Timewasters  Lately I've been drawn to timewaster games, that is games on Android like BitLife or even Altlife. No idea why. The week has definitely felt exhaustive for some odd reason. Because of the timing of Pinewood Derby as well as the day (Saturday!), my son and I decided to forego the race and instead went to synagogue where he had fun I think. Then at six thirty PM he went to his first hockey game with his aunt (my sister) tomorrow will be library day. Oh yes, so far my son seems to be enjoying the Gifted and Talented program.  Last Week On The Blog N/A This Week On The Blog: The Foxglove King by Ha...