Poetry of Reading

Title: The Last Kingdom Author:  Bernard Cornwell Published: January 3rd 2006 Publisher: Harper Paperbacks Pages: 351

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Synopsis:

Destiny is all, Ravn liked to tell me, destiny is everything. He would even say it in English, “Wyrd biõ ful ãræd.

Title: I Am the Chosen King Author: Helen Hollick Published: March 1st 2011 Publisher:  Sourcebooks Landmark Pages: 592

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Synopsis:

Naught Harold could do, save stand and fight. Hope and pray that they could last out until darkness fell. It was not now a matter of winning, but of staying alive. The light was fading, soon the sun would be down. The housecarls fighting for their king at the centre of the ridge were growing smaller in number, gathering closer around the two royal standards. There was no time to think, to analyse, to feel. Only once, briefly, did Harold wonder that perhaps he ought to lay down his great death-edged axe and surrender. But he remembered Dinan. No, this was the better way to die.

Title: Helen of Troy Author: Margaret George Published: August 3rd 2006 Publisher: Viking Adult Pages:  611 ISBN: 0670037788

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Synopsis:

POETRY

OF

READING

2013

✬✬✬✬✬ Superbly written story. The characters are so easy to connect with, to fall in love with. Perfect holiday reading.

✬✬✬ The plot was fantastic and filled with deep, sincere emotion. However, I feel as if the story was lacking. The book was short, a quick read. I feel as if it left a lot out and the story needs further substance. And I must admit I didn’t enjoy Sparks’ style of writing.

✬✬✬✬✬  A brilliant story of impossible love, ambition, and the final hurt. Although this is a work of fiction the author did a great job establishing a story around a famous painting. It does a great job in portraying the perils which women had to face in that time period and the sacrifices that young women made on behalf of their families.

✬✬✬ This novel is told in past and present. One is in the 16th century in France; the other storyline involves an American woman Elle whose husband was transferred to Toulouse, France. Although Chevalier’s prose moves the story along at a fast pace, I still got the impression that certain aspects of it were not thoroughly worked through. Overall a very readable book held my attention, but nowhere near as good as Girl With a Pearl Earring.

✬✬✬✬ A beautifully written book with wonderful characterizations and satire that Austen is famous for. I thought the ending was not the best though she tied up all in happiness.

✬✬ The characters were shallow and, despite their fame, not well drawn. The plot was flat, and it spent most of the story on Delilah’s relationship with her fellow priestess Aylah, rather than her famous love for Samson.

✬✬✬  While the book is not bad, it’s not all that good either. The language is modern in places, which was disconcerting.

✬✬✬ The plot is interesting - a woman learning to live on after her husband has died. But it drags on too long with too many details.

✬✬✬✬ Follett is brilliant at bringing readers into his writing. I felt for the characters. I went through their world and I could feel the pain, love, excitement, and passion of the characters.

✬✬✬✬  The descriptions were beautiful, and the story flowed well. The book felt more modern than I would have expected. All in all, I thought the book was well written and researched.

✬✬✬ It was depressing, a little disturbing, and I became so tired of the main character. A part of the book could have been cut out. Nonetheless, it is a valuable contribution.

✬✬✬ It’s the story of Rafael, a member of Philip of Spain’s entourage. It takes place, during the reign of Mary Tudor. But if you want to read about Mary Tudor, find another book. It is nicely written, however.

✬✬✬✬  The plot takes a while to get going and some characters are too one-dimensional, but I have to say, I didn’t expect the plot twist and overall, found the book an enjoyable read.

✬✬✬✬✬ This book is a great description of France during the second world war.  The author weaves a story with survival, love and political intrigue. It’s well written, it felt as if I were right there; you are going through everything with the characters.

✬✬✬✬ Irresistible, sweet and magical! The writing is lovely, and the characters developed into friends. An excellent book to curl up in bed too or relax after a long day.

✬✬✬ This was an ok read. I was expecting a wonderful story with lots of art, but it lacked elements I was seeking for. Nicely written but somehow less captivating.

✬✬✬  The energy of the book seems to fade quite in the second and third part of the novel, but it builds up to a tense ending and remains a remarkable achievement.

✬✬✬  I didn’t dislike the book; I found it somewhat flat. No likable characters overall, no real conclusion. It lacked a good emotional ending.

✬✬✬✬ The book was an entertaining read, with both humor, adventure, strong emotional attachment to the characters and well written.

✬✬✬ I found the main characters to be unrealistic. However, it is still a good read and holds your attention to the end.

✬✬✬ I thought overall it was a good book and well written.  I think too many characters and sub-plots watered down the potential strength of this novel.

✬✬✬ The story is not bad, but not good either. The plot drags on and on, with the slow-moving storyline going nowhere. A good choice for light summer reading.

✬✬ I struggled with the author’s development of the characters. I didn’t care what happened to them. It focused too much on the attractiveness and other’s reaction to it.

✬✬✬ I enjoyed reading this book, but some parts were slow and a kind of dull. Overall, entertaining work of historical fiction. Not a page turner, but a worthy read.

✬✬✬ I thought this was a good story although the pace was a little slow, and the conclusion was a little predictable.

2014

✬✬✬✬ There is a lot of action in this story, a lot of soul-searching, it blends in so well with the action it never gets boring. This was a very delightful book.

✬✬✬✬✬ This novel was mesmerizing and full of wonderful imagery. It is a delicate read, and the tale streams from its pages. This book is a treat for readers who enjoy an unusual, intelligent and beautifully composed story.

2016

✬✬✬✬   This is a well-defined, vivid book that brings the Middle Ages to life. The characters have depth and color. The ending was a downer, nevertheless enjoyable because it reflects real life, especially in the time period in which the author takes us.

✬✬  While I was reading I couldn’t help thinking it was fluffy and quite forgettable. It was not enough to make me feel I had to know what would happen - you pretty much know the minute you start where it will go and how it will end.

✬✬✬ It took time for me to become interested in this story. I felt too many of the characters were flat, uninteresting, and unreal. However, I found the second half of the book very interesting.

✬✬ The story was sloppy and hard to follow. It was hard to figure out which character was the focus of the story. Some words don’t seem right for that period. Extremely disappointing.

✬✬✬✬ Writing was wonderful. The story was fascinating. The author has taken liberties with the history of Sai Jinhua’s life; novel gives a good view of China during that time period. There were parts, especially beginning, that didn’t grip me or draw me along, it fell flat. This isn’t for everyone. It takes persistence and patience to read. However, for the serious reader, it is an excellent read.

✬✬✬ A lot of things happens in this novel, and although it kept my attention I couldn’t engage myself in this novel. While it’s a unique and wonderfully written book, set in an amazing Arabian Nights setting, I felt disappointed upon reaching the last page.

2017

✬✬✬ Quite an emotional study of a disturbed mind. The main problems I had with the book were the repetitiveness of Werther’s self-pitying missives and a certain incredulity. It was a good read, but I had trouble getting into this book. Maybe I am biased or cynical, or both.

✬✬ This was my first book by this author, and frankly, I was disappointed. The dialogue was predictable without being funny, descriptions of the intimacy  turned a rather delightful story into smut. Not my cup of tea.

✬✬✬ It is an average book. I thought the characters were way too one-dimensional. It felt more fantasy than historical, at least to me.

✬✬✬ A good story of bravery and hope. The style is sometimes too simple, didn't like the format of the book, it was written by a young girl later edited by author, too many editing comments.

✬✬✬✬✬ From page one to the last page of this book, you cannot put it down. Raymond Feist creates two incredible and well-described worlds in Magician and develops a story which follows two boys as they grow up and their lives take two very different paths to glory.

✬✬✬✬✬ Amazing storytelling! Everything about this book shines, from the characters to the plot, do yourself a treat and start this series.

✬✬✬✬✬ An outstanding book. Caroline Finkel’s writing style is absolutely flawless and mesmerizing. A great way to wrap six centuries of the great Ottoman Empire in a short space.

✬✬✬✬ Beautifully written historical fiction. The author did a remarkable job of making you feel engaged in the time. The storyline kept you intrigued and the historical aspects of the book were magnificent. Well researched and well told. Several of the embellishments took the form of literary cliches but taken as a whole, I adored the book.

✬✬ I loved it in the beginning. It was amusing, and the characters intriguing. But then, the story was dragging on and on with an overload of details, long descriptive paragraphs to get the next word in each dialogue.

✬✬✬ The first Elizabeth Chadwick book I couldn’t get into. I was more interested in the side characters than the main character.

✬✬✬✬ Slow start but that is because there are several seemingly irrelevant stories. Some characters you like and some you do not care for which keeps the book interesting. Another great Karin Slaughter book.

✬✬✬ The story was lacking and when there was suspense the story was rushed so fast to the end, you were left wondering what happened.

✬✬✬ The characters are interesting and dissimilar then average and make one want to see what happens. The weakest parts of the story were plotting and the suspense that wove through the romance. Quick read.

✬✬✬✬ A fascinating story of Istanbul in the time of Suleiman the Magnificent.Wonderful characters, well developed and interesting. The only reason I’m only giving four stars instead of five is that there were parts of the story I felt were left undone.

✬✬ The main character was unbelievable and weak, there were a lot of gaps and questions that remained. It was as if the author just excused herself and finished it because it had all become tedious.

✬✬✬✬✬ The book is well written and thought out. I love the way the characters interact with each other and everything seems real. It was emotional, funny, witty and amazing.

✬✬✬✬✬ I loved the language used, meaning the ease of the words, the gentleness. Beautiful, tragic, and haunting, with its brilliant writing style and admirably portrayed characters. Not a word goes wasted. Truly captivating.

✬✬✬✬ A gripping tale with elements of mystery, gothic. Characters are written in great depth; they were all so colorful. However, I found the way in which the tale was told odd in places, towards the end which gave it an unbalanced feel to the structure

2018

✬✬✬ It all might have been okay if the characters had felt better developed, but they fell flat. The plot was good and fast-paced. There are also a few truly humorous scenes.

✬✬ I got lost in the characters’ names and lost connection with the storyline. I’m disappointed to say, this novel fails to deliver.

✬✬✬✬ The pages of this book absolutely flew by, it is a testimony to just how well written these characters were and how invested in their lives I became. You are simply sucked into all the hardships that these women face. It is hard not to connect to their relationship. A superb read.

✬✬✬ The novel built up the compelling relationship between Barbara and Charles II and at its peak; it was a definite page-turner. It lost its spark towards the end and fizzled out rather drastically.

✬✬ The book is dry. I never felt a real connection with any of the characters, nor did I feel it absorbed me into the period itself.

✬✬✬✬ Funny, unconventional, entertaining - enjoyed very much, but wish there had been a little more conflict at the end.

✬✬✬✬ To Be Queen is a magnificent portrayal of the early life of Eleanor. The author, through her words, transported me to a different time, and I saw the world through Eleanor’s eyes. My only wish is that we had seen more of Eleanor’s romance with Henry of Normandy.

✬✬✬ It is a very nice read. It skips years rather swiftly, and I would only recommend it for someone who is already familiar with this period so you can follow what is going on.

✬✬ The problem I had with this book  was that I couldn’t see why the characters liked each other, much less why they would fall in love. I loathed the hero and heroine so much that I couldn’t enjoy the book.

✬✬✬ Beautifully descriptive. It was worth reading just for that. The three separate stories didn’t resonate with me. The ending was very abrupt.

✬✬✬✬ A delightfully written book. It engaged you in the time, the affair, and the household politics. Every scene was told in such lovely detail you could imagine every action - whether or not you wanted to. There a couple slower moments, but not to an extent where I wanted to put the book away. I still wanted to know how it ends.

✬✬✬ The Ministry of Utmost Happiness is more like a collection of stories than a novel. While the result is better than average, I can’t help wishing it had a little more focus. In the end, it’s tied all together but still, on a whole, it felt like a disjointed read.

✬✬✬ Shutter Island showcases all of Lehane’s strengths — character, dialogue, moral plays — but it also contains his weakness for sticking in a surprise ending, no matter how unsurprising it is.

✬✬ I did not feel a connection to any of these characters, which was a disappointment. Despite the promising subject, this book doesn’t cut it. Neither the fictional love story nor the writing satisfying.

✬✬✬ This is a good book if you’re OK with some dark segments. Dark but well written. The other two books were so much better.

✬✬✬ It was a little repetitive in the emotional descriptions, but an overall pleasant read and a good story. A whole new point of view about leprosy and the human spirit.

✬✬ The Girl with the Painted Face a simple read; a cozy mystery with no great surprises or plot twists and turns.

✬✬✬ Altogether I would call this an OK book. It is not fantastic, but it is not horrible either. The book was very slow and boring during the first half. The research, historical depth and early psychological theories written about are the things that make it worth reading.

✬✬✬ The characters lacked depth and their conversations too modern. The history following the epilogue was informative and good. Still a pleasant good read.

✬✬✬✬✬ I feel that Of Mice and Men was an excellent book. Between the haunting characterization and the superb story-telling, Steinbeck created a tale that captures the human experience. It had everything I could want a fight, murder, and a twisted ending. But most of all, it showed the power and value of friendship.

✬✬✬ An okay story but predictable from beginning to ending. Never got invested enough in the characters to care what happens with them. The brief romance at the end isn’t believable, either. It is something to read if you don’t want to think too much.

✬✬ This was disappointing. I have enjoyed the previous books in the Bridgerton series and was looking forward to a strong finish. The plot had a good intention but the delivery of it was rather poor. However, the epilogue was a cute way to end the book.

✬✬✬ The Queen from Provence is based around the marriage and relationship between Henry III and his Queen, Eleanor de Provence, and the events of Henry’s long reign. The writing style can be a little repetitive and tiresome in places, but it is an easy read.

✬✬✬ The book was all right. I found the end of the book predictable, and it left me feeling let down. I enjoyed the historical, secondary story. It was full of action, romance, and tragedy.

✬✬✬✬ This novel was delightful for several reasons because it wasn’t just another Henry VIII book. The writing was quick and easy. It opened lots of doors and was well researched. Emerson is an author in this genre worth reading.

✬✬ The writing was repetitive, and the characters were rather unlikable. The ending was predictable and welcome since I wanted to get it over with.

✬✬ I’ve enjoyed the series and looked forward to Arrow’s story, but found this story disappointing. It turned to be very boring and not much of a storyline,  had to make myself finish it.

✬✬ I found this book boring; it took an effort to finish it. The love wasn’t believable or touching, and the story was slow.

✬✬✬✬ All Elizabeth Chadwick books are well written and enjoyable. I liked the accuracy of the background; you get the feel of being in the period. Also loved that it is not like a fairy tale, characters are developed as complete and flawed people.

✬✬✬✬✬ If you loved Cathedral of the Sea you will love this book, too. Written skillfully, you won’t be able to take your hands off it and you’ll go looking for more pages even as the story ends.