Poetry of Reading: July 2021

Dark Fire by C.J. Sansom

by Natasa Djordjevic - 8:53 AM

“Man is an angry, savage being. Sometimes faith becomes an excuse for battle. It is no real faith then. In justifying their positions in the name of God, men silence God.”This is another fascinating tale from Sansom about his “anti-hero”, a lawyer called Matthew Shardlake who has a hunchback and thus is reviled...

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QUOTES OF THE WEEK

by Natasa Djordjevic - 10:32 AM

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Enemy of God by Bernard Cornwell

by Natasa Djordjevic - 9:26 AM

“But when you have order, you don't need Gods. When everything is well ordered and disciplined then nothing is unexpected. If you understand everything,' I said carefully, 'then there's no room left for magic. It's only when you're lost and frightened and in the dark that you call on the Gods, and they...

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QUOTES OF THE WEEK

by Natasa Djordjevic - 10:47 AM

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Daughter of the Gods: A Novel of Ancient Egypt by Stephanie Thornton

by Natasa Djordjevic - 10:24 AM

“Years ago, Re had raged against humans for violating Ma’at, so he had sent Hathor to destroy mankind. She transformed into the lion goddess Sekhmet and Egypt’s fields ran red with the blood of her rampage. Seeing this, Re realized his mistake and ordered Sekhmet to stop, but she was too gone with...

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QUOTES OF THE WEEK

by Natasa Djordjevic - 9:11 AM

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The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory

by Natasa Djordjevic - 2:56 PM

“Words have weight, something once said cannot be unsaid. Meaning is like a stone dropped into a pool; the ripples will spread and you cannot know what back they wash against.”This is the story of Henry VIII’s first wife, Katharine of Aragon. The character development of Catalina (Katherine) expertly took you from her...

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QUOTES OF THE WEEK

by Natasa Djordjevic - 9:44 AM

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Book Wrap Up Jun

by Natasa Djordjevic - 11:25 AM

Syrian Wives by Anna Halabi (✬✬✬✬✬)

Wonderful, intriguing, spectacular! This book was a work of art. A collection of short stories illustrating the everyday life in Aleppo, Syria, both the married and the brides-to-be. It reveals the warmth and humor and the oppression in the Syrian society. As in the first book, all of these stories are memorable, portraying unique situations and complications women confront in married life. I highly recommend this book.

Fevre Dream by George R.R. Martin (✬✬✬✬)

In typical George R. R. Martin style, his characters are well written, diverse, and three-dimensional. I enjoyed Fevre Dream, there are a few slow parts, particularly during the long passages describing steamboats but it’s an intriguing story and a great twist on your stereotypical “vampire”. The book reads like a love letter to the history of the Mississippi River in the best way possible. Martin captures the feeling and romanticism of the region and that period in history perfectly.

10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World by Elif Shafak (✬✬✬✬)

Haunting and beautifully written, Elif Shafak dares to address the social injustices to women in Turkey. But it is also a story of hope and love and, above all, friendship.

A Beauty So Rare by Tamera Alexander (✬✬✬✬)

Although I found the first half of the book to be slow-moving, once the plans for the widow’s and children’s home start taking off, so does the story, and at that point, I couldn’t put it down. I loved the way Tamera Alexander pens the difficult, heart-wrenching relationship Eleanor had with her father, as well as the friendships Eleanor cultivates with the widows around town. I also felt Ms. Alexander did an amazing job with the romance between Marcus and Eleanor. Their love story is delicate and graceful and full of beautiful layers.

The Botanist's Daughter by Kayte Nunn (✬✬✬✬)

I found the story slow to start but was glad I persevered as the tale developed well and the characters came to life. I didn’t quite guess the story behind the hidden sketchbook, but was pretty close! The ending wasn’t as obvious as I had predicted. A lovely story that was easy to read and enjoyable.