Book of Interest: Cleopatra

Happy Monday!

How was everyone's weekend? Did you find any time to read?

I can't remember the last time I've read a historical fiction but Cleopatra by Saara El-Arifi seems like such an interesting read. With the story told by her, it will be interesting to see what aspects of Cleopatra's life will be focused on besides the most known (or at least perceived) information by historians. I've been trying to expand from my usual genre of books because there are just so many different stories and I want to read as many of them as I can. So, I will be adding this book to my list. Maybe, I'll even read it this summer.

Book: Cleopatra by Saara El-Arifi

Description:

Cleopatra tells her own story in this evocative and sensuous historical epic from the bestselling and award-winning author of Faebound and The Final Strife.

YOU KNOW MY NAME, BUT YOU DO NOT KNOW ME.

Your historians call me seductress, but I was ever in love's thrall.

Your playwrights speak of witchcraft, but my talents came from the gods themselves.

Your poets sing of my bloodlust, but I was always protecting my children.

How wilfully they refuse to concede that a woman could be powerful, strategic, and divinely blessed to rule.

Death will silence me no longer.

This is not the story of how I died. But how I lived.

Teaser Trailer: Lessons in Chemistry TV Series (and the Book)

The trailer for Lessons in Chemistry looks really interesting because it has science, food, life changing moments and self-discovery. This is making me think about getting Apple TV+ because I'd like to see this series. It's based on the book of the same name (which I posted below) that I haven't read yet. Until I think about whether to add another streaming service or see if any of my family or friends have it, I'm going to get the book to read especially since the show doesn't air until Fall.


Lessons in Chemistry (Apple TV+)

Description:

Children, set the table. Your mother needs a moment to herself.

Set in the early 1960s, Elizabeth Zotts' dream of being a scientist is put on hold when she finds herself pregnant, alone and fired from her lab.

Book of Interest: Scritch Scratch

The description for Scritch Scratch by Lindsay Currie really caught my attention because what would you do if a ghost started following you and other weird and strange things started happening. This seems like a really interesting book, I have to add it to my list because who doesn't love a good ghost story? I really want to read this.

Book: Scritch Scratch by Lindsay Currie

Description:

For fans of Small Spaces and the Goosebumps series by R.L Stine comes a chilling ghost story based on real Chicago history about a malevolent spirit, an unlucky girl, and a haunting mystery that will tie the two together.

Claire has absolutely no interest in the paranormal. She's a scientist, which is why she can't think of anything worse than having to help out her dad on one of his ghost-themed Chicago bus tours. She thinks she's made it through when she sees a boy with a sad face and dark eyes at the back of the bus. There's something off about his presence, especially because when she checks at the end of the tour...he's gone.

Claire tries to brush it off, she must be imagining things, letting her dad's ghost stories get the best of her. But then the scratching starts. Voices whisper to her in the dark. The number 396 appears everywhere she turns. And the boy with the dark eyes starts following her.

Claire is being haunted. The boy from the bus wants something...and Claire needs to find out what before it's too late.

Books of Interest: These Violent Delights book series

I've been so many good things about These Violent Delights series by Chloe Gong that I have to read it. How could I not? It's a retelling of Romeo & Juliet set in the 1920s as two notorious gangs run Shanghai. It has star-crossed exes Juliette and Roma having to put aside their differences and their ongoing bloody feud to stop a monster I believe is terrorizing the city. Even if I hadn't heard good things about this series, the descriptions for both books (which are below) completely sold me on wanting to read it.

Book: These Violent Delights (The Violent Delights book #1) by Chloe Gong

Description:

Perfect for fans of The Last Magician and Serpent & Dove, this heart-stopping debut is an imaginative Romeo and Juliet retelling set in 1920s Shanghai, with rival gangs and a monster in the depths of the Huangpu River.

The year is 1926, and Shanghai hums to the tune of debauchery.

A blood feud between two gangs runs the streets red, leaving the city helpless in the grip of chaos. At the heart of it all is eighteen-year-old Juliette Cai, a former flapper who has returned to assume her role as the proud heir of the Scarlet Gang—a network of criminals far above the law. Their only rivals in power are the White Flowers, who have fought the Scarlets for generations. And behind every move is their heir, Roma Montagov, Juliette’s first love…and first betrayal.

But when gangsters on both sides show signs of instability culminating in clawing their own throats out, the people start to whisper. Of a contagion, a madness. Of a monster in the shadows. As the deaths stack up, Juliette and Roma must set their guns—and grudges—aside and work together, for if they can’t stop this mayhem, then there will be no city left for either to rule.

What was the last book you recommended?

The last time I recommended a book was a week ago. A friend was looking for something different, so I recommended The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova.  I really enjoyed reading it, it's a wonderfully layered story that's an interesting take on the supernatural tale of Vlad the Impaler a.k.a. Dracula. It's filled with mystery and suspense, a lot of research, travel and adventure.

I found The Historian to be such a riveting story that I'm eager to know my friend's opinion once she's finished reading it.

Book: The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

Description:

Breathtakingly suspenseful and beautifully written, The Historian is the story of a young woman plunged into a labyrinth where the secrets of her family’s past connect to an inconceivable evil: the dark fifteenth-century reign of Vlad the Impaler and a time-defying pact that may have kept his awful work alive through the ages. The search for the truth becomes an adventure of monumental proportions, taking us from monasteries and dusty libraries to the capitals of Eastern Europe—in a feat of storytelling so rich, so hypnotic, so exciting that it has enthralled readers around the world.

Book Review: The Secret of Gumbo Grove

Book: The Secret of Gumbo Grove by Eleanora E. Tate

Cover Art by Nigel Chamberlain

Edition: Paperback

Description:

Raisin Stackhouse doesn't mind doing odd jobs for old Miss Effie Pfluggins, but when Miss Effie talks her into cleaning up the old church cemetery, she has no idea what trouble she might dig up. Mama says Miss Effie talks much too much, but Raisin loves hearing her remember the old days—especially when one of her stories puts Raisin smack in the middle of a real-life mystery.

When Raisin is grounded for sneaking a night out, she not only misses her chance to compete in the Miss Ebony Pageant, but her efforts to uncover the famous person buried in the cemetery are brought to a halt, too. Somehow Raisin's got to solve the big mystery no one in town wants to talk about. Will her discovery bring her glory, or is the past better off left buried?

"The Reincarnationist Papers" is Being Adapted into a Movie

The novel The Reincarnationist Papers by D. Eric Maikranz is being adapted into a movie titled Infinite. It will star Mark Wahlberg, Sophie Cookson and Dylan O'Brien and will be directed by Antoine Fuqua. It's scheduled to be released in theatres on August 7, 2020.

I had never heard of this book but the description makes it seem like an interesting read. It feels like a cross between sci-fi and historical fiction and I wonder if it will answer the question of whether Evan Michaels' reincarnation experiences are real or something created by his imagination.

I wouldn't mind reading this for book club, would anyone else be interested in reading it as well?


Book

Book: The Reincarnationist Papers: A Memoir of Past Lives: The Account of Evan Michaels by D. Eric Maikranz

Description:

The electrifying book that introduces readers to the Cognomina, a secret society of people who possess total recall of their past lives. "Haunted by memories of two past lives, a troubled young man stumbles upon a centuries-old secret society of similar individuals and dares to join their ranks." Evan Michaels' now public account takes us into this organization whose members have been agents of change throughout history.

Book Review: It's Superman!

Book: It's Superman! by Tom De Haven

Cover Design by Phil Balsman
Cover Art by H. J. Ward

Edition: Paperback

Description:

Coming of age in rural 1930s America with X-ray vision, the power to stop bullets, and the ability to fly isn't exactly every boy's story. So just how did Clark Kent, a shy farmer's son, grow up to be the Man of Steel?

Follow young Clark's whirlwind journey from Kansas to New York City's Daily Planet. This ace reporter is not the only person leading a double life in a teeming metropolis, just the only one able to leap tall buildings in a single bound — a skill that comes in handy when battling powerful criminal masterminds like scheming Lex Luthor and fascist robots. But can Clark's midwestern charm save the day and win the heart of stunning, seen-it-all newspaperwoman Lois Lane? Or is that a job for Superman?

Book Review: Shakespeare's Spy

Book: Shakespeare's Spy (The Shakespeare Stealer book #3) by Gary Blackwood

Edition: Paperback

Description:

Things are disappearing mysteriously from Will Shakespeare's acting company, and it looks like an inside job. Everyone's eyes are on Widge, the orphan boy turned actor, and former thief. Widge knows better than anyone that Shakespeare's plays must be protected at all costs. In order to prove his innocence and clear his name, Widge must learn a new role: spy. But can he dig through the suspects and skulduggery and catch the true culprit?

Book Review: The Monsters of Templeton

Book: The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff

Book Designed by Michelle Ishay
Book Illustrated by Beth White

Edition: Hardcover

Description:

So begins The Monsters of Templeton, a novel spanning two centuries: part a contemporary story of a girl's search for her father, part historical novel, and part ghost story, this spellbinding novel is at its core a tale of how one town holds the secrets of a family.

In the wake of a wildly disastrous affair with her married archeology professor, Willie Upton arrives on the doorstep of her ancestral home in Templeton, New York, where her hippie-turned-born-again-Baptist mom, Vi, still lives. Willie expects to be able to hide in the place that has been home to her family for generations, but the monster's death changes the fabric of the quiet, picture-perfect town her ancestors founded. Even further, Willie learns that the story her mother had always told her about her father has all been a lie: he wasn't the random man from a free-love commune that Vi had led her to imagine, but someone else entirely. Someone from this very town.

As Willie puts her archaeological skills to work digging for the truth about her lineage, she discovers that the secrets of her family run deep. Through letters, editorials, and journal entries, the dead rise up to tell their sides of the story as dark mysteries come to light, past and present blur, old stories are finally put to rest, and the shocking truth about more than one monster is revealed.

Book Review: Rocket Robinson and the Secret of the Saint

Book: Rocket Robinson and the Secret of the Saint (Rocket Robinson book #2) written and illustrated by Sean O'Neill

Source: Received from Author for an honest review

Publication: Available now


Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Rocket Robinson and the Secret of the Saint is a wildly inventive historical fiction story that follows the trio Rocket, Nuri and Rocket's pet monkey Screech as they uncover a fantastic mystery surrounding a stolen painting.

This sequel which is still set in the 1930s finds Mr. Robinson, Rocket, Nuri and Screech in Paris, France. The mystery begins when the Louvre was broken into and the only thing stolen was a very old painting. Unfortunately Nuri's Uncle Turk was arrested for the crime but the kids didn't believe he did it. And with Mr. Robinson away for work, it's up to Rocket, Nuri and Screech to find the thief and the missing painting.

Following a lead the police dismissed, the trio went to investigate the man they believe framed Turk. Doing that set off a chain of events leaving the trio uncovering an intricate mystery that centers around the painting possibly leading to an ancient Templar treasure. And trying to get their hands on that treasure are Nazis who plan to use it to help fund the Third Reich.

I think the author has a knack for blending fact with fiction in this fast moving, very well written, action packed story. It held my attention all the way through and I love that the story has a lot going on. However, not so much that it would confuse young readers, this is an easy to follow story. I couldn't help rooting for the trio as they try to stop the villains, this was definitely a page turner.

The Rocket Robinson comic books are the type of comics I love to recommend for kids (although they can be enjoyed by all ages) because each book features an exciting and funny story with a mystery coupled with high flying action and adventure. Nuri, Rocket and Screech are smart, courageous, and very resourceful, I'm sure kids will love them. And as for the artwork, I love the illustrations, they're bright and clear with perfect coloring. There are so many amazing details on every page.

I do believe this second installment may have out done the first, Rocket Robinson and the Pharaoh's Fortune which is exactly what a good sequel is supposed to do. If there's a kid in your life who is interested in reading comics I truly recommend picking up these first two books for them.

Book of Interest: The Dollhouse

Okay, this cover would make a great poster but it's the premise that had me immediately adding this to my wishlist. A mystery of sorts that seems to revolve around an something that happened in 1952 with a reporter in modern times trying to uncover the secrets.

Yeah, this looks good, I have to read it.

Book: The Dollhouse by Fiona Davis

Description:

When she arrives at the famed Barbizon Hotel in 1952, secretarial school enrollment in hand, Darby McLaughlin is everything her modeling agency hall mates aren't: plain, self-conscious, homesick, and utterly convinced she doesn't belong—a notion the models do nothing to disabuse. Yet when Darby befriends Esme, a Barbizon maid, she's introduced to an entirely new side of New York City: seedy downtown jazz clubs where the music is as addictive as the heroin that's used there, the startling sounds of bebop, and even the possibility of romance.

Over half a century later, the Barbizon's gone condo and most of its long-ago guests are forgotten. But rumors of Darby's involvement in a deadly skirmish with a hotel maid back in 1952 haunt the halls of the building as surely as the melancholy music that floats from the elderly woman's rent-controlled apartment. It's a combination too intoxicating for journalist Rose Lewin, Darby's upstairs neighbor, to resist—not to mention the perfect distraction from her own imploding personal life. Yet as Rose's obsession deepens, the ethics of her investigation become increasingly murky, and neither woman will remain unchanged when the shocking truth is finally revealed.

Book Review: Sherlock Holmes vs. Harry Houdini

Book: Sherlock Holmes vs. Harry Houdini (issues #1-5) by Anthony Del Col and Conor McCreery, with illustrations by Carlos Furuzono, color by Aikau Oliva and letters by Rob Steen

Cover Art by John Cassady

Edition: Single Print Issues


Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Despite the feeling that more attention was focused on Harry Houdini that doesn't take away from this being a good read. The mystery in this story surrounds Harry Houdini who seemed to have angered the mystics and one in particular is threating to destroy him.

When the story opens the legendary magician Harry Houdini was putting on a small show at Scotland Yard to demonstrate his inability to be imprisoned. It's also where he had the misfortune of meeting Sherlock Holmes who at the time was imprisoned himself. However, that didn't stop him from deducing or telling the secrets of one of Houdini's acts.

At that moment is when the mystic decided to denounce Houdini's skepticism towards the unknown and issued a threat that someone will die on stage at the magician's show that night. Not one to be dissuaded, Houdini would not cancel his show, he even invited Holmes to attend to see if he could figure out any more of his acts.

The mystic didn't disappoint because there was indeed a most tragic death on stage causing a panic from the audience. With more tragedies in store for the magician, can Holmes and Houdini figure out who is behind everything before it's too late?

I love the concept of these two figures meeting then subsequently trying to solve a deadly mystery. I thought the writing was good but as I stated above, Houdini got center stage in this miniseries. Perhaps the title for this should have been Harry Houdini featuring Sherlock Holmes due to the uneven treatment. Even Dr. John Watson was treated as a supporting character with limited scenes.

And with Sherlock not at his best, he was suffering from being under the influence of a new drug he found, it caused him to be off his intellectual game. The drug was a tea like brew that gives the drinker hallucinations and he seems to have become dependent on it. It was shown off and on throughout with him wrestling his demons to get his extraordinary sharp mind back to where it should be.

Harry Houdini wasn't shown without his many faults including his ego and arrogance making it possible for the mystic to continue to strike and put others in danger.

This miniseries is an interesting mix of mystery and "magic" as Holmes and Houdini try to match skill and intellect to solve the crime. Of course the clashing of their personalities doesn't necessarily make it easy to develop a sense of camaraderie. But one doesn't have to like someone to learn to work with them.

Before this review becomes any longer than it should be, I will close by saying I loved reading this. There is a lot of action and adventure and drama and suspense with an interesting mystery. Oh and love the artwork, great use of color and shading.

Okay, it's official, I've had it with finding all these good books. Can someone please pinpoint me to a few books that absolutely no one seemed to like? I just need to find a truly terrible book, something so bad that it made you never want to read it again. So please, feel free tell me all about them. I will be most appreciative.

Currently Reading: Sherlock Holmes vs. Harry Houdini

I'm a Sherlock Holmes fan and I'm always looking for some new take on the character and in this miniseries Sherlock Holmes vs. Harry Houdini, looks like an interesting read.

I totally forgot I had this, ever since I reorganized my comics I have been finding all these books I had put away and simply forgotten about.


Book: Sherlock Holmes vs. Harry Houdini (issues #1-5) by Anthony Del Col and Conor McCreery, with illustrations by Carlos Furuzono, color by Aikau Oliva and letters by Rob Steen

Cover Art by John Cassady

Edition: Single Print Issues

Description:

The world's most famous detective meets the world's most famous magician...and death ensues! Famed sleuth Sherlock Holmes and brash showman Harry Houdini must combine forces to defeat a mysterious mystic dedicated to destroying Houdini's career and killing anyone who gets in his way.

Currently Reading: Rocket Robinson and the Secret of the Saint

It's been some time since I've read the first book Rocket Robinson and the Pharaoh's Fortune, it was a good read. These are historical fiction comics that follows Rocket Robinson, his new friend Nuri and his pet monkey Screech as the trio wind up in an amazing adventure.

I really liked the first book and I'm looking forward to reading this one.

Book: Rocket Robinson and the Secret of the Saint (Rocket Robinson book #2) written and illustrated by Sean O'Neill

Source: Received from Author for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Description:

Rocket, Nuri, and Screech are in 1930’s Paris where they are hot on the trail of a stolen painting. But naturally there’s more to this story than just a missing artwork. The painting holds the key to discovering the greatest treasure in history, and a rogue’s gallery of bumbling art thieves and German spies is desperate to find it and will stop at nothing to discover its secret location.

This adventure combines lively, vibrant color artwork with thrilling adventure and fascinating historical details, all set on the backdrop of one of the world’s most intriguing and mysterious cities. Designed for beginning to intermediate readers, the story is free of inappropriate language, gender or ethnic stereotypes, and violent images, so the book is truly for comic fans of all ages. But don’t worry—it’s still packed with action, danger, and plenty of fun!

Book of Interest: The Dante Club

I was at the thrift store earlier when I spotted this book, the description seems really interesting. The book has a group of historical figures trying to solve the mystery of several brutal murders.

I didn't buy the book or any books for that matter, I really just went in the store to see what was on the shelves. I would like to read this, it really does seem interesting.

Book: The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl

Description:

Boston, 1865. A series of murders, all of them inspired by scenes in Dante’s Inferno. Only an elite group of America’s first Dante scholars — Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Oliver Wendell Holmes, James Russell Lowell, and J. T. Fields — can solve the mystery. With the police baffled, more lives endangered, and Dante’s literary future at stake, the Dante Club must shed its sheltered literary existence and find the killer.

365 Days of Books of Interest: Day #267 (for Sunday): Labyrinth

I remember watching the Labyrinth two part miniseries when it aired on The CW network a few years ago. To be honest, I was actually surprised that something like this even aired on there, it doesn't quite fit in with the network's normal programing.

At the time when I first watched the miniseries, I didn't know it was based on a book. I really like the miniseries, it's very intriguing. I can best describe it as being historical fiction meets thriller with the story taking place in two different eras. It also felt as if there was a supernatural element to the story.

With that said I would love to read the book, hopefully it's as exciting (if not more so) than the miniseries.

Book: Labyrinth (Languedoc book #1) by Kate Mosse

Description:

July 2005. In the Pyrenees mountains near Carcassonne, Alice, a volunteer at an archaeological dig, stumbles into a cave and makes a startling discovery-two crumbling skeletons, strange writings on the walls, and the pattern of a labyrinth.

Eight hundred years earlier, on the eve of a brutal crusade that will rip apart southern France, a young woman named Alais is given a ring and a mysterious book for safekeeping by her father. The book, he says, contains the secret of the true Grail, and the ring, inscribed with a labyrinth, will identify a guardian of the Grail. Now, as crusading armies gather outside the city walls of Carcassonne, it will take a tremendous sacrifice to keep the secret of the labyrinth safe.

365 Days of Books of Interest: Day #265 (for Friday): Stalking Jack the Ripper

I really like the description for this book, why can't a teenage society girl look into the Jack the Ripper murders. Since the murders were unsolved, the killer will always be a mystery. What I find interesting is that modern day experts continue to look at the clues to see if they can determine who the murderer was.

I am very interested in reading Stalking Jack the Ripper and also congratulations to the author since this is her debut novel. That's pretty cool.

Book: Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco and presented by James Patterson

Description:

Presented by James Patterson's new children's imprint, this deliciously creepy horror novel has a storyline inspired by the Ripper murders and an unexpected, blood-chilling conclusion...

Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord's daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life.

Against her stern father's wishes and society's expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle's laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.

The story's shocking twists and turns, augmented with real, sinister period photos, will make this dazzling debut from author Kerri Maniscalco impossible to forget.

Currently Reading: The Kite Runner and That's Not Hay in My Hair

It's been a while since I posted a Currently Reading post because lately I usually pick up a book, read it, then write up the review. But I want to start posting what I read again. Here are two books that I recently started reading: The Kite Runner and That's Not Hay in My Hair. I should be finished with the second book in a couple of days.

Book: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Description:

The unforgettable, heartbreaking story of the unlikely friendship between a wealthy boy and the son of his father's servant, The Kite Runner is a beautifully crafted novel set in a country that is in the process of being destroyed. It is about the power of reading, the price of betrayal, and the possibility of redemption; and an exploration of the power of fathers over sons—their love, their sacrifices, their lies.

A sweeping story of family, love, and friendship told against the devastating backdrop of the history of Afghanistan over the last thirty years, The Kite Runner is an unusual and powerful novel that has become a beloved, one-of-a-kind classic.

Book: That's Not Hay in My Hair by Juliette Turner

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Description:

New York City life had crammed sidewalks, gasoline-filled puddles, and angry taxi drivers, but Juliette enjoyed the towering sky-scrapers, the half-block walk to school, and the restaurant smells wafting into her bedroom. She had never cared for a horse, let alone a long-horn, when her mother announced their imminent move to a 300 acre ranch in Texas, where they would be caring for three horses, five dogs, twenty-five longhorns, and a cat … all by themselves.

Juliette couldn’t help feeling excited, even though she’d have to climb a hill to get a bar of cell-phone service. Soon she was running from bats and snakes, rescuing a calf from a twenty-foot ditch, medicating ponies, and having adventures so crazy it’s hard to believe they’re for real—but it all happened exactly how it’s written.

Get ready for side-splitting laughs, heart-wrenching tears, and surprising life lessons learned down on the farm and shared by fourteen-year-old Juliette Turner.

365 Days of Books of Interest: Day #219 (for Monday): The Last Days of New Paris

I have to read a variety of books or I would most certainly get bored. The description for The Last Days of New Paris seems very interesting, I'm really going to have to read this book soon. It's a historical fiction that seems to hover around World War II.

Book: The Last Days of New Paris by China Mieville

Description:

A thriller of war that never was — of survival in an impossible city — of surreal cataclysm. In The Last Days of New Paris, China Miéville entwines true historical events and people with his daring, uniquely imaginative brand of fiction, reconfiguring history and art into something new.

“Beauty will be convulsive. . . .”

1941. In the chaos of wartime Marseille, American engineer — and occult disciple — Jack Parsons stumbles onto a clandestine anti-Nazi group, including Surrealist theorist André Breton. In the strange games of the dissident diplomats, exiled revolutionaries, and avant-garde artists, Parsons finds and channels hope. But what he unwittingly unleashes is the power of dreams and nightmares, changing the war and the world forever.

1950. A lone Surrealist fighter, Thibaut, walks a new, hallucinogenic Paris, where Nazis and the Resistance are trapped in unending conflict, and the streets are stalked by living images and texts — and by the forces of Hell. To escape the city, he must join forces with Sam, an American photographer intent on recording the ruins, and make common cause with a powerful, enigmatic figure of chance and rebellion: the exquisite corpse.

But Sam is being hunted. And new secrets will emerge that will test all their loyalties — to each other, to Paris old and new, and to reality itself.