Book Review: Go by Kazuki Kaneshiro, Takami Nieda (Translator)

This is one of the books from Amazon’s World Book Day.

Go by Kazuki Kaneshiro
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I randomly stumbled onto this book through Amazon Crossing, and wasn’t at all sure about it, as ‘coming of age’ stories really don’t attract me at all, but being curious I gave it a try and I was drawn into the cultural relevance of this story from the start.

It’s a very easy read and not particularly long, but I feel as though I have been quite dramatically educated on Japanese culture and Japanese society.

Excellent translation! Highly recommended reading!

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Book Review: Conclave by Robert Harris

Conclave by Robert Harris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh my Lord, I couldn’t put this down despite needing to because daily life was getting in the way!

This story is absolutely brilliant, meticulously detailed, wonderfully insightful, with a kick in the end that still has me grinning and applauding even now as I write this.

Robert Harris never fails to bring the goods, and keep you turning the pages.

Awesome!

Highly recommended. And even if you’re not Catholic, this book will resonate for sure!

Love it!

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Book Review: Crazy Horse and Custer by Stephen E. Ambrose

Crazy Horse and Custer by Stephen E. Ambrose
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As an avid historian and a fan of Stephen Ambrose’s work, I was intrigued by this book – showing the parallel lives of George Custer and Crazy Horse. Two very different men, who were fated to face each other.

Ambrose shows insight into both men, he shared the lives they lived and then how they died. Custer is famous for his death, more than his life, while Crazy Horse is famous for his last stand, but few remember how he died.

I knew some of the myths and stories around ‘Little Big Horn’ but I hadn’t known about the world around it, and the factors that led to that very moment. I had no idea how devoted Custer was to his wife, Libby, nor anything about Crazy Horse’s own love for a woman he could never have.

The book brought to life these men, that made me see their world differently.

If you want to learn beyond the myth of Custer, Crazy Horse, and the Indian Wars – this is the book to read.

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Book Review: Shadow of Night (All Souls Trilogy, #2) by Deborah Harkness

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I went straight from the first book to the second, wanting to find out ‘what happened next’. I wasn’t disappointed, the story pulled me right back in gripping me with intrigue and twisting historical context around a fictional narrative.

I admit Elizabethan History is not my forte, as a matter of fact I had to do some research into the time period and the ‘School of Night’, learned a lot about Christopher Marlow, Sir Walter Raleigh, Thomas Harriot, George Chapman, and Matthew Roydon (by the way nice use of an historical character that has no information or identifying painting).

Following Diana through Elizabethan life, learning how to navigate marriage, while all the time trying to find the secret of her own heritage made me admire her. This isn’t a ‘kick ass woman’ who can do anything, be anything and just the best. Instead she is very human, screws up, admits faults, has anxiety attacks yet keeps going. Her love for her family, husband and doing what’s right, shows through.

Now it’s onto the 3rd and last book in the series.

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Book Review: All This I Will Give You by Dolores Redondo

This is one of the books downloaded during Amazon’s World Book Day.

One down … eight to go.

All This I Will Give to You by Dolores Redondo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I don’t normally find myself attracted to women authors, but this book was discovered as part of a free deal on AmazonCrossing (Books from Around the World), and being that it was a/ free and b/ had an intriguing cover, I dove in.

I surprised myself actually, given that I knew nothing of either the book or the author.

I was hooked. Less than 3 pages in, and I seriously couldn’t put it down.

I wish I could give it more than 5 stars!!

It’s been a very long time since I raved so enthusiastically about a novel, let alone one I was desperately driven to finish reading, because it was so beautifully addicting.

Even being translated from Spanish, it was gorgeous, flowing prose, utterly believable emotion, well drawn and deeply crafted. The characters are so real, the places so inspiring, that I was right there with them on their journey.

Wonderful! Just truly wonderful with a superb ending I can honestly say I didn’t see coming.

I’m bound and determined now to find more of the works of Delores Redondo.

I can’t recommend this book highly enough!!!!

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Book Review: Arms of Nemesis (Roma Sub Rosa, #2) by Steven Saylor

Arms of Nemesis by Steven Saylor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Excellent book, filled with beautiful and lyrical descriptions of Ancient Rome in the time before Caesar.

The author is certainly more than capable of drawing the reader into old rituals, and stunning scenery with flowing ease and an assurance of research well done on every topic, from poisons to bath houses.

In fact, Steven Saylor includes at the end a list of works he consulted for writing this book, so the curious can go find more for themselves.

I appreciate the tasteful way he describes both sex and sensuality and when he does feel the need to use baser descriptions, they fit very well with the ‘moment’ in the drama.

This is the second of his Roma Sub Rosa series and I look forward to reading the third, even if the ending on this one felt just ever so slightly contrived.

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Book Review: Wonder Woman: The Official Movie Novel by Nancy Holder

The one thing I’m adamant about is reading.  Read everything.  Just read.

Which means that my selection of books ends up being from eclectic to downright head tilting at times.

Next book up for a review is not one most wouldn’t think of as part of anyone’s library.   Movie novelizations aren’t the next Jeffrey Archer’s or Stephen King’s (despite how many of their books have been made into movies).  But movie novelizations got me reading as a young loner teenager who preferred books over people.

So on occasion I still pick them up.

Now don’t get me wrong there’s a big difference between reading a novelization and one that was the inspiration of a film … one day I’ll do a post on The Snowman by Jo Nesbø, but until then …

Enjoy Wonder Woman!

Wonder Woman: The Official Movie Novelization by Nancy Holder
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As someone who enjoyed the movie for it’s innovation of character and bringing back Wonder Woman as a strong female character, I was curious on how the ‘Movie Novelization’ would read out.

It wasn’t a difficult read, I finished it in a few hours (though months apart) It was enjoyable, the writing was good but not in-depth, I had been hoping for more character insight or history. It followed the movie closely, even if you wanted more.

For a movie novelization it was one of the best I’ve read. I would recommend it to people who have seen the movie or not. You’ll fall in love with Diane and feel her pain, devotion and love.

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