Tag: historical fiction

"Chains" by Laurie Halse Anderson

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I’ve finished this book over the weekend and I wanted to share it with you. This book is more from the historical fiction genre and I don’t normally read stuff from that genre but I was glad I read it. It was something a little outside what I normally read but I found the story kept me entertained. This book was hard to put down because I just had to find out what Isabel was up to next. Luckily, this book is part of a trilogy so I’ve got 2 more books to learn more about Isabel and what happens to her.

If an entire nation could seek its freedom, why not a girl?

As the Revolutionary War begins, thirteen-year-old Isabel wages her own fight…for freedom. Promised freedom upon the death of their owner, she and her sister, Ruth, in a cruel twist of fate become the property of a malicious New York City couple, the Locktons, who have no sympathy for the American Revolution and even less for Ruth and Isabel. When Isabel meets Curzon, a slave with ties to the Patriots, he encourages her to spy on her owners, who know details of British plans for invasion. She is reluctant at first, but when the unthinkable happens to Ruth, Isabel realizes her loyalty is available to the bidder who can provide her with freedom.

From acclaimed author Laurie Halse Anderson comes this compelling, impeccably researched novel that shows the lengths we can go to cast off our chains, both physical and spiritual.

Top 10 Favorite Picks

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With this being the last month in the 2019 year, we find ourselves coming towards the end of a decade (as well as another year). Below is a list of books that have been released in the last decade that I’ve read and I am sharing them with those of you reading this. This list is my favorite picks of the decade in no particular order. Enjoy!

This novel is a good mystery to curl up on a couch with and drink a nice cup of hot cocoa while you’re reading. If you’re a fan of Agatha Christie, you’d be interested in reading this book.

This is a good book to read if you’re into reading something a little on the spooky side about a haunted house. This one kept me on the edge of my seat while I was reading it.

If you are into historical fiction and/or westerns, then this is a book for you. Even though this book is outside the genres that I normally read, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and couldn’t put it down.

This author is a favorite of mine and has been for a while. This book is a good book for any true horror fan to read around Christmas time.

This author is another one of my favorites. This book is good for anyone who like crime fiction or stories about vampires.

This novel kept me entertained until the end and I was shocked when I got to the end. If you like suspense, then this will probably be the book for you.

This was an interesting mystery. You’ll want to settle down somewhere comfortable because this book will keep you turning the pages until the very end.

I’ve read a couple of things from this author but this one is my favorite so far. If you like horror/suspense, try picking up something from this author like this book.

I don’t normally read a lot of romance but I read this one after my husband had watched the movie. I knew it couldn’t be that bad if my hubby would be willing to watch the movie (and enjoy it). I did enjoy the book and I loved the ending.

I read this book when it came out and I loved it. It’s turned into a series since it’s been published. I’ve read this book and Hollow City. I have to go read Library of Souls so that I can see what happened to Jacob and continue that story. I have to see what happens!

Looking forward to!

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I just learned that they are continuing a series that I thought was finished. I don’t know if any of you have read the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series by Michelle Paver before but it’s an excellent series to read if you like historical fiction or anything to do with wizard/witch fantasy. Anyway, I just found out on Twitter that they’re making the book listed below in e-book form and it will be released on April 2, 2020. I believe I will be getting this book on my Kindle when it comes out.

A boy. A wolf. The legend lives on.

Viper’s Daughter is the seventh book in the award-winning series that began with Wolf Brother, selling over 3 million copies in 36 territories. Like them it can be read as a standalone story.

For two summers Torak and Renn have been living in the Forest with their faithful pack-brother, Wolf. But their happiness is shattered when Renn realizes Torak is in danger – and she’s the threat.

When she mysteriously disappears, Torak and Wolf brave the Far North to find her. At the mercy of the Sea Mother and haunted by ravenous ice bears, their quest leads them to the Edge of the World. There they must face an enemy more evil than any they’ve encountered.

Viper’s Daughter plunges you back into the Stone-Age world of Torak, Renn and Wolf: a world of demons, Hidden People and exhilarating adventure which has entranced millions of readers.

“What the Night Sings” by Vesper Stamper

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Well, I can add another book to my list of books I’ve read this year. I had read “Anne Frank: The Diary of A Young Girl” a couple of years back. It gave me the perspective of what it was like to be a Jew who was trying to hide from the Nazi’s during WW2 in the hopes that they can stay hidden until the war is over. This book gives you a completely different perspective and shows you what it’s like to be a Jew who actually got caught by the Nazi’s, separated from your family and sent to live in a concentration camp before finally being liberated. If you want to read something different that will change how you look at history, this will be a good book.

Synopsis: After losing her family and everything she knew in the Nazi concentration camps, Gerta is finally liberated, only to find herself completely alone. Without her papa, her music, or even her true identity, she must move past the task of surviving and on to living her life. In the displaced persons camp where she is staying, Gerta meets Lev, a fellow teen survivor who she just might be falling for, despite her feelings for someone else. With a newfound Jewish identity she never knew she had, and a return to the life of music she thought she lost forever, Gerta must choose how to build a new future.

“Fort Whiskey” by David Banks

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I recently finished reading this book and I wanted to share it with you. I ordered this book online at Books-a-million.com and it showed up in pristine condition. I loved this book. It only took me a couple of days to read it, which is pretty fast for me. The characters really came to life. They seemed so real and believable. The story kept me hooked from beginning to end. I was surprised when I got to the end but I did like how the book ended. I hope that there will be more literature in store from this author.

Synopsis: At the tail-end of the Civil War, the United States was in the grip of an internal struggle many thought it would never see the end of. Moral and political struggles gave way to violence, gunpowder and bloodshed filling the landscape. The struggle found was mirrored in the life of Willis Reed, a young soldier torn between his duty to his family and to the love of his life. In his adventure, set in the state of Arkansas, which was so hotly contested in the war, can he choose what is right and make it out with his life?

“The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle” by Janet Fox

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I just finished reading this novel last night before going to bed and I wanted to share it with you. I had found this book in the bargain section of my local bookstore and thought it looked interesting. Well, I wasn’t disappointed when I finished this book last night. This book kept me on my toes the whole time I was reading it. Fans of Harry Potter and/or The Chronicles of Narnia may like this book (this novel is a little bit more scary than those series though).

Synopsis: Something is not right at Rookskill Castle, a rundown Scottish manor shrouded in mystery. The castle is a temporary boarding school for children escaping the Blitz, but soon it’s clear there is something terribly wrong. There are clues hinting that a spy is in the house, and there are undeniable signs of a sinister magic. When the children in the castle’s temporary boarding school begin disappearing one by one, it’s a race against the clock for twelve-year-old Kat Bateson, her two younger siblings, and their new best friend.