5/30/2023 0 Comments The blackthorn key book![]() ![]() It's a time to keep your head down and avoid attention from the authorities. There are spies everywhere, and rumours of conspiracies fill the streets. In 1665 Charles II has been back on the throne for several years, but not everyone is happy about his extravagant and luxurious lifestyle, even among those who found the Puritan rules of Cromwell's time excessively strict. ![]() Apart from the obvious differences from the modern-day – no National Health Service, no laws to protect children from cruelty and exploitation, and a constant foul smell from poor sanitation - fear and suspicion are a daily fact of life. Seventeenth-century England isn't always a comfortable place to live. Shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2016: Younger Fiction ![]() ![]() Christopher stands to lose everything he holds dear – including his life. The members of a shadowy group want the details of a recipe known only to a few people, and they're prepared to torture and kill to get hold of it. Thirteen-year-old orphan Christopher has found happiness for the first time in his life as an apprentice to the apothecary Master Benedict Blackthorn, but it is not destined to last. Summary: Conspiracies, secret codes, murder and plenty of explosions – bring a packed lunch, because once you start reading you won't be able to put this thrilling book down. ![]()
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5/30/2023 0 Comments Smoky mountain tracks donna ball![]() ![]() Lois Phillips Hudson, The Bones of Plenty*. ![]() Susan Beth Pfeffer, Life as we knew it*.Kevin Brookmeier, A Brief History of the Dead*.Judith Merkle Riley, A Vision of Light*.Naomi Hirahara, Summer of the Big Bachi.As for the third rule about tagging people, I choose to tag no one, but if someone reads this post and wants to join in-you're more than welcome! Here goes nothin'. I have few 2008 debut novels in the list, so I won't overload the boldface. Before I start typing up my gargantuan list, I'm going to get the other two rules of the meme out of the way. I sat up last night going through my book journal and making a list of all the new-to-me authors I'd read in 2008. Now.I've read about 180 books this past year, and I'm always on the search for new authors. I really don't think he had any idea what he was setting me up for! Here are the rules:ġ) List the authors that were new to you this year, regardless of year of publication.Ģ) Boldface those which were debuts (first novel published in 2008).ģ) Tag as few or as many others as you’d like. I've been tagged for a reading meme by my friend Archie out on the Australian desert. ![]() ![]() ![]() Though Unger oversimplifies the initial American support for the revolutionary French during the elder Adams's tenure as president, he eloquently details the diplomatic headaches caused by both the infamous XYZ Affair and ever-changing Gallic governments. ![]() Unger (The Last Founding Father) asserts that Adams's positions on abolition and the promotion of science showed him to be prescient, while his outwardly reserved ambition revealed him as a Revolutionary relic whose earnest legal mind garnered him the respect of the fiercely partisan congressmen who surrounded him on his Capitol deathbed. The son of American icons John and Abigail Adams, John Quincy Adams transcended his parents' high expectations, serving his country as a 15-year-old diplomat (as secretary to the American minister to Russia), U.S. ![]() ![]() Narcisa, herself, was having a miserable time and not even filling up her glass with champagne had put a smile on her face. I liked scouring through the racks and fabrics, trying to figure out what Narcisa would look best in. However, despite all that, I was enjoying myself. ![]() My own wedding dress had been bought quickly and efficiently by family members, and I remember the day without any fondness. ![]() Dragging along some poor girl while everyone celebrated a new marriage was a beloved mafia pastime. “I suppose you’re right.” I said, turning back to the dress.ĭress shopping was always a big exciting day out for the women in the family. Thin and breakable, and shaking like a leaf. We both turned to see where Narcisa de Sanctis was sitting. Rosa di Calbo peered over my shoulder and made a face. I rubbed the delicate fabric between my fingers. Your kind words and love for this story has meant more to me than I could ever possibly convey. To every single person who emailed me, messaged me and wrote reviews. Library of Congress Control Number: 2018675309 No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher. ![]() Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. ![]() ![]() ![]() I enjoyed this marriage or ruination story. Trent and Adelaide must grow as individuals before they grow into a loving couple, and a strong measure of faith, along with respect and appreciation, could just lead to a lifetime of joy and fulfillment.Book Copy Gratis Bethany House Books Read more A forced marriage to escape societal censure is the last thing she expected. Lady Adelaide Bell was happy to dwell in her older sister’s shadow if it meant dodging the glare of her mother’s disappointment in her second daughter. He did not envision a turn of fate that would have him proposing to a virtual stranger after an unfortunate incident lead to a night spent together under circumstances which would be deemed compromising by the merciless tongues of society. His plans for the future include marrying a wife of his own choosing and enjoying a life of his own making. ![]() Lord Trent Hawthorne is the younger son, happy to be free of the obligations inherited by his older brother, Griffith. Book Three in the “Hawthorne House” series tells of an unconventional relationship where the courtship comes after the marriage. ![]() “An Uncommon Courtship”, from author Kristi Ann Hunter, is a treat for lovers of Regency Romance. ![]() 5/30/2023 0 Comments Gideon the ninth gideon![]() ![]() ![]() Skeleton Motif: Cohort starships are covered in real, human bones.Not even sci-fi swords, just regular steel. ![]() Schizo Tech: The Cohort gets around aboard spacecraft capable of orbital bombardment and then lands troops who fight with swords.This may be related to the fact that the Nine Houses makes mass death their starting priority during any invasion, to give their necromancers thanergy to work with theirs or the enemy's, it doesn't really matter. This goes double if you serve directly on God's flagship, leading to behavior that Mercymorn and even John himself find exasperating. Martyrdom Culture: To die in service and have your remains interred aboard the Mithraeum is considered possibly the highest honor one can receive.The Second takes them even younger, though into the "Junior Cohort Territorials" at first. Isaac and Jeannmary were turned aside as too young at eleven, then for having mumps the next year, meaning they could have got in as twelve-year-olds. Some Houses seem to prefer fighters seek Cohort placement in their late teens or so but the Second and the Fourth take them very young. The military arm of the Empire, a vast galaxy spannning armed force that draws from the Nine Houses. ![]() 5/30/2023 0 Comments Deathwish by Rob Thurman![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Major characters Ĭaliban is the result of his mother mating with an otherworldly creature, a Grendel (Auphe). Later novels deal more heavily with Cal's attempts to balance the dark nature of his father's race with his impulse to protect and defend others against the supernatural. The series begins with Cal and his brother Niko living in New York City, struggling to keep Cal's heritage a secret as they battle to survive those that would see them dead. His mother was impregnated by an Auphe, a bloodthirsty creature also referred to as a " Grendel". The series follows Cal, a man that is half-monster and half-human. The first novel, Nightlife, was published on Mathrough Roc Fantasy. The Cal Leandros series was an ongoing series of The New York Times Best Selling novels by American author Rob Thurman about the fictional character of Caliban "Cal" Leandros. Nightlife, Moonshine, Madhouse, Deathwish, Roadkill, Blackout, Doubletake, Slashback, Downfall, Nevermore, Everwar Cover for Nightlife, the first book in the series ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Valero-O’Connell’s ( Lumberjanes: Bonus Tracks, 2018, etc.) art is realistic and expressive, bringing the characters to life through dynamic grayscale illustrations featuring highlights of millennial pink. Tamaki ( Supergirl, 2018, etc.) explores the nuances of both romantic and platonic relationships with raw tenderness and honesty. As she struggles to fall out of love and figure out how to “break up with someone who’s broken up with me,” Freddy slowly begins to be drawn back into Laura’s orbit, challenging her relationships with her friends as she searches for happiness. After Laura breaks up with her for a third time, Freddy writes to an advice columnist and, at the recommendation of her best friend Doodle, (reluctantly) sees a psychic who advises her that in order to break out of the cycle of her “non-monogamous swing-your-partner wormhole,” Freddy needs to do the breaking up herself. Laura cheats on Freddy, gaslights and emotionally manipulates her, and fetishizes her. But while Freddy’s friends are always supportive of her, they can’t understand why she stays with Laura. A 17-year-old struggles to navigate friendship and finding herself while navigating a toxic relationship.īiracial (East Asian and white) high schooler Freddy is in love with white Laura Dean. ![]() 5/29/2023 0 Comments Degranon by Duane Simolke![]() ![]() His Web site () includes Rainbow: Lubbock, an online newsletter for his fellow gays in Lubbock, Texas. Though best known for his books, Simolke also writes for This Week In Texas (). At the same time, the invading world Degranon remains as fanatical and divisive as in the original, with characters using religious dogma to justify violence and oppression against each other and everyone else.Ī review appearing in the Octoissue of X-Factor () explains how Degranon’s second edition explores gay marriage and other contemporary issues, saying that “Duane Simolke establishes his voice in gay genre writing” with those explorations. ![]() While the first edition (published January 2002) showed gay marriage as legal and a non-issue, the second edition further incorporates parallels to anti-gay crusades in real life.įor example, one of the passages explains a series of constitutional amendments that supposedly protected society on the planet Valchondria but actually led to discrimination and a gradual erosion of human rights. ![]() ![]() When Duane Simolke re-released Degranon: A Science Fiction Adventure in June 2004, he made three of the central characters gay, and used them to further delve into contemporary issues, including gay marriage. ![]() 5/29/2023 0 Comments The familiars book review![]() ![]() It’s a stunning book, and I was curious about the setting – the Pendle Witch Trials, of which I knew literally nothing. As the company I work at is part of the wider Bonnier group, I was also lucky enough to see some of the incredible sales and design work put into it before it was released. I picked up this book because I had heard universally wonderful things about it. ![]() Time is running out, and both their lives are at stake. Soon the two women’s lives will become inextricably bound together as the legendary trial at Lancaster approaches, and Fleetwood’s stomach continues to grow. But is there more to Alice than meets the eye? Alice promises to help her give birth to a healthy baby, and to prove the physician wrong.Īs Alice is drawn into the witchcraft accusations that are sweeping the North-West, Fleetwood risks everything by trying to help her. Then she crosses paths by chance with Alice Gray, a young midwife. When Fleetwood finds a letter she isn’t supposed to read from the doctor who delivered her third stillbirth, she is dealt the crushing blow that she will not survive another pregnancy. But as the mistress at Gawthorpe Hall, she still has no living child, and her husband Richard is anxious for an heir. Fleetwood Shuttleworth is 17 years old, married, and pregnant for the fourth time. ![]() |