The Land Beyond the Sea: by Sharon K Penman

The Land Beyond the Sea: the literal meaning of the medieval land named Outremer- the region now including Israel, Palestine, Jordan and Syria- the Holy Land fought and bled over, scene to countless unimaginable tragedies, witness to the death of hopes and dreams, a home and a promised land for … Continue reading

El Pombero!: by Jackie Goldman

El Pombero! is a short novel about loss and healing that had a very good premise and tantalizing storyline; but ultimately suffered from very little emotional pay-off and an abrupt ending to a story that was just beginning. It begins with a woman named Heather at the bedside of her … Continue reading

Windsworn (Gryphon Riders Trilogy 1) by Derek Alan Siddoway

‘Windsworn’, the first book in a new YA trilogy features a young woman named Evelyn who has been thrust from total obscurity and happy boredom living in a village smithery – to a life of militant schooling in the mountain fortress of Gyr, trained to join the ranks of Windsworn: … Continue reading

The Light Between Oceans: by M.L. Stedman

After WWI a lightkeeper named Tom falls for and marries a lovely full-of-life young woman named Isabel. Together they set out on the new adventure together of life and love on the tiny island the lighthouse is situated on. Sadly though their life is marred by one miscarriage after another, … Continue reading

The Girl on the Train: A Novel by Paula Hopkins

First, what is this new trend with sticking ‘A Novel’ on the cover, I mean, is that really necessary? I know it’s a novel. Second, I saw a trailer for this briefly and it looked intriguing enough that I downloaded a sample. Third, I read the whole thing in one … Continue reading

The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet: by David Mitchell

The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet is a curious book set at the end of the 18th century in Japan. The Dutch had an arrangement with the Japanese to trade but were not allowed onto the islands themselves except in rare circumstances. So the Dutch built little offshore islands … Continue reading

The Shadow Queen: A Novel of Wallis Simpson: by Rebecca Dean

At the beginning of the 20th century Wallis Simpson was just an ordinary girl from an affluent family in Baltimore. By the end of it she was a subject of infamy. The woman who stole the king/defamed the royal family/scandalized the nation/was connected to Nazis/caused the abdication of (current monarch … Continue reading