Paradises Lost by Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt

October 9, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Paradises Lost by Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt
Publisher: Europa Editions
Genre: Historical, Fiction
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

The first volume of what promises to be a singular literary adventure: to recount the whole of human history in the form of a single, long novel.

Noam is a young man when the Flood wreaks havoc on the world, destroying the peaceful lakeside village he called home, and turning his life upside down. Destined to live forever as an immortal, Noam travels through the centuries in search of the meaning of life, and the events which shaped who we have become today.

Paradises Lost is the first installment of Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt’s monumental project of recounting the history of humanity, the fruits of more than thirty years of research. The first in a series, and in the form of a stylish novel that blends the narrative nonfiction of Yuval Noah Harari with the adventure novels of Alexandre Dumas. Schmitt combines his scientific, religious and philosophical research to propel readers from one world to another, and from pre-history to today.

This story is the first in a grand series, covering human history. It starts at life before the big flood. Noam is the protagonist, an immortal who describes the world from his point-of-view. Noam lives in a village by a lake, the son of the chief, and the characters around him each have their own unique story.

Noam’s relationship with his family and friends is complex and layered. He and his father have an especially complicated connection. Noam does not know whether to admire or despise his father. There are women in Noam’s life, and he must tread carefully concerning his decisions around them.

When Noam leaves his village to live in the wild, he makes some interesting discoveries and meets people he could never forget. The adventure continues, and it is unpredictable.

There are themes of nature and the earth—caring for it—and family, love, friendship, the future, and many others interwoven throughout this epic tale. Readers also get a glimpse into Noam’s distant future.

Throughout the book, there are footnotes, describing Noam’s thoughts on life and universal topics. These insights are thought-provoking. He refers to different points of history.

Overall, this is a satisfying read, and the next installments are sure to just as engaging.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

The Mechanical Devil by Kate Ellis

October 2, 2024 By Leave a Comment


The Mechanical Devil by Kate Ellis
Publisher: Piatkus Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Secrets never stay buried for long . . .

When archaeologist Neil Watson unearths a long-buried mechanical figure in a Dartmoor field, he is determined to discover the truth behind the bizarre find.

Soon, however, the sleepy village becomes the focus of press attention for another reason when two people with no apparent connection to each other are found shot dead in nearby Manor Field, seemingly victims of an execution-style double murder.

DI Wesley Peterson is called in to investigate, but the two murders aren’t his only problem. The daughter of a local MP has gone missing and the pressure is on to find her, especially when it’s revealed that she has a connection to one of the murder victims. And Wesley’s own life is thrown into turmoil when a woman he helped on a previous investigation finds herself subjected to a campaign of terror . . .

Is there a link between the double murder and the accidental death of a young history student in Manor Field twenty years ago? And just what is the true identity of the Mechanical Devil?

Archaeologist Neil Watson unearths a strange, long buried mechanical figure. But soon the area is overrun with press attention for a very different reason – two locals with no apparent connection are both found murdered in what appears to be an execution. DI Wesley Peterson and his team are trying to uncover what has really gone on – but Wesley also is juggling the increasing demands of a previous victim he’s helped when she’s the new victim of a terror campaign. Can Wesley and Neil each solve their respective puzzles?

I found this to be a very interesting and well plotted murder mystery novel. While I thoroughly enjoyed the interweaving of the historical mystery along with the modern day murder investigation I found it really added a sense of tension and atmosphere to the whole book. I enjoyed trying to work out which pieces of the plot were red herrings and which pieces were connected.

I must admit, I was a little disappointed that Wesley took so long to catch on to what was really going on with the previous victim and her many phone calls. I connected those dots what felt like very early on – pretty much after the character’s first few mentions – so it really surprised me that a detective as seasoned and intelligent as Wesley didn’t even seem to wonder or question what popped into my head very early on. It made him appear fairly silly to me to have missed something this obvious and I feel that was a bit of a disservice to the character really.

That said I found the main two plot mysteries – that of the missing teenage girl and the two murdered locals in the field really was a far more interesting and well written plotline. I thought this was handled very well and I enjoyed these two plots as well as Neil and his historical puzzle. I definitely thought this whole book stood very well on it’s own – I don’t think readers really would have needed to read anything previously written by this author to thoroughly enjoy this novel and aside from the blind spot of Wesley with his previous victim I felt this was a very well encapsulated story that can definitely be enjoyed on it’s own merits.

Readers who enjoy a British Police procedural mystery with quite a bit of history interwoven into the plotline should find this an enjoyable read.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Obliteration Circle by Tommy B. Smith

September 20, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Obliteration Circle by Tommy B. Smith
Black Carmenia #3
Publisher: Raven Tale Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Historical
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

When the black-bound journal of Claude de la Cour fell into Chloe’s possession, the secret passages and hidden signposts of the world became revealed to her. With these discoveries, entities from beyond have marked her for destruction.

While investigating a series of ghastly deaths on the south Louisiana bayou, she is targeted by a terror she cannot fight. The burning circles in the dark intend to obliterate her and everyone around her. Fleeing for her life, Chloe’s days have become a desperate battle for survival.

Against such forces, is any escape or means of defense even possible?

Beware the bayou.

One of the things I’ve enjoyed the most about this world so far has to do with the characters’ realistic reactions to supernatural experiences that they don’t understand. They generally had a mixture of disbelief, curiosity, and deep fear that made it difficult for them to decide what to do in the heat of the moment. Some ran away as fast as they could while others made the courageous – if also sometimes foolish – decision to investigate further. In my experience, this is exactly how people tend to react in real life to unexpected and frightening events, so it was refreshing to see it play out in fiction the same way. Each character was still an individual, but human nature tended to guide all of them along similar paths as they attempted to figure out what was really going on.

I struggled a little with keeping track of the large cast of characters in this book. Some of them were people mentioned in the first two instalments of this series, but many more were new to the universe and therefore needed to be introduced during a fast-paced plot. It would have been helpful to have some more guidance about who all of the new folks were and what their personalities were like as that’s something that plays a big role in how someone reacts to things that they cannot yet explain.

The horror elements of the plot had a nice mixture of psychological, supernatural, and physical causes. Yes, there were a few gory scenes, but many more were about building tension for characters who were fumbling around with a few clues and didn’t always know if they were on the right track. That’s exactly what I like to see in this genre.

This is the third book in a series that I’d recommend reading in order for plot and character development reasons.

Obliteration Circle was wonderfully scary.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , ,

Backyard Herbal Remedies: A Beginners Guide to Identifying, Foraging, and Wildcrafting Herbal Remedies Straight From Nature by Krista Edwards

September 13, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Backyard Herbal Remedies: A Beginners Guide to Identifying, Foraging, and Wildcrafting Herbal Remedies Straight From Nature by Krista Edwards
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Non-Fiction, Contemporary, Historical
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Have you ever wondered if there was a better more natural way to care for the health of you and your loved ones? It may be waiting for you right outside your door!
Does the idea of foraging sound fun and intriguing, but at the same time scary and intimidating?
This book is written for the person starting from scratch. It is written for the person who knows there is a better way to supporting health naturally, but whose only prior use for dandelions was to make a wish. This book breaks things down to a very basic easy to understand level. In Backyard Herbal Remedies you will learn:
How to identify basic botany characteristics to help you identify plants safely and correctly.
How and when to harvest each herb
Which parts of the herb to harvest and how to process it.
How to wildcraft sustainably
How to make different herbal preparations, such as teas, tinctures, decoctions, poultices and more.
Herbal energetics and herbal actions- how to match an herb to the situation.
How to use 18 common backyard “weeds” to use for remedies, what they do, and how to use them.
Recipes for each herb to help you incorporate them into your daily life.
Resources to use on your journey to becoming an herbalist.
If you are ready to take the first step towards sustainable self-reliance for your health and that of your loved ones, I invite you to read this book and join me on your plant journey!

Knowledge is power.

This was an excellent introduction to herbal remedies and how to use them. Because it assumed the reader knew nothing about the subject, the author explained everything about it in clear detail and was quick to warn readers about plants that should not be used by certain groups like pregnant women or people who have certain health conditions or that are too dangerous for beginners to try to identify because, for example, there may be very similar species that are poisonous or they are not easy to properly and safely prepare for human consumption. Those are some of my concerns when I think about trying new herbal remedies, and I was relieved to see them addressed so clearly when necessary.

It was pleasantly surprising to find so many recipes for various types of food here. I assumed that this would mostly be about medicinal teas and lotions, so it was cool to be proven wrong and to see so many other options for consumption included as well such as cookies, soups, a unique type of ketchup, and even a few mixed drinks that include various herbs and other plants. If only mainstream medicine included such delicious options for treating common health problems and feeling better.

Ms. Edwards struck a sensible balance between encouraging her readers to follow medical advice, especially for any serious or persistent conditions, and feeling confident in the use of herbal remedies and traditional Chinese medicine for ailments that can be partially or fully treated safely at home. As someone who has an illness that is treated both pharmaceutically and with certain types of alternative medicine, it was refreshing to read a book that did not pit either method of treatment against the other. Both types of treatment can be necessary and beneficial to one’s health!

I appreciated the gentle humor. Even if it is healthy, not every herbal infusion or syrup is necessarily going to conform to what most modern people generally eat or drink, so the author was quick to point out which recipes might take a little while to get used to and what someone can do to help them taste better in the meantime. This pattern repeated itself with amusing stories about things like the dangers of collecting nettles without wearing gloves even for people who have been doing this for years and believe it might not sting so much this time around. The occasional funny moments only made this an even better read than it already was.

Backyard Herbal Remedies: A Beginners Guide to Identifying, Foraging, and Wildcrafting Herbal Remedies Straight From Nature was filled with valuable advice that I will be referencing regularly in the future.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Surreal Escapes – 7 Speculative Stories by Kelli A. Wilkins

September 9, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Surreal Escapes – 7 Speculative Stories by Kelli A. Wilkins
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Holiday, Historical, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Are you ready to take a journey into the unexpected?

In these 7 speculative stories, ordinary people start off having an average, normal day… until they encounter the world of the surreal. They quickly realize they’re in another realm where anything can—and does—happen.

Some of these unusual tales include:

“Holiday Havoc” – The night shift in a retail store hosts the ultimate Halloween vs. Christmas showdown

“Little Boy Lost” – After several strange incidents, Beverly suspects her son’s imaginary friend isn’t so imaginary

“The Man in Apt. 3-A” – What do you do when you discover your neighbor is a vampire?

“Whispers from the Past” – Not all ghosts are scary… or strangers

This collection of short fiction will unnerve you, spark your imagination, and make you wonder what else is possible in the world of the surreal.

What makes life ordinary depends on who is describing it.

“Holiday Havoc” was a playful take on the drudgery of working in retail and how Christmas overshadows every other holiday between August and December in many stores. I empathized with Kira and was so curious to find out how her complaints about moving all of the Halloween merchandise to the clearance section weeks before the last day of October even arrived. This was a cathartic tale that I’d recommend to anyone who has ever been overwhelmed by the appearance of Christmas merchandise or music months before December actually arrives.

There were a few times when I wished more details had been added to these tales. For example, “Little Boy Lost” foreshadowed a much darker cause of death for Michael that was later explained. I found myself wondering if I’d misunderstood that scene or if the cause of death that Beverly found when she looked into the history of her haunted house might not have been entirely accurate. This was a pattern that I also noticed in “The Ape” when Billy described how mean his stepfather was and another character came just short of revealing something much more sinister about the stepdad. As much as I would have loved to give this a full five-star rating, these questions popped up just often enough for me to wish they’d been explored and explained better.

With that being said, “The Man in Apt. 3-A” was perfect. It was deliciously scary and humorous at the same time. So many of Albec’s quirks about not wanting to go outdoors during the day or have anyone visit his apartment for any reason could be explained away as cultural or personality differences, and yet there was still something unnerving about him that Charlie could never quite brush away. The commentary about how people in apartment buildings learn to ignore the sounds and scents they notice coming from other folks’ homes was a nice touch, too! Etiquette can cover up all sorts of things that might be more easily noticed in a different setting. The ending was what really endeared me to this piece, though, due to how it tied everything together and gave an explanation for why the bartender was so interested in Charlie’s life, too.

Be sure to read the short explanations of how Ms. Wilkins came up with each story as well. I love it when authors share these details and wish it were commonplace! There are so many moments in life that could have a supernatural explanation if they were fiction or if the facts were altered just slightly.

Surreal Escapes – 7 Speculative Stories was a nice blend of spookiness and gentle humor.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Secret of the Whispering Woods by Jordan Gray

September 6, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Secret of the Whispering Woods by Jordan Gray
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Middle Grade (8 – 12 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Historical
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

This enchanting story, perfect for early teens and young adults who love fantasy and adventure, will whisk you away to a magical world where sparkling fairies and mischievous sprites live side-by-side with humans. Featuring a magical world, thrilling battle between good and evil, bravery, friendship, and a touch of magic. It’s a tale about the power of courage, the importance of friendship, and the enduring hope for a happily ever after.

Magic is everywhere.

I appreciated how magic worked in this universe. The same rules applied to everyone regardless of who they were and whether or not they were aware that their choices were being so carefully observed. Sometimes this led to characters experiencing consequences to their actions that they never would have expected but that were deeply satisfying to read. Without giving away any spoilers, keep an eye out for how characters react to frustrating situations and how they behave when they have no reason to believe anyone will ever know what they’re doing. If only our world always operated on the same principles of justice and equality.

It would have been nice to have more details to work with. Whether I was thinking about the character development, the plot twists, or the descriptions of the settings, this was a thought that continued to pop up as I read. There simply wasn’t enough information about any of these things for me to easily visualize them in the majority of the scenes. To give one concrete example, there were a few feasts mentioned that barely spent any time describing what the otherworldly food at them looked or tasted like. Not everything needs to be described in great detail, of course, but including some passages like this here and there would have gone a long way in encouraging me to choose a higher rating.

One of the unique things about this tale was how much of it was written from the villain’s perspective. Elara was an interesting person, and learning about her sad and difficult childhood made it easier for me to understand why she had grown into such an angry, jealous, and selfish adult. Of course, this wasn’t an excuse for the terrible things she did, but it can be hard for someone to make good decisions if they haven’t had positive role models to show them a better way to live. Elara certainly had her work cut out for her there!

Secret of the Whispering Woods was a cute fairy tale.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Mermaid’s Scream by Kate Ellis

August 29, 2024 By Leave a Comment


The Mermaid’s Scream by Kate Ellis
Publisher: Piatkus
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Most assumed that literary legend Wynn Staniland stopped writing because of his wife’s tragic suicide. Yet writer Zac Wilkinson hopes to reveal the true story to the world in his upcoming biography of Staniland.

When Zac is found brutally murdered, DI Wesley Peterson finds that Staniland is a link between Zac’s death and an unexplained poisoning of a couple in a local caravan park. He suspects that the killings are a grim re-enactment of the murder of Mary Field, which inspired Staniland’s best-known novel.

As Wesley begins to unravel decades of deception, he discovers that someone close to him is involved – and the truth proves almost too much to bear . . .

DI Wesley Peterson is called out to a suspicious poisoning out in the local caravan park in what looks might be a double suicide – or possibly a murder/suicide. With little but his instincts to go on he is reluctant to link it to another recent murder of a local author who is writing a biography of a local literary legend. Yet the more Peterson and his team look into the two loosely connected events, the more they find lurking in the background, and when a re-enactment of a young woman many years ago is also tied in the team have more than enough to keep them busy.

I found this to be an interesting and well-paced British murder mystery. I was impressed with the sub-plot revolving around Petersons nearly teenaged son, Michael and hope we can maybe see a bit more of him in future books to come. I also was really pleased that – for now at least – Wesley’s wife Pam seems to have settled down a bit and has a much better and more patient outlook on her life. I was very happy with the progress of both of these characters and found they really added to my enjoyment.

The plot was well contained and while readers who pick this book up and try to read it as a stand alone mightn’t find the same enjoyment with the character progressions that I did – the story and mystery aspect is very well handled and certainly is all tied up with no real loose ends. Readers who are hoping for a strong historical storyline or archaeological plot woven in with the modern day murder mystery might find that aspect to this book a little lighter than Ellis’ books in this series usually are. Speaking personally, I didn’t mind the lighter hand this time around as there was quite a bit going on – both with the characters, their longer running arc and family members as well as the main mystery plot. I felt had the historical aspect to the story taken up more room something else would have needed to be cut back and so I wasn’t upset to see the history take a bit more of a back seat this time around.

Readers looking for a solidly plotted and well-paced British Police procedural style of mystery should find this book really hits the spot. While I feel readers who have read a few of the previous books and know all the main characters and players will find this a little more emotional and more satisfying I do feel the plot is well contained and can easily be enjoyed just with this book alone. A good addition to a long running series and an author I really enjoy.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

*Viscount in Love by Eloisa James

August 27, 2024 By Leave a Comment


*Viscount in Love by Eloisa James
Publisher: Avon and Harper Voyager/ Avon
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Larkspur

He wants a nanny, not a bride…

Suddenly guardian to twins, Viscount Dominic Kelbourne is luckily betrothed to a suitable lady—until she elopes. With no time to woo, Dominic decides to marry his fiancée’s unconventional sister. Torie isn’t perfect, but their kisses are so passionate that society thinks he’s actually chosen her.

She wants to marry for love…

Torie has never been able to make sense of words on a page, so she has turned her talents to art. She longs for a man who values her as she is… but marries for the sake of the twins. She doubts Dominic is capable of love, let alone respect, but as their heated debates turn into something more, Torie begins to imagine a life as a wife, not a nanny.

But when the arrogant viscount finds that his viscountess has stolen his heart, he’ll have to give all he has to win her love.

Viscount in Love is an enchanting historical romance. The characters are endearing and the story kept me entertained and quickly turning the pages to find out what would happen next.

I loved Dom and Tori together. They have explosive chemistry and I enjoyed all of their encounters. Individually they each have insecurities but together they help each other to become confident and happy.

I found it easy to like Dom. He is an alpha male with a blustery temper but he hides his tender heart because he thinks it makes him look weak. Tori helps Dom open his heart and find happiness for the first time. I admired Dom because when he discovers he must care for his sister’s children, he takes his role very seriously. Dom immediately took the children into his home and was willing to give them whatever they needed to thrive. I found myself rooting for the two motherless children in the story and hoping everything would turn out well for them.

Tori has learned to live with all the derogatory comments directed at her from her family, friends and acquaintances. People can be cruel and Tori has learned to live with their remarks. She doesn’t know her worth but Dom is always there for her showing his support and leering at anybody who has anything negative to say about Tori.

This is a captivating romantic story and I loved being in the world that Eloisa James has created. The plot is interesting, the characters are engaging and I never wanted this story to end.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Household by Stacey Halls

August 26, 2024 By Leave a Comment


The Household by Stacey Halls
Publisher: Manilla Press
Genre: Historical
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

In a quiet house in the countryside outside London, the finishing touches are being made to welcome a group of young women. The house and its location are top secret, its residents unknown to one another, but the girls have one thing in they are fallen. Offering refuge for prostitutes, petty thieves and the destitute, Urania Cottage is a second chance at life – but how badly do they want it?

Meanwhile, a few miles away in a Piccadilly mansion, millionairess Angela Burdett-Coutts, one of the benefactors of Urania Cottage, makes a discovery that leaves her her stalker of 10 years has been released from prison . . .

As the women’s worlds collide in ways they could never have expected, they will discover that freedom always comes at a price . . .

In a large house in a small town the young ladies who enter and leave it’s walls are all kept practically secret. Offering a refuge to a select few they are allowed to forget their pasts – as prostitutes or petty thieves or merely destitute. They can learn regular household skills with a strict schedule and a plethora of nice clothing and warm food. Then when they are trained, they can begin a new life in the colonies – should that be their wish. The women’s worlds collide in ways neither them, nor their benefactors could ever have guessed.

I was quite curious about this blurb and this new-to-me author. What I found within was a very unusual but highly enjoyable story. Set solidly in the past, the best way to describe the genre of this book would be straight historical. It’s definitely not a romance or mystery, and really at the heart its historical setting is used to highlight the small group of main characters and the entirety of the plot revolves around these people. I loved finding out how they came to be where they were, how they all came together and how the course of their lives brought them together and drifted them all along their own paths. I found this highly engrossing and particularly during the last quarter or so struggled to put it down.

I particularly liked that most of the main characters were women, but also women of different ages – ranging from I suspect late teens to maybe their forties or fifties – and from all walks of life, poor, rich and working class. I thought the author handled these differences very well, and equally I was impressed how the workings of the plot and set up meant this variety of people all needed to work and interact together and find a way to proceed forward. It was interesting, and I was pleasantly surprised.

While there are a smaller number of men, I found these characters were also well varied and while there’s certainly no explicit romance in this story – and certainly there’s no romanticizing the historical time setting – I do like that there were both good and bad characters and a balance between everything. I feel readers who like historical novels, or readers who enjoy character driven plots and storylines should definitely find this to be a well written book with a different and very fresh type of story. While somewhat gritty – as real life was back in those days – I didn’t feel the author went overboard to turn off the reader with many of the realities back then. Also, none of the darker aspects of those times were used in a titillating manner or in a distasteful way. I really thought the author had done a good amount of research and I believe care has been taken to make the historical context realistic, but not unduly dark.

A well written character driven novel, I found this to be a good historical book with a very different and fresh outlook. I enjoyed it and would be happy to read more by this author.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , ,

The Reincarnation of Marie by Jim Woodman

August 21, 2024 By Leave a Comment


The Reincarnation of Marie by Jim Woodman
Publisher: Legacy Launch Pad
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Romance, Historical
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Facing enlistment in the Algerian War in 1950s Paris, French Army officer Yann Roussel had a heart heavy for the future. Seeking solace, he found The Journal of Marie Bashkirtseff, the diary of a late French-Russian artist who’d lived in Paris in the late 1800s.

The first woman’s diary to ever be posthumously published (to bestselling success), its sensual details of a bohemian life cut short fascinated Roussel. But soon, fascination gave way to near madness when he found himself in love with the spirit of a dead woman.

The Reincarnation of Marie, an epistolary, historical romance by Jim Woodman, tells the story of how Roussel’s obsession led to a doomed love affair with Marya, a haunted young art student with uncanny similarities to Bashkirtseff. Convinced he’d discovered Bashkirtseff’s spirit reincarnated, Roussel found the impossible love he’d been looking for—just on the eve of his leaving for war.

Love is eternal.

Some of the most interesting scenes for this reader were the ones that explored Yann’s obsession with the past and his overwhelming desire to have been born decades before his actual birth. I liked reading about the time he spent wandering around graveyards and visiting the tomb of Marie as he learned more about her life and tried to figure out what her connection to Marya might be. There were melancholic and romantic aspects to his personality that worked nicely for this tale.

I struggled with the plot holes in this novella, especially since the characters didn’t notice or comment on them. It was most distracting when comparing the differences between social norms and medical care in the 1880s versus the 1950s. Seventy years is a long time, and there were several differences between those eras that I wish had been acknowledged as they should have made substantial changes to how the characters’ lives played out in the 1950s. This would have earned a much higher rating from me if those sections had been given more attention.

The romance was sweet and strong. I enjoyed seeing how Yann and Marya reacted to each other when they first met and how they figured out that the connection between the two of them was much stronger than it should have been for virtual strangers. This is a good example of how the love at first sight trope can play out, and it made me curious to see what else Mr. Woodman may have written.

The Reincarnation of Marie was heartwarming.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , ,
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