Hello, beautiful readers! By the time you read this, I will have returned from my two-week trip to Italy and Greece, but I'm writing this ahead of time since I will most likely be jet-lagged when I return. Before my trip, I was only able to read one novel and a novella, but they were both great! I have no doubt I will be reading books while I'm on the plane or during the cruise. I'll try to post the reviews as soon as I can.
Genre: Historical Fantasy, Ancient World Historical Romance
Pages: 349 pages
Book Blurb:
Blood stains her Celtic home and kingdom. The warrior Druid princess will do anything to retake her throne.
Although Catrin is the rightful heir to the Celtic throne in Britannia, she is lucky to be alive. After witnessing the slaughter of her family at the hands of her half-brother, who was aided by the Romans, she is enslaved by a Roman commander. He disguises her as a boy in the Roman Legion with the belief that she is an oracle of Apollo and can foretell his future. The sole bright spot in her miserable new life is her forbidden lover Marcellus, the great-grandson of the famed Roman general Mark Antony.
But Marcellus had been wounded and his memories of Catrin and their secret marriage were erased by a dark Druidess. Though Marcellus reunites with Catrin in Gaul and becomes her ally as she struggles to survive the brutality of her Roman master, he questions the legitimacy of their marriage and hesitates to help her escape and retake her kingdom. If their forbidden love and alliance are discovered, her dreams of returning to her Celtic home with Marcellus will be shattered.
This is book three in the series, and I will do my best not to give any spoilers (but it's going to be hard). Catrin was robbed of an easy life by the curse of her father's first wife in book one. In book two, she tried desperately to amend the curse, but nothing worked. This book picks up right where book two left off.
Catrin suffers at the hands of her captor. She stays determined to find her way home to reclaim the throne that was stolen from her by her monster of a half-brother. Through it all, she strives to find Marcellus, the love of her life, and attain his help in taking back her country. Unfortunately, nothing is going right for her.
The author did an amazing job of keeping me engaged in Catrin's struggle through the entire novel. She goes through so much struggle and torment, but she never wavers in fighting to survive to find a way back to Britania to avenge her family. The author keeps the tension high, and the obstacles are never-ending, but each one makes perfect sense.
I am not a big fan of historical romance, but this series has me hooked. I can't wait to read book four!
Genre: African American Fantasy Fiction, Sea Adventures Fiction
Pages: 145 pages
Book Blurb:
The Harbor Pointe Inn has loomed on California's cliffs for generations of Hawthornes. For some, it's been a blessing. For others, a curse. Travel through two centuries of stories to discover the old inn's secrets.
In 1858, a ship carrying ice from Alaska wrecked off the coast of California, and little does Taliah Keldan realize how that tragedy will impact her life in 1972.
When Taliah decides to quit college and become a civil rights activist, her disappointed parents encourage her to think it over. What better spot for contemplation than at her aunt and uncles' Harbor Pointe Inn, a charming seaside getaway with its own lighthouse? The place is under renovation and empty of guests. All she'll have to deal with is the construction crew.
In 1858, a ship carrying ice from Alaska wrecked off the coast of California, and little does Taliah Keldan realize how that tragedy will impact her life in 1972.
When Taliah decides to quit college and become a civil rights activist, her disappointed parents encourage her to think it over. What better spot for contemplation than at her aunt and uncles' Harbor Pointe Inn, a charming seaside getaway with its own lighthouse? The place is under renovation and empty of guests. All she'll have to deal with is the construction crew.
But the inn is far from peaceful.
My Review:
I have loved every book in this series, even though each one is written by a different author. This story was fantastic! From the opening scene, I was glued to it. I finished it in two days only because I had some obligations that tore me away from reading it.
Taliah is an African-American young adult growing up in the early '70s who feels as if her life has no purpose. She struggles with her role in life and doesn't feel the path she is taking is making a difference. When she decides to watch her aunt and uncle's inn for a bit while they leave on a trip, she figures she can have some peace and quiet to contemplate what to do with her life. The inn has other plans for her, and it's more than she bargained for.
The story follows two timelines - 1858 and 1972. A horrible tragedy that takes place in 1858 leads to Taliah dealing with a dangerous adventure in 1972. Without giving too much away, I'll just say that this story weaves folklore, magic, history, and compassion into one to tell an amazing tale.
I have read other books by this author and have loved them all. This one, though very different, still had her incredible storytelling talent. Her scenes are described so perfectly that you imagine you are right there with the characters, even in the most treacherous of scenes! And I loved that she highlighted the plight of the desire for all people to be treated well. This is a great story to read!
Have you read any great books lately? I'd love to hear from you. :-)
