Review's Resort

The Lost Legion (Booktober)

Friday, 30 October 2020

The Avalon Café Mysteries (Booktober)

"With Arthur by my side, I can face anything life cares to throw at me."

For any of you reading my Thursday book posts, you'll probably recognize this title. Serenity Woods adopted a new pen name in Hermione Moon and started publishing cozy witch mysteries from The Avalon Café series about kitchen witch Gwen, who just so happens to give a home to a suit of armour in her coffee shop that it turns out houses none other but the spirit of Arthur! Yes, THAT Arthur. Together with Merlin the loyal labradoodle, the trio then proceed to unravel murders and mysteries happening in their sleepy little town of Glastonbury, and just in case you're wondering - yes, Gwen IS the reincarnation of Guinevere. So really, what better way to spend your fall afternoons than by reading about King Arthur and his lady-love?

Gwen Young runs The Avalon Cafe in Glastonbury, England, and solves murders with a psychic Labradoodle called Merlin and a boyfriend who only materializes when she’s in trouble. Well, every girl needs a knight in shining armour! Join Gwen, Arthur, and the rest of their friends as they solve mysteries and murders, and fall in love along the way!

(from Goodreads)

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The Bourne Trilogy (Booktober)

The Bourne Trilogy (Booktober)

Thursday, 29 October 2020

The Lost Legion (Booktober)

"Go towards your destiny, faithful heart, and we towards ours."

This book by H. Warner Munn is a little bit of a dark horse, because I feel like most people will know The Last Legion, but not this one. The Lost Legion tells the story of a (you guessed it) Roman legion which is sent by an insane emperor to find survivors of an ancient battle. The emperor just wants to get rid of it because he senses its commander is dangerous, but said commander has too much pride and honour to turn back once this comes to light, and continues on the trek towards China and the Great Wall on his hopeless quest. And tagging along with them is a woman who, if all goes well, just might become the ancestor of none other than Attila the Hun ...

The mad Roman emperor Caligula sends a crack legion on a hopeless task to recover the standard of a Roman Army that disappeared 100 years earlier ...

(from Goodreads)

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Wednesday, 28 October 2020

The Bourne Trilogy (Booktober)

"Cain is for Charlie, and Delta is for Cain."

Who doesn't know Jason Bourne? Other than Jason Bourne, that is. The movies with Matt Damon portraying the titular character (that Hollywood won't let die) cemented him in our minds, but let me tell you, the books - at least the original trilogy written by Ludlum himself - are SPECTACULAR. And I mean spectacular. They've got so much more plot in comparison to the movies, so much more detail and intricacy, and Bourne becomes an even better character stepping off the page than he is on the silver screen. So have a look at how Treadstone shaped this special agent - then spat him back out, and the consequences of that decision just so happened to shake the world at its foundations.

Who is Jason Bourne? Is he an assassin, a terrorist, a thief? Why has someone tried to murder him? Jason Bourne does not know the answer to any of these questions. Suffering from amnesia, he does not even know that he is Jason Bourne. What are his secrets? Who has he killed? To succeed, he must maneuver through the dangerous labyrinth of international espionage—an exotic world filled with CIA plots, turncoat agents, and ever-shifting alliances—all the while hoping to find the truth behind his haunted memories and the answers to his own fragmented past. For there are two Bournes—and one must die. His plan is simple: to infiltrate the politically and economically Medusan group and use himself as bait to lure the cunning Jackal into a deadly trap, a trap from which only one of them will escape.

(from Goodreads)

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Tuesday, 27 October 2020

Becoming Mrs. Lewis (Booktober)

"What on earth would become of me if I should ever grow brave?"

When reading C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia, inevitably a question should arise about the author himself - what was he like, who his friends were, what happened to him. Becoming Mrs. Lewis answers some of those questions, though keep in mind it IS a fictionalized version of the life of the woman who ended up marrying him. Still, it's an insight, and even if you end up disliking it (and a lot of people do, at that, because they say she was incredibly selfish based on what you read in this book) I think it's something you have to make up your mind for yourself. Certainly it's worth a read as it gives you all the glory of Oxford in fall!

When poet and writer Joy Davidman began writing letters to C. S. Lewis—known as Jack—she was looking for spiritual answers, not love. Everything about New Yorker Joy seemed ill-matched for an Oxford don and the beloved writer of Narnia, yet their minds bonded over their letters. Embarking on the adventure of her life, Joy traveled from America to England and back again, facing heartbreak and poverty, discovering friendship and faith, and against all odds, finding a love that even the threat of death couldn’t destroy. Joy lived at a time when women weren’t meant to have a voice—and yet her love for Jack gave them both voices they didn’t know they had.

(from Goodreads)

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Monday, 26 October 2020

Lord John Grey (Booktober)

"A conclusion is simply the point at which you give up thinking."

So you may have heard of Outlander - that tiny little show about time travel and James Fraser - but have you checked out the book spin-off series, about Lord John Grey? Well if you haven't, now is an excellent time, because if there's one person who can definitely put a smile on your face during rainy fall afternoons, it's Lord John. If he isn't accidentally landing at the siege of Quebec, then he's somehow getting himself in trouble in Jamaica. AND he has time to visit the Frasers while he's at it! I swear, this guy gets around. But Diana Gabaldon was sure on to something when he popped into existence, and I highly recommend his books.

In this highly-anticipated new story, Diana Gabaldon brings back one of her most compelling characters: the unforgettable Lord John Grey - soldier, gentleman, and no mean hand with a blade. Set in the heart of the eighteenth century, Lord John's world is one of mystery and menace. Diana Gabaldon brilliantly weaves together the strands of Lord John's secret and public lives. Capturing the lonely, tormented, and courageous career of a man who fights for his crown, his honor, and his own secrets, Diana Gabaldon delivers breathtaking human drama, proving once again that she can bring history to life in a way few novelists ever have.

(from Goodreads)

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Sunday, 25 October 2020

The Last Wish (Booktober)

"People like to invent monsters and monstrosities.

Then they seem less monstrous themselves."

Alright so I COULD have included the entire series in here and just went 'oh read The Witcher' books, but here's the thing: unlike some others, Andrzej Sapkowski's work is a bit of an acquired taste so I suggest you start with what chronologically seems to be the first, which is The Last Wish. After you've finished that, you can decide whether or not you'd like to follow Geralt's adventures further, and trust me, you'll have to make your own decision for sure, as the fandom is definitely split, especially now that there's a television show thrown in the mix. But overall, if you like a darker interpretation of fairytales and want to imagine Henry Cavill traipsing around the countryside dealing with problems, this is the book for you!

Geralt the Witcher—revered and hated—is a man whose magic powers, enhanced by long training and a mysterious elixir, have made him a brilliant fighter and a merciless assassin. Yet he is no ordinary murderer: his targets are the multifarious monsters and vile fiends that ravage the land and attack the innocent. But not everything monstrous-looking is evil and not everything fair is good ... and in every fairy tale there is a grain of truth ...

(from Goodreads)

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Saturday, 24 October 2020

The Inheritance Cycle (Booktober)

"Learn to see what you are looking at."

I first stumbled over Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Cycle by complete accident - I liked the fact that the first book was blue and had a dragon on it. But then I read it, fell in love with Eragon and Saphira, and ended up impatiently waiting for the conclusion of the saga. Elves, talking cats, and most importantly dragon riders with their dragons may have been invented before, and yes, true, Paolini found inspiration pretty much everywhere in fantasy and science fiction, but that doesn't mean reading the books isn't an absolute joy. So come along for the ride, and join Eragon and Saphira as they set out to destroy a tyrant and return magic to the world!

Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands. He is the greatest hope to rid the land of tyranny. Can this once simple farm boy unite the rebel forces and defeat the king? Not so very long ago, Eragon — Shadeslayer, Dragon Rider — was nothing more than a poor farm boy, and his dragon, Saphira, only a blue stone in the forest. Now the fate of an entire civilization rests on their shoulders. Long months of training and battle have brought victories and hope, but they have also brought heartbreaking loss. And still, the real battle lies ahead: they must confront Galbatorix. When they do, they will have to be strong enough to defeat him. And if they cannot, no one can. There will be no second chance. The Rider and his dragon have come further than anyone dared to hope. But can they topple the evil king and restore justice to Alagaësia?

And if so, at what cost?

(from Goodreads)

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Friday, 23 October 2020

His Dark Materials (Booktober)

"So Lyra and her daemon turned away from the world they were born in,

and looked toward the sun, and walked into the sky."

Considering the fact HBO launched a hugely successful season one of the series last fall season, to say Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials are an unknown would be a monstrous lie. The story that's basically a recreation of Adam and Eve's fall from the Garden of Eden is as old as time, but with the addition of mirror worlds overlapping with ours and daemons who help their humans out, this is a different perspective indeed. Lyra might be the new Eve, but she is also just Lyra - someone you REALLY want to meet as she goes on her adventure to discover who she really is, who her parents aren't, and what it means to fall in love, save the world, and be back home in time for a street fight!

Lyra is rushing to the cold, far North, where witch clans and armored bears rule. North, where her fearsome uncle Asriel is trying to build a bridge to a parallel world. Can one small girl make a difference in such great and terrible endeavors? On a perilous journey from world to world, Lyra and Will uncover a deadly secret: an object of extraordinary and devastating power. And with every step, they move closer to an even greater threat – and the shattering truth of their own destiny. The two great powers of the many worlds are lining up for war, an inevitable journey that will even take them to the world of the dead ...

(from Goodreads)

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Thursday, 22 October 2020

The White Queen (Booktober)

"Only fools wait when their enemies are coming, to see if they may prove to be friends."

I haven't been on a Philippa Gregory binge in a long, long time, but when I WAS, I always preferred her Plantagenet books to her Tudor ones. The White Queen was the first one of those I read, and I loved it. The story (probably highly fictionalized, so keep that in mind) of Edward of York and the commoner Elizabeth who managed to marry him and become Queen of England during the War of the Roses is probably one of the best known around. And the Queen is even more important because, through her daughter, she becomes grandmother to none other than Henry VIII. So have a look and see what court intrigue looked like in the 15th century!

1464. Cousin is at war with cousin, as the houses of York and Lancaster tear themselves apart, and Elizabeth Woodville, a young Lancastrian widow, armed only with her beauty and steely determination, seduces and marries the charismatic warrior king, Edward IV of York. Crowned Queen of England, surrounded by conflict, betrayal and murder, Elizabeth rises to the demands of her position, fighting tenaciously for her family's survival. Most of all she must defend her two sons, who become the central figures in a mystery that has confounded historians for centuries: the missing Princes in the Tower.

(from book jacket)

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Wednesday, 21 October 2020

The Thorn Birds (Booktober)

"When we press the thorn to our chest we know, we understand, and still we do it."

If you DON'T know The Thorn Birds, then you've been living under a rock. Colleen McCullough basically created a masterpiece spanning three generations of women who come to work on a sheep farm in Australia, but the world doesn't end there since we also travel to exotic locations, the Vatican, and we got to see the television show with Richard Chamberlain. Honestly, the love story between the woman and the priest is one you can pick up at any time and you'll probably love it, but it has some added benefits during the fall season, like images of scorching sun and blue, blue sea.

The Thorn Birds is a robust, romantic saga of a singular family, the Clearys. It begins in the early part of this century, when Paddy Cleary moves his wife, Fiona, and their seven children to Drogheda, the vast Australian sheep station owned by his autocratic and childless older sister; and it ends more than half a century later, when the only survivor of the third generation, the brilliant actress Justine O'Neill, sets a course of life and love halfway around the world from her roots. The central figures in this enthralling story are the indomitable Meggie, the only Cleary daughter, and the one man she truly loves, the stunningly handsome and ambitious priest Ralph de Bricassart. And the land itself; stark, relentless in its demands, brilliant in its flowering, prey to gigantic cycles of drought and flood, rich when nature is bountiful, surreal like no other place on earth.

(from Goodreads)

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Tuesday, 20 October 2020

The Bourbon Kings (Booktober)

"We are, like fine bourbon, a different product at the end; and there is a sacrifice involved."

I've been a fan of J.R. Ward for a while now, through her Black Dagger Brothehood, but I feel like, whereas that series may have been going on for too long, her other ventures are fantastic. I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Bourbon Kings, a murder mystery set deep, deep within the Bible Belt and with so many twists and turns and absolutely devastating family secrets you didn't know where to look in the end! But if you're looking for some good, Southern charm and the added benefit of a whodonuit, look no further! Plus, we've got race horses and bourbon.

For generations, the Bradford family has worn the mantle of kings of the bourbon capital of the world. Their sustained wealth has afforded them prestige and privilege—as well as a hard-won division of class on their sprawling estate, Easterly. Their complicated lives and vast estate are run by a discrete staff who inevitably become embroiled in their affairs. This is especially true now, when the apparent suicide of the family patriarch is starting to look more and more like murder. No one is above suspicion. Everything has consequences; everybody has secrets. And few can be trusted. As Lane Baldwin rushes to discover the truth, the lives of everyone at Easterly will never be the same again. For some, this is good; for others, it could be a tragedy beyond imagining. Only one thing's for certain: love survives all things. Even murder.

(from Goodreads)

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Monday, 19 October 2020

Cop of the Year (Booktober)

"If you want the rainbow, you have to put up with the rain."

When it comes to authors I read because I like their realistic approach, their characters and, of course, their finished products, Kathryn Shay might be in my top five. Cop of the Year was the first book of hers I read, and I remember bawling like a baby through about half of it. While it may occasionally suffer from some interesting editorial tweaks, the overreaching story is heartfelt, emotional, and brilliantly executed. Have a look at what the captain and the teacher get into when left to their own devices - and some added help from the kids!

When by-the-book Captain Mitch Lansing is forced to work in a high school classroom to improve relationships between At Risk kids and the police department, he’s disconcerted about working with teenagers. But when he meets unorthodox teacher, Cassie Smith, his world goes off kilter. So does Cassie’s. She totally against all he stands for, so why is it she finds herself attracted to him? The further they go into the year, the more they’re drawn to each other. The kids also come to care about Mitch, and because of his past in Vietnam, he tries to distance himself from everybody. He can’t, and he must learn to accept Cassie and her kids into his life permanently.

(from Kobo)

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Sunday, 18 October 2020

Nefertiti (Booktober)

"The purpose of collecting so much information can only be power."

Rahotep is a detective, under orders from his exalted ruler himself. If you think that sounds fairly normal for a book, I should add that said exalted ruler is the Pharaoh, and our detective lives in Ancient Egypt. Nefertiti: The Book of the Dead brings forth a stunning mystery set smack-dab in the middle of the desert. What has happened to the most beautiful woman in all the land, right before an important festival? And just like in modern times, the detective works under a tight deadline, except this one is deadlier than any of ours could ever be. Find the Queen - and save your family.

She is Nefertiti—beautiful and revered. With her husband, Akhenaten, she rules over Egypt, the most affluent, formidable, sophisticated empire in the ancient world. But an epic power struggle is afoot, brought on by the royal couple's inauguration of an enlightened new religion and the construction of a magnificent new capital. The priests are stunned by the abrupt forfeiture of their traditional wealth and influence; the people resent the loss of their gods—and the army is enraged by the growing turbulence around them. Then, just days before the festival that will celebrate the new capital, Nefertiti vanishes ...

(from Goodreads)

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Saturday, 17 October 2020

Timeline (Booktober)

"It is especially difficult for modern people to conceive that our modern,

scientific age might not be an improvement over the prescientific period."

Michael Crichton isn't USUALLY on my list of reads, although I will admit there are moments. This is one of them. I first saw the movie with Gerard Butler before discovering the book, but then fell in love with it (of course). Who doesn't want to time travel, especially these days? But going back has its own unforeseen dangers and consequences, as the team of intrepid archaeologists and explorers soon discovers. It's bad enough they fall right in the middle of an English - French pow-wow - but what will they do when it becomes clear they've been outplayed, and worse, tricked?

In an Arizona desert, a man wanders in a daze, speaking words that make no sense. Within twenty-four hours he is dead, his body swiftly cremated by his only known associates. Halfway around the world, archaeologists make a shocking discovery at a medieval site. Suddenly they are swept off to the headquarters of a secretive multinational corporation that has developed an astounding technology. Now this group is about to get a chance not to study the past but to enter it. And with history opened up to the present, the dead awakened to the living, these men and women will soon find themselves fighting for their very survival -- six hundred years ago.

(from Goodreads)

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