Review: Named Of The Dragon By Susanna Kearsley

Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication Date: October 6, 2015
Language: English
ISBN-10: 140225864X

A haunting tale of intrigue from New York Times bestselling author Susanna Kearsley.

Although it goes against her workaholic nature, literary agent Lyn Ravenshaw lets herself be whisked off to Wales for the Christmas holidays by her star client, flamboyant children's author Bridget Cooper. She suspects Bridget has ulterior motives, but the lure of South Wales with its castles and myths is irresistible. Perhaps a change of scene will bring relief from the nightmares that have plagued her since the death of her child.

Lyn immerses herself in the peace and quiet of the charming Welsh village, but she soon meets an eccentric young widow who's concerned her baby son is in danger—and inexplicably thinks Lyn is the child's protector.

Lyn's dreams become more and more disturbing as she forms a surprisingly warm friendship with a reclusive, brooding playwright, and is pulled into an ancient world of Arthurian legend and dangerous prophecies. Before she can escape her nightmares, she must uncover the secret of her dreams, which is somehow inextricably located in a time long ago and far away...

My Thoughts:

In her classic signature style, Susanna Kearsley has created a beautifully  intriguing and haunting story rich in history and Arthurian folklore that blurs the line between the past and the present. Set against the coastal Welsh background of Pembrokeshire, Kearsley gives life and meaning to the ever-present legends of King Arthur and Merlin as well as other notable historic figures showcasing Kearsley's intricate attention to historical detail.   With each chapter opening with a line or two from such great writers as Shakespeare and Lord Alfred Tennyson, the reader is quickly swept back in time while contemplating the connections to the present story.  I certainly wouldn't consider this a "time travel" in the traditional sense simply because it's so well interconnected that there is no line to divide the past from the present.  I was immediately drawn into the pages of this story and often found it difficult to pry myself away!  Named Of The Dragon is truly a literary puzzle in which the reader fits together the the pieces of the past and the present in order to discover the bigger picture of the story as a whole. Very well-written with strong character development...FIVE stars.

This title will be released on October 6, 2015.  Both Kindle and Paperback editions are currently available to preorder on Amazon.

Review: The Heart Goes Last By Margaret Atwood

Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Nan A. Talese
Publication Date: September 29, 2015
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0385540353

Stan and Charmaine are a married couple trying to stay afloat in the midst of an economic and social collapse. Job loss has forced them to live in their car, leaving them vulnerable to roving gangs. They desperately need to turn their situation around—and fast. The Positron Project in the town of Consilience seems to be the answer to their prayers. No one is unemployed and everyone gets a comfortable, clean house to live in . . . for six months out of the year. On alternating months, residents of Consilience must leave their homes and function as inmates in the Positron prison system. Once their month of service in the prison is completed, they can return to their "civilian" homes.

At first, this doesn't seem like too much of a sacrifice to make in order to have a roof over one's head and food to eat. But when Charmaine becomes romantically involved with the man who lives in their house during the months when she and Stan are in the prison, a series of troubling events unfolds, putting Stan's life in danger. With each passing day, Positron looks less like a prayer answered and more like a chilling prophecy fulfilled.

My Thoughts:

Once again Margaret Atwood has proven herself to be a master of Speculative Fiction that commands the reader to critically analyze and contemplate the predominant themes presented throughout this brilliantly crafted Dystopian novel.  Stan and Charmaine, a young married couple, are devastated by a failed economy that has left them homeless, living in a car, and barely surviving both physically and mentally.  Of course, once an economy fails so goes any resemblance of social order leaving this couple living in constant fear and under a heavy sense of hopelessness and despair.  But all is not lost, The Positron Project is a beacon of light that offers participants the opportunity to live in the beautiful town of Consilience, a town fashioned in the spirit of the 1950's; the era of wholesomeness, firm family values, security, and the prevailing belief of service for the greater good of the community.  But all is not "sunshine and lollipops" in Consilience and the cost is ultimately the sacrifice of civil liberties, human rights, individuality, and personal dignity.  Participants knowingly agree to serve every other month in the Positron Prison system which initially appears to be a small price to pay for such comfort and security....and after all, it is for the greater good right?  But as we well know, behind every so-called brilliant solution to societies devastating problems lurks the greedy desire for power and wealth; corporate greed benefiting from the misfortunes of the middle- and lower-classes of society. Those participating in the Positron Project become nothing more than slave labor contributing to the sex industry and the black market as well as advancing the fields of robotics, agricultural experimentation, and medical technology.   Sex is certainly a predominant theme within this novel and some may argue that Atwood simply hates men and blames them for all sexual atrocities that occur within society.  However, I would encourage such critics to simply watch a steady dose of the evening news and take note of which gender is most often associated with such crimes (No, I'm not suggesting that women haven't committed sex crimes I'm merely pointing out statistics).  Atwood simply brings this fact to the forefront within the pages of this novel to make the reader stop and take notice of the role of sex and the ever present desire for it within society.  There is so much within this novel that warrants further discussion and analysis which makes this an ideal selection for a book club....but certainly be prepared for some very heated discussions.  FIVE stars!

The Heart Goes Last is currently available for pre-order in both kindle format and hardcover with a release date of September 29th. And, if you haven't read The Handmaid's Tale also by Margaret Atwood, I highly recommend that you do! (The Handmaid's Tale is also a kindle unlimited selection for subscribing members)


Dislosure: In accordance with current FTC Guidelines, please let it be known this book was received through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Bookman's Tale: A Novel of Obsession by Charlie Lovett

Genre: Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Penguin Books; Reprint edition
Release Date: May 27, 2014
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0143125389

Description:
A mysterious portrait ignites an antiquarian bookseller’s search through time and the works of Shakespeare for his lost love

Guaranteed to capture the hearts of everyone who truly loves books, The Bookman’s Tale is a former bookseller’s sparkling novel and a delightful exploration of one of literature’s most tantalizing mysteries with echoes of Shadow of the Wind and A.S. Byatt's Possession.

Nine months after the death of his beloved wife Amanda left him shattered, Peter Byerly, a young antiquarian bookseller, relocates from North Carolina to the English countryside, hoping to outrun his grief and rediscover the joy he once took in collecting and restoring rare books. But upon opening an eighteenth-century study of Shakespeare forgeries, he discovers a Victorian watercolor of a woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to Amanda.

Peter becomes obsessed with learning the picture’s origins and braves a host of dangers to follow a trail of clues back across the centuries—all the way to Shakespeare’s time and a priceless literary artifact that could prove, once and for all, the truth about the Bard’s real identity.

My Thoughts:
Every now and then I am fortunate enough to encounter a novel that exceeds all expectations.  The Bookman's Tale By Charlie Lovett is one such novel and is destined to be one of my favorite books read in 2014.  Lovett has created not only a unique and fascinating Shakespearean mystery, but also a compassionate and intricately woven story of love, loss, and finding closure.  The course of the novel travels graciously through three different time periods and tells three different stories that all lead to the present moment and Peter Byerly's future.  Extremely well-developed characters, thorough pain-staking historical research, and great attention to detail, make this a literary gem to behold and a must for all book lovers and fans of Shakespeare alike.  Not a Shakespearean scholar, you say?  Not to worry...Charlie Lovett has presented a magnificent and easy to follow introduction to the Shakespearean controversy that is quite easy to follow and one that actually makes decades of debate much more understandable.  I look forward to reading Lovett's next novel, First Impressions: Or, A Cautionary Tale of Pride and Prejudice  which is sure to delight Jane Austen fans!   I highly recommend The Bookman's Tale and easily give this FIVE stars!