Book Review - Palace of the Drowned by Christine Mangan

 

In 1966, Frankie Croy decides to take a trip to Venice and stay in her friend's empty palazzo. She needed a break after her recent novel didn't garner as much as success and attention as her first novel. After a scathing review was published, and having a public breakdown, Frankie decides she needs a change of scenery.

In Venice, Frankie crosses path with Gilly. Gilly is a young admirer and is eager to become friends with Frankie. Gilly tries to insinuate herself in Frankie's exiled time in Venice. As Frankie spends more time with Gilly, she feels that Gilly is hiding something from her.

This entire novel was a complete waste of time. The author left a lot of questions unanswered but, answered a few random ones. I also don't understand why Frankie kept entertaining and spending time with Gilly when she was having her own reservations about the girl. Frankie mentioned that she felt uneasy around her but, yet she continue to spend time with her. I also didn't like how the author sprinkled Italian words without giving context to their meanings. I can't say I liked any of the characters and I am struggling to find a story/plot for this novel.

Book Review - Charlotte Brontë Before Jane Eyre by Glynnis Fawkes + Giveaway

Photo Credit - Amazon

Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre is a well known classic and beloved by people of all ages. It is known as a literary masterpiece. This graphic novel shows how Jane Eyre was born out of Charlotte's personal hardship and tragedy. The work was originally published under Currer Bell. In Jane Eyre, Charlotte tried to show characters who were often ignored in popular literature at the time.

Fans of Charlotte Bronte will love this graphic novel. I found the book shows an interesting point of view of Charlotte's life. It was interesting to see how she was struggling to find a job that she could support herself with. Overall, it would the perfect book for any Charlotte Bronte fan.

  **Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

CHARLOTTE BRONTE BEFORE JANE EYRE ASSETS

About the Book:

Title: CHARLOTTE BRONTE BEFORE JANE EYRE

Author: Glynnis Fawkes

Pub. Date: September 24, 2018

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook

Pages: 112

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Amazon Paperback, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD

Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong!--I have as much soul as you,--and full as much heart!

Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre is a beloved classic, celebrated today by readers of all ages and revered as a masterwork of literary prowess. But what of the famous writer herself?

Originally published under the pseudonym of Currer Bell, Jane Eyre was born out of a magnificent, vivid imagination, a deep cultivation of skill, and immense personal hardship and tragedy. Charlotte, like her sisters Emily and Anne, was passionate about her work. She sought to cast an empathetic lens on characters often ignored by popular literature of the time, questioning societal assumptions with a sharp intellect and changing forever the landscape of western literature.

With an introduction by Alison Bechdel, Charlotte Brontë before Jane Eyre presents a stunning examination of a woman who battled against the odds to make her voice heard.

About Glynnis:

I'm an cartoonist and illustrator living in Burlington, VT.

My most recent book is Charlotte Bronte Before Jane Eyre, Center for Cartoon Studies Presents series, will be published in September 2019 by Disney/Hyperion. Also in September, Secret Acres will publish Persephone’s Garden, a collection of autobiographical comics that have appeared in the New Yorker and other places.

I began working on excavations as illustrator in 1998 and have worked on sites in Greece, Crete, Turkey, Israel, Cyprus, Syria, and Lebanon.  I continue to work in Greece every year.   My illustrations have been published in several books and many articles.  

Many of my personal comics reflect a career in archaeology and family life.  Greek Diary is about working on a dig and traveling with children.  My drawings about my children were published regularly on Muthamagazine.com  and were nominated for an Ignatz Award at the Small Press Expo in 2016.

Another project, Alle Ego, is about my first trip to Greece and how it launched my work in the direction of archaeology.  A draft of this book won the MoCCA Arts Festival Award in NY in 2016.  I drew most of it during a residency at La Maison des Auteurs in Angouleme, and I plan to return to work on this book in the future.

I’m currently working on a middle grade adventure set after the eruption of Thera in Late Bronze Age Greece.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest |  Tumblr | Goodreads

Giveaway Details:

3 winners will receive finished copies of CHARLOTTE BRONTE BEFORE JANE EYRE, US Only.

Rafflecopter link:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e2389ba2974/?

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

9/2/2019- Odd and Bookish- Excerpt

9/3/2019- Country Road Reviews- Excerpt

9/4/2019- dwantstoread- Review

9/5/2019- A Dream Within A Dream- Excerpt

9/6/2019- Lifestyle Of Me- Review

Week Two:

9/9/2019- Christen Krumm, Writer, Reader, Serious Coffee Drinker- Review

9/10/2019- Careful of Books- Review

9/11/2019- Character Madness and Musings- Excerpt

9/12/2019- Fictitiouswonderland- Review

9/13/2019- Fyrekatz Blog- Review

Week Three:

9/16/2019- Little Red Reads- Excerpt

9/17/2019- Book-Keeping- Review

9/18/2019- Life of a Simple Reader- Excerpt

9/19/2019- Kati's Bookaholic Rambling Reviews- Excerpt

9/20/2019- Inspired by Savannah- Review

Week Four:

9/23/2019- History from a Woman’s Perspective- Review

9/24/2019- Wishful Endings- Excerpt

9/25/2019- Just Another Reader- Review

9/26/2019- Jade Writes Books- Review

9/27/2019- Rants and Raves of a Bibliophile- Review

Week Five:

9/30/2019- two points of interest- Review

Book Review - Crimson Lake (Crimson Lake, #1) by Candice Fox

Photo Credit - Amazon

Ted Conkaffey was a prominent detective on the Sydney drug task force, a beloved husband and a soon to be a father. All it took was six minutes in the wrong place at the wrong time to ruin everything Ted holds dear to him.  Ted is accused but, not convicted of a brutal abduction of a young child. He is a free man but, he becomes public enemy number one when he is released. However, he staunchly maintains his innocence and goes up north to lie low.

Upon his arrival to Crimson Lake, Ted's lawyer introduces him to a private investigator Amanda Pharrell. Amanda is an eccentric convicted murderer. However, Ted has a hard time believing that Amanda is a cold-blooded killer. He agrees to help with her investigation of a missing author. While digging into the case, he secretly digs into Amanda's past.

I am torn after reading this book. After reading the positive reviews online and on the book cover, I was actually expecting a bit more from this book. I found Ted to be very "weak" of a character and relies on Amanda for support but, then he questions her innocence. Amanda's character seemed a bit weird that she is oddly outspoken but, refused to talk about her trial or defend herself. I felt if the story wasn't as slow, I would have enjoyed it better.

 **Disclosure - I received a free  copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no any extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Book Review - Lady Jayne Disappears by Joanna Davidson Politano

Photo Credit - Amazon

Aurelie Harcourt has only known life behind bars in a debtor's prison. When her father dies suddenly, he left his famous pen name, Nathaniel Droll and his wealthy family. With nowhere to go, Aurelie decides to go live with her father's family, but is met with resentment. She decides to finish her father's serial novel and uses her family members in the novel, but writes about them in an unflattering way. While searching for her missing mother, Aurelie discovers a few other buried family secrets? Will Aurelie be able to find her mother? Will she be able to keep her identity a secret?

I like that the novel had a bit of a Gothic romance theme, but I felt the story was dragging on for a bit. A few pages there wasn't much going on and by the time the book started picking up, I wasn't really interested anymore. The ending had a few twists which I didn't see coming. I would be interested in reading more works by the author.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest opinion**

Book Review - Dear Mr. M by Herman Koch and Sam Garrett

Photo Source - Amazon

Mr. M was once an celebrated international bestselling writer but that was a few years ago. His book was about a real life disappearance of a history teacher who was having an affair with his young student.  His timid neighbor seems to stalking his wife and him while keeping track of everything they do. The story is told from alternating points of view from multiple characters with each a secret to hide. The story depicts an writer in decline, a teacher couple in love and a missing teacher  along with how their faiths are all entangled with each other.

The story was very interesting with many twists and turns. The writing style took a bit to understand but once you get into the story it is hard to put down in the beginning. However, towards the middle of the 400 page Goliath, the story was a bit boring and seemed redundant.  I couldn't wait to put this book in my "donate" pile. 

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book**