Discussions

  • Discussions

    A comparison of my favourite Historical Fiction authors

    I am back after taking some time off to redesign and move my blog to self-hosted! It was a challenge but I ultimately enjoyed learning more about WordPress and how to use it to optimise my blog. I hope you like the new design and would be interested to hear your thoughts on it.

    I have decided to start a new series comparing some of my favourite authors from different genres as part of Studious Saturdays. Historical Fiction is one of my favourite genres and the perfect choice for the first edition!


    Jeffrey Archer

    Some people standby you in your darkest hour while others walk away; only a select few march towards you and become even closer friends. – Only Time Will Tell

    I first started reading Historical Fiction when a friend recommended The Clifton Chronicles series. It follows the life of Harry Clifton, a young boy and son of a dockworker who is ambitious and determined. The series is beautifully told and exciting and the continuity between each book is brilliant. I read all seven books in the space of a few months and was in awe of Jeffrey Archer’s storytelling ability. Soon after I decided to read his other books, A Prisoner of Birth and Kane and Abel, which only confirmed my original opinion of his work.

    Some of Jeffrey Archer’s books are quite controversial and have been criticised for his somewhat extreme political beliefs. If you are able to look past this then I would highly recommend looking into his books as his storytelling is excellent and few authors are able to weave such intricate tales.


    Kristin Hannah

    Today’s young people want to know everything about everyone. They think talking about a problem will solve it. I come from a quieter generation. We understand the value of forgetting, the lure of reinvention. – The Nightingale

    I read The Nightingale in one sitting and still remember the range of emotions I felt after each major highlight of the book. I was determined that Kristin Hannah would become one of my favourite authors and was keen to discover her other books. The Great Alone was one of my highlights in 2019 and I am hoping to also soon read The Four Winds.

    Perhaps the most iconic feature of Kristin Hannah’s books is the superb descriptions of the setting. She is a master at transporting the reader to both the time and place at each chapter and this alone creates a very authentic reading experience.


    Diane Chamberlain

    Perhaps now that she’d told the story, it would lose its power over her. She hoped she would never have to repeat it to anyone ever again. – Big Lies in a Small Town

    I stumbled upon Diane Chamerblain’s writing when I was looking for books written in a similar style to Jodi Picoult. Although there are similarities between the two authors, I find Diane’s writing to be more versatile and her books often follow two timelines which is an interesting characteristic in many Historical Fiction books.

    I highly recommend The Dream Daughter and Big Lies in a Small Town to Historical Fiction fans and also readers who enjoy strong narration and compelling and emotional storytelling.


    Characters

    Character development is one of the most important aspects of Historical Fiction. Personally I prefer books with a strong protagonist and several multidimensional secondary characters. In this area I must give credit to Diane Chamberlain as I believe that her characters are always very relatable and real. I often find it difficult to relate to characters whose struggles are too detached from every day life but Diane is an expert at pacing out her characters’ development where by the end of the book the main protagonist feels like a completely different person. This also happens somewhat in Jeffrey Archer’s The Clifton Chronicles series although to a lesser extent.


    Plot and storytelling

    One of the most powerful mechanisms in Historical Fiction is good storytelling and a plot which is exciting yet relatively easy to follow. Diane Chamberlain often has books with dual timelines which I thoroughly enjoy. However, Kristin Hannah and Jeffrey Archer both use simple yet effective language in a confident manner and in such a way that the reader is automatically drawn to the storyline. Their books are based on intricate and fascinating plots in time periods which are very well researched and implemented therefore creating a unique and engaging experience for the reader.


    Setting

    No author can paint a picture in terms of setting as well as Kristin Hannah can. I was amazed by her ability to describe the settings in her books with such beautiful language and bring in the character’s emotions into the atmospheric surroundings. She does this particularly well in The Great Alone to the point that it is almost overwhelming.


    Overall feel

    All three authors have different strengths that set them apart from others in the Historical Fiction genre. However, they all left me with different feelings and emotions. Character development always defeats plot for me and both Jeffrey Archer and Diane Chamberlain triumph in this area. More recently I have begun to admire setting in Historical Fiction as it is a genre where this can be very powerful and there is no doubt that Kristin Hannah has successfully demonstrated her talent in this field.


    Question time

    Who are some of your favourite Historical Fiction authors? Do you agree with my comparison of these three authors?

  • Discussions

    My most anticipated books of 2021

    The beginning of the year is always an exciting time for book lovers. New books by favourite authors are announced and debuts are publicised across social media. Here are some of my most anticipated books which I hope to read this year.


    The Whole Truth (DI Adam Fawley 5) – Cara Hunter

    Publish date: 18th March 2021

    When an Oxford student accuses one of the university’s professors of sexual assault, DI Adam Fawley’s team think they’ve heard it all before. But they couldn’t be more wrong.

    Because this time, the predator is a woman and the shining star of the department, and the student a six-foot male rugby player.

    Soon DI Fawley and his team are up against the clock to figure out the truth. What they don’t realise is that someone is watching.

    And they have a plan to put Fawley out of action for good…

    The DI Adam Fawley series by Cara Hunter has become one of my favourites in the crime genre. The brilliant writing and intriguing plot always encourage me to come back and read the next book in the series and this one will be no exception. I can already tell from the blurb that it will be a delight to read and I cannot wait to see DI Fawley back in action.


    The Four Winds – Kristin Hannah

    Publish date: 2nd February 2021

    Texas, 1934. Millions are out of work and a drought has broken the Great Plains. Farmers are fighting to keep their land and their livelihoods as the crops are failing, the water is drying up, and dust threatens to bury them all. One of the darkest periods of the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl era, has arrived with a vengeance.

    In this uncertain and dangerous time, Elsa Martinelli—like so many of her neighbors—must make an agonizing choice: fight for the land she loves or go west, to California, in search of a better life. The Four Winds is an indelible portrait of America and the American Dream, as seen through the eyes of one indomitable woman whose courage and sacrifice will come to define a generation.

    One of the highlights in Kristin Hannah’s books is the beautifully described setting which she always masters right from the start of her books. I also admire the perseverance and determination that she always brings into her main characters and am curious to see how this will be developed into this book.


    Of Women and Salt – Gabriela Garcia

    Publish date: 30th March 2021

    In present-day Miami, Jeanette is battling addiction. Daughter of Carmen, a Cuban immigrant, she is determined to learn more about her family history from her reticent mother and makes the snap decision to take in the daughter of a neighbor detained by ICE. Carmen, still wrestling with the trauma of displacement, must process her difficult relationship with her own mother while trying to raise a wayward Jeanette. Steadfast in her quest for understanding, Jeanette travels to Cuba to see her grandmother and reckon with secrets from the past destined to erupt.

    From 19th-century cigar factories to present-day detention centers, from Cuba to Mexico, Gabriela Garcia’s Of Women and Salt is a kaleidoscopic portrait of betrayals–personal and political, self-inflicted and those done by others–that have shaped the lives of these extraordinary women. A haunting meditation on the choices of mothers, the legacy of the memories they carry, and the tenacity of women who choose to tell their stories despite those who wish to silence them, this is more than a diaspora story; it is a story of America’s most tangled, honest, human roots.

    I stumbled across this book on the Goodreads list of most anticipated books of 2021 and was immediately intrigued by the setting. Multi generational historical fiction has become a favourite of mine in the past few years so I look forward to delving into new territory and discovering a new author.


    Every Last Fear – Alex Finlay

    Publish date: 2nd March 2021

    “They found the bodies on a Tuesday.” So begins this twisty and breathtaking novel that traces the fate of the Pine family, a thriller that will both leave you on the edge of your seat and move you to tears.

    After a late night of partying, NYU student Matt Pine returns to his dorm room to devastating news: nearly his entire family—his mom, his dad, his little brother and sister—have been found dead from an apparent gas leak while vacationing in Mexico. The local police claim it was an accident, but the FBI and State Department seem far less certain—and they won’t tell Matt why.

    The tragedy makes headlines everywhere because this isn’t the first time the Pine family has been thrust into the media spotlight. Matt’s older brother, Danny—currently serving a life sentence for the murder of his teenage girlfriend Charlotte—was the subject of a viral true crime documentary suggesting that Danny was wrongfully convicted. Though the country has rallied behind Danny, Matt holds a secret about his brother that he’s never told anyone: the night Charlotte was killed Matt saw something that makes him believe his brother is guilty of the crime.

    When Matt returns to his small hometown to bury his parents and siblings, he’s faced with a hostile community that was villainized by the documentary, a frenzied media, and memories he’d hoped to leave behind forever. Now, as the deaths in Mexico appear increasingly suspicious and connected to Danny’s case, Matt must unearth the truth behind the crime that sent his brother to prison—putting his own life in peril—and forcing him to confront his every last fear.

    I have never read any books by this author before and believe it is a pseudonym however I am very intrigued by the description. I enjoy psychological thrillers with solid writing and lots of suspense and plot twists so I am looking forward to seeing if this book fits that category.


    The Paris Library – Janet Skeslien Charles

    Publish date: 9th February 2021

    Paris, 1939: Young and ambitious Odile Souchet has it all: her handsome police officer beau and a dream job at the American Library in Paris. When the Nazis march into Paris, Odile stands to lose everything she holds dear, including her beloved library. Together with her fellow librarians, Odile joins the Resistance with the best weapons she has: books. But when the war finally ends, instead of freedom, Odile tastes the bitter sting of unspeakable betrayal.

    Montana, 1983: Lily is a lonely teenager looking for adventure in small-town Montana. Her interest is piqued by her solitary, elderly neighbor. As Lily uncovers more about her neighbor’s mysterious past, she finds that they share a love of language, the same longings, and the same intense jealousy, never suspecting that a dark secret from the past connects them.

    A powerful novel that explores the consequences of our choices and the relationships that make us who we are—family, friends, and favorite authors—The Paris Library shows that extraordinary heroism can sometimes be found in the quietest of places.

    Historical fiction following dual timelines is very powerful, especially when the connections between the characters from both timelines are clarified and the two timelines merge. I can already tell based on the Parisian setting and dual timelines that I will enjoy this book and the library setting is a bonus for me.


    One of the Good Ones – Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite

    Publish date: 5th January 2021

    ISN’T BEING HUMAN ENOUGH?

    When teen social activist and history buff Kezi Smith is killed under mysterious circumstances after attending a social justice rally, her devastated sister Happi and their family are left reeling in the aftermath. As Kezi becomes another immortalized victim in the fight against police brutality, Happi begins to question the idealized way her sister is remembered. Perfect. Angelic.

    One of the good ones.

    Even as the phrase rings wrong in her mind—why are only certain people deemed worthy to be missed?—Happi and her sister Genny embark on a journey to honor Kezi in their own way, using an heirloom copy of The Negro Motorist Green Book as their guide. But there’s a twist to Kezi’s story that no one could’ve ever expected—one that will change everything all over again.

    This is another book which I stumbled across by accident however I am glad that I did. Social injustice is an important topic which is not discussed enough in Fiction and is an area I want to read about more this year. This book has already been published and has received a lot of praise so I hope to be able to read it soon.


    The Maidens – Alex Michaelides

    Publish date: 1st June 2021

    Edward Fosca is a murderer. Of this Mariana is certain. But Fosca is untouchable. A handsome and charismatic Greek Tragedy professor at Cambridge University, Fosca is adored by staff and students alike—particularly by the members of a secret society of female students known as The Maidens.

    Mariana Andros is a brilliant but troubled group therapist who becomes fixated on The Maidens when one member, a friend of Mariana’s niece Zoe, is found murdered in Cambridge.

    Mariana, who was once herself a student at the university, quickly suspects that behind the idyllic beauty of the spires and turrets, and beneath the ancient traditions, lies something sinister. And she becomes convinced that, despite his alibi, Edward Fosca is guilty of the murder. But why would the professor target one of his students? And why does he keep returning to the rites of Persephone, the maiden, and her journey to the underworld?

    When another body is found, Mariana’s obsession with proving Fosca’s guilt spirals out of control, threatening to destroy her credibility as well as her closest relationships. But Mariana is determined to stop this killer, even if it costs her everything—including her own life.

    The Silent Patient was one of my favourite books from last year and perhaps the best psychological thrillers I have read to date. I have been recommending it to friends since finishing it and have been patiently waiting for the next book by Alex Michaelides. It will definitely be one of the books I plan on pre-ordering and reading as soon as it is published.


    Those were some of my most anticipated books which will be published this year. Although I plan on focusing on my backlist books and hope to read more Non-Fiction and books written in Spanish this year, I admit that I am always tempted by books soon to be published by some of my favourite authors and also like discovering new authors.


    Question time

    What are some of your most anticipated books of 2021?

  • Discussions

    My reading and blogging goals for 2021 and a reflection of 2020

    studious-saturday

    Although 2020 was a tough year, books and blogging were a wonderful escape for me and I still managed to focus on some of the goals I had set for myself at the beginning of the year. As in previous years I decided to review some of those goals and also set new ones for this year.

    My goals from last year were:

    Read 55 books from a variety of genres – achieved

    I kept my goals of reading 55 books the same as in 2019 and I once again managed to reach this goal by reading my last book on New Year’s Eve! I also read a wide variety of genres including Fantasy, Young Adult and Science Fiction in addition to my usual favourites Contemporary Fiction, Historical Fiction and Thrillers.

    Discover Spanish Contemporary Literature – sort of achieved

    I read three books in Spanish last year which was an improvement from the previous year however I was hoping to read many more books in Spanish. It feels like my TBR list is ever growing and mostly with recommendations for books written in English so I was constantly trying to beat the backlist and read those books in English that were piling up on my list.

    Don’t overload myself with ARCs – achieved

    My goal from last year was to only request one ARC per month which I followed however unfortunately a lot of the ARCs were published in October, November and December. Even though I read the ARCs throughout the year my reviews were written and published mostly at the end of the year.

    Redesign my blog – achieved

    I redesigned my blog in May and at first was happy with the final look however I now want to redesign it again! This often happens a few months after I choose a new theme as I start to find flaws and research new ways to enhance the design.

    Get more involved in the book blogging community – not achieved

    Unfortunately I did not focus on this goal as much as I would have liked. I had originally planned to blog hop at least twice per week however there were moments in 2020 when I would not blog hop for two-three weeks at a time – something I hope to correct this year! However, I was very pleased to become a member of TheWriteReads and connect with so many wonderful book bloggers!

    My goals for 2021

    Read 60 books

    I have decided to increase my target by 5 books this year and hope to read a total of 60 books by the end of the year. I think this is achievable however I would have to read consistently throughout the year.

    Read at least one Spanish book per month

    I have several Spanish books on my Kindle and a few paperbacks in my bookcase waiting to be read. There are already several Spanish authors whose work I enjoyed so I hope to read some more of their books and discover new Spanish authors too.

    Read at least one Non-Fiction book per month

    I discovered Non-Fiction, in particular Self Help and Personal Development books, towards the end of 2020. I like how it breaks up my usual pace in reading Fiction books so I hope to continue with this trend this year. There are already several Non-Fiction books on my bookshelf so I think that this goal should hopefully be easy to achieve.

    Restart my Studious Saturday posts

    Back in 2018 and 2019 I was regularly publishing discussion posts in a segment called Studious Saturday which involved sharing my thoughts on different aspects of reading and authors. This winded down in 2020 however I have many ideas and hope to continue this segment in 2021.

    Refine my blog from a design and statistics point of view

    I am still not completely satisfied with my blog’s design and believe that this can be improved. I hope to look into this as well as the possibility to change my blog to self-hosted and use this as a way to improve my stats in the community and wider web. Although I blog for pleasure and don’t focus too much on stats, I recognise that there is still a lot to improve and I hope to research this area more during this year.

    Question time

    What are your reading and blogging goals for 2021? Did you achieve your goals from 2020?

  • Discussions

    My top books of 2020

    studious-saturday

    It is finally 2021! It’s been a surreal year on many levels. On a personal level I also struggled several times during the year but books encouraged me to stay positive and escape to many worlds. Similar to my top books of 2018 and top books of 2019 posts, I have split my top books into backlist and those published in 2020. To read my thoughts on each book click on the links below.

    Top backlist books

    Book CoverBook CoverBook Cover

    5. The Muse

    4. A Man Called Ove – review to come!

    3. Beast

    2. After the End

    1. The Silent Patient

    The year started off strong with The Silent Patient. I was blown away by the ending and was doubtful that any other thriller would impress me more and I was right. The top spot is an easy choice however I struggled to rank After the end, Beast and A Man Called Ove. Although they are different in genre and writing style, there was something to take away from each one. Finally, The Muse took me on a beautiful journey during lockdown when I most needed it and remains one of the books with the most beautiful settings I have read to date.

    Top books published in 2020

    Book CoverBook CoverBook Cover

    5. My Dark Vanessa – review to come!

    4. The Water Keeper

    3. The Italian Villa

    2. What Lies Between Us

    1. As the Stars Fall

    My top 4 books published in 2020 were all ARCs and I am very grateful for the authors’ and publishers’ kindness to provide such brilliant books to read before their publish date. I loved the character development in As the Stars Fall, the mystery in What Lies Between Us and the setting in The Italian Villa and The Water Keeper. I finished the year reading the seemingly popular My Dark Vanessa which I originally had mixed feelings about but ultimately decided is a book with a very powerful message which deserves its spot in the list.

    I am especially pleased to have read such a wide range of genres in 2020. My top books in past years were mostly thrillers with occasional contemporary fiction or historical fiction thrown in however this year I was lucky to enjoy a much greater mix. I still remember how these books made me feel after finishing them, even though for some months have passed. I look forward to reading many more interesting books during 2021 and am curious to how this list will look at the end of this year.

    Question time

    What are your favourite books of 2020?

  • Discussions

    Books to ease your wanderlust during lockdown

    I always associate summer, in particular August, with exploring new places and travelling to see family and friends. However, many of us are currently stuck at home or at least obliged to stay close to home. Books have the powerful ability to immerse the reader in new worlds and beautiful settings and I would like to share some of my favourite books for travel enthusiasts.

    The Italian Villa – Daniela Sacerdoti

    Beautiful landscapes and summer sensations are at the forefront of this book. I adored the small town Italian scenery and the long descriptions. This book is perfect for anyone wishing to escape the busy city life and enter a world of serenity and sunshine.

    City of Girls – Elizabeth Gilbert

    I recently finished this book and am in awe of the storytelling and characters. The 1940s New York setting is alluring and perfect for fans of Historical Fiction who also wish to explore a complex backdrop.

    The Great Alone – Kristin Hannah

    Kristin Hannah is an expert at developing an authentic and brilliant setting and this book is no exception. The harshness of the Alaskan wilderness is perhaps not the most obvious choice for a summer read however may be a suitable option for anyone wishing to escape the heatwave.

    The Travelling Cat Chronicles – Hiro Arikawa

    One of my favourite books of 2018 was The Travelling Cat Chronicles. Aside from the beautiful storyline, this book also spans city life and village life in Japan and is perfect for anyone looking to read something different.

    The Beekeper’s Promise – Fiona Valpy

    Set in France and switching between dual timelines, The Beekeeper’s Promise is the perfect summer read. The chateau is a key location in this book and quickly became a place I could imagine spending the summer in.

    Question time

    Have you recently read any books which transported you to a different setting?