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Powell's Staff:
Five Book Friday: In Memoriam
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Every year, the booksellers at Powell’s submit their Top Fives: their five favorite books that were released in 2023. It’s a list that, when put together, shows just how varied and interesting the book tastes of Powell’s booksellers are. I highly recommend digging into the recommendations — we would never lead you astray — but today...
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Brontez Purnell:
Powell’s Q&A: Brontez Purnell, author of ‘Ten Bridges I’ve Burnt’
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Rachael P.:
Starter Pack: Where to Begin with Ursula K. Le Guin
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Customer Comments
Book Drunkard has commented on (16) products
Roses Have Thorns, 3: A Novel of Elizabeth I
by
Sandra Byrd
Book Drunkard
, March 21, 2014
As I’m not a great fan of Elizabeth I, part of me didn’t want to read this book. But, I loved the first two books in the series sooo much (Sandra Byrd even made me slightly sympathetic to Anne Boleyn ��" also not a fan of her) that I just couldn’t say no. It is a wonderful book. As well written as To Die For and The Secret Keeper, it pulled me right in and kept me intrigued from start to finish. With drama coming in all directions, which is exactly what you’d expect from anything Tudor related, it was hard to put down. Sandra has become one my favourite Tudor authors ��" no, one of my favourite authors, period. She is so creative with the way she brings an obscure historical figure to life and makes the book so much more interesting than just the same old same view of the ‘regular’ Tudor characters. It’s a great change to read about the more well known people through the eyes of someone you’ve never heard of. Elin von Snakenborg is a very interesting person and I’d love to read more about her in the future.
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Seduction A Novel of Suspense
by
M J Rose
Book Drunkard
, March 21, 2014
I’ve not been lucky enough to read any of M. J. Rose’s books up until now. What a treat, indeed! At first I was worried I might be lost not having read the other books in the series, but I wasn’t. I’m even more eager to read them now!! With a narrative that takes the reader from the present to the mid 1800s and even further back at times, it tells of Jac L’Etoile, who is a mythologist and researcher. Also in the mix is Victor Hugo who I didn’t know much about before but am now fascinated with. I love the mixture of history with the fiction ��" it’s my favourite aspect of really great Historical Fiction. Not all authors can do it well. M. J. does. It’s a gorgeously written book. I don’t usually save quotes from books, but I did with this one. One of the best, for me, was “If you could just grasp one thread of who you’ve been ��" of what you’ve lived ��" you’d be able to reel that past in and earn from all the different souls you’ve been”. I became completely lost in all of the worlds in this book and was truly sad when I realized there was only one chapter left. This book will definitely be on my Best of 2013 list at the end of the year. Amazing!!
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Mrs Poe
by
Lynn Cullen
Book Drunkard
, March 21, 2014
Sometimes when you read a book, the only word that can describe it is FABULOUS!! Mrs. Poe is one such book. I had a hard time putting it down and honestly, it’s been a few months since a book did that for me. I will admit to not knowing much about Poe (and even less about Frances, who was a poet). Their relationship was my favourite part of the story. Though both were married ��" she to a man whore and he to a nut case ��" their friendship turned into more. And is it any wonder? That leads me to Mrs. Poe. How utterly and deliciously creepy she was. I found myself eagerly awaiting her presence in the story as she brought a darkness that I found intriguing. I was completely drawn in to the story from the first page to the last. Not only is Lynn Cullen’s storytelling ability spot on, but her vivid descriptiveness gives the reader a real sense of being right there with Frances, Edgar, Virginia and the rest. The depictions of areas in New York, from the opulent to the seedy, gave breath to life in the 1800s. I love it when an author transports me to another time and drops me, quite happily, in the middle of another era with people who become special to me because they were obvious special to her, too.
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Mother Earth Father Sky Ivory Carver Trilogy 01
by
Sue Harrison
Book Drunkard
, March 21, 2014
Mother Earth Father Sky by Sue Harrison isn’t my regular type of read ��" I tend to stick with more ‘recent’ historical fiction ��" but wow, it sure is worth it stepping out of the box sometimes! The story opens with Chagak who is out gathering grasses on a beautiful, seemingly normal day when from afar, she sees the horrors of her village being attacked. Nothing will be the same after that day. I was pulled into the tale from the very first page and was kept clutched there, quite happily, until the very last page. Sue Harrison is a wonderful author who really puts a ton of effort into the details of the story and into each and every character. Speaking of the characters, I became deeply connected to them, especially Chagak. I adore strong females in books and she is most definitely one of them. I want to be like her when I grow up.
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Song Of The River
by
Sue Harrison
Book Drunkard
, March 21, 2014
Sue Harrison’s book, Song of the River, is the first in her Storyteller trilogy. It’s set in Alaska in the 7th century BC and tells of Chakliux who, when born with a deformed foot, is left out to die but is instead mistaken for an animal gift by someone in another tribe who takes him in. If that’s not interesting enough, add in a few murders and you’re got yourself an exceptionally entertaining read. The author once again (see my review of another of her books HERE) succeeds in writing characters that I came to care for. Not only that, but the story lines are unique and suitable for the time period ��" and no modern language!! I hate when I read a historical book and it sounds like they were all born in the 1980s. Pet peeve! Thankfully you won’t find that with Sue Harrison’s books. I’m amazed at well she writes about this time period and the research must have been painstaking. I’m so thrilled to have found this author. In fact, as much as I love Jean Auel’s books, I love Sue’s more. She definitely has a new fan in me.
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The Magdeburg Trilogy: The Night Has Claws
by
Kruger, Kat
Book Drunkard
, March 21, 2014
Is it weird to say that a book about werewolves in European countries such as Paris and Germany is completely believable? Well, then call me weird because the story line in The Night Has Claws seems just crazy enough to be true! I know there are other books about werewolves out there, but this one just takes the cake for me. Sometimes after reading a really great first book in a trilogy, you get a bit scared about book two being as good ��" even half as good! This book is even better than the first, in my opinion. It just had more of everything. I really like the characters Kat Kruger writes. They are so real with real feelings and problems and flaws. It’s nice to read a book and feel you know the people living their lives on the pages before your eyes. And it’s even nicer when you start to care about them and their outcomes. To say I’m excited about book three would be an understatement. With a cliffhanger (and what a cliffhanger it is) like that, I hope it comes out sooner than later because I’m not sure I can wait. Think I can bribe Kat Kruger to give me some deets? :)
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Confessions of Marie Antoinette
by
Juliet Grey
Book Drunkard
, March 21, 2014
It’s hard reading a book when you know how it’s going to end. I felt myself dreading the final chapters of this book at times while I read, but somehow, I felt the author was right there with me, almost holding my hand to help me through. It goes to show the amount of care and attention that goes into a book when you can feel the love of a book’s subject oozing off the pages. Confessions of Marie Antoinette is the third book in Juliet Grey’s trilogy and is the best of the three, in my opinion. I loved them all, but this one really spoke to me the entire time. Perhaps it was seeing Antoinette’s story come full circle. Being able to watch her progression from child to queen to captive and see her character take shape, was pure joy (mixed with sadness, of course). All the people in the book are brought to wonderful, full colour, life at the hands of a wonderful author. From Marie all the way down to the lowliest peasant, they are all given the same attention to detail which adds to much to the story. I can’t imagine anyone being able to write the story of Marie Antoinette’s life better than Juliet Grey. She has obviously done her research as it shows in every word. But the historical accuracy is woven so well into the story that it still reads like fiction and doesn’t weigh it down. I appreciate that so much because not all authors have mastered that aspect of Historical Fiction. It’s an art Juliet has in spades! Bravo to her!
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Traces of Mercy
by
Michael, Jr. Landon and Cindy Kelley
Book Drunkard
, March 21, 2014
You know when a book takes a bit to really get interesting and suck you in? Yeah, this isn’t that book! I was completely drawn in from the very first page and yes, ended up reading the book in one sitting. Dropped right into the time just before the Civil War ended, with a sniper who was counting its victims (one hundred thirteen, one hundred fourteen…), the story immediately pulls you in and holds you there until the last page. Michael Landon Jr. and Cindy Kelley are a terrific writing team and combined, have come up with a terrific story, believable characters and just the right amount of history blended in. The book is Inspirational Fiction (Christian) but there is no preachy stuff. While the ‘God’ aspect of books bothers some people (not me, however) you won’t be put off by this story. That part is blended in perfectly. And guess what? This is going to be a trilogy! I didn’t know that until the last page! It ends with a cliff hanger and I was thinking “hmmmm” so I quickly looked online and sure enough, a trilogy! I cannot wait until the next book. Also, I think it would make a great movie/TV series, too.
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Return to Me
by
Lynn N Austin
Book Drunkard
, March 21, 2014
Return to Me by Lynn Austin, 8 time Christy Award winner, is the first book in The Restoration Chronicles. While I have enjoyed reading her Christian fiction (All Things New and Wonderland Creek) in the past, this is the first time I’ve read her Biblical fiction. I was very pleasantly surprised to see that her gift of storytelling is not exclusive to the one genre. The book is narrated by Iddo and Zechariah, going between the two, and I really enjoyed the differing points of view. It’s always interesting to see things from two sides, especially when there is a generation gap. It always gives a story a little extra something and often makes you think because of the two viewpoints. I’ve said this before, but I think writing Biblical fiction would be hard considering the stories are from so long ago (if you believe the Bible to be true) and the only account IS the Bible. So when someone is able to weave a beautiful, believable story such as this, it fills me with awe and respect. I think it’s a different kind of research that goes into this type of book and I imagine it can be tough. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series (or any book by Lynn, for that matter!).
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The Spirit Keeper
by
K. B. Laugheed
Book Drunkard
, March 21, 2014
I had a really hard time getting into THE SPIRIT KEEPER at first. I found myself getting confused as the story lacked any direction. I wanted more details on Katie’s early captivity and even before that with her home life. (Her mother and sister were nasty to her at the beginning and I wasn’t sure why, though I got more insight later). Likewise, with the Indian characters. There wasn’t any background on them ��" they were just ‘there’. However, I was interested in finding out what happened to the characters so I kept reading (even though I figured it would be pretty predictable, it wasn’t!!). The story really began to take shape about a hundred pages in. It went in a direction I wasn’t expecting which was a pleasant surprise. The characters started to seem real to me and I cared what happened to them. Maybe I wasn’t entirely pleased with the ending, but sequel?? This is K. B. Laugheed‘s debut novel and I think she’ll only get better. There is a lot of promise in this book and in her writing. I’d love a sequel (and maybe a prequel at some point?) and would definitely read it despite my slow start with this one.
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Hidden
by
Catherine McKenzie
Book Drunkard
, March 21, 2014
Hidden is the fourth novel written by Catherine McKenzie (I previously read Arranged and loved it). It’s the story of man, his wife and his girlfriend and it is told from each of their perspectives. Each of their voices is unique and in hearing the story from the three different views, it really brings the story and the characters to life. The relationships in the book are complex but not complicated. Catherine did a superb job keeping everything true to life and not far-fetched which really draws to reader towards the characters and makes you care for them. I love it when an author writes totally honest and real people that could be your neighbour or even yourself. With a few twists and turns, well-rounded characters, and interesting relationships, the book pulls you in and doesn’t let you go until the last page. It’s so well written and has really made me a fan of Catherine McKenzie. I’m eagerly anticipating reading her other novels and will happily read her future books, too.
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Isabella: Braveheart of France
by
Colin Falconer
Book Drunkard
, March 21, 2014
Isabella: Braveheart of France by Colin Falconer is the first book I read this year and boy, am I ever off to a great start! To begin with, I didn’t know much of Isabella, Edward, Gaveston, etc., so it was a learning experience. Since I’m not overly familiar with this period of history, I can’t say if it’s accurate or not, but the bits of pieces I do know of seemed to be there. I love a book that has a strong female lead and Isabella was, indeed, that. On top of that, she was smart, knew what she wanted and did everything in her power to get it. Perhaps it’s for those reasons that she gained the name “She Wolf” ��" but for me, those were the reasons I like her so much. This is the first book I’ve read by Colin Falconer and I can honestly say he has a new fan in me. Though the book in quite short (the Kindle verson is 220 pages), it was packed full of excitement that kept me fully engrossed from start to finish. He really brought Medieval times to life for me which is a period I have had trouble getting into in the past. And, he’s made me want to read more books set during this time. All in all, it was a fast and enjoyable read and I look forward to reading my next Falconer.
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Under the Wide & Starry Sky A Novel
by
Nancy Horan
Book Drunkard
, March 21, 2014
Under the Wide and Starry Sky is the first book I’ve read by Nancy Horan, although this is her second novel. I will certainly be reading her first as I really enjoyed this story of the love affair between Robert Louis Stevenson and Fanny Osbourne. I didn’t know much about RLS aside from I knew he was the author of some great works and I knew even less about Fanny. Reading this book made me want to know more about both and that’s always an important test for me when reading historical fiction. Their relationship was complex, to say the least, but sometimes the best relationships are. And they always make the best stories! Nancy Horan does an amazing job of bringing their story to life. Even the secondary characters are written with care and they add a lot to the story. The book is long at 496 pages but not long in the sense that it didn’t drag at all. Every chapter and paragraph was written with great care and added to the greatness of the story for me. I didn’t find anything that felt ‘thrown in’ for the sake of book length. Nancy Horan is a wonderful writer who seems to pay a great amount of attention to detail. Under the wide and starry sky, Dig the grave and let me lie. Glad did I live and gladly die, And I laid me down with a will. This be the verse you grave for me: Here he lies where he longed to be; Home is the sailor, home from sea, And the hunter home from the hill. (Requiem, Robert Louis Stevenson)
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The Grip of God: Book One of The Tiger And The Dove
by
Rebecca Hazell
Book Drunkard
, March 21, 2014
Admittedly, I first decided to read Rebecca Hazell’s book because she’s from Canada. So am I. And, I love reading by authors from Canada. I love reading them even more when they are great. This book IS great. Having never read about this period in history before, I became a complete sponge, soaking it all in, relishing in the new information for my history starved brain. The book is graphic and often brutal in its telling, but such was life back then ��" and I’m glad Rebecca Hazell didn’t skimp on the details. To be truly immersed in a book, you must be privy to all the details, good and bad. Where some authors are less inclined to include the savage bits of history, Hazell jumps right in with both feet and tells it like it is. That’s not to say the entire book is like that. On the contrary. There are beautiful and stunning moments and they masterfully woven into the story of Sofia. Speaking of Sofia, I adore her. She’s strong, kind, and intelligent and she survives everything that is thrown her way by sheer strength of will. All the characters in the book are well developed and unique. I love when an author spends time on people other than the main character(s). It gives the story so much more depth. I cannot say enough great things about Rebecca Hazell. I can’t quite believe this is her first novel (Though she has previously published some children’s books). It reads like a book written by something with oodles of experience. If her debut is this wonderful, I can’t even imagine how the next one will be.
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Collector of Dying Breaths A Novel of Suspense
by
M J Rose
Book Drunkard
, March 21, 2014
What can I say about a book that was perfection from start to finish? It was perfect and I loved every word. It’s hard to review a book such as this one without it turning into a huge gush-fest about how much I love M.J. Rose and how every book she writes is even better than the last and how I don’t even know how that is possible because each book is superb. How do I even begin to explain how complex and real the characters were and how much I came to like them ��" and how often I think of them still and wonder what they might be doing now. I could probably go on and on about the fact that the book jumps from history to present day and back again with all sorts of parallels and twists and turns, making me feel like I was in the midst of the stories being told, seeing, smelling, and feeling what they all did. But, mostly I just want to say that I could hardly put it down and when I HAD to put it down, I was thinking about it. And, it’s for all these reasons that THE COLLECTOR OF DYING BREATHS is simply amazing and there just aren’t enough words to convey it. Martina @ Book Drunkard
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Seduction A Novel of Suspense
by
M J Rose
Book Drunkard
, June 11, 2013
I’ve not been lucky enough to read any of M. J. Rose’s books up until now. What a treat, indeed! At first I was worried I might be lost not having read the other books in the series, but I wasn’t. I’m even more eager to read them now!! With a narrative that takes the reader from the present to the mid 1800s and even further back at times, it tells of Jac L’Etoile, who is a mythologist and researcher. Also in the mix is Victor Hugo who I didn’t know much about before but am now fascinated with. I love the mixture of history with the fiction ��" it’s my favourite aspect of really great Historical Fiction. Not all authors can do it well. M. J. does. It’s a gorgeously written book. I don’t usually save quotes from books, but I did with this one. One of the best, for me, was “If you could just grasp one thread of who you’ve been ��" of what you’ve lived ��" you’d be able to reel that past in and earn from all the different souls you’ve been”. I became completely lost in all of the worlds in this book and was truly sad when I realized there was only one chapter left. This book will definitely be on my Best of 2013 list at the end of the year. Amazing!!
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