Review: His Majesty’s Hope

His Majesty’s Hope by Susan Elia MacNeal
Fiction/Spy Thriller, 354 pages
ISBN: 9780345536730
Paperback released: May 14, 2013
A Bantam Books Trade Paperback

FTC Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program

Intrepid spy and code breaker Maggie Hope infiltrates the highest level of Berlin society, gathering information to pass on to London headquarters. But the secrets she unveils will expose a darker, more dangerous side of the war – and of her own past.

For those of you who’ve read the other two books, you will love this third installment – at least from what I’ve seen across the blogosphere. Unfortunately, this was the first book I’ve read and I’m truly sorry that I haven’t read the other books. After reading this, I plan to.

His Majesty’s Hope can be read as a stand alone, but I don’t recommend it for those who hate spoilers. There are situations in the plot that assume you’ve been following Maggie from the beginning and it may ruin some of the surprises if you read them out of turn.

This is definitely a keeper. It’s a book I happily recommend. I’d hate to loan out, but I would if it means introducing this author to those who like a good historical fiction/mystery/spy-thriller with a likable female protagonist.

Some compare this series to Jacqueline Winspear’s Maisie Dobbs, but they’re different enough that I’d recommend both and advise against trying to find similarities. I’d just say that if you know someone who loves Maisie, they will soon feel the same about Maggie.

Oh, and this may be a bit shallow, but I LOVE the artwork on the covers. These are books I would seriously consider facing out on my shelves, or if I had a poster of them, they would definitely go up on the walls in my library.

For those who are historical fiction fans, this book is for you as well as those who like a good mystery – even though I felt this book was more of a spy thriller. There is some predictability, but it’s acceptable.

The author has done her research and doesn’t stray far from the historical record. In fact, it’s in this adherence where some readers may become uncomfortable. The horror of the holocaust, especially in the Nazi’s euthanasia program is reflected here but not so powerful as it could be. Just remember that this is a spy thriller not a dissertation on war crimes, so don’t ding the author for going as far (or not) as she did. Still, children are involved so reader beware.

Since there is a series involved, the book is finished nicely, but not completely. Of course there must be a set up for the next book, The Prime Minister’s Secret Agent which comes out sometime 2014. If you’d like to catch up, the first two are: Mr. Churchill’s Secretary and Princess Elizabeth’s Spy

This is an excellent series for those who like a good mystery that reads well and is a pleasant way to relax at home or away. These are also great books to take on a trip or to that summer cabin.

To learn more about the author and her work, you can visit her website at www.susaneliamacneal.com.

Review: The Time Of My Life

The Time of My Life by Cecelia Ahern
Fiction, 484 pages
ISBN: 9780062248602
Paperback released April 23, 2013
William Morrow Paperbacks,
an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers

FTC Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher.

“Dear Lucy Silchester, You have an appointment for Monday, May 30, 2011. Yours sincerely, Life.”

I’m not much of a general fiction reader, yet for some writers I make exceptions. Sometimes I’m disappointed, but so far never with Ahern.

With no disrespect to the author, they have not been a challenge to read – which is a good thing. Too many times I pick up a Pulitzer or Booker winner and wonder what in the hell am I missing?

In her stories P.S., I Love You and now The Time of My Life, Ahern gives us a quirky story that is a pleasure to read and easy to recommend to others.

If I were still working at the bookstore, this is definitely one I’d put out on the end cap. (Anyone who works retail can tell you that’s pretty high praise)

The premise seems almost too much. Lucy hasn’t been treating herself, and therefore her Life, all that well. So when it literally comes calling to hold her to account for her actions, what entails teaches us all a thing or two about honesty and respect, especially when it comes to our Selves. (And yes, that is meant to be two words)

Lucy has a lot to learn and by the end of the book, the reader will be wondering what they may need to do to make their Life better and happier. Not that there are any great revelations or deep soul searching within the story that hasn’t been seen in books before, but what interested me and kept me reading was Lucy herself.

She’s flawed and faces some real tough issues, as we all have and do, but I liked her sense of humor and the fact she wasn’t so over the top miserable or whiny kept me connected. I’ve seen worse pity parties in literature – hers wasn’t hard to deal with, because really, it wasn’t that bad and definitely fixable.

The greatest lesson from reading this, is that it’s all fixable, you just have to accept the fact that your Life is a living and breathing entity, and if you ignore it, it won’t go away. It may just show up and want attention when you least expect it or want it.

Lucy finally faced hers and this book is worth the read to find out how.

Sunday Salon: Books I Recommend Regularly

I know it’s Sunday Salon time, but I figure I’d kill two birds with one post.

Over at Top Ten Tuesday this last week, we were allowed to re-visit a topic. Since I never did this one, and it’s something I do a lot of, I thought I’d make it easy on myself and pick the week when they asked us about the Top Ten Books We Recommend.

Easy? Yeah, right.

The hard part isn’t about the recommending, but keeping it to a list of ten, which I didn’t, but what else is new?

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
If you’ve only seen the movie, the book is better in that some of the characters you only see briefly in the movie have a more important role in the book, especially in supporting the moral and ethical themes of the story.
Shel Silverstein Books
It’d be easy to say Where The Sidewalk Ends or The Giving Tree, but all his books are worth recommending.
Watership Down by Richard Adams
This story began as one the author told to his daughters on long car drives. It is a hero’s journey told in a form that anyone can read and follow.
Harry Potter Books
Magical and fantastical, yet like Watership Down it has themes that go way beyond a simple children’s book. Kids of all ages will love this series.
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
Besides Shogun, this novel helped in cementing my love for historical fiction. The detail is dazzling but not overdone, showcasing how valuable good research is in telling a fictional story based on real events.
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
Another historical fiction based on excellent research as well as a personal connection to the Chinese culture. At it’s core is a story about a complicated relationship that spans a lifetime and how it survives through tragedy and hardship.
A. Lee Martinez books
He writes fantastical stories with a comic flair. I don’t think I’ve ever read a horror novel that made me laugh out loud as much as his do. His characters are ones you will immediately like and the narrative very entertaining.
Belgarion series by David Eddings
Other than Mary Stewart’s books, this series will lure the reader in and never let them go until they finish. Just have some tissues handy. The story will take you places emotionally as well as imaginatively.
Mary Stewart’s Merlin Trilogy
(The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills, The Last Enchantment)
Long before Merlin was a TV series and the Arthurian legend a box office boon, Stewart was bringing these mythological characters to life, giving me (and I’m sure many other readers) a glimpse of a legend we couldn’t get enough of.
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norman Juster
(My World Book Night choice this year)
A modern fairy tale that has a universal appeal. It’s easier to read for those who like Lewis Carroll but are unsure it’s appropriate for youngsters that won’t understand all the nuances. They may not in this book too, but that just makes it a book that should be read more than once – even by adults.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
(My World Book Night choice last year)
You’d think that a book narrated by Death would be morose – and being set in Nazi Germany, it could be. But it isn’t Amid tragedy, especially war, life still goes on and in many ways still carries hope and love.
The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti
It’s easy to recognize the Dickensian theme running throughout this novel, but The Good Thief has excellent merits all its own. This is a book where I recommend the reader have time set aside, because once they start, it will be a hard task to walk away from it for very long.