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.

Review: Temple of A Thousand Faces

Temple of A Thousand Faces by John Shors
Historical Fiction, 544 pages
ISBN: 9780451239174
New American Library a division of Penguin Group
Published: February, 2013

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

In his international bestseller Beneath A Marble Sky, John Shors wrote about the ancient passion, beauty, and brilliance that inspired the building of the Taj Mahal. Now with Temple of A Thousand Faces, he brings to life the legendary temple of Angkor Wat, an unrivaled marvel of ornately carved towers and stone statues. There, in a story set nearly a thousand years ago, an empire is lost, a royal love is tested, and heroism is reborn. – Author’s website

It’s no secret I favor historical fiction, however this is written in a way that any fan of great story-telling will love. In fact there isn’t as much historical detail as one would expect because little is known of what actually happened. So instead of centering the story around the history, it’s about the people who would have lived it.

Shors’ previous work, Beneath A Marble Sky is about the trials and hardships of the people who struggled to create something wondrous and great. This story, however, takes a different tack. It’s about the trials and hardships of defending and rebuilding what has already been created. Husbands, wives, children, and rulers equally suffer and strive to overcome overwhelming forces that seek to obliterate all they hold dear.

What I find refreshing is that each character whether great or low, male or female, have roles to play that are equally important to the story. As history has shown, any great civilization that has survived has done so because of it’s people and their resiliency.

This is not a novel of revenge, although it’s a powerful motivating factor, but of rebirth and regeneration – much like the religions of its characters and setting: Angkor Wat. Where the characters provide the heart of the story, Hindu and Buddhist concepts provide the soul.

In historical fiction, fact and fiction are interwoven to create a believable scenario. Many writers do this with researched detail that is offered to dress the tale as accurately as possible. But few facts survive regarding the time Shors writes about, so he does his best to fill in the gaps. The only structural problem comes with condensing the time frame. This causes some parts to not quite jive with me, but they are inconsequential to the story line overall.

Does love and faith conquer all? Not always. But many times it prevails because it is more powerful in the long run than greed and hatred. This is such a story. Not everything lost to Jayavar and his people are restored. The enemy is not vanquished completely. But they do win the day in many other and more important ways. (This is not so much a spoiler as an incentive to read this book and find out for yourself how the story and the lives of it’s characters plays out.)

I don’t think there is a book by this author I wouldn’t recommend, but this one I would definitely put at the top of the list.