Book Review: Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset
Kristin Lavransdatter is a Norwegian literature classic by Sigrid Undset. In fact, Undset is so revered that she won a Nobel Prize for Literature in 1928, after Kristin was published. But, let’s also clarify that this is actually a trilogy, now published as a 1100+...Book Review: The Paragon Hotel by Lyndsay Faye
In The Paragon Hotel, Lyndsay Faye brings us a character nicknamed Nobody. She’s actually Alice James, but is skilled at disappearing into the corner of a room or a street. She uses some disguise, but mostly changes voices and attitudes to blend in. It’s a skill she...Book Review: The Little Shop of Found Things by Paula Brackston (Found Things #1)
In the first of a new series from Paula Brackston, Xanthe Westlake and her mother Flora move to small town Marlborough to rebuild their lives. Flora bought the property and stock from a now-deceased fellow antiques dealer and retailer. He left the place in a pretty...Book Review: Promised Land by Martin Fletcher
Martin Fletcher, veteran Middle East reporter, crafts an historical fiction story set in 1960’s Israel. His main characters are brothers Arie and Peter Nesher, along with Tamara, a young refugee from Cairo. In truth, the brothers are refugees as well. Peter escaped...Book Review: The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley
I’ve been a big fan of Susanna Kearsley for several years. I discovered her not long after I powered my way through the Outlander books. And I felt like her writing had a similar vibe—what I call historical fiction with a twist. In the case of The Firebird, the twist...Book Review: The Widows Of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey
Sujata Massey takes her readers back to 1920s Bombay, India in this intriguing legal mystery. Our heroine is Perveen Mistry, a young woman who’s broken with societal norms and gotten a law degree from Oxford. She’s working in the menial aspects of her father’s law...Book Review: The Orphan’s Tale by Pam Jenoff
Pam Jenoff writes the story of two women trying to survive Hitler’s Europe. Noa and Astrid have absolutely nothing in common. They’ve both had troubles with men, compounded by the deadly prejudices of the time. In order to survive, they’ve team up as aerialists in a...Book Review: Daughter of Moloka’i by Alan Brennert
Daughter of Moloka’i is the sequel to Moloka’i by Alan Brennert. And, unlike the first book, very little of it takes place on Moloka’i. I can’t discuss the plot without revealing at least one spoiler from the first book. So if you haven’t read Moloka’i, I’d suggest...Book Review: Moloka’i by Alan Brennert
Moloka’i is both beautiful and bittersweet. Alan Brennert shows us the human side of institutional health care. In the late 19th century, Hawaii was still a sovereign country. But the haole (non-Hawaiians) were making their way there. And bringing their diseases, most...Book Review: The Other Queen by Philippa Gregory
The Other Queen is everything I want in a Philippa Gregory book. Massive amounts of political scheming, told from three viewpoints, and details, details, details. I loved it. Gregory tells the story of when Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned in Elizabethan England in...Book Review: Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Mitchell wrote a genre busting book. It’s substantially historical fiction, plus buddy story and romance.
Book Review: Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
Salt to the Sea is a story of refugees during World War II. It’s part of author Ruta Sepetys’ family history, and her research into real-life events is meticulous. And yet, this is a story of people, not just history. The history is the why and the how, but the people...Book Review: The Broken Girls by Simone St. James
The Broken Girls from Simone St. James is part mystery, part ghost story, with a little historical fiction thrown into the mix. It’s creepy but not terrifying. And it’s got enough twists to surprise you a time or three. Fiona Sheridan is a sympathetic main character,...Book Review: Warlight by Michael Ondaatje
Michael Ondaatje does it again with his new novel, Warlight. He creates an oddly uncomfortable and somewhat satisfying story in an ambivalent historical time. I need to explain that. Warlight was oddly uncomfortable because I loved the writing style but not the story...Book Review: The Thief Taker by C.S. Quinn
In the acknowledgements for The Thief Taker, C.S. Quinn tells how hard it was to convince agents and editors that women could write historical fiction thrillers. Imagine that. They wanted her to write more like historical fiction divas like Philippa Gregory. I’m glad...Currently reading
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I will definitely recommend Kick Pain in the Kitchen to my patients: Those who are looking to avoid pharmaceutical treatment and those who want to combine western medicine with alternative therapies.
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