Books Via Ashley

Retribution Rails by Erin Bowman Synopsis (from Goodreads) When Reece Murphy is forcibly dragged into the Rose Riders gang because of a mysterious gold coin in his possession, he vows to find the man who gave him the piece and turn him over to the gang in exchange for freedom. Never does he expect a lead to come from an aspiring female journalist. But when Reece's path crosses with Charlotte Vaughn after a botched train robbery and she mentions a promising rumor about a gunslinger from Prescott, it becomes apparent that she will be his ticket to freedom—or a noose. As the two manipulate each other for their own ends, past secrets are unearthed, reviving a decade-old quest for revenge that may be impossible to settle. Review I LOVED this book. I got a paperback ARC from a friend (even though it came out in November) and so I quickly checked out Vengeance Road from the library (which I loved). Then I still wanted some good ole Wild West fun, so I dove right into this book....

Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman Synopsis  (from Goodreads) When her father is murdered for a journal revealing the location of a hidden gold mine, eighteen-year-old Kate Thompson disguises herself as a boy and takes to the gritty plains looking for answers—and justice. What she finds are untrustworthy strangers, endless dust and heat, and a surprising band of allies, among them a young Apache girl and a pair of stubborn brothers who refuse to quit riding in her shadow. But as Kate gets closer to the secrets about her family, a startling truth becomes clear: some men will stop at nothing to get their hands on gold, and Kate’s quest for revenge may prove fatal. Review This was my last book of 2017, and it was good enough to make it to my top books list for the year! A friend gave me a copy of the companion novel, Retribution Rails , so naturally I had to read Vengeance Road first! Luckily it was available at the library and I devoured it in only a couple days. Vengeance...

The Macedonian  by Nicholas Guild * I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review * Synopsis (from Goodreads) On a cold, snow-swept night in the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon, a son is born to the king’s principal wife. His mother hates him for being his father’s child. His father hardly notices him. With two elder brothers, obscurity seems his destiny. The boy is sent off to be nursed by the chief steward’s wife. Yet, in a moment of national crisis, when Macedon is on the verge of being torn apart, the prince raised by a servant finds himself proclaimed the king. This is the story of Philip, prince and king, the forgotten boy who rose to save his country and became a legend in his own lifetime. His extensive military conquests across the Greek peninsula would pave the way for expansion under his son, Alexander the Great. Review I was initially drawn this book because I'm a lover of ancient history, and I wanted to know...

A Treacherous Curse  by Deanna Raybourn * I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.* Synopsis (from Goodreads) London, 1888 . As colorful and unfettered as the butterflies she collects, Victorian adventuress Veronica Speedwell can’t resist the allure of an exotic mystery—particularly one involving her enigmatic colleague, Stoker. His former expedition partner has vanished from an archaeological dig with a priceless diadem unearthed from the newly discovered tomb of an Egyptian princess. This disappearance is just the latest in a string of unfortunate events that have plagued the controversial expedition, and rumors abound that the curse of the vengeful princess has been unleashed as the shadowy figure of Anubis himself stalks the streets of London. But the perils of an ancient curse are not the only challenges Veronica must face as sordid details and malevolent enemies emerge from Stoker’s past. Caught in a tangle of conspiracies a...

House of Shadows by Nicola Cornick *I received a free ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review* Synopsis (from Goodreads) London, 1662: There was something the Winter Queen needed to tell him. She fought for the strength to speak. ‘The crystal mirror is a danger. It must be destroyed – ‘ He replied instantly. ‘It will’. Ashdown, Oxfordshire, present day: Ben Ansell is researching his family tree when he disappears. As his sister Holly begins a desperate search, she finds herself inexplicably drawn to an ornate antique mirror and to the diary of Lavinia, a 19th century courtesan who was living at Ashdown House when it burned to the ground over 200 years ago. Intrigued, and determined to find out more about the tragedy at Ashdown, Holly’s only hope is that uncovering the truth about the past will lead her to Ben. Review I really enjoyed this story. It's refreshing to read a well-researched historical fiction that also has an intriguing pl...

The Jane Austen Project by Kathleen A Flynn Synposis ( from Goodreads ) "England, 1815: Two travelers—Rachel Katzman and Liam Finucane—arrive in a field, disheveled and weighed down with hidden money. They are not what they seem, but colleagues from a technologically advanced future, posing as a doctor and his spinster sister. While Rachel and Liam aren’t the first team of time travelers, their mission is the most audacious yet: meet, befriend, and steal from Jane Austen." Review Time travel and Jane Austen. I mean, what's not  to like? I was swept up in this story from page one. The writing is great, plot is pretty straightforward: They need to infiltrate Jane Austen's circle, first by befriending her brother, then steal a manuscript and some letters between her and her sister, Cassandra. But of course things don't go as planned.  The story is told from Rachel's point of view. She's a doctor, an independent woman, and in her early thirt...

No Good Deed by Kara Connelly *I received a free ARC  from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review * This book releases 18 July 2017 from Delacorte Press. Synopsis  ( from Goodreads ) Ellie Hudson is the front-runner on the road to gold for the U.S. Olympic archery team. All she has to do is qualify at the trials in jolly old England. When Ellie makes some kind of crazy wrong turn in the caverns under Nottingham Castle—yes, that Nottingham—she ends up in medieval England. Ellie doesn’t care how she got to the Middle Ages; she just wants to go home before she gets the plague. But people are suffering in Nottingham, and Ellie has the skills to make it better. What’s an ace archer to do while she’s stuck in Sherwood Forest but make like Robin Hood? Pulled into a past life as an outlaw, Ellie feels her present fading away next to daring do-gooding and a devilishly handsome knight. Only, Ellie is on the brink of rewriting history, and when she pic...

Beneath a Burning Sky - Jenny Ashcroft *I was given a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*  Synopsis ( from Goodreads ) "When 22-year-old Olivia is coerced into marriage by the cruel Alistair Sheldon, she leaves England for Egypt, his home and the land of her own childhood. Reluctant as she is to go with Alistair, it's in her new home that she finds happiness in surprising places: she is reunited with her long-estranged sister, Clara, and falls - impossibly and illicitly - in love with her husband's boarder, Captain Edward Bertram. Then Clara is abducted from one of the busiest streets in the city. As Olivia sets out to discover what's happened to the sister she's only just begun to know, she falls deeper into the shadowy underworld of Alexandria, putting her own life and her chance at a future with Edward, the only man she's ever loved, at risk. Because, determined as Olivia is to find Clara, there are others who will...

Tomorrow my husband and I are off on a holiday to Egypt! We're going to tour from Cairo to Aswan and back again and see EVERYTHING. Ancient Egypt has always been a fascination of mine. I remember getting one of those Discovery Books about mummies when I was about eight years old and being totally mesmerized by it and everything Egyptian. When we learned about Ancient Egypt in sixth grade, I read the entire textbook and then some. To top it all off, I recently completed my MA in Egyptology. To celebrate, here are some novels I've read that have to do with Egypt, both ancient, modern, and fantastical. Nefertiti - Michelle Moran This book, told from the perspective of Nefertiti's little sister, Mutnodjmet, chronicles the rise of one of Egypt's most famous queens. While I don't love Moran's writing or characterization, she breathes life into Ancient Egypt, vividly describing the beauty and wonder of the civilization and the people. She's also writt...

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead Synposis Cora is a third-generation slave on a cotton plantation in Georgia. One day, a fellow slave, Caeser, approaches her about running away. They do so by using the Underground Railroad, which in this story is quite literal. With a slave catcher on their tail, Cora is forced to flee again and again in her pursuit for freedom. Review This book won some awards and was included on several "Best of 2016" lists. The story itself kept me engaged. The author never promised a happy ending for anyone, so I was constantly on my toes, wondering whether the characters would live or die. That being said, I wish a few more characters had somehow miraculously survived, but I guess that would undermine the effect the author was trying to create. The Underground Railroad being a literal thing was a good premise to start with, though the author never goes into the logistics of it... Like how no one hears a train engine going undergr...

The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton Synopsis In Amsterdam, 1686, young Nella Oortman has married a very wealthy--and much older--merchant, Johannes Brant. She moves from her little village and into his house in the city. Her new husband is kind, but unfortunately has no real interest in her, and leaves her alone in the house with his spinster sister, Marin, and the two servants. As a wedding gift, Johannes buys her a miniature version of their house. She finds a miniaturist and sends a request for things to furnish the little house. But then Nella starts receiving packages that she didn't ask for, and the Miniaturist seems to know things that should be impossible for anyone outside the house to know. As things grow more dangerous for the family, Nella finds herself drawn to the elusive Miniaturist--Are they predicting what will happen, or are they the cause? Review The story's creepy and suspenseful premise, plus the setting in Amsterdam during its Golden Era, is what ...

Girl Waits With Gun by Amy Stewart Synopsis This is the fictionalized true story behind the first female sheriff in the US. In 1914, Constance Kopp and her two sisters are driving into town on their buggy when an automobile crashes into them. The vehicle belongs to no other than Henry Kaufman, a rich and powerful no-good owner of one of the local silk factories. When Kaufman refuses to pay for damages, Constance sues. As a result, she and her sisters are threatened and harassed by Kaufman's gang. Going to the police, Constance finds a friend in Sheriff Heath, who is determined to help the sisters and bring Kaufman in. One of the things he does is give each of the women a revolver and teaches them how to shoot it to defend themselves. Constance also stumbles across another mystery concerning one of the factory worker girls and her son and seeks to solve it. Review I really enjoyed this book. Constance Kopp is an impressive lady (and I like that she was six feet tall!). ...

Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline Synopsis Molly Ayer, a 17 year old foster child, has been through twelve families in the last nine years. After stealing a library book, she is ordered to do 50 hours of community service. She is led to Vivian Daly, a 91 year old widow who needs help sorting through boxes in her attic. Molly learns that Vivian also had a rough upbringing; an Irish immigrant, orphaned in New York City when she was 9, she was put on an "orphan train", or trains that took orphans from the crowded Eastern cities out to the Midwest where they would hopefully be adopted, but were usually used as unpaid laborers. As Molly and Vivian learn more about each other, they realize they're not so different. Review This book started out a little slow, but picked up once we started hearing Vivian's story. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It's a fascinating window into a not very well known part of American history and a story of courage and re...

Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin Synopsis It's 1956, and Hitler won WWII. Every year, the Axis powers (the Third Reich and Imperial Japan) hold a motorcycle race across the two continents. The victor gets to attend a fancy ball in Tokyo and have a meeting with the Führer himself. Enter Yael, a Jew whose time in a concentration camp as a medical experiment left her with the ability to skinshift. Her goal? Win the race and kill Hitler. To enter the race, she poses as the previous year's winner, Adele Wolfe. But things prove even more challenging when Adele's brother enters the race, and Yael finds out that Adele had secrets of her own. Review I love books that take history and say "What if..." and create an entirely new sequence of events. I think the events surrounding WWII are especially interesting due to the enormous impact the war and the outcome had on the world. I had been eagerly waiting to read this book since it came out in October and I was not d...

Walk On Earth A Stranger - Rae Carson Synopsis Leah Westfall has a gift: she can find gold. When her parents are murdered, she joins the migration west to California. Disguised as a boy, she makes the perilous journey across the continental United States, learning what it means to trust and have friends, and also learning more of who she wants to be. Review This was a really good book. I was expecting a bit more magic, but what I got was more Western. And I didn't mind at all.  I enjoyed reading about the trek west in the California gold rush in 1849. As someone who grew up in California and learned about this as part of my history in school, and also as someone whose ancestors were pioneers and made the same trek, it made me feel connected to the book and the characters. The plot was good, fast-paced, and pulled me in. A couple of times it was like EVERYTHING happened all at once. But I know that pioneer treks were hard and dangerous and people endured everything des...

The Last Kingdom - Bernard Cromwell Synopsis Set in ninth-century England, Uhtred, a minor Northumbrian noble, is taken by the Vikings when his father is killed in battle. He grows up learning the Viking ways, but wants to reclaim his birthright and castle, which his uncle stole from him. He joins King Alfred of Wessex (later known in history as Alfred the Great) and becomes one of the greatest warriors to fight for what will be known as England. Review This book has long been on my "To Read" list, and because the BBC made a TV series out of it did I finally decide I needed to read it. And I'm glad I did! Uhtred is the main character, and narrator. He tells the story from the future looking back on his life, so he gives plenty of foreshadowing. Sometimes I don't like this "storytelling" narration, especially since some of the sentences tended to ramble, but in this case it works and makes you want to keep reading. It is interesting to see Uhtr...

Looking over some of my favorite books that I read over and over from when I was growing up, I realized they all had one thing in common: Strong, independent, kick-ass female protagonists. I know reading these books helped shaped me into who I am today, as I wanted to emulate the characteristics found in these girls. I highly recommend all of these books to everyone, but especially if you have any young girls that you know. 1) Catherine, Called Birdy - Karen Cushman If I ever HAD to pick a favorite book (which, let's be real, is really impossible), then I just might say it's this one. I read this book so much that I had to go buy another copy because the first fell apart. The story is about Catherine, nickname Birdy, who is 14 years old, living in England in 1290 AD. Her father is determined to marry her off, but through hilarious shennanigens, she sends each would-be suitor packing. But then the nastiest--and richest--suitor comes along, and it will take everythi...

BBC's Pride and Prejudice mini-series turned 20 years old today! One of my mother's favorite books was Pride and Prejudice, and she passed that love onto me. Jane Austen was not only a talented and witty writer, but she captured the different social aspects of the time (the balls, the etiquette, and the romance) and provided comedic commentary. She also created unique, clever, and memorable female characters in an age where women were not at the forefront. For those of you who love Jane Austen and all things Regency, here are five books that you are sure to enjoy. 1) Austenland - Shannon Hale At 32, Jane is obsessed with everything Austen, but especially Mr. Darcy. Unfortunately, that has had repercussions on her real-life relationships. Then her elderly relative provides a three-week vacation to Pembroke Park, a discreet British resort where guests live like they're in an Austen novel. Jane vows that she will go as one final hurrah, and afterwards leave her ...

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah Synopsis Two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle, live in France at the outbreak of WWII. Vianne's husband goes off to war, leaving her and her young daughter to fend for themselves as the German's occupy their town and a Nazi officer comes to live in their home. Isabelle, reckless and outspoken, knows she can't sit still. She falls in love with a rebel soldier, who betrays her and leaves her heartbroken, so she runs off to join the Resistance, risking her life for the freedom of France. As the war gets worse and worse and the lines between right and wrong become even more blurred, they both learn what bravery truly is, how strong they actually are, and the limits to which they'll go for the people they love. Review I bought this book because it was recommended to me by Amazon, based on previous books I've read, not to mention I'd seen it sitting on the Bestseller list for quite awhile. When I looked at the Amazon listing,...