Friday, March 29, 2019

This or That #1

Today I decided to do a this or that post. Romi @ Romi Reads has been doing a couple of these posts on her blog and other blogger can use them for their own blogs so I thought it might be fun to do it myself. Definitely check out Romi's blog and beautiful instagram as well! 
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Fiction or non-fiction?
I'm just making it hard on myself picking this question. I love both fiction and non-fiction but if I have to choose I'd have to pick non-fiction. I know I'm probably in the minority with that but I also think the people who know me a little bit won't be surprised by this? I've always loved the genre ever since I was a kid. My favorite kind of nonfiction related to history, especially ancient history but I've also been known to read some inspirational nonfiction as well.

These are some of my favorite nonfiction books. I'd recommend all of them very highly!

Background noise/music or silence
I'm very particular about background noise and/or silence when I read. When I'm reading at home I need absolute silence when I read. I can't stand background noise or music then but when I read in a public place like on the bus or train I don't mind background noise so much. I don't know if this is weird or not... LOL


One or multiple POV’s?
Multiple for sure! I don't exactly mind one POV but I think with multiple the story is much more interesting than with just one. Honestly, the more POVs the better for me. 

Classic or contemporary?
I'm gonna have to go for contemporary. This isn't my most read genre but I don't read a lot of classics (although I do have my favorites) but I  enjoy contemporary books more, especially dark romance à la Pepper Winters.

These are some of my favorite contemporary books. I'd also recommend all of them very highly!



Library or bookshop?
Bookshop! The library in my town isn't very good, to be honest. They don't have a lot fo English books, mostly on the classics. And they never have any of the new releases, unfortunately. The bigger library in the city I live close by is a little better but I wouldn't say they have the best books either so I'm kind of forced to buy most of the books I read. Also, on the rare occassion that I have borrowed books I felt a little pressued because they had to be read by a certain point and I didn't like that feeling very much. 



Feel free to reply with your own answers in the comments. I'd love to know them! ♥


Wednesday, March 27, 2019

Can't-Wait Wednesday: A Forbidden Love by Kerry Postle

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. It's based on Waiting On Wednesday hosted at Breaking the Spine.


A Forbidden Love by Kerry Postle
Expected publication: April 2nd 2019 by HQ Digital

An extraordinary story against all the odds…
He vowed in his letter to one day meet her again, once the war was over. But it was a letter Maria couldn’t bring herself to read…

Growing up in the humble Spanish town of Fuentes, Maria dreamed of seeing the world and marrying one day. But before her life can truly start, civil war breaks out and Fuentes is torn apart by violence, secrecy and corruption.

Maria vows to take a stand, yet as an unspeakable tragedy rocks her trust in human decency, her heart hardens and the love she once believed in seems far out of reach. But when she falls for an occupying soldier, she questions whether she can truly love someone who is her enemy?

I've read Kerry Postle's previous book, The Artist's Muse, back in 2017 and it's still one of my favorite books so I'm really excited to read this new upcoming book that's set in Spanish Civil War by her. It sounds amazing and I'm really excited to read it!


Tuesday, March 26, 2019

Cover Reveal: Ribbons of Scarlet: A Novel of the French Revolution

I am SO excited for Ribbons of Scarlet, you guys! It's one of my most highly anticipated books of the year. All of the authors are favorites of mine so this should be a hit for me. The cover is absolutely amazing, even better than I expected. I can't wait to get my hands on it!
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Six bestselling and award-winning authors bring to life a breathtaking epic novel illuminating the hopes, desires, and destinies of princesses and peasants, harlots and wives, fanatics and philosophers—six unforgettable women whose paths cross during one of the most tumultuous and transformative events in history: the French Revolution.

RIBBONS OF SCARLET: A Novel of the French Revolution, releases October 1st, 2019! Check out the amazing cover below and pre-order your copy today!


About RIBBONS OF SCARLET: A Novel of the French Revolution (Coming October 1, 2019)

Ribbons of Scarlet is a timely story of the power of women to start a revolution—and change the world.

In late eighteenth-century France, women do not have a place in politics. But as the tide of revolution rises, women from gilded salons to the streets of Paris decide otherwise—upending a world order that has long oppressed them.

Blue-blooded Sophie de Grouchy believes in democracy, education, and equal rights for women, and marries the only man in Paris who agrees. Emboldened to fight the injustices of King Louis XVI, Sophie aims to prove that an educated populace can govern itself--but one of her students, fruit-seller Louise Audu, is hungrier for bread and vengeance than learning. When the Bastille falls and Louise leads a women’s march to Versailles, the monarchy is forced to bend, but not without a fight. The king’s pious sister Princess Elisabeth takes a stand to defend her brother, spirit her family to safety, and restore the old order, even at the risk of her head.

But when fanatics use the newspapers to twist the revolution’s ideals into a new tyranny, even the women who toppled the monarchy are threatened by the guillotine. Putting her faith in the pen, brilliant political wife Manon Roland tries to write a way out of France’s blood-soaked Reign of Terror while pike-bearing Pauline Leon and steely Charlotte Corday embrace violence as the only way to save the nation. With justice corrupted by revenge, all the women must make impossible choices to survive--unless unlikely heroine and courtesan’s daughter Emilie de Sainte-Amaranthe can sway the man who controls France’s fate: the fearsome Robespierre.

✭✭✭PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY OF RIBBONS OF SCARLET TODAY✭✭✭

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Apple Books | Kobo




About Kate Quinn: Kate Quinn is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of historical fiction. A native of southern California, she attended Boston University where she earned a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Classical Voice. She has written four novels in the Empress of Rome Saga, and two books in the Italian Renaissance, before turning to the 20th century with "The Alice Network" and "The Huntress." All have been translated into multiple languages. Kate and her husband now live in San Diego with two rescue dogs named Caesar and Calpurnia, and her interests include opera, action movies, cooking, and the Boston Red Sox.
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About Stephanie Dray: Stephanie Dray is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal & USA Today bestselling author of historical women's fiction. Her award-winning work has been translated into eight languages and tops lists for the most anticipated reads of the year. She lives near the nation's capital with her husband, cats, and history books.
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About Laura Kamoie: A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of historical fiction, Laura Kamoie has always been fascinated by the people, stories, and physical presence of the past, which led her to a lifetime of historical and archaeological study and training. She holds a doctoral degree in early American history from The College of William and Mary, published two non-fiction books on early America, and most recently held the position of Associate Professor of History at the U.S. Naval Academy before transitioning to a full-time career writing genre fiction. She is the author of AMERICA'S FIRST DAUGHTER and MY DEAR HAMILTON, co-authored with Stephanie Dray, allowing her the exciting opportunity to combine her love of history with her passion for storytelling. Laura lives among the colonial charm of Annapolis, Maryland with her husband and two daughters.
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About Sophie Perinot: Sophie Perinot is an award-winning, multi-published author of female-centered historical fiction, who holds both a Bachelors in History and a law degree. With two previous books set in France—during the 13th and 16th centuries—Sophie has a passion for French history that began more than thirty years ago when she first explored the storied châteaux of the Loire Valley. She lives in the Washington DC metropolitan area with her husband, children and a small menagerie of pets.
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About Heather Webb: Heather Webb is the award-winning and international bestselling author of six historical novels set in France, including the upcoming Meet Me in Monaco, set to the backdrop of Grace Kelly’s wedding releasing in summer 2019, and Ribbons of Scarlet, a novel of the French Revolution’s women in Oct 2019. In 2015, Rodin’s Lover was selected as a Goodreads Top Pick, and in 2017, Last Christmas in Paris became a Globe & Mail bestseller and also won the 2018 Women’s Fiction Writers Association STAR Award. Her works have received national starred reviews, and have been sold in over a dozen countries worldwide. When not writing, you may find Heather collecting cookbooks or looking for excuses to travel. She lives in New England with her family and one feisty rabbit.
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About E. Knight: E. KNIGHT is a USA Today bestselling author of rip-your-heart-out historical women’s fiction that crosses the landscapes of Europe. Her love of history began as a young girl when she traipsed the halls of Versailles and ran through the fields in Southern France. She can still remember standing before the great golden palace, and imagining what life must have been like. She is the owner of the acclaimed blog History Undressed. Eliza lives in Maryland atop a small mountain with a knight, three princesses and two very naughty newfies. Visit Eliza at www.eknightauthor.com/eknight, or her historical blog, History Undressed, www.historyundressed.com. You can follow her on Twitter: @EKHistoricalFic, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EKnightAuthor, and Instagram @ElizaKnightFiction.
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Friday, March 22, 2019

Review: Galileo Galilei: A Life From Beginning to End by Hourly History

Title: Galileo Galilei: A Life From Beginning to End
Author: Hourly History
Publication: June 20th 2017 
Genre: Nonfiction, History
Purchase it on: Amazon
Rating: 4/5

Galileo Galilei began his career as a mathematician. Yet as fate would have it, he became far more than a numbers whiz. Here was a true Renaissance man; one who was greatly educated and a genuine lover of the arts. He was a fan of poets and a fine lute player.
When in 1609 Galileo created his first telescope and turned his attention to the skies, everything changed. His discoveries as they came, could not be denied. Because of his years of study in the arts and humanities, Galileo was well prepared to bring his ideas into the light of day.

Inside you will read about...

✓ Living in the Italian Renaissance
✓ Student Becomes Master
✓ Opposition to the Church
✓ Controversial Theories
✓ The Trial of Galileo Galilei
✓ The End of All Things
And much more!

Discoveries often don't come easy and introducing them to a doubting world is even more challenging. It takes a certain kind of person to do that and Galileo was just the man for the job. It was his brilliance that supported the Copernican system of how the solar system was laid out. It was his original thinking which kept him fearless in the face of the greatest adversary there was—the Church.
Come along to discover what made Galileo so great. And why his achievements can influence your life, too.


"I've loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night."
—Galileo Galilei 

Galileo Galilei: A Life From Beginning to End is now one of my favorite Hourly History books so far. I thorougly enjoyed reading every single chapter of this book. It was all so interesting and I loved learning more about Galileo's life and accomplishments.

I'm super intrigued by a lot of people who lived in the Italian Renaissance but I've always been especially interested by Galileo Galilei, his genius and the way he challenged the Church. He's one of my favorite historical figures to read about. And obviously without him and his discoveries I'm sure we wouldn't be where we are today.

This quick read gives us information about things like his early life, his controversial theories, his trial and when he passed away. Like I said I loved reading every chapter so this time I couldn't say what my favorite was. I did enjoy reading about the beginning of his career a lot, though.

Overall, yet another great Hourly History book that I enjoyed so much. I learned a few new things about Galileo, which is always a bonus for me with nonfiction. Definitely recommended!



Check out my other Hourly History reviews:

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Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Caligula: The Mad Emperor of Rome by Stephen Dando-Collins

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. It's based on Waiting On Wednesday hosted at Breaking the Spine.


Caligula: The Mad Emperor of Rome by Stephen Dando-Collins
Expected publication: July 30th 2019 by Turner

Explore all of the murder, madness and mayhem in Ancient Rome during the reign of the mad emperor, Caligula.

In this book about Rome's most infamous emperor, expert author, Stephen Dando-Collins' chronicles all the palace intrigues and murders that led to Caligula becoming emperor, and details the horrors of his manic reign and the murderous consequences brought about at the hand of his sister Agrippina the Younger, his uncle Claudius and his nephew Nero.

Skillfully researched, Dando-Collins puts the jigsaw pieces together to form an accurate picture of Caligula's life and influences. Dando-Collins' precise and thorough examination of the emperor's life puts Caligula's paranoid reign into perspective, examining the betrayals and deaths he experienced prior to his time in power and the onset of a near-fatal illness believed to have affected his mental-health.

I found out about this nonfiction book last week and as someone who is obsessed with ancient Rome I simply must have it. Especially since it's a book about Caligula. He's the emperor I find the most interesting out of them all. The Julio-Claudian dynasty is super fascinating to me so I can't wait for this book to be released!



Monday, March 18, 2019

Review; The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White

Title: The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein
Author: Kiersten White
Publication: September 25th 2018 by Delacorte Press
Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Horror
Purchase it on: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Google Play | Kobo
Rating: 3/5

Elizabeth Lavenza hasn't had a proper meal in weeks. Her thin arms are covered with bruises from her "caregiver," and she is on the verge of being thrown into the streets . . . until she is brought to the home of Victor Frankenstein, an unsmiling, solitary boy who has everything--except a friend.

Victor is her escape from misery. Elizabeth does everything she can to make herself indispensable--and it works. She is taken in by the Frankenstein family and rewarded with a warm bed, delicious food, and dresses of the finest silk. Soon she and Victor are inseparable.

But her new life comes at a price. As the years pass, Elizabeth's survival depends on managing Victor's dangerous temper and entertaining his every whim, no matter how depraved. Behind her blue eyes and sweet smile lies the calculating heart of a girl determined to stay alive no matter the cost . . . as the world she knows is consumed by darkness.


I'm not gonna lie and say I'm not a little disappointed with The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein. I did enjoy it for the most part but it's rare for me to rate a Kiersten White book with only three stars. Of course this isn't a bad rating but with her I'm used to four and five star worthy books and this one just wasn't, unfortunately. I also feel like I should say that I'm also not a big fan of the original Frankenstein book. It's just not a favorite classic of mine.

My favorite thing about this book was the beautiful writing. If I had to rate it for the prose alone I probably would've given it five stars because it really was amazing and I literally have nothing negative to say about it. I could've read the gorgeous descriptions over and over again. Another thing I liked were the flashbacks. You either love those or you don't but I always enjoy flashbacks in books for some reason. I thought it was nice to see some of Elizabeth and Victor's past as they grew up together and their dynamic. 

But I have to be fair because a book isn't just about the writing no matter how beautiful it is. Most of my issues were about the characters and the story itself. I just didn't like any of the characters, even the nice ones. I don't think they were writting to be liked exactly, especially Elizabeth, but personally I have to like the characters I read about at least a little bit. And other than that I didn't think the story was the best. I liked the first part the best and the second also but the third part was a little messy in my opinion and of course I had guessed some plot twists very early on which also caused me to enjoy it all less, sadly enough.

Another possitive thing about this book was that it's a really fast read. It only took me a little over a day, which is super fast but it also isn't a very long book so it makes sense. I was definitely hooked with the story and the ending was pretty good I have to admit but it just wasn't that good, you know? For me it was a nice book to read once because I'm a fan of the author but it definitely isn't re-read worthy in my opinion. It had good qualities for sure but in the end I had expected a little more.

About the author:
Kiersten White is the New York Times bestselling author of the And I Darken trilogy, the Paranormalcy trilogy, Beanstalker and Other Hilarious Scarytales, The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein, Slayer, and many other novels. Kiersten lives with her family in San Diego, California. Visit her at www.kierstenwhite.com.
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Wednesday, March 13, 2019

Review: Ten Caesars: Roman Emperors from Augustus to Constantine by Barry S. Strauss

Title: Ten Caesars: Roman Emperors from Augustus to Constantine
Author: Barry S. Strauss
Publication: March 5th 2019 by Simon & Schuster
Genre: Nonfiction, Ancient History
Purchase it on: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Google Play | Kobo
Rating: 4/5

Bestselling classical historian Barry Strauss tells the story of three and a half centuries of the Roman Empire through the lives of ten of the most important emperors, from Augustus to Constantine.
Barry Strauss’s Ten Caesars is the story of the Roman Empire from rise to reinvention, from Augustus, who founded the empire, to Constantine, who made it Christian and moved the capital east to Constantinople.

During these centuries Rome gained in splendor and territory, then lost both. The empire reached from modern-day Britain to Iraq, and gradually emperors came not from the old families of the first century but from men born in the provinces, some of whom had never even seen Rome. By the fourth century, the time of Constantine, the Roman Empire had changed so dramatically in geography, ethnicity, religion, and culture that it would have been virtually unrecognizable to Augustus.

In the imperial era Roman women—mothers, wives, mistresses—had substantial influence over the emperors, and Strauss also profiles the most important among them, from Livia, Augustus’s wife, to Helena, Constantine’s mother. But even women in the imperial family faced limits and the emperors often forced them to marry or divorce for purely political reasons.

Rome’s legacy remains today in so many ways, from language, law, and architecture to the seat of the Roman Catholic Church. Strauss examines this enduring heritage through the lives of the men who shaped it: Augustus, Tiberius, Nero, Vespasian, Trajan, Hadrian, Marcus Aurelius, Septimius Severus, Diocletian and Constantine. Over the ages, they learned to maintain the family business—the government of an empire—by adapting when necessary and always persevering no matter the cost. Ten Caesars is essential history as well as fascinating biography.

I'm gonna jump right in and say that I highly enjoyed Ten Caesars: Roman Emperors from Augustus to Constantine by Barry S. Strauss. I randomly decided to read it when I saw it available to read on NetGalley because I craved some ancient history nonfiction. And I'm really glad that I did because I almost couldn't stop reading it. I'll even go as far to say that it's one of my favorite books of 2019 so far, especially in the nonfiction genre. 

I do have to admit that before starting to read the book I was a tiny bit apprehensive about it because in each chapter one of the ten Roman emperors that are featured in this book is highlighted and the reason why that worried me a little is that most books like this (at least the ones I've read) don't go as deeply into the people or topics as much as I like. But I was actually pleasantly surprised with how the author tackled each emperor and I wasn't left disappointed in that way at all.

As the synopsis says, the emperors featured in the book are: Augustus, Tiberius, Nero, Vespasian, Trajan, Hadrian, Marcus Aurelius, Septimius Severus, Diocletian and Constantine. As a huge ancient history fan I knew a little about most of these men but after reading this book I feel like my knowledge of them and the ancient world in general has grown so much more and that's exactly why I enjoy reading this kind of nonfiction. I just can't seem to learn enough about ancient history and the ancient Romans were so very fascinating.

My favorite chapters probably were the ones about Augustus, Tiberius, Nero, Hadrian and Marcus Aurelius. Why? I'm not entirely sure. I've always been pretty fascinated by these particular emperors and reading this book only made my interest in them grow. I also liked that, even though Caligula didn't get a chapter dedicated to him, the author did mention and talked a little about him in another chapter. 

This review is getting quite long by now so I'm gonna round it up now but I also really wanted to say that at 432 pages this isn't a particularly short book but even so it didn't take me that long to read it and I found most of the chapters going by really fast because the way Barry S. Strauss wrote the book made it pretty easy to read and honestly it was just a great book that was really enjoyable. I definitely want to check out his other books as well. Also, I really want to buy a physical copy of Ten Caesars now. I need it on my nonfiction shelf!

About the author:
Barry Strauss is Professor of History and Classics, Bryce and Edith M. Bowmar Professor in Humanistic Studies at Cornell University, and a military and naval historian and consultant. As the Series Editor of the Princeton History of the Ancient World and author of eight books on ancient history, Professor Strauss is a recognized authority on the subject of leadership and the lessons that can be learned from the experiences of the greatest political and military leaders of the ancient world (Caesar, Hannibal, Alexander among many others). These lessons apply to the corporate leaders of today who are faced with complex issues that are both challenging and often defy easy solutions.

Professor Strauss has spent years of researching and studying the leaders of the ancient world and has written and spoken widely of their mistakes and successes. He is also a widely acclaimed military and naval historian whose analyses of the strategies and campaigns of some of history’s great commanders reveal the successful rules of engagement that were true on the battlefield and resonate in today’s boardrooms and executive suites.

He is a former director of Cornell’s Judith Reppy Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies, where he studied modern engagements from Bosnia to Iraq and from Afghanistan to the streets of Europe. Professor Strauss is an expert on geopolitics including the Middle East, terrorism, Europe, the Mediterranean and US alliances. He is currently director as well as a founder of Cornell’s Program on Freedom and Free Societies, which investigates challenges to constitutional liberty at home and abroad. He holds fellowships from the American Academy at Rome, the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, the German Academic Exchange Program, the Korea Foundation, the MacDowell Colony and the National Endowment for the Humanities, among others, and is the recipient of Cornell’s Clark Award for Excellence in Teaching.

He is the author of eight books on ancient history, including “Ten Caesars” (now available for pre-order), “The Death of Caesar” (2016), “The Battle of Salamis” (named one of the Best Books of 2004 by the Washington Post), and “The Trojan War: A New History” (2006). Writing in the Washington Post, Tom Holland hailed his “The Spartacus War” (2009) for having “all the excitement of a thriller.” Books & Culture named it one of its favorite books of 2009. His books have been translated into 14 foreign languages, from French to Korean. Professor Strauss holds a B.A. from Cornell University and a M.A. and Ph.D. from Yale University.
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Monday, March 11, 2019

Review: In the Full Light of the Sun by Clare Clark

Title: In the Full Light of the Sun
Author: Clare Clark
Publication: February 28th 2019 by Virago
Genre: Historical Fiction
Purchase it on: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Google Play | Kobo
Rating: 5/5

In the turbulent years between the wars, nothing in Berlin is quite what it seems.

Not for Emmeline, a wayward young artist freewheeling wildly through the city in search of meaning. Not for Julius, an eminent art connoisseur who finds it easier to love paintings than people. And most definitely not for Frank, a Jewish lawyer who must find a way to protect his family and his principles as the Nazis begin their rise to power.

But the greatest enigma of them all is Matthias, the mercurial art dealer who connects them all. Charming and ambitious, he will provoke a scandal that turns all of their lives upside down.

Inspired by true events, this brilliant, humane novel peels back the cherished illusions that sustain us to reveal the truths beneath. A book about beauty and justice, vanity and self-delusion, it asks: do we see only what we want to see? Even in the full light of the sun?

Initially I wasn't planning on reviewing this book because I just didn't know what to say about it. But I decided to give it a shot anyway because I consider In the Full Light of the Sun to be my favorite book of 2019 so far. It was a phenomenal read!

I came across In the Full Light of the Sun on Instagram (shoutout to sissireads!) and as soon as I read the description I just knew I had to buy this book and read it as soon as possible because I really enjoy most books set in this time period and it somehow involved Vincent van Gogh's paintings + the cover is gorgeous as well. Buying and reading a book from a recommendation is always a shot in the dark so I'm really happy it turned out as amazing as it did. 

The story takes place in Berlin, Germany over the course of ten years from 1923 to 1933, between the first and second world war. It's divided in three parts, each part in the point of view of a different character. Part one was about Julius, an art connoisseur, part two was about Emmeline, a young artist and part three was about Frank, a Jewist laywer. I really loved how the book was set up like this because I always enjoy multiple points of view more than when it's just one. So that was probably one of my most favorite parts along with the beautiful prose. Each character was very different and unique in their own way. I loved this.

As the synopsis says the years between the wars it's set in were very turbulent and this really shows in the story. My favorite point of view was probably Frank's because with him you really see as Nazi Germany begins to rise, how quickly things got bad for Jews. And honestly, we need books like this one so we won't ever forget all of this happened. It wasn't a happy book, it actually was quite hard to read at times because of the topic and setting but it was also one of the best books I've ever read. I know it will be a favorite read for a long time to come.

Overall, In the Full Light of the Sun was outstanding. The writing was exceptional, so beautiful and the story really took my heart and soul. I would very highly recommend it.

About the author:
Clare read History at Trinity College, Cambridge, where she was a Senior Scholar. She graduated with a Double First.

Her first novel, The Great Stink, was published by Viking in 2005 after a five-way auction: critically acclaimed on both sides of the Atlantic, The Great Stink was long-listed for the Orange Prize, won the Pendleton May First Novel award in the UK and the Quality Paperback Book Club New Voices award in the USA. It was a Washington Post Best Book of the Year. Since then The Great Stink has been translated into five languages.

She has since published three more books: The Nature of Monsters; Savage Lands, which was long-listed for the Orange Prize in 2010; and Beautiful Lies. Her most recent two novels were published by Harvill Secker, part of the Random House Group, in the UK and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in the US.

Her fifth novel, We That Are Left, will be published in the UK in March 2015 and in the US in the fall. Only weeks after completion, it has already been snapped up by publishers in Germany and France.

She is a regular contributor to the Guardian’s literary pages, reviewing both fiction and non-fiction, and writes for several other broadsheet newspapers, both in the UK and the USA. She works as a tutor on the Creative Writing MA at City University.

She lives in London with her husband and two children.
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