About the Book: 
The Conqueror's Wife: A Novel of Alexander the Great by Stephanie Thornton
Publication Date: December 1, 2015
NAL/Penguin Group LLC.
eBook, Paperback; 496 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction


A novel from the acclaimed author of The Tiger Queens, for readers looking for “strong and determined female protagonists” (Historical Novel Society) and “a sprawling historical saga” (Renee Rosen)...

We are the women who loved Alexander the Great. We were lovers and murderers, innocents and soldiers.
And without us, Alexander would have been only a man.
Instead he was a god.

330s, B.C.E., Greece: Alexander, a handsome young warrior of Macedon, begins his quest to conquer the ancient world. But he cannot ascend to power, and keep it, without the women who help to shape his destiny.

His spirited younger half-sister, Thessalonike, yearns to join her brother and see the world. Instead, it is Alexander's boyhood companion who rides with him into war while Thessalonike remains behind. Far away, crafty princess Drypetis will not stand idly by as Alexander topples her father from Persia's throne. And after Alexander conquers her tiny kingdom, Roxana, the beautiful and cunning daughter of a minor noble, wins Alexander’s heart…and will commit any crime to secure her place at his side.

Within a few short years, Alexander controls an empire more vast than the civilized world has ever known. But his victories are tarnished by losses on the battlefield and treachery among his inner circle. And long after Alexander is gone, the women who are his champions, wives, and enemies will fight to claim his legacy…

AMAZON (KINDLE) | AMAZON (PAPERBACK) | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY |INDIEBOUND

Review: 

Alexander the Great is known around the world for his feats of war and contributions to cultural diffusion.  However, many people contributed to his rise to power and stay at the top.  These women shaped him, compelled him, and kept him leveled throughout his years.  His mother, Olympias is willing to do whatever she can see her son rise and protect his legacy.  Alexander’s sisters Cynnane and Thessalonike  grew up as warriors, waiting to protect Alexander.  Roxana, the daughter of a minor noble who will do anything to get herself away from her father and claw her way to the top as Alexander’s first wife.  Stateria and Drypetis daughters of overthrown King Darius III, struggle with their new ruler but eventually fall for Alexander’s charms as his new wife and wife of his companion Hephaestion.  Then there is Hephaestion, Alexander’s childhood friend and companion who will see him through his conquests to the end. 

Told from the alternating points of view of Thessalonike, Drypetis, Roxana and Hephaestion, Alexander’s life is seen through the eyes of those who loved and feared him.   I loved that all of the women were independent and strong willed, even though they were all attached to the most powerful man at the time, none of them relied on his power to save him.  Thessalonike was as fierce as Alexander, but didn’t get a chance to show her skills while kept under Olympias’ thumb, it wasn’t until after Alexander’s death that Thessalonike got her chance to shine.  Roxana was an interesting character for me as she went from someone whom I felt for to the one fighting for Alexander’s crown.  Hephaestion’s point of view was also welcome, as someone who might have been more to Alexander than any of the women.  Hephaestion’s and Drypetis’ love story stole some of the show for me; Drypetis is the character I related the most to with her fierce determination and love for how things work.  In addition to wonderful characters, the time period and history was brought to life through detailed descriptions of Alexander’s battles, the clothing, custom and architecture for a true portrait of Alexander’s life. 
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.   

About the Author
Stephanie Thornton is a writer and history teacher who has been obsessed with infamous women from ancient history since she was twelve. She lives with her husband and daughter in Alaska, where she is at work on her next novel.

"The Secret History: A Novel of Empress Theodora," "Daughter of the Gods: A Novel of Ancient Egypt," and "TheTiger Queens: The Women of Genghis Khan" are available now. "The Conqueror's Wife: A Novel of Alexander theGreat" will hit the shelves in December 2015.

For more information please visit Stephanie Thornton’s website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

About the Book: 
Race to Tibet by Sophie SchillerPublication Date: January 26, 2015
Tradewinds Publishing
Formats: eBook, Paperback
Pages: 342

Genre: Historical Fiction/Adventure


By 1889 Tibet is the last unexplored country in the world. Gabriel Bonvalot is determined to be the first Westerner to reach Lhasa but lacks a sponsor. When the Duke of Chartres promises to pay his expenses Bonvalot agrees, even after he learns he must bring along the Duke's wayward son, Prince Henri d'Orléans. Along the way Bonvalot meets Camille Dancourt, the wife of a missing surveyor, who attaches herself to the expedition in order to find her missing husband. During the journey the intrepid explorers are besieged by freezing temperatures, volatile winds, mountain sickness, hostile Tibetans, and duplicitous Chinese Mandarins. Nearing collapse, Bonvalot realizes they will have to resort to force if they ever wish to escape Tibet alive.

RACE TO TIBET is an adventure thriller that will take you on a suspenseful journey to the Roof of the World.

"Fans of Jules Verne’s travel adventures will find Schiller has done a solid job of transforming an obscure real-life Victorian expedition into a thrilling yarn." — Publishers Weekly
AMAZON (KINDLE) | AMAZON (PAPERBACK)| BARNES & NOBLE

About the Author: 
Sophie Schiller was born in Paterson, NJ and grew up in the West Indies amid aging pirates and retired German spies. Among other oddities her family tree contains a Nobel prize-winning physicist and a French pop singer. She loves stories that carry the reader back in time to exotic and far-flung locations. She was educated at American University, Washington, DC and lives in Brooklyn, NY. She is currently working on a new historical thriller set in the Caribbean.

For more information visit Sophie Schiller's blog. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.

Read an ExcerptThe Tibetan spoke again, but this time his voice changed. He began to chant as if he had gone into a hypnotic trance. He closed his eyes and recited a mantra that sounded like a prayer from another world.

"Our Oracle predicted that during the year of the Iron-Tiger the Jade Emperor would capture the golden bird and send her into exile, but a small army with metal sticks would sweep down from the north and rescue her. Once free the golden bird would fly to the Potala Palace to perform the sacred duty of acting as tutor and maidservant to the Dalai Lama. The Oracle said that for this great service, good fortune would follow the foreigners all the days of their lives. But if the golden bird is captured by the mandarins, they will lose their heads. She is called Pema, or lotus flower. Her true identity may not be known by anyone outside this tent, not even by your closest servants. For this reason, we call her the golden bird."

"I'll bear that in mind," said Bonvalot. "Don't worry, your golden bird will be safe with me. You may go in peace now."

Bonvalot led the visitors back to their horses while Pema stayed behind beside the tent, looking like a forgotten stupa on a windswept hill.

The Tibetans mounted their horses and galloped away. All that remained behind was the forlorn figure of Pema wrapped in her sheepskin coat, silent except for the humming of her prayer wheel. Her eyes followed their every movement.

"Now that we've got her, what do we do with her?" said Bonvalot, regarding the Tibetan girl with curiosity.

"I suppose our Christian duty is to feed her," said Father Dedeken. "And give her a warm place to sleep."

When Rachmed explained the situation to the caravan men, some of them objected to the intruder; others raised their eyebrows and cast suspicious glances in her direction, but otherwise they accepted Pema's presence, albeit guardedly.

Later, Bonvalot sat Pema down by the fire and offered her a bowl of tsampa and tea. When she became more comfortable, he urged her remove her shawl.

Reluctantly, the girl pushed away the shawl and when they caught a glimpse of her face in the light of the campfire, the men gasped: Pema was the most exquisite creature they had ever seen. She was beautiful in a mystical sort of way, with skin like polished white jade, rose petal lips, and black, almond-shaped eyes. Her hair was braided into dozens of tiny plaits that were bounded by a single strand of coral beads suspended from a golden disk on her forehead; around her neck she wore multiple strands of coral and turquoise necklaces, and in her hands she held a prayer wheel that she clutched like a golden scepter. Pema had an almost regal presence about her, like a royal consort. Or a goddess.

About the Book: 
Paperback: 414 pages

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing (November 17, 2015)

A buried secret keeps two sisters apart.

Life went terribly wrong for Addie Bates in San Diego, and she’s been running from those memories ever since. For fifteen years, the Sleepy Valley Nudist Colony has provided a safe haven for Addie to hide from the crime she committed. But when the residents pack up to go on exhibit at the 1935 world’s fair in San Diego, Addie returns and must face the thrilling yet terrifying prospect of reuniting with her estranged sister, Wavey.
Addie isn’t the only one interested in a reunion. When her niece, Rumor, discovers she has an aunt, Rumor is determined to bring her family together. But it’s not so easy when the women are forced to confront family secrets, past and present.
Set against the backdrop of the 1935 world’s fair, Whistling Women explores the complex relationships between sisters, the sacrifices required to protect family, and the lasting consequences of a single impulsive act.
“A moving story of the secrets that both bind families together and tear them apart.” —Megan Chance, award-winning author of Bone River, Inamorata, and The Visitant
“A charming, quirky family saga like no other, Whistling Women is a totally relatable, endlessly surprising, and masterfully written gem of a novel.” —Molly Cochran, author of Mireille
“Romo has written a sparkling period novel. A passionate daughter determined to unravel family secrets kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next.” —Consuelo Saah Baehr, author of Three Daughters
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Purchase Links
Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

Review: 
Addie Bates has retreated from her past life of abuse, secrets and a nefarious deed into the routine life and protection of the Sleepy Valley Nudist Colony.  Within the colony, Addie feels safe and protected from the mistakes of her past until Addie and the other girls from the colony are scheduled to exhibit at the 1935 World’s Fair in San Diego.  San Diego is part of the world she left behind, and where the sister, Wavey, that she has broken bonds with still lives.   Addie tries to make amends with Wavey, but instead finds her two nieces Rumor and Mary.  Rumor is determined to get to know her new found Aunt Addie and help her mother and aunt make amends.
​
I was fascinated by the setting of this book; I honestly don’t think I have ever read anything set in a nudist colony.  I really enjoyed reading about Addie’s daily schedule, the routine and philosophy of the nudist colony, especially how it was perceived by the different age groups.  It was also nice to see the degree of freedom that this group of women had, especially in the 1930’s.  The World’s Fair was also wonderfully described and I loved getting a chance to imaging the Garden of Eden and some of the other sideshow acts.  The point of view switches from chapter to chapter between Addie and Rumor.  All of the women’s characters are very developed.  Addie’s current life as well as her past and the secret she was keeping kept me interested at every turn of the page.  Rumor stole the show at some moments with her vibrancy and tenacity.  There were some parts for me where the pacing seemed slow waiting for the big reveal of the secret, but it is worth it in the end.
 
This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

About the Author: 
Kelly A. Romo currently lives in Oregon with her three children where she teaches writing, literature, and social studies. She loves the outdoors; hiking, kayaking, and camping. Kelly grew up in California running around with all her thrill-seeking cousins and siblings; jumping off cliffs into the Colorado River, exploring caves on the beaches of Mexico, riding dirt bikes, water skiing, and snow skiing.

Connect with Kelly
​Website | Facebook | Twitter

About the Book: 
Paperback

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing (November 10, 2015)

Writing under a man’s name, Josephine Breaux is the finest reporter at Washington’s Morning Clarion. Using her wit and charm, she never fails to get the scoop on the latest Union and Confederate activities. But when a rival paper reveals her true identity, accusations of treason fly. Despite her claims of loyalty to the Union, she is arrested as a spy and traitor.

To Josephine’s surprise, she’s whisked away to the White House, where she learns that President Lincoln himself wishes to use her cunning and skill for a secret mission in New Orleans that could hasten the end of the war. For Josephine, though, this mission threatens to open old wounds and expose dangerous secrets. In the middle of the most violent conflict the country has ever seen, can one woman overcome the treacherous secrets of her past in order to secure her nation’s future?


Purchase Links
Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

Review: 

Josephine Breaux makes her living as a newspaper reporter; however during the Civil War she must write under a male pseudonym.   As a female, she is able to get information from both the Union and the Confederacy.  When her cover is blown, Josephine is arrested at a traitor and spy.  To her surprise, Pinkerton Agent, Franklin Gray takes her instead to Washington where she meets President Lincoln himself.  Lincoln wants Josephine on a mission in New Orleans collecting information for the Union.  Josephine arrives in New Orleans during the height of the fighting.  Josephine’s past helps her get through the battles, but some other people from her past want to bring her down.
​
I love reading about women in the Civil War.  The Crescent Spy offered an exciting account of another brave woman who gave her all during the war.  Josephine’s character is very intriguing with her past as interesting as her present.  Josephine is intelligent, fast-thinking, brave and compassionate.   I loved seeing her perspective on the battles and her news stories.  Josephine acts truly selflessly in all of her actions throughout the war.  I was very impressed with Josephine’s decisions and thought process in her determination in the Union taking New Orleans.  There was very realistic battle scenes and historical information, also.  I loved that the romance took a back-burner to the plot, but was still a great part of the story.
 
This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

About the Book: 
• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; Reprint edition (October 27, 2015)
From one of the most critically acclaimed and beloved storytellers of our time comes a major new collection of stories and verse
"We each have our little triggers . . . things that wait for us in the dark corridors of our lives." So says Neil Gaiman in his introduction to Trigger Warning, a remarkable compendium of twenty-five stories and poems that explore the transformative power of imagination.
In "Adventure Story"—a thematic companion to the #1 New York Times bestselling novel The Ocean at the End of the Lane—Gaiman ponders death and the ways in which people take their stories with them when they die. "A Calendar of Tales" is comprised of short pieces about the months of the year—stories of pirates and March winds, an igloo made of books, and a Mother's Day card that portends disturbances in the universe. Gaiman offers his own ingenious spin on Sherlock Holmes in his award-nominated mystery tale "The Case of Death and Honey." Also included is "Nothing O'Clock," a very special Doctor Who story that was written for the beloved series in 2013, as well as the never-before-published "Black Dog," a haunting new tale that revisits the world of American Gods as Shadow Moon stops in at a village pub on his way back to America.
Gaiman, a sophisticated writer whose creative genius is unparalleled, entrances with his literary alchemy and transports us deep into an undiscovered country where the fantastical becomes real and the everyday is incandescent. Replete with wonder and terror, surprises and amusements, Trigger Warning is a treasury of literary delights that engage the mind, stir the heart, and shake the soul.


Purchase Links
Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble


Review: 

I could not wait to get my hands on Neil Gaiman’s Trigger Warning!  This is a short story collection and I would definitely advise you to read the introduction; not because you need it to understand the stories, but because it will help you appreciate them that much more.  It will also help you to find the trigger in each story.  All of us have something that bothers us at our core, “things that profoundly upset” us but teach us things and open our eyes, as Neil says in the introduction; these are our triggers.  The stories with my triggers were the ones I enjoyed most in the collection.
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The Thing About Cassandra was the first story to really make my heart flutter. It begins innocently enough with a young man creating a made up girlfriend to get his friends and even his mother off of his back.  However, when the imaginary woman shows up in his adult life, things get interesting.  This story triggered me for the power of the imagination.  As someone who might make up whole worlds and timelines in their head, Neil’s interpretation of the impacts of imagining just one person were profound, along with the twist at the end, this story was something that got me thinking and felt like it was much more intense than the 20 pages that it lasted.

“The Truth Is a Cave in the Black Mountains…” had many small triggers, lies, deceit, revenge and judging people on appearances.  When a smaller man, one we might call a little person today, seeks out a much larger man to guide him to a cave fabled to be laden with gold and a curse, each man will discover something from the journey that they did not expect.   The best thing for me was the slow burn of the sweet revenge that I probably enjoyed more than I should have.

As a lover of fairy tale retellings, The Sleeper and the Spindle caught my attention. Something even more sinister is lurking within this fairy tale where good and evil may not be so easily determined.  Obviously, an intelligent, savvy and strong hero is needed and will come from an unlikely source.  This new version of the classic is now a favorite retelling of mine. 
 
This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

About the Author: 
Neil Gaiman is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty books, and is the recipient of numerous literary honors. Originally from England, he now lives in America.
Find out more about Neil at his website, find all his books at his online bookstore, and follow him on Facebook, tumblr, and his blog.

About the Book: 
 Hardcover: 288 pages
 Publisher: William Morrow (October 27, 2015)
Down the rabbit-hole, where adventures await . . .
When Alice toppled down the rabbit-hole 150 years ago, she found a Wonderland as rife with inconsistent rules and abrasive egos as the world she left behind. But what of that world? How did 1860s Oxford react to Alice's disappearance?
In this brilliant new work of fiction, Gregory Maguire turns his dazzling imagination to the question of underworlds, undergrounds, underpinnings—and understandings old and new, offering an inventive spin on Carroll's enduring tale. Ada, a friend of Alice's mentioned briefly in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, is off to visit her friend but arrives a moment too late—and tumbles down the rabbit-hole herself.
Ada brings to Wonderland her own imperfect apprehension of cause and effect as she embarks on an odyssey to find Alice and see her safely home from this surreal world below the world. The White Rabbit, the Cheshire Cat, the bloodthirsty Queen of Hearts—droll and imperious as always—interrupt their mad tea party to suggest a conundrum: If Eurydice can ever be returned to the arms of Orpheus, or if Lazarus can be raised from the tomb, perhaps Alice can be returned to life. In any case, everything that happens next isAfter Alice.


Purchase Links
Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble

Review: 
After Alice fell through the rabbit hole into Wonderland, her friend Ada and Siam, a refugee slave boy from the states follow her.  Ada’s home, the Vicarage in Oxford is like a prison of her own.  Ada is not allowed to roam anywhere without her caretaker or her metal braces for her scoliosis.  Ada decides to visit her neighbors at the Croft to get away from her baby brother’s constant wailing. Alice has always played with Ada despite her strange braces.  When Ada arrives, no one can find Alice, but Ada quickly discovers where it is that Alice disappeared to.  In Wonderland, Ada’s braces disappear, and she finds herself hot on Alice’s trail, but never quite catching up.

This was a fantastical tale that followed Alice’s adventure in Wonderland through a different set of eyes.  Ada’s adventure is about discovering freedom.  She is able to move freely in Wonderland without her braces, she is without the watchful eyes of her caretaker, and Ada quickly discovers herself to be creative, quick, and a good problem solver.  Wonderland’s creatures make appearances, though all slightly different than in the original story.  My favorites were the Roses, the Head Egg and the reimagining of the Jaberwock.  The book went back and forth between Wonderland and Oxford where the families and caretakers of the lost girls wondered about their whereabouts, their opinions on the matter where interesting, but definitely not as fun as Wonderland. 
 
This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

About Gregory Maguire
Gregory Maguire is the New York Times bestselling author of Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister; Lost; Mirror Mirror; and the Wicked Years, a series that includes Wicked, Son of a Witch, A Lion Among Men, and Out of Oz. Now a beloved classic, Wicked is the basis for a blockbuster Tony Award–winning Broadway musical. Maguire has lectured on art, literature, and culture both at home and abroad. He lives with his family near Boston, Massachusetts.
Find out more about Gregory at his website and follow him on Facebook.