The Other Einstein

Women's history has always fascinated me so when I noticed a book about Einstein's first wife in the local bookstore I knew I had to read it. The Other Einstein is a fascinating book written from Mileva Einstein's point of view.

Mileva was an interesting character and obviously a strong woman to attend a university at a time when women were suppose to stay home, tend to their husbands, and raise children. Clearly she was brilliant and I did get the impression throughout the whole story that Marie Benedict assumed Albert's interest in her was to use her impressive intelligent to advance his own ideas. This became more apparent as the story went on, while this is a work of fiction I would like to think that Marie Benedict did get some of her assumptions correct. 

The writing was smooth and clearly creating a vivid picture of Mileva's lifestyle and dreams. I would read more of Marie Benedict's work.

Terra Incognita

Terra Incognita was a random choice from the local bookstore that was closing. Sadly the description was the most exciting part for me. I did like the start and the set up of the plot but it quickly got boring for me however I did want to know who the "Stag Man" was so I kept reading. I think part of the problem was that Terra Incognita is the second book in a series and I did not know that at the time.

Ruso was an interesting character, being a military doctor I expected him to be disciplined and firm he was not that. He was funny though when he tried to make sense of his slave Tilla and her womanly ways. While both character felt well rounded with strong personalities the story did drag and gave a lot of useless information in my opinion. It also left some other smaller mysteries unsolved that I would have liked to know more about. I do not think  will read anymore of Ruth Downie's work the writing is just not to my liking.

Land

I am not sure how Land ended up on my Nook but it was a late night pick when I could not sleep. The overall story was a bit strange and the plot line too convenient for the kids but despite that I enjoyed the story and do plan on reading Sea at some point.

When some Canadian's kids trip to Disneyland goes horribly wrong they are left stranded with no way to communicate with home. Determined to get back to Canada five kids decide to make their way from the happiest place on earth back to home. The trip is not without perils though.

Overall the story felt more like a fluffy light read that was somehow dystopian. The writing was not bad but not always clear at times. I did see improvement as the story continued so I hope that will be reflected in Sea.

Pirates!

I grabbed Pirates! from a clearance shelf at the local book store because I liked the cover and it was cheap. While I did like the story it is hard to say why, the story was nothing like I though it would be. Despite being a good length book I am hard pressed to really describe the story to someone else, it felt like it should have been full of action but it never seemed that way and it was not a love story either.

Nancy's life spiraled out of her control when her father died and she was left in the care of her elder brothers. Determined to keep their business they decide to marry Nancy off to a rich merchant in hopes of saving their late father's business. Having none of that Nancy runs away in the middle of the night with two slaves she has made friends with. Fearing her prospective husband hunting her down Nancy does the only thing she can think of she joins a pirate crew to hide.

I expected a lot of adventure, gruffness from Nancy, and pirate escapades, I got none of that. It felt a lot like I was reading a diary of a young woman and less like the adventure it was presented as. Despite the slow writing I also found I could not stop reading. The writing pulled me in and it was hard to put the book down at times. I would consider reading more work by Celia Rees because I like the writing style immensely.

Hunting Prince Dracula

Hunting Prince Dracula is the second book in the Stalking Jack the Ripper series. It is the intriguing cover that drew me to research the series and get it from the library.

Audrey Rose continues to be one of my all time favorite literary characters. Still fascinated with cadavers Audrey travels with Thomas to Romania to compete for a chance to attend a school of forensics medicine. It is not long before a murder takes place right outside the train car Audrey is riding in and soon she finds herself in another tangled web of horrific murders. I really enjoyed seeing the trauma Audrey was suffering from being involved with Jack the Ripper cases, instead of just taking it all in stride Audrey struggled mentally and emotionally to come to terms with what happened. Despite struggling Audrey fought to keep it hidden in order to let her peers see her as an equal and not handicapped by her gender.

A couple times I did get confused at the end but it was a complex ending and I was super tired so that could be why.I cannot wait for the third book and I am already trying to think of which famous murders in history Audrey will begin to investigate. I do hope to see more of the wit between Audrey and Thomas continue, they are hilarious when they get going and I love their easy friendship. I was a bit shocked by some of the things that happened in Hunting Prince Dracula but I do not want to post spoilers so I will refrain from mentioning them.

Rebel of the Sands

Rebel of the Sands had been sitting on my bookshelf for a while, I knew nothing about it when I finally picked it up and I highly regret putting it off so long. Once I started I could not stop reading and I was quickly drawn into Amani's desert world. 

Amani is a young girl desperate to escape her dead end desert town where her uncle is ruthless and cruel. Despite the risks Amani masquerades as a male and enters the shooting firing pit hoping to earn enough money to run away. Instead of winning the pot with her well honed gun skills Amani meets a young foreigner who changes her life and becomes her way out of Dustwalk. Embarking on a journey with the mysterious foreigner Amani learns about the world outside of her small town through trials and tribulations. I loved Amani she was so entertaining and felt real, her flaws, character, personality, and choices made her a well rounded developed character. 

Rebel of the Sands is written entirely in first person however I still felt like I got to know the vast array of side characters and enjoy their personality. The writing was quick, delicate, and perfect for the character of the story. I am already on the waiting list for Traitor to the Throne.

Stalking Jack the Ripper

Stalking Jack the Ripper drew me in with it's lovely cover and the Halloween feel it gave me reading the description. I loved the story, the writing, and Audrey Rose the main character.

Audrey Rose is everything society does not want her to be, smart, studious, adventurous, and determined to forge her own path in a society dominated by males. Learning from her Uncle Audrey Rose enjoying doing autopsies on cadavers while advancing the art of science. With a father determined to keep her safe and ladylike Audrey Rose learning to sneak around to fulfill her need to learn science, this goes well until someone starts killing women and mutilating them. Shoved into the middle of the chaos of the Ripper killings Audrey Rose must use all her wits to survive.

I could not get enough of the story and I am eagerly hoping the library will receive the next book in the series, this one had a clear ending despite being part of a series. The writing was lovely, witty, and elegant while painting a clear picture of the world Audrey Rose lived in.