Tsarina by J. Nelle Patrick

Tsarina by J. Nelle Patrick (pen name for Jackson Pearce)

February 27, 2014

Stand Alone

Bookologist Analysis: This book helped you peek inside to the magical world of eggs and late imperial Russia.

Source: New Teen Books at Library

"Romance, adventure, magic and history blend seamlessly into a story that is... historically sensitive and gloriously thrilling." --Kirkus, starred review

Natalya knows a secret. 

A magical Faberge egg glows within the walls of Russia's Winter Palace.
It holds a power rooted in the land and stolen from the mystics.
A power that promises a life of love for her and Alexei Romanov.
Power, that, in the right hands, can save her way of life.

But it's in the wrong hands.

An epic romance with glittering magical elements, TSARINA is swirling with beautiful prose, stark Russian contrasts, and lavish visuals perfect for fans of Libba Bray's A Great and Terrible Beauty.

This book takes you back to the last days of the Romanovs. This book takes you back to a boy with a terrible disease. This book takes you back to the meaning of young love and fantasy. Tsarina is an eloquent book on how love changes and grows.

What I liked

Russia- I just love the country/nation of Russia. It has eleven time zones and so many different landmarks and geographical points. I’ll be honest the books that got me into Russia were Vampire Academy and the Princess Diaries about Grand Duchess Anastasia. The last days of the Romanovs are particularly intense and interesting because of World War I and the political revolution happening. The patriarchal (the name meaning daughter of (daughter of Alexander would be Alexandrovna) or son of (son of Alexander would be Alexandrivich)) and Faberge eggs just add the right hint of exoticness to the plot.

Characters- The characters were all woven tightly together to end up having people with many faces and personalities

a)      Alexei- All of you have heard of Anastasia the Grand Duchess who might or might not (most likely not) have survived the shooting in Ekatinburg. Alexei was her younger brother cursed with hemophilia. Hemophilia is a blood disorder when you don’t have enough clotting factor when you bleed, so you keep on bleeding for a long time. The main character, Katerina, is madly in love with Alexei, but we only have one scene with him. I would’ve liked to see more interaction so I could judge him better since I have little previous knowledge of him.

b)      Katerina- This is a noble girl that is a daughter of a high ranking general of the best regiment in Russia, but still only a lady. She understands the wants of the Reds, yet still is a white. She wants to help the people of Russia, but the wealthy are always happy with the current situation.  I liked the way that she realizes that you can find middle ground on a topic. She also knows a bunch of tricks that helps her keep on top of things

Plot- Kept on rolling you just couldn’t guess it. I mean coming up with fantastical ideas for the reason for the Russian revolution. The one thing that disappointed me though was that the author was approached for this book; it wasn’t her idea.

What I Didn’t Like

Nothing (besides more involvement of secondary characters)

This book is definitely a must read. End of story. Just read.

Review I am Rembrandt's Daughter

I am Rembrandt’s Daughter by Lynn Cullen

Available Now-2007

Stand Alone

320 Pages

Bookologist Analysis: This book took you back in time to crazy artists. I like seeing history from the perspective.

With her mother dead of the plague, and her beloved brother newly married and moved away, Cornelia van Rijn finds herself without a friend or confidante--save her difficult father. Out of favor with Amsterdam's elite, and considered brash and unreasonable by his patrons, Rembrandt van Rijn, once revered, is now teetering on the brink of madness. Cornelia alone must care for him, though she herself is haunted by secrets and scandal. Her only happiness comes in chance meetings with Carel, the son of a wealthy shipping magnate whose passion for art stirs Cornelia. And then there is Neel, her father's last remaining pupil, whose steadfast devotion to Rembrandt both baffles and touches her. Based on historical fact, and filled with family dramas and a love triangle that would make Jane Austen proud, I Am Rembrandt's Daughter is a powerful account of a young woman's struggle to come of age within the shadow of one of the world's most brilliant and complicated artists.

When I was younger I had an obsession with Cleopatra Selene (she was the daughter of Cleopatra and Marcus Antony; she later became the queen of Mauritania). I’ve always had an interest in the people that history overlooks. Cornelia van Rijn is an overlooked part of history.

 The Backstory- Before this book I had only heard of Rembrandt as a famous artist. After googling him I saw Night Watch, I do remember hearing about that piece. Seeing Rembrandt you can see the true artists’ craziness. I mean you could really get it even if you have no idea about artists in the Netherlands.

Overall I like the book. This book was more about finding herself than a real plot. It is very inspirational. The romance in this book is more old timey. Overall I liked the book and would give it a 4. The one thing I didn’t like was the random backstories between chapters about different paintings.

Room By Book The 100

Room by Book is feature done by yours truly where I put together collages of rooms/furniture that fit the book. All credits are below the picture.

The 100 (book cover) by Kass Morgan

Maxime Dining Chair (Green Velvet) by Johnathan Adler

Pablo Tube Top Table Lamps by Pablo from Design Public

Loyal Blue by Sherwin-Williams

West Street Quilted Coverlet Set by Z Gallerie

Hancock White Bookcase by CB2

This is what I think Wells' room on the Phoenix would  be like. The furniture is simple like the bookcase, but they have fancy/rich versions of it. The bed sheets are monochromatic, but have texture. The chair is modern, yet has a lime color to it. The hint of being on spaceship comes from the dark blue paint, just like a night sky. The utilitarian design of the bookcase shows that resources are scarce. 

Book Beginning & Friday 56 I am Rembrandt's Daughter

Book Beginning is hosted by Rose City Reader. Where you share the first sentence of the book your reading, thoughts, impression, and inspiration from that. The Friday 56 by Freda's Voice. It is where you share a sentence from the 56th page or 56% of your ereader and thoughts/impression without spoiling.

This week is I am Rembrandt's Daughter by Lynn Cullen.

Book Begginnings:

"All those years living across the canal from the New Maze Park, and I never did make it inside." 

Who is this girl that is restricted and doesn't get to do things? What is this New Maze Park that is important?

Friday 56:

"'Maybe you ought to let Titus talk to him first, now that their ties are stronger.' 'No need. I will let my painting do the talking.'"

This person wants another to do something, but they won't, why? What painting is so great that it can talk? Why is Titus close to them and another man who judges paintings?

Review The 100

The 100 by Kass Morgan

Available Now

First Book in The 100 Series

Bookologist Analysis: This book instead of going down from space the rating was actually more towards the spaceship (high rating). The stories however were more different novellas with in a novel.

Source: New Teen Book Shelf at Library

No one has set foot on Earth in centuries -- until now.

Ever since a devastating nuclear war, humanity has lived on spaceships far above Earth's radioactive surface. Now, one hundred juvenile delinquents -- considered expendable by society -- are being sent on a dangerous mission: to recolonize the planet. It could be their second chance at life...or it could be a suicide mission.

CLARKE was arrested for treason, though she's haunted by the memory of what she really did. WELLS, the chancellor's son, came to Earth for the girl he loves -- but will she ever forgive him? Reckless BELLAMY fought his way onto the transport pod to protect his sister, the other half of the only pair of siblings in the universe. And GLASS managed to escape back onto the ship, only to find that life there is just as dangerous as she feared it would be on Earth.

Confronted with a savage land and haunted by secrets from their pasts, the hundred must fight to survive. They were never meant to be heroes, but they may be mankind's last hope.

I felt this book showed the continuation of human spirit through the highs and the lows (being thrown off the world because of nuclear wars/disasters). We got to see several people find love despite being on a socially divided hierarchical ship (spaceship) and Communist “world”.

What I Didn’t Like

1  Several Narratives-The story went between many different people that weren’t even all related. Glass was on the ships that were still in space going through ridiculous love story (too sappy for me). Wells was a person that I found had good intentions, but was misguided.  Clarke I felt thought she deserved too much- with her acting like a brat, not looking back at Wells, or even second guessing Octavia. Bellamy cares too much about Octavia and doesn’t get the importance of saving the human race. The characters just felt very frustrating and didn’t really grow and their plots went in circles.

2   Character Development- The characters in this book don’t grow; they just continued on with their own little world. Glass didn’t do anything heroic; she just felt the need to save people over Luke. Wells and Clarke could’ve taken better care of the camp on Earth. Bellamy was selfish to the point you could just chalk it off to love. Overall, I hope that all of them just grow up over the series.

    Lack of Worldbuilding- The 100 had a lot of events that I didn’t understand. The Catalyst and all of that humbug. I need a timeline of just a lecture on all of the future events that lead to the end of the world (yippee!). Maybe, there will be a companion textbook that they use in one of their courses (i.e.: Earth Biology (like there’s biology on a spaceship), Earth History).

What I Liked:

1   Space- I mean who doesn’t like big stars and fiery planets. The idea of living in a spaceship is always a timeless classic in the sci-fi genre. My favorite scene in space was the comet scene where they brought out the instruments from Earth twice of year (oh, my what, will the air do to them [sarcasm])! 

This book was a disappointment to me because it has such a complex cover- a montage of space and romantic pictures. I will probably keep up with the series just to see what happens (maybe the next book will be better).  Let’s just hope it doesn’t happen in real life or we are screwed for sure. Rating: ⭐️

Review The Wanderers

The Wanderers by Jessica Miller

Book One in The Wanderers Series

Bookologists Analysis: This book picks up with mystery and romance as it rolls

.

New Adult (just a warning, there is some mature content)

Thank you to the author Jessica Miller for the e-copy she gave to me. It’s greatly appreciated.

What do you do when you learn your family is the one who's holding all the secrets? Secrets that could get you killed... 


Ella is looking forward to starting college in the fall with her best friend Josie. She’s looking for a place where she can get away from her overbearing parents and two older annoying brothers. Unfortunately Ella realizes that sometimes the past comes back to haunt you. 

Ella soon learns that the man who terrorizes her dreams is in fact real and coming after her. 

When one of her classmates is murdered, Ella slowly recognizes this is not some strange coincidence. Ella fears that the boy she’s falling in love with is the one who stalks her dreams and no longer knows who she can trust. 

When she finally learns the truth of her families’ deepest secret, Ella has to face her demons by taking out one of the people she thought she could trust…before they kill her.

This book’s title seems to be following the usual trend to pick titles that are not related to the actual subject of the book such as Shadow and Bone, Daughter of Smoke and Bone, or you get the idea. The book in the beginning is quite slow as it is just a typical story of a girl going to university getting over the death of a boyfriend. It really picks up with Tristan (are they mates?? is that a thing in the vampire world).

This book starts off as a slow read that makes you want to quit the book, but hold on I promise it’s a great book. Ella ends up at college with her best friend Josie and they end up rooming together without planning to. There is this cute guy named Tristan down the hall is an obvious player, but he still is pursuing Ella. She tries to resist his charms, but what would a romance book be without romance, after all?

I liked the writing after all and it was actually a tolerable book in ebook form. Most books I just lose interest in them over a couple of days because flipping pages has a certain feel to it (despite it being unsustainable). This book the romance triangle was believable with her best friend also finding a really cute guy named Billy (where do authors come up with these names?). I also liked the gay guy because putting minorities in is very good. This was a superb supernatural college romance book that picks up right in the middle.

The decision to fall in love is an abrupt one that Ella only makes after doing the stupid thing and spending time with Tristan. I found that kind of unrealistic, but it was okay because they were meant for each other. This book was an absolute doll in its way of unveiling the mysterious world of NA vampire novels.

Room by Book Curtsies & Conspiracies

Room by Book is feature done by yours truly where I put together collages of rooms/furniture that fit the book. All pictures' credits are below the picture

Swan Art Poster- Albert Blue by Bradbury & Bradbury Art Wallpaper based on illustrations Walter Crane
Sofa 1840-1860 England from Victoria and Albert Museum
German Black Lacquered Telescopic Music Stand Circa 1860-70 by J.Ch. Detmering, Hamburg from 1st dibs
Persian Garden Carpet from Iran second half 18th century from Metropolitan Museum of Art
Curtsies & Conspiracies (book cover) by Gail Carriger