Review: Westside Saints

Westside Saints by W.M. Akers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received an ARC through a Goodreads Giveaway.

Is resurrection possible? According to the Byrd family preachers it is. When Gilda Carr’s dead mother walks through the door, she goes on a mission to find out how it is possible.

The book is somewhat slow paced. The book’s twist comes from nowhere, really. It was not even on my radar. I was somewhat disappointed because it was almost like a (somewhat) plausible explanation was needed, so this particular explanation was picked out of a hat and put into the story. I had to read it twice to make sure I read it correctly. Once I got over that disappointment and kept reading, I was pleasantly surprised with how well it was weaved into the story.

I have not read book 1 of this series, but I am putting on my TBR list. There are references to the previous book, but this can be read as a standalone without being confused.

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Review: The City of Tears

The City of Tears by Kate Mosse
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received a advanced reader copy of this book through a Goodreads Giveaway.

The Burning Chambers series is a historical fiction series based on the Wars of Religion in France and Amsterdam. The series is supposed to span three centuries. So far, only the prologues have taken place in the 1800s. Book 1, The Burning Chambers covers a ten-year period 1562 – 1572. Book 2 picks up where Book 1’s epilogue left off in 1572 beginning with the Royal wedding of Henry de Navarre and spans to 1594. While you could probably read this as a standalone book, I do not recommend it. You will need the character development and background of Book 1 to understand the references in Book 2.

This book was slow to start, but turned into an emotional roller coaster. The further along into the book, the more I read in a sitting. I think I read the last 60% in 2 sittings. While the story itself was decent, the prologues of both books are keeping me going in this series. There is a lot of mystery surrounding them and I cannot wait to see how the series will circle back.

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