Review:I Was Anastasia

Title: I Was Anastasia 

Author: Ariel Lawhon

Publisher: 2nd October 2024 by Simon & Schuster Australia

Pages: 430 pages

Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Historical Fiction | Russia

Rating: 4.5 cups

Synopsis:

From the bestselling author of  The Frozen River  comes an enthralling historical mystery that unravels the extraordinary twists and turns in Anna Anderson’s fifty-year battle to be recognised as Anastasia Romanov. Is she the Russian grand duchess or the thief of another woman’s legacy?

Countless others have rendered their verdict. Now it is your turn.

Russia, 1918: Under direct orders from Vladimir Lenin, Bolshevik secret police herd Anastasia Romanov, along with the entire imperial family, into a damp basement in Siberia, where they face a merciless firing squad. None survive. At least that is what the executioners have always claimed.

Germany, 1920: A young woman bearing an uncanny resemblance to Anastasia Romanov is pulled shivering and senseless from a canal. Refusing to explain her presence in the freezing water or even acknowledge her rescuers, Anna Anderson is taken to the hospital where an examination reveals that her body is riddled with countless horrific scars. When she finally does speak, this frightened, mysterious young woman claims to be the Russian grand duchess. As rumours begin to circulate that the youngest Romanov daughter survived the massacre, old enemies and new threats awaken.

I Was Anastasia unravels the thrilling mystery around Anna Anderson in a tale that is every bit as moving and momentous as it is harrowing and twisted.

My Thoughts

I first came across Ariel with her book, Flight of Dreams (about the Hindenburg disaster) in 2016 - it was brilliant. From that book on it has been wonder after wonder including last year’s huge success, The Frozen River. It is therefore needless to say, I was filled with anticipation about her latest to be finally released in Australia, I Was Anastasia. 

‘Am I truly Anastasia Romanov? A beloved daughter. A revered icon. A Russian grand duchess. Or am I an impostor? A fraud. A liar. The thief of another woman’s legacy.’

I have a fascination for the Romanov family, as Ariel states herself, ‘The Romanovs are not the only royal family to come to a tragic end, yet their story endures as few have. What do you think contributes to the timeless fascination - that of Anastasia in particular?  It was indeed an ambitious undertaking to tell a story of such famed repute and the way she delivers it is complex but I think, very rewarding. Yes the multiple timelines - Anastasia herself and Anna Anderson (see blurb) - are interwoven throughout. Make no mistake, they do jump around all over the place being nonlinear. Even Ariel admits the structure is very challenging and different but it was selected so as to enhance and bring out the absolute best in this tale. 

‘The recognized, legal, and surviving family of Tsar Nicholas the Second believe that you are a fraud.’

No matter how much or how little you know of the story of Anastasia Romanov, Ariel’s book brings these rich and highly engaging stories (yes, more than one!) to their most appealing. The detail and specifics that she delivers to her readers is nothing short of spectacular. Be sure to take time to truly sink into Ariel’s, ‘Author Notes’ at the conclusion. I Was Anastasia  is a definite stand out book for me and I highly recommend it as it ticks so many boxes. It is complex yet clear in regaling readers about an intriguing mystery from history. If a tale rich in research of time, place, people and mystery sounds inviting, then do yourself a favour and read it. 

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: Into the Sunset

Title: Into the Sunset

Author: Mary Connealy

Publisher: 15th October 2024 by Bethany House Publishers

Pages: 288 pages

Genre: Christian | Historical Fiction | Romance

Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:

To finally escape the clutches of her controlling husband and the threat of being recommitted to an asylum, Ginny Rutledge enlists the help of her friends, Maeve O'Toole and Dakota Harlan. Fleeing their own tumultuous pasts, the group embarks on a journey to prove Ginny's sanity. However, as they confront the shadows they wish they could forget, danger looms from unexpected places.

Maeve grapples with her mother's impending remarriage and seizes a rare chance to escape her homestead--but that means reuniting with Dakota, the man she holds responsible for her father's death, who is caught in the crosshairs of a vengeful family. As the two of them navigate their shared history and a dangerous mission, Dakota is forced to confront his deepest fears and fight for the woman who has unwittingly captured his heart.

In this action-packed series finale, Mary Connealy delivers a riveting tale of danger, romance, and second chances on the Western frontier.

My Thoughts

The Western Light trilogy series by Mary Connealy has been fabulous. Each book may be read as a standalone, however, the experience is so much richer when you immerse yourself in this western drama from the outset. It has a little bit of something for everybody and it was wonderful to finish the tale that started out on the wagon trail ‘Chasing the Horizon’ (book 1) and now concluded with ‘Into the Sunset’ (book 3) 

I enjoyed returning to the ‘wild west’ to see through the tale that had begun on the wagon trail. Everything from catching up with much loved characters such as Beth and Jake, to a new romance developing between Maeve and Dakota. Yet, this story was so much more than just a romance. The challenges of starting a new life and even with towns developing, it was still a far cry from city living. 

The main focus of the story was seeing through what had begun in book one with Ginny having to prove her sanity in a court of law to be free from her controlling and manipulative husband. The whole issue of husbands having the lawful right to put their wives into asylums (in some states) was confronting.

Into the Sunset was an engaging story and a fitting conclusion to my time spent in the Western frontier of America. Action and danger, courage and compassion this is a series that is sure to appeal to many. 

‘They’d traveled and they’d settled. They married and started families. And now, finally, they’d all followed the western light into the sunset. That light had led them all the way home.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The Seachangers

Title: The Seachangers

Author: Meredith Appleyard

Publisher: 4th September 2024 by Harlequin Australia, HQ (Fiction, Non Fiction, YA) & MIRA

Pages: 400 pages

Genre: General Fiction (Adult), contemporary 

Rating: 5 cups

Synopsis:

A thoughtful, charming and sensitive story about aging, resilience and the delight of rediscovery.

It's never too late for a new beginning.

At 57, Ruth made a successful sea she relocated from the city to the country and opened Rosie's Cafe in the seaside town of Cutlers Bay. Business boomed, but five years on the shine has worn off. Where has that other Ruth gone, the independent, feisty woman who'd had the courage to sell up in the city and move to the country? Even the bathroom mirror is reflecting back someone she doesn't quite greying hair, wrinkles, the sparkle all but gone from her blue eyes. Ruth is convinced she has to make a change - if only she could decide what.

After a lifetime of hard work out bush, Hamish has retired to the city for a life of comfort and ease. It's what he always dreamed of, so why doesn't he feel satisfied? When his 89-year-old father dies, Hamish comes to Cutlers Bay to settle his affairs. At first, packing up the house and renovating it to sell is both a filial duty and a welcome project to fill his days. As the work energises him, Hamish was retiring a mistake? The longer he's in town, the more Cutlers Bay starts to feel like home. And a certain cafe owner makes the idea of staying there all the more appealing ...

My Thoughts

Gosh I love Meredith’s books! Meredith is part of a group of authors writing tales that involve our aging population and I salute her for shining the spotlight on this undervalued age group. It’s not overly dramatic but packs a punch where it counts for the over 50s age bracket and the challenges and decisions they often face. 

‘I'd noticed that about getting older: I couldn't keep as many balls in the air at one time, not anymore, no matter how many lists I made and how hard I tried.’

The Seachangers is a sensitive story about ageing, retirement and new beginnings. Meredith assembles a great cast of characters from the over 50s, to teenagers, to single mothers. Every one of them has something to contribute and it’s the tiny details that make the story so relatable. It’s about the problems of life and how we cope with them no matter what our age is. With themes including family, suicide, retirement, running a small business, death, depression and alcoholism.  

‘The idea I might end my days in an aged-care facility was beyond the pale. I needed to get my act together, make the most of the years I had left before it was too late.‘

The Seachangers is a wonderful story that I could not put down. There is something for every reader but especially those getting older and some of the big questions about not only what direction your life is going but how you are going to get there. 

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

 

Review: Frankie

Title: Frankie

Author: Graham Norton

Publisher: 10th September 2024 by Hachette Australia & New Zealand | Coronet

Pages: 336 pages

Genre: General Fiction (Adult)

Rating: 4.5 cups

Synopsis:

Frankie Howe has lived a long life, her small flat is crammed full of art, furniture - and memories. Damian, her young carer, listens as she gradually tells him parts of her story - a story that takes us into a progressive, daring world of New York artists on the brink of fame, aspiring writers and larger-than-life characters.

Always just on the periphery, looking on, young Frankie is never quite sure enough of herself to take centre stage. But the outsider holds certain advantages, sees things others don't, can influence without drawing attention. And when the map has been lost, it's anyone's guess where you may end up, or the accidental choices you find you have made. Frankie discovers that life is not always the one we hope for, or the one others expect of us.

Travelling from post-war Ireland to the dazzling art scene of 1960s New York by way of London, Frankie is an immersive, decade-sweeping novel about love, bravery and what it means to live a significant life.

My Thoughts

I previously read Graham Norton’s, Forever Home, and loved it! I had high hopes for his latest, Frankie - and I was not disappointed. The blurb sums it up beautifully: ‘Traveling from post-war Ireland to the dazzling art scene of 1960s New York by way of London, Frankie is an immersive, decade-sweeping novel about love, bravery and what it means to live a significant life.‘

‘My point is that there is nothing tragic in me knowing that the best days of my life are behind me, and’- she squeezed the scrapbook to her chest - ‘these were the happiest years of my life. I know that now, and I’m grand with that. I was lucky to have them.’

Graham Norton writes so well -  it is such a great story with memorable characters and is beautifully written with not only attention to detail but encapsulates all the themes of love and loss, family and friends. This is one the story of one woman’s journey and Graham draws the reader in until you think he is describing one of your friends. 

‘To know that you’ve known happiness, to know that you’ve been loved, there is a great comfort in that.’

Take a trip with older Frankie as she looks back on her life sharing her story with her carer. It sucks you in and you don’t realise how so until you are grieved that it has come to an end. You will laugh, you will cry but you will not soon forget the remarkable story of Frankie. 

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.