Skip to content
Home » Judith's Reviews

Judith’s Reviews

book cover image The Witch's Lens

The Witch’s Lens by Luanne G. Smith: Book Review

World War I with a fantastical layer added in? Luanne Smith’s novel puts the historical horrors of the “war to end all wars” through an unexpected prism and combines the darkness with redeeming loyalty and friendship. I hope you enjoy my review.

book cover image The Romanov Impostor

The Romanov Impostor by Jennifer Laam: Book Review

The Romanov Impostor portrays a “what if she’d survived” story of Anastasia Romanov. The novel is an entertaining dive into 1920’s Hollywood with the exciting twist of maintaining Anastasia’s secret in the face of a woman whom she alone knows has to be an impostor. Here’s my review of this fun historical read.

Book cover image Medea

Medea, by Eilish Quin: Book Review

There’s currently a renaissance of mythic retelling novels. By portraying Medea, Quin set herself an especially hard challenge to create a character we will sympathize and root for. Her solutions to this challenge are intriguing and fairly successful. I recommend this one. Read my review and see why.

book cover image Gallows Wake

Gallows Wake by Helen Hollick, Book Review

Hollick is known for her highly entertaining pirate tales that combine spellbinding storytelling with finely researched nautical history. Gallows Wake, 6th in her series, delivers abundantly on that promise. I hope you enjoy my review.

Book cover image One Puzzling Afternoon

One Puzzling Afternoon, Book Review

I hope you enjoy my review of One Puzzling Afternoon, a dual timeline (1951/2018), character-driven mystery with a narrator suffering from age-related memory loss and the corroding effect of dangerous secrets kept over a lifetime.

book cover image Heir of Uncertain Magic

Heir of Uncertain Magic, Book Review

A setting in Victorian Boston and a nearby island, an endearing romance, and an intriguing magical system. I thoroughly enjoyed Charlie Holmberg’s Heir of Uncertain Magic. If that sounds fun to you also, here’s my review.

Book cover image Carnivale of Curiosities

The Carnivale of Curiosities, Book Review

With atmospherically rich effect, Amiee Gibbs’s The Carnivale of Curiosities combines gothic Victorian historical with dark fantasy. She intertwines themes of constructed family, freaks, and the reality of magic. I hope you enjoy my review.

book cover image of Horses of Fire

Horses of Fire: A Novel of Troy, Book Review

Like many of the recent Troy books, this latest, Horses of Fire, focuses on women. It consciously departs from Homeric tradition and historical accuracy in ways that may please readers or irritate them. Have a look at my review.