toptentuesday

Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New AmericaDevil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America by Gilbert King

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is my number one all time WTF? book. It is the true story of an alleged rape of a white woman by black men in Florida in the 1940s. Four men were arrested. The police knew that at least two of them weren’t involved. What happened after that was totally unbelievable. I listened to this on audio and at one point I was driving and just remember yelling sputtering curses and staring at the iPod in disbelief. I’m surprised I didn’t wreck.

My review

Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French RevolutionMadame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution by Michelle Moran

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I picked this historical fiction book about Madame Tussaud because I learned a lot about her life and it made me understand the mindset behind and horror of the French Revolution more than I had before.

The Saffron KitchenThe Saffron Kitchen by Yasmin Crowther

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 

An Iranian immigrant woman to England flees back to Iran after an accident involving her adult daughter. The daughter goes to try to find her and find out what is going on. She uncovers her mother’s horrifying past that she has been keeping secret.

Noah's WifeNoah’s Wife by T.K. Thorne

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 

This book imagines Noah’s Wife as an autistic woman who is obsessed with livestock and wants to be a shepherd. When a series of earthquakes leads to flooding, her family tries to survive.

Under HeavenUnder Heaven by Guy Gavriel Kay

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is high fantasy set in a world based on ancient China.

The Invention of WingsThe Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I hadn’t heard of the Grimke sisters before I read this book. They were daughters of Southern slave owners who became abolitionists.

The Winter Palace: A Novel of Catherine the Great (Catherine, #1)The Winter Palace: A Novel of Catherine the Great by Eva Stachniak

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wonderful historical fiction about Catherine the Great that starts when she comes as a bride from Poland to Russia.

Who Fears DeathWho Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love this book. It is set in a future Sudan where the ruling class uses rape as weapon against other classes. The children of these rapes are feared because they look different but several are very powerful and now they have decided to fight back. This book is great fantasy and also powerful in its look at systemic violence and hatred towards women.

And two series that I’ve been reading and love:

Skin Game (The Dresden Files, #15)Skin Game by Jim Butcher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Dresden Files just keeps getting better and that’s quite a feat after 15 books. I can’t wait for the next one.

Moon Called (Mercy Thompson, #1)Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I just started reading this series this year and it is wonderful.