Can't Wait Wednesday: I Am Rome by Santiago Posteguillo

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring I Am Rome by Santiago Posteguillo. It is a novel about a young, unknown Julius Caesar. This is definitely a unique setting for a historical fiction novel as most pick up with his life much later in the timeline of history. I had not ever heard of this author either. He is from Spain and has several other published books about Roman times. 

I hope you have found something you can't wait for on this Wednesday!

March 5, 2024

Historical Fiction

Description courtesy of NetGalley

Every legend has a beginning . . .Rome, 77 B.C. The corrupt Senator Dolabella is about to go on trial for his crimes.

But Dolabella owns the jury. He’s hired the best lawyers in the city. And he’s very willing to use violence against those who oppose him. 

In all of Rome, no man dares accept the role of prosecutor—until, against all odds, an unknown twenty-three-year-old steps out to lead the case, defend the people of the city, and defy the power of the ruling elite. 

That lawyer’s name is Gaius Julius Caesar. 

So begins Santiago Posteguillo’s acclaimed masterpiece of historical fiction―a tale as epic as Caesar’s life itself. An irresistible page-turning novel of politics and betrayal, grand battles and impossible odds, shocking villainy and even greater acts of courage, I Am Rome brilliantly animates the moments that shaped this extraordinary young man’s fate—and in so doing, changed the course of history itself.

Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Goals for 2024

 

It is hard to believe that we are already here in January thinking about goals for 2024! Thanks as always to That Artsy Reader Girl for hosting Top Ten Tuesday each week. 

Some of my goals haven't changed since I last updated in October but it is always good to revisit them and see which ones to keep and which ones to let go of. Just knowing my blog is two years old is enough for me as I never thought beyond a month at a time when I started in January 2022. I hope your year of reading is rewarding whether you read one book or one hundred. It doesn't matter as long as you read what you love and continue to love to read. 

1.Drop the Classics Club

Hopefully this isn't forever. It is just something I have to do right now. It may not seem like a "goal" in the sense that I'm not striving towards something but it is a goal for me because I have a hard time letting things fall by the wayside. So my goal is to drop it and not feel guilty about it. I have tried and find myself dreading most of the titles I started out with. I guess a better way to phrase it would be to revise my list and pick it back up in the future. But it may be that for this time in my life, the classics just aren't for me.

2.Set aside daily reading minutes

You'd think this would be something I already do but it isn't. I read almost every day but it is very sporadic and unfocused and sometimes that really is all we can hope for. But I have found if I actually force myself to set aside a number of minutes to read I end up reading way more than I intend to. It's that idea of just get going and before you know it, you've read a whole chapter. 

3.Stay focused on the current book

This is a big one! While I will never be that person who reads only one book at a time, it is becoming clear that I need to force myself to work on one book in a reading session. I find myself reading a bit and then wanting to browse books online or skip to another book I want to start. But when I focus and work on the current book it is so rewarding when I finish it faster. 

4.Not care what others think of the books I'm reading

This goal will probably be included every time I write these goals. It is a big year for me...I turn 50 in July and sometimes I imagine I'm supposed to be this mature intellectual who only reads classics...see #1 goal...lol...so it is good for me to reiterate to the world....read what you love!! Just like friends, books can be for a season and time in your life that will change. It is okay not to be deep all the time. And it is okay to want to switch to something totally normally off your radar. My blog will always center around history and mysteries but there are so many variables within those genres that it includes many types and styles to try. I want to be happy with what I'm reading because when it becomes a chore, what is the point, right?

5.Keep my blog simple

One of my favorite things to do is browse other book blogs. There are so many creative people in the book world and I am in awe of the different styles and reviews. But I am not the most technology savvy person and I get overwhelmed trying to insert lots of pictures and graphics into my posts. So sometimes I just don't post at all for fear of being "boring." This year I'd like to write more and worry less about whether or not I am adding just the right colorful touches. Some of the best blogs I come across aren't fancy, but have fabulous content. If you take the time to just sit and read it.

6.Stop planning out my blogging schedule

While I will always have a general idea of what I'm going to write about each week (Stacking the Shelves, Can't Wait Wednesday usually) I spent 2023 often stressed about adhering to a certain posting and review schedule. I thought this would keep me on track, and it did, but it was also a lot to manage. I am glad I did it though because I discovered my own personal preferences about reading and blogging. I have busy weeks and slow weeks, like everyone else, and so I find that when I'm really busy I still get in a post or two but when I'm not busy I have great motivation to do more. I'm going to try to just go with the flow this year.

7.Interact more with fellow bloggers

Each week I check in with all of the blogs on my home page that I'm following. I absolutely love seeing the posts, reviews, and enjoy catching up on the ones who post about their personal lives. But I don't comment much and I should when possible. I realize this can get time consuming but you can just do a few each week and skip around. It is gratifying when people take the time to converse with you because blogging can be lonely if you feel like no one is reading your content. So this is a great goal for everyone!

8.Review only the books I want to review

When I first started this blog I never dreamed a real author would contact me. It was very exciting and humbling to have one ask me to read and review their books. And I thought initially I'd love to do this as a future goal. But I have realized that I just don't want my blog to be tied down to "have to's." Which is another reason I don't interact much with NetGalley anymore except to look for new books to promote. I have realized that while I love reading, reviewing, and promoting books I don't want to be in a position to promise someone I'll read and review their book when I either don't want to or don't have time to. It isn't fair to them or me. So I'm dropping the "have to" and will only review books I want to.

9.Go back to more actual physical books

While I love my Kindle, there is something different about paper books. I find when I'm reading them it is more personal. Due to my age and deteriorating eyesight my Kindle is so important to have. And when I go on vacations it is essential for space management. But I always want to keep at least one physical, paper book going to remind me of what reading was like when I was younger. I miss it. And so I'm going to see if I can do more of it when I'm home and have the right lighting!

10.Keep my book stack to three books or less at a time

This seems to be the sweet spot for me! A physical book and two Kindle books. I have played around with more or less and I always seem to come back to three at a time. I usually have one historical cozy mystery book, one more serious historical fiction book that is long and detailed and takes months to finish, and a shorter historical fiction book that I can read and review within a span of a week. Then I throw in a straight history book every month or so but I'm not finding I'm as interested in that genre as often as I used to be. This is a good goal for me to continue as I do get bored reading only one book at a time but have a tendency to take on way too many if I don't set a limit. 

I look forward to reading all about my fellow bloggers' bookish goals for 2024. I hope everyone has a wonderful year!!

Stacking the Shelves #23

 

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Reading Reality. It's a place to showcase any books I have purchased, borrowed, or been lucky enough to have been given an advance copy of. Hope you find something that looks interesting to you or that makes you remember a favorite book you need to finish. Enjoy your reading this week :)

The cover of this mystery drew my eye. Then I started reading about the series and I was interested enough to buy book one. Set in Scotland in 1802 and written by a Scottish historian who lives in the highlands it looks like it would be a good one to try. The premise involves a University student who is drawn into a murder mystery when a fellow student is killed. The series is called Murray of Letho, after the main character, Charles Murray. There are thirteen books in the series and they all seem very unique. 

This was on sale and is book one of Tomlin's Archibald the Grim series. It is a sequel to her Black Douglas trilogy which I own but haven't read yet. I recently read and reviewed book one of her Stewart series but that is the only one of her books I've read so far. These seem to be very popular and seem to be well researched. Set in Scotland in the year 1338, it tells the story of Archibald, the Black Douglas's son, who as a young boy, fights for the Scottish throne. 

I just can't seem to stop browsing cozy mysteries. The beautiful covers, exotic locations, and escape from the world make them so enjoyable. This book was free in Kindle Unlimited but was only 99 cents to buy and is book one in the series. It takes place in 1900 on the maiden voyage of the ship S.S. Minneapolis. It is part of the series Flora Maguire and is set in Edwardian England. The vast majority of cozy mysteries these days are set in the 1920's so I thought this one would be different from a lot I've read lately. This author has another series, Miss Merrill and Aunt Violet, set in the WWI era. 

Noteworthy News #2: My Favorite History Podcasts

 

This has been a very busy week and I haven't had a lot of time to read. I returned to school and teaching after two relaxing weeks off and it's been a whirlwind of activity. So needless to say my posts this week have been lacking. But that doesn't mean I'm not still going through searches for new books and new content. I'm currently reading about four different books and really need to narrow my focus for my next review. 

In thinking about adding to this idea of "noteworthy news" in the book/history world, I want to post about things I enjoy that might be of value to others who share my same interests. This week I kept coming back to podcasts. When I'm short on time and energy podcasts are my go to thing that keep me informed while not requiring too much of my time. I wrote a post on audiobooks and how they aren't my favorite way to read but sometimes I do cave and listen to them. But podcasts are short and very focused in content and if you listen to one episode it doesn't commit you to hours and hours of time like a book would. Also, I just love to read rather than listen to a book.

While I do listen to a lot of political podcasts, that isn't what my blog is ever going to be geared toward....but I wanted to list my favorite history podcasts and promote them because I would be lost without them and they are a huge guilty pleasure! I have so much admiration for the people who host them and all the work they put into informing me. 

So in no particular order here are my absolute favorite history podcasts and I hope you find something useful if you try one of them out. I have linked the host website with the pictures of the podcast. These are also ones that have lots of content and seem to be solid with factual information. 

1.THE HISTORY OF ENGLAND hosted by David Crowther

This was the first podcast I ever listened to and I learned so much in chronological order about England. Running from Ancient Roman times to present day, Crowther is still going strong and is currently in the 1600's time period. His website is fantastic with so many resources. Also, he is really funny, sometimes adding his adult children to the mix and having them act out certain moments in Shakespeare or reading historical documents. He can be sarcastic and keeps me laughing.

2.GONE MEDIEVAL hosted by Matt Lewis, Cat Jarman, and Eleanor Janega

This podcast is not chronological but rather topical. It is fun to scroll through the offerings and just pick a moment in history or a person I want to hear about. Each episode runs about 45 minutes on average and they pack a lot into that time. Each host has their own unique style and I have found some are more to my liking than others but all have spoken about some very interesting topics. For those of us that love history of the Medieval period, this show is amazing!

3.HISTORY OF THE CRUSADES  hosted by Sharyn Eastbaugh

I started listening to this podcast because I wanted to try a topic I knew absolutely nothing about. Eastbaugh does a fabulous job of starting with that idea in mind. She gives you a backstory and slowly fills in the relevant details so you understand how the Crusades began and why. I have listened to many episodes twice now and after finishing the whole show's content I have a wonderful grasp of the timeline of it all. It led me to so many great books and historical fiction about topics within the Crusader period. It is a fantastic show. 

4. REVOLUTIONS  hosted by Mike Duncan

This podcast is a little more serious and requires some concentration. Some background knowledge going in helps too. Duncan does assume you know nothing and fills in the gaps, but his style is more detailed and involves some deep thinking. So if you are looking to just zone out this isn't the one for you. However, if you really want to get to the root causes of how revolutions begin and develop you can't find a better place. Each episode is related to an overall country's revolution so it's like a mini-series on one particular area of the world before ending and moving on to another topic. I haven't listened to them all but picked the ones that I thought would be to my interest. They are arranged by seasons and topics too which helps to narrow things down and find what you want. Sadly, he posted his last episode on December 25, 2022. After nine years he is signing off to do new things. I'm glad we can still access them. He also hosted another podcast first, The History of Rome which I haven't tried yet. 

5. HISTORY HIT hosted by Dan Snow

Unfortunately, this podcast is not entirely free so I haven't been able to listen to everything I would like to. It is similar to Gone Medieval, which is connected with them.  But History Hit charges for some of their episodes. They have really great content though and I listen to the free stuff and the option is always there to pay for the things you'd really be interested in. It's a great show. There's also a free trial you can take advantage of and their website is chock full of great things to experience as well. 

6. THE CIVIL WAR  hosted by Rich and Tracy Youngdahl

This podcast is run by husband and wife team Rich and Tracy who live in Colorado. They are adorable and you can tell they love sharing their knowledge with the world together. I haven't listened in a long time but when I did I learned so much and really need to check back in and see if they've added anything recently. Tracy is from Arkansas and Rich is from Pennsylvania so they each bring their unique perspectives about the North and the South into the show. They also try to give the facts fairly and neutrally. Of course the topic of slavery is not glossed over, but they do a good job of trying to explain the thinking of the time and the causes of the war in detail so you come away with a solid understanding of the era. Highly recommended if you need to start from scratch learning about the Civil War. It covers the many years leading up to the war and each battle and all the political and social ramifications through Reconstruction. 

Secret of the Scarab by Isabella Bassett (Lady Caroline Murder Mysteries Book 5)

Publication Date: 

July 12, 2023

Length:

292 pages

Summary:

In this latest installment, Lady Caroline goes to Egypt with her Uncle Albert. Her role is more than niece, she is his companion and assistant as well. Along with members of the Royal Society for Natural Appreciation, they are planning a luxurious boat trip down the Nile to the city of Luxor where they will join in an exciting archaeological dig. Albert is a good natured, quirky sort who is obsessed with carved, stone beetles, as are all the members of the Royal Society, due to their revered status in Ancient Egyptian culture. Scarabs, or stone beetles, are plentiful and exciting finds to the men who are engaged in a contest of sorts to see who can obtain the most. 

As they ready for their adventure, Uncle Albert, who loves to wear fez hats, is anxious to meet the Egyptian maker of said hats in the marketplace of Cairo. When he and Caroline set out to find the hat maker, they are met with a bizarre encounter that holds danger and a mysterious note. All is tucked away in their minds as they embark on their journey and soon they forget about it as they make their way down the Nile.

On the boat ride they are joined by not only the Royal Society members but their assistants, other archaeologists, and an eccentric woman who dabbles in the supernatural realm. When one of the guests is attacked and killed by a crocodile on the banks of the river, everyone wants to believe it isn't a bad omen, but rather an unfortunate run of bad luck. As they move on to the site, strange events continue to confuse and plague the travelers and they begin to feel there is something more sinister going on. Exciting finds await them as they work to unveil the treasures of the dig area but it soon becomes clear that what has been uncovered is more than what anyone expected. When another "accidental death" occurs, Lady Caroline, Albert, and her love interest, James, try to find out what they are witnessing and put the puzzle together before anyone else is harmed. 

My Thoughts:

This was one of the better cozy mysteries. I find that the ones I stick with tend to feel more authentic, with plenty of details of the period. This book was wonderfully researched and I truly felt as though I'd been dropped in Luxor, Egypt in the 1920's. The author consistently stayed true to form throughout the book and didn't just give a little color in the first chapter and leave it at that. So many "historical" mysteries tend to do that. I learned a lot about scarabs, Egyptian culture, and the history of the story behind the treasure they uncover at the dig site. With some cozies I find myself wanting to skip through pages to get to the end because the period details, history, and mystery are wearing off and I can feel that there isn't much else to know. I read every page of this book and enjoyed it, not wanting to skip to the end. 

Lady Caroline occasionally spends a chapter musing through questions about the case and this was a good way to recap things because there really is a lot going on. I thought the author did a good job of keeping me guessing and even after one thing was resolved, the true ending hadn't been revealed yet. It had two endings to work through and the murderer was well hidden. I will be reading another by this author and am sorry I missed that her latest was a Christmas mystery that came out in November. I'm hoping she writes another one soon in another exotic location. 

Her website is very interesting with explanations of her research. I had a fun time reading her notes about how she studies for her books. If you are interested it is isabellabassett.com