A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

A Thousand Splendid Suns

By Khaled Hosseini

Published in 2007

Paperback, 367 Pages

5 on 5!

From GoodReads.com,

Born a generation apart and with very different ideas about love and family, Mariam and Laila are two women brought jarringly together by war, by loss and by fate. As they endure the ever escalating dangers around them-in their home as well as in the streets of Kabul-they come to form a bond that makes them both sisters and mother-daughter to each other, and that will ultimately alter the course not just of their own lives but of the next generation. With heart-wrenching power and suspense, Hosseini shows how a woman's love for her family can move her to shocking and heroic acts of self-sacrifice, and that in the end it is love, or even the memory of love, that is often the key to survival.

After reading Kite Runner, I became an ardent fan of Khaled Hosseini's work. In Kite Runner, the story was touching and one got to see Afghanistan at the time of turmoil and the life of 2 boys, bounded by love and blood. Of course, I was a bit skeptical, about his second book and there was always a fear as to whether his 2nd work will be as good as the 1st one. But what can I say, this one sucked me in from the 1st chapter. I can tell you, the reason for my fear was the blurb. God! It doesn't do any justice to this lovely story... I am glad I picked it up inspite of not finding the blurb interesting.

The story is of Mariam, Laila and such women in the times of war-torn Afghanistan. It is sad... it is horrible! This one will always be a reference book for me, as it gives you a good outlook of the political environment in Afghanistan during the late 80's and early 90's. I never knew so many things about Afghanistan, as I have learned from this one book. How there were equal opportunities for women there as well and how they destroyed the nation and the people mostly women. The only thing that kept many people going was the hope of something better with each invasion.

"I'm sorry," Laila says, marveling at how every Afghan story is marked with death and loss and unimaginable grief. And yet, she sees, people find a way to survive, to go on. Laila thinks of her own life and all that has happened to her, and she is astonished that she too has survived, that she is alive and sitting in this taxi listening to this man's story.
-pg. 350

It is hurtful to see the way women were treated. You could feel the pain, the torture and the hurt that each new regime put down on the women there. Women were once respected and loved there...but then they were ordered not to be out of house at all. This way if they were widows, there was no way they could earn for there children. There was no way they could do anything but die of hunger.

There are men who are loving and not cruel at all but there are those who are just like Taliban.

I can't go on without giving away the story. This book reminds me why I like reading books by authors from other nations. And this one also helped realise, how blessed our life is here.

Lovely writing and great detailing of the life there. If you like multi-cultural fiction, and would like to see the life in Afghanistan till the US and the UN reached there to help them out in the 2000s, you must read this one. Highly recommended!

Wednesday Cover Attraction!

I must thank Jo-Jo, because that's where I first saw this cover! Ain't it just beautiful!

No, I don't have this one... but would most definitely end up buying it if I see it anywhere here!

Synopsis from Barnes and Nobles Site

Filled with stunning parallels to today's world, The Postmistress is a sweeping novel about the loss of innocence of two extraordinary women-and of two countries torn apart by war.
On the eve of the United States's entrance into World War II in 1940, Iris James, the postmistress of Franklin, a small town on Cape Cod, does the unthinkable: She doesn't deliver a letter. In London, American radio gal Frankie Bard is working with Edward R. Murrow, reporting on the Blitz. One night in a bomb shelter, she meets a doctor from Cape Cod with a letter in his pocket, a letter Frankie vows to deliver when she returns from Germany and France, where she is to record the stories of war refugees desperately trying to escape.
The residents of Franklin think the war can't touch them- but as Frankie's radio broadcasts air, some know that the war is indeed coming. And when Frankie arrives at their doorstep, the two stories collide in a way no one could have foreseen. The Postmistress is an unforgettable tale of the secrets we must bear, or bury. It is about what happens to love during wartime, when those we cherish leave. And how every story-of love or war-is about looking left when we should have been looking right.

Thank You Marcia for hosting Wednesday Cover Attractions!

Temp Post

Guys, I had no idea that you couldn't post comments on my blog!!!! So SORRY about the goof up!
It was scary seeing 0 comments on my blog too :D

Please let me know if you guys see, anymore problems, mail me at givingreadingachance AT gmail.com

Thank You Suko, for letting me know :)

Take Care,
Veens

Symbolic Tuesday!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Today after finishing A Thousand Splendid Suns, I am finally starting Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol.
Did you know, I got this on 19th Sept, 2009. Yep, the day of it's release! And it was a **surprise**... my hubby dearest ordered it for me! YAY! So, we embark on a journey with Robert Langdon today!

Today's Teaser~~

As Mal'akh exited his home, he prepared himself for the event that would soon shake the U.S. Capitol Building. He had gone to enormous lengths to arrange all the pieces for tonight.

And now, at last, his final pawn had entered the game.

-p. 12, “The Lost Symbol” by Dan Brown.

Mal'akh smiled to himself. "Sometimes a legend that endures for centuries... endures for a reason."
-p. 23, “The Lost Symbol” by Dan Brown.

 Hope you guys are having a great week!

Lost Monday!

I am still reading A Thousand Splendid Suns! And this one is a holiday weekend for us here...and well I have next to no reading going on...

But I wanted to tell you guys, that I half expected not to like A Thousand Splendid Suns! This one is full of descriptions of unrest in Afghanistan...you get to see for yourself how it was to live there in the late 80's and early 90's. Though I don't like reading much of politics, this one has a wealth of information that I guess I had no idea about!

Did you know in the late 80's Soviets ruled Afghanistan? I didn't know this one! And many more such facts!

Another one I am so trying to read is...Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol which was a gift from my dearest hubby :)! Yes! I got it too :)

And I can't tell you anything yet... as I am still only 1 chapter into it :)

Head over to J. Kaye's to see what everone else is reading~!

Just a Post!

No! I am not gone into my cocoon to sleep...I am very much here!!!
I wanted to post something on this blog :), so here we go another of my pics...

This one was taken in Dec, 2008 in Kerala, India.

I love this one a lot! And yes, I will post another one for you tomorrow :)
Hope you all are having a happy weekend!

Cover Attraction : Veil of Roses!

I saw this cover first on S. Krishna's blog! She has a review of this on her lovely blog.

I also found this cover of the same book interesting ~~

What do you think?!
What covers are you attracted to this week?!

Thank You Marcia for hosting Wednesday Cover Attractions!

Clear off Your Shelves Challenge!

Head over to S. Krishna's to join this new challenge she is hosting!
About this challenge ...

When?
This challenge will run from October 1, 2009 – November 30, 2009. This means that it does coincide with Dewey’s 24 Hour Read-a-thon, and any books that qualify for this challenge that you read during the Read-a-thon are eligible!

How?
This challenge will work a little differently than other challenges. Instead of picking a set number of books to read during this time period, you will pick a percentage. This means that a certain percentage of the books you read during these two months will have to qualify for this challenge. For example, let’s say you pick 40% and you end up reading 10 books in October and November. 4 of those books would have to qualify for this challenge in order for you to complete it. I am setting a minimum percentage of 20%.
As a result, there is no need to make a list of books prior to starting the challenge, though please feel free to do so if you want to! Your wrap-up post should have a list of the books you read for the challenge, though, so please do keep track of what you read!

You can read more at her blog and you can also sign up for this challenge here!


I am committing to 20% :)
I want to do MORE! But I want to set the goals right ;)

Tuesday Teasers!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Teaser~~

Jalil never called Mariam this name. Jalil said she was his little flower. He was fond of sitting her on his laps and telling her stories, like the time he told her that Herat, the city where Mariam was born, in 1959, had once been the cradle of Persian culture, the home of writers, painters and Sufis.
"You couldn't stretch a leg there without poking a poet in the ass," he laughed.
- p. 4, “A Thousand Splendid Suns” by Khaled Hosseini.

There is always something lyrical in the way Khaled Hosseini writes. Whether it be about feelings or flowers...there is something about his writing that keeps me glued to the pages.

When I was reading Kite Runner by the same author, I found it extremely difficult to get into the story...there were somethings I didn't understand. But later on, I couldn't keep the book down. It has been one of my favorite books since then and there is no wonder I picked his 2nd book the same week. I feel a little scared to like an author, and the expectations are high. Will A Thousand Splendid Suns work for me... I will have to read and see, but meanwhile has anyone read this? And if so, have you liked it?

Thank You for answering!

Hope you all are having a great Tuesday!

Splendid Monday!

Last week I completed Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran and it was an excellent read!
This week I am in Afghanistan..
Reading..

Mariam is only fifteen when she is sent to Kabul to marry the troubled and bitter Rasheed, who is thirty years her senior. Nearly two decades later, in a climate of growing unrest, tragedy strikes fifteen-year-old Laila, who ... (show all)must leave her home and join Mariam's unhappy household. Laila and Mariam are to find consolation in each other, their friendship to grow as deep as the bond between sisters, as strong as the ties between mother and daughter. With the passing of time comes Taliban rule over Afghanistan, the streets of Kabul loud with the sound of gunfire and bombs, life a desperate struggle against starvation, brutality and fear, the women's endurance tested beyond their worst imaginings. Yet love can move a person to act in unexpected ways, lead them to overcome the most daunting obstacles with a startling heroism. In the end it is love that triumphs over death and destruction.

So what are you reading this week?
Head over to J. Kaye's to see what everone else is reading~!

Today we see Coorg :)

This one was taken from a hill named Talacauvery near Coorg in Karnataka State in India! This hill top is famous as this where the Cauvery River is believed to have originated! It is a beautiful place!

There is a temple where the river originates and I will post more pics of this place next week, same day :)

Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran

Cleopatra's Daughter
By Michelle Moran
Published on Sept 15th, 2009
Hardcover, 431 Pages

From GoodReads.com,

The death of Cleopatra was only the beginning...

Follows the incredible life of Cleopatra's surviving children with Marc Antony -- twins, named Alexander Helios and Cleopatra Selene, and a younger son named Ptolemy. All three were taken to Rome and paraded through the streets, then sent off to be raised by Octavia (the wife whom Marc Antony left for Cleopatra). Raised in one of the most fascinating courts of all time, Cleopatra's children would have met Ovid, Seneca, Vitruvius (who inspired the Vitruvian man), Agrippa (who built the Pantheon), Herod, his sister Salome, the poets Virgil, Horace, Maecenas and so many others!

I am so glad that I got to read this one! Michelle Moran's 3rd book is as lovely as her 1st one! In this we are first taken to ancient Egypt where Cleopatra and her 3 children and waiitng anxiously for news about her husband, Marc Anthony who is at war with Cesar. As the news comes of his defeat, both Anthony and Cleopatra take their lives leaving their 2 twins Kleopatra Selene and Alexander and their youngest brother Ptolemy to battle it alone. They are taken back to Rome, and only the twins make it till the end to see Rome!
With virtually all of there family gone, they are the only one left to take forward the names of there ancestors.
This book is narrated by Kleopatra Selene and you definitely feel for her. At 12, losing everyone in her family, living in constant fear of her brother's and her life and dreaming of returning to Alexandria some day is what Selen's life in Rome is all about. But born to one of the most educated women, Selene showcases her intelligence and knowledge whenever a chance is there. The twins live with Octavia, Caesar's sister and Marc Anthony's wife before Cleopatra! She also takes up Architecture in a way to prove useful to Octavian and do something she is passionate about!
In midst of all this there is a love story that's woven and it's as if I knew all along who Selene really loved, it is wonderful to see a happy ending through a tearful and fearful time! The one thing that the book showcases is the stark contrast in the way Egyptian Ptolemy ruled and how Rome's Caesar ruled. There was also lot of difference in the way people lived, ate and great difference in the culture! It was interesting to see a circus, races, betting in Rome so many years back! There is a lot of detail about the architecture in those times which is interesting and also interesting is the fact that ancient Roman's were Antique Collectors, now who knew that?

I loved this one and would highly recommend it to all Historical Fiction lovers! Also this most definitely will appeal to YA readers as well!

There is an awesome interview based on this book with the author Michelle Moran on Medieval Bookworm's blog that I found very interesting... if you are interested you can click here for the same!

Want to read more reviews - 
Book Addiction
Historical Tapestry
Medieval Bookworm
S. Krishna's Books
Reading Rumpus
fashion_piranha
Diary of an Eccentric
Scaling Mount TBR
Gautami

Bourbon Biscuits

My Bourbon Biscuits have roused everyone's curiosity :D
So here is a pic for all of you who asked me what these are!!

They are delicious biscuits with chocolate cream inside and spray of sugar outside!

Sinfully high in calories and the most tasty biscuits in the world :D :) [ Now I can change that if I want :D]



Well another biscuit I really like is Hide and Seek! Now now... please don't get me started on food and snacks :D

Wednesday Cover Attractions!

This time I saw this image at Alea's Pop Culture Junkie!
Loved it instantly..

Which cover are you attracted to this week?!
Thank you Marcia for hosting!

My BBAW Interview with Daphne of Tanzanite's Shelf and Stuff

A last minute interview hook up for me was arranged by the BBAW girls, thanks a lot to them!

My interview partner is Daphne and if you have NOT visited her lovely blog, you might as well go right ahead.

Shamefully, this is my first on her blog too and I am so glad I found her! I found that we share the love for historical fiction and I am looking forward to reading her blog!

My interview with her is posted on her blog too, if you have time go check that out as well!!

1. Hi Daphne, Welcome to my blog! Why don't you tell us something about yourself?

Oh, that is always one of the hardest questions in the world to answer, isn’t it?! Anyway, the past year has seen some major changes in my life so I’m having to learn how to answer this kind of question differently. My husband and I moved to Colorado (after living our entire lives in Indiana) so that I could take a management position with a federal human services agency. Our daughter had recently started college in Indiana and so we made the decision to let her stay there – that was probably the toughest decision I have ever made. So I find myself with lots of time on my hands…

2. How long have you been blogging and what inspires you to blog?

I started my blog almost three years ago as a way to keep track of the books I had read and what I thought of them. Now, it’s become my second obsession (after reading) and I am always looking for new ideas for my blog.

3. As this is about appreciation [ BBAW] - What do you think is the best thing about blogging?

Definitely the sense of community and making new friends. I affectionately refer to them as my “book friends”. I also love the opportunity to talk about books with others. My husband’s not much of a reader and although he’ll sometimes ask what I’m reading or what it’s about, we can’t really have much of a discussion about it. I also like discovering new authors and books that I wouldn’t have otherwise known about.

4. What kind of books do you MOST enjoy and what kind of books do you review on your blog?

I read historical fiction and related non-fiction history/biography books.

5. What's one book you will whole-heartedly recommend to me? [ Any genre ]

Here Be Dragons by Sharon Kay Penman. Set in Wales during the reign of King John (of Magna Carta fame) it is a wonderfully written with a beautiful love story.

6. How do you juggle your life with blogging?

I actually find it pretty easy. I went from a job where I worked 60+ hours a week to one where I now work 40 and without my daughter and her issues to occupy my time on a daily basis, I really have quite a bit of time for blogging and reading.

7. Which are your favorite blogs out there?

Wow, there are so many that I follow it’s hard to pick, but I really love Passages to the Past and author Susan Higginbotham’s Medieval Woman.

8. If you had one whole day to yourself, what would you do?!

Go get a massage, do a little shopping and read!

Oh! I would also love to get a massage ;)!!

Hope you all liked the interview and all of us got to know a little more about Daphne!

Thank you BBAW, it was so much fun doing this!

Thank You Daphne, for swapping interviews! It was great!!

BBAW: Reading MEME!

• Do you snack while you read? If so, favorite reading snack?

No, I don't usually! In general my favorite snack is Bourbon biscuits! High in calories and high in taste... just what I like :D!

• Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?

No, never! it is HORRIFIC to mark books :)

• How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears?

Bookmarks, of course! I hate dog- earing my books... they are my treasures :)

• Laying the book flat open?

Nope...I don't do that either!

• Fiction, Non-fiction, or both?

Mostly Fiction!

• Hard copy or audio books?

Hard Copy mostly... I have concentration issues with audio books!

• Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you able to put a book down at any point?

I can put the book down whenever I want :)

• If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up right away?

NO! I wish I would do that and LEARN some words! But I can't Stop :)

• What are you currently reading?

2 books - Interview with a Vampire [ recommended by 3M!] and Cleopatra's Daughter

• What is the last book you bought?

  Pirate's Daughter by Margaret Cezair-Thompson

• Are you the type of person that only reads one book at a time or can you read more than one at a time?

  I am reading 1 eBook and 1 hard copy! try to read 2 books, but I can read just one at a time! I know that's so ODD!

• Do you have a favorite time of day and/or place to read?

No nothing like that, if a story pulls me in, I read it irrespective of the time/place!

• Do you prefer series books or stand alone books?

Both!!!

• Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over?

hmm...That's n interesting question! I normally don't recommend an author... as I am not the person who goes about reading EVERY book that the author writes. But recently I have found that I just love Michelle Moran's writing and books and similarly one book "Memoirs of a Geisha"... If you have not read either... you better go and read them!!!

• How do you organize your books? (By genre, title, author’s last name, etc.?)

I don't really organize! I buy, I read and then I put them back in the shelf... Actually now that you tell me I need to do that :)

That was FUN! I am so GLAD I participated... Thank You BBAW for the most wonderful week!! :)

Wassup on Monday!

It's raining here heavily... and this climate is making me feel a hell lot more sleepy..
All I can do is eat, sleep, eat, sleep :D

But I have also started ~~
Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran which the author sent to me! I wanted to finish it before Sept. 15th [ the release date ], now I am not very sure!!! :(

How is it going for you guys?!

What's the plan this week!

Fond Memories~~

This pic was taken in Mumbai near the Gateway of India. Here people come and put loads of food for these birds! And the kids have fun time playing with them as well!

WINNERS!~!!!!!!!!!!!

We HAVE winners!!!!!!


Cleopatra's Daughter's winner is BETHANY [YAY!!!!!!!!!]
AND
Heretic Queen's winner is SUKO [YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]




I will email YOU!!


Thank You ALL for participating! And THANK YOU Michelle Moran for making this giveaway happen! Remember Cleopatra's Daughter hits the stands on Sept. 15th... if you can go ahead and buy it... it is a wonderful read!

Footsteps in the Dark by Georgette Heyer

Footsteps in the Dark

By Georgette Heyer

Published in 2007 (first published 1932)

Paperback, 352 pages
3.5 on 5!

From GoodReads.com ~~

The ramshackle old house, with its rambling charm is beloved of Peter, Margaret and Celia, who have inherited it from their uncle. But local wisdom says The Priory is haunted. Then a murder is committed. Does the key to the crime lie in the realm of the supernatural? Or is the explanation much more down to earth?

Footsteps in the Dark is my first book by Georgette Heyer. Instead of choosing the other genres that Heyer writes, I chose this thriller/suspense one. The story is very much there in the blurb that I have posted. I liked Heyer's writing a lot. It is based in the 20th century where ghosts and all are not believed in! It is quirky, funny and full of great details of how the people really where in those times. The only problem was that I guessed who was behind the whole haunting- affair and that's why I am giving this one only 3.5 stars! There were many repartees by Charles that made me laugh out loud!! The humor was incredible and the book in itself was enjoyable. It is a light and fun-read!

I definitely enjoyed it!

By the way, do let me know which is your favorite Heyer book!
Thank you for your participation!

**Update**
It's Suko who reminded me that this was eligible for RIP IV! Thank You Suko!

Cover Attractions

I don't really know why I like this book cover :)
Nothing I should really like, but still something about it - I like it :D

Thanks Marcia for hosting this for us!!
Which covers are you attracted to, this week?!

Lazy BUM@!

I have been down with some issues last week. And that's the reason I have not been able to blog or come and visit your blogs!
I am feeling completely lazy, unable to do any work and drowsy and blah blah! Because of this, I have not blogged/read or done anything at all :D

I don't like this phase at all... it gets to me.. so this post is my attempt to get out of it! :)

Thank you for listening to the rant! if you will excuse me please ;), I have some posts to do, :)

**Surprise Surprise** Giveaway and a Guest Post!

Michelle Moran, bestselling author of Nefertiti [my review] and The Heretic Queen graciously accepted to do a guest post for me! Can't tell you how excited I am!

A hearty welcome to this talented author.
Here you go~~

Why Cleopatra’s daughter?

It all began with a dive. Not the kind of dive you take into a swimming pool, but the kind where you squeeze yourself into a wetsuit and wonder just how tasty your rump must appear to passing sharks now that it looks like an elephant seal. My husband and I had taken a trip to Egypt, and at the suggestion of a friend, we decided to go to Alexandria to see the remains of Cleopatra’s underwater city. Let it be known that I had never gone scuba diving before, but after four days with an instructor (and countless questions like, “Will there be sharks? How about jellyfish? If there is an earthquake, what happens underwater?”) we were ready for the real thing.

We drove one morning to the Eastern Harbor in Alexandria. Dozens of other divers were already there, waiting to see what sort of magic lay beneath the waves. I wondered if the real thing could possibly live up to all of the guides and brochures selling this underwater city, lost for thousands of years until now. Then we did the dive, and it was every bit as magical as everyone had promised. We saw the blocks that once formed Marc Antony’s summer palace, came face to face with Cleopatra’s enigmatic sphinx, and floated above ten thousand ancient artifacts, including obelisks, statues, and countless amphorae. By the time we surfaced, I was Cleopatra-obsessed. I wanted to know what had happened to her city once she and Marc Antony had committed suicide. Where did all of its people go? Were they allowed to remain or were they killed by the Romans? And what about her four children?

It was this last question that surprised me the most. I had always assumed that Cleopatra’s children had all been murdered. But the Roman conqueror, Octavian, actually spared the three she bore to Marc Antony: her six-year-old son, Ptolemy, and her ten-year-old twins, Alexander and Selene. As soon as I learned that Octavian had taken the three of them to Rome for his Triumph, I knew at once I had my next book. And when I discovered what Cleopatra’s daughter lived through while in exile – rebellion, loss, triumph, love - I absolutely couldn’t wait to start writing. I can only hope that the novel is as exciting and intriguing as the research proved to be. It may be two thousand years in the past, but a great love story, as they say, is timeless.

**~~**

Michelle Moran is also giving away a copy of a signed hardcover copy of latest novel Cleopatra's Daughter as well as a signed paperback of The Heretic Queen!

In her own words ~~

Although the book is being marketed as adult fiction, it's my greatest hope that it will appeal to young adults as well. Because Cleopatra's children were taken to Rome when they were ten years old, the narrator of the novel (Selene) begins the story as a prepubescent girl. The woman we cast for the book trailer really embodies what I envision Selene to be: young, hopeful, and ready for a challenge. I have a longer description of the novel here.

From Michelle Moran's Site ~~

Coming September 15, 2009

The marriage of Marc Antony and Cleopatra is one of the greatest love stories of all time, a tale of unbridled passion with earth-shaking political consequences. Feared and hunted by the powers in Rome, the lovers choose to die by their own hands as the triumphant armies of Antony’s vengeful rival, Octavian, sweep into Egypt. Their three orphaned children are taken in chains to Rome, but only two—the ten-year-old twins Selene and Alexander—survive the journey. Delivered to the household of Octavian’s sister, the siblings cling to each other and to the hope that they will return one day to their rightful place on the throne of Egypt. As they come of age, they are buffeted by the personal ambitions of Octavian’s family and court, by the ever-present threat of slave rebellion, and by the longings and desires deep within their own hearts.

The fateful tale of Selene and Alexander is brought brilliantly to life in Cleopatra’s Daughter. Recounted in Selene’s youthful and engaging voice, it introduces a compelling cast of historical characters:

Octavia: the emperor Octavian’s kind and compassionate sister, abandoned by Marc Antony for Cleopatra
Livia: Octavian’s bitter and jealous wife
Marcellus: Octavian’s handsome, flirtatious nephew and heir-apparent
Tiberius: Livia’s sardonic son and Marcellus’s great rival for power
Juba: Octavian’s ever-watchful aide, whose honored position at court has far-reaching effects on the lives of the young Egyptian royals

Selene’s narrative is animated by the concerns of a young girl in any time and place —the possibility of finding love, the pull of friendship and family, and the pursuit of her unique interests and talents. While coping with the loss of both her family and her ancestral kingdom, Selene must find a path around the dangers of a foreign land. Her accounts of life in Rome are filled with historical details that vividly capture both the glories and horrors of the time. She dines with the empire’s most illustrious poets and politicians, witnesses the creation of the Pantheon, and navigates the colorful, crowded marketplaces of the city where Roman-style justice is meted out with merciless authority.

Based on meticulous research, Cleopatra’s Daughter is a fascinating portrait of Imperial Rome and of the people and events of this glorious and tumultuous period in human history. Emerging from the shadows of history, Selene, a young woman of irresistible charm and preternatural intelligence, will capture your heart.

Published September 16, 2008

In ancient Egypt, a forgotten princess must overcome her family’s past, and remake history.

The winds of change are blowing through Thebes. A devastating palace fire has killed the 18th dynasty’s royal family—all with the exception of Nefertari, niece of the reviled former queen Nefertiti. The girl’s deceased family has been branded as heretical, and no one in Egypt will speak their names. A relic of a previous reign, Nefertari is pushed aside, an unimportant princess left to run wild in the palace. But all of this changes when she is taken under the wing of pharaoh’s aunt, and brought to the Temple of Hathor where she is educated in a manner befitting a future queen.

Soon Nefertari catches the eye of the crown prince, and despite her family’s history, they fall in love and wish to marry. Yet all of Egypt opposes this union between the rising star of a new dynasty and the fading star of an old, heretical one. While political adversity sets the country on edge, Nefertari becomes the wife of Ramesses the Great. Destined to be the most powerful pharaoh in Egypt, he is also the man who must confront the most famous exodus in history.

Here is how you enter~~

• Competition is only open to followers of this blog only. So if you're not a follower then just click on the follow button in the column on the right. Let me know, which book you are interested in winning.
  
• For an extra entry post about this give-away on your blog/blog sidebar!
• You must leave your email address in the comments section and a sensible comment, on the guest - post, otherwise you won't be eligible. This competition is International and will be drawn on Sept. 10th and the winner will be announced on this blog on Sept 11th.

I hope you are as excited as I am!