Damascena: the tale of roses and Rumi

Summary:

Orphaned Damascena, named after the flowering rosa damascena, grows up in a Bulgarian monastery under a tyrannical monk. In adolescence, she flees the monastery and discovers her remarkable gift for turning roses into rose oil, and reluctantly assumes the role of a living saint for the miracles she performs.  Damascena escapes to Turkey where she meets the enchanting mystic Rumi, who recognizes her as his final spiritual companion, and unlocks the secret of the rose.

“This is one of the most gorgeous novels I've ever read. Payne’s research was so thorough. It makes me want to learn more about the dervishes, their religious
practices, and about Rumi and his achingly beautiful poetry. The themes of forgiveness, spirituality and all the different forms of love resonated with me on every page.”
—Laura Marquez, Emmy Winner and former ABC News Correspondent

 

Damascena: the tale of roses and Rumi is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other online retailers.

And Only to Deceive by Tasha Alexander

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

From gifted new writer Tasha Alexander comes a stunning novel of historical suspense set in Victorian England, meticulously researched and with a twisty plot that involves stolen antiquities, betrayal, and murder. For Emily, accepting the proposal of Philip, the Viscount Ashton, was an easy way to escape her overbearing mother, who was set on a grand society match. So when Emily's dashing husband died on safari soon after their wedding, she felt little grief. After all, she barely knew him. Now, nearly two years later, she discovers that Philip was a far different man from the one she had married so cavalierly. His journals reveal him to have been a gentleman scholar and antiquities collector who, to her surprise, was deeply in love with his wife. 

Emily becomes fascinated with this new image of her dead husband and she immerses herself in all things ancient and begins to study Greek. Emily's intellectual pursuits and her desire to learn more about Philip take her to the quiet corridors of the British Museum, one of her husband's favorite places. There, amid priceless ancient statues, she uncovers a dark, dangerous secret involving stolen artifacts from the Greco-Roman galleries. And to complicate matters, she's juggling two very prominent and wealthy suitors, one of whose intentions may go beyond the marrying kind. As she sets out to solve the crime, her search leads to more surprises about Philip and causes her to question the role in Victorian society to which she, as a woman, is relegated.

Jillian’s Review:

This novel kept me turning the page, but unfortunately it was predictable and fizzled out in the end. The characters were interesting but I really didn't care what happened to any of them and there was barley any romance.

I don’t quite get the title. Maybe it’s because everything was so predictable for me, but I didn’t feel like Emily was deceived a whole lot if she’d just opened her eyes and used her brain.

Still, it was a fairly enjoyable, quick read.

<----- I don't have a star rating for this genera of books!

Daughters of Jared by HB Moore

From the author's website:

"From the Book of Ether comes a haunting story of two royal sisters. The elder sister, Ash, will do anything to bring her father, King Jared II, back to the throne. The younger sister, Naiva, only wants to save her family from destruction. Greed and the quest for power blend together in H.B. Moore’s volatile new novel, Daughters of Jared. The bond of sisterhood becomes precariously fragile when one man . . . named Akish . . . falls in love with the younger sister, Naiva. Yet he chooses to marry the elder sister. The sisters’ hearts are divided. And when Ash becomes queen, seduced by the promise of power and wealth, Naiva watches her world crumble away. She sees only one way out. But it will require forsaking all that she holds dear."

I was given a copy of Daughters of Jared from the author to read and review. I am so grateful for this opportunity. Heather B Moore is one of my favorite authors because she is able to bring scripture stories to life. She causes me to want to open my scriptures and re-read the true story now that I feel I know the characters better. The desire to read scriptures is always a good thing! Of course, this is historical fiction and that is what makes it such a fun read.

 Fun may not be the right word to describe Daughters, though. It is such a sad and scary thing when someone you love turns to evil to fulfill desires.

This story moves along at a nice pace. At one point in the story Naiva decides to leave. I kept trying to tell her to look behind her and keep a better watch. These characters are real to me. Very important in a story of any kind but most of all, I believe, in historical fiction. We have to be able to relate in some way for the story to touch us.

Daughters is a great read. Nice and easy and fast paced.

Here is a little taste of Heather's writing style and why I love her so much:
"Filth surrounded me. Damp air permeated my skin. I felt the dirt in my hair, in my clothes, and beneath my feet."
Can't you just imagine yourself there? I know this is a short blurb but I am one to leave the details for the reader. :)

I give Daughters of Jared four stars.