Blog Tour: The Grip of God (Book One of The Tiger and The Dove Trilogy) by Rebecca Hazell: A Book Review

The Grip of God (Book One of The Tiger and The Dove Trilogy)
Author: Rebecca Hazell
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Release Date: 2013
Pages: 380
Source: This book was given to me as part of a blog tour in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: Sofia, a young princess of Kievan Rus’, is captured in battle and swept away to a Mongol war camp as a slave concubine. Can she survive in a world of total war while the bitter rivalries in her new master’s family threaten her from all sides? In this dramatic first journal of her saga, Sofia seeks her way through an alien and savage culture where a new world of ideas challenges her entire view of life. While her only goal is to escape and to find love again, what will she discover if she can break free.

My Review: Sofia is a young princess of Kyiv. When her kingdom is threatened of being attacked, her father devises a plan for Sofia to escape the palace unharmed. While fleeing to safety Sofia is captured by the Mongol slave camp. She becomes a concubine to the son of a noble family. Sofia finds herself not only in an entirely different culture and customs but also that she is involved in a great prophecy. All the while, Sofia plots to escape from the Mongols and hopefully find love and happiness when she breaks free.

Sofia is a brave, young princess. She is very headstrong and stubborn. She at first comes across as arrogant. When she is captured, she hates her enemies and their culture. She is judgemental. But through her tutor Dorje, she comes to respect the Mongols customs. She slowly has a change of heart.

I found this novel to be very emotionally driven. This novel mostly focuses on character development. We feel for Sofia and all her troubles and suffering. This novel has some very graphic scenes that were very painful to read, but it is vital to Sofia as a character. This novel is about Sofia’s trials and tribulations. However, throughout her trials, she is still determined and finds hope.

The author portrays the Mongol way of life and beliefs very beautifully. I didn’t know much about the Mongol way of life, but the author makes it comprehensible to the reader to understand. I liked reading about the Mongol philosophy. Even though Sofia and the Mongols had a different religion, they also had something in common. Learning about a different person’s beliefs and customs made Sofia change for the better. Her mind broadens and so does her heart.

Overall, this book is about tragedy, suffering, loss, friendship, survival and hope. The novel is slow moving, but it is worth it because the characters will keep you invested. It is about one girl’s journey to find happiness in a cruel world. Even though Sofia goes through many sufferings, she still is determined and never gives up her dream of escape. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in history, Mongols, and survival stories. This is a great book that will keep you interested in finding out what happens to Sofia in the next two novels in the series.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Cook Recipes From The Women of The American Revolution

My friend recommended to me Founding Mothers by Cokie Roberts. It is a biography the wives, sisters and daughters of America's Founding Fathers. In her biography, she included some recipes that these women used. I found them fascinating, so I decided to share some of them with you. I hope you enjoy reading them as I did. Be sure to check out Cokie Roberts Founding Mothers . This is a book you wouldn't want to miss for it is the story of the Founding of America told from the perspective of the Founding Fathers' women. Martha Washington’s Recipes: Crab Soup: Ingredients: Fresh crabs Butter Flour Hard-boiled eggs ...

Interview with Paula Margulies

Today, I have the opportunity to interview Paula Margulies. She has recently wrote a novel about Pocahontas called Favorite Daughter, Part One , which won an Editor’s Choice Award at the 24th Annual San Diego State University Writer’s Conference. The story creates a different perspective to the American heroine. It is told in first person narrative, and it is how Pocahontas at a young age embarks through the many changes of her life. By doing so she transforms into a strong, courageous, wise woman. I am very pleased that she took the time to grant me this interview and to generously donate a copy of her novel to the giveaway. I look forward to reading her books in the future, and check back for my review of Favorite Daughter’s Part One soon. This interview is to give readers insight about her and her novel. Thank you, Mrs. Margulies. 1. Where and when do you write? In my home office mostly, although I try to sneak away to artist residencies whenever ...

The Keeper of Hidden Books by Madeline Martin: A Book Review

The Keeper of Hidden Books Author: Madeline Martin Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Hanover Square Press Release Date: 2023 Pages: 407 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: A heartwarming story about the power of books to bring us together, inspired by the true story of the underground library in WWII Warsaw, by the New York Times bestselling author of The Last Bookshop in London . All her life, Zofia has found comfort in two things during times of hardship: books and her best friend, Janina. But no one could have imagined the horrors of the Nazi occupation in Warsaw. As the bombs rain down and Hitler’s forces loot and destroy the city, Zofia finds that now books are also in need of saving. With the death count rising and persecution intensifying, Zofia jumps to action to save her friend and salvage whatever books she can from the wreckage, hiding them away, and even starting ...

History from a Woman's Perspective- A Book Blog

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