Shrabani Basu’s — Spy Princess *****

This is the biography of Noor Inayat Khan who was born in Russia but by the age of six went to London, then moved to France with her parents and siblings. She is brought up within the Sufi faith, but when WW11 breaks out, the family flee to London. Noor is determined to assist in the war effort. She joins the WAAF until she is recruited by the SOE and sent to Paris to keep London informed and receive important information regarding such events as new spies being flown into France from England.

Her biography not only reveals her dedication and the extensive work she conducted in Paris with the Resistance Movement and her ability to avoid the GESTAPO, but also details the extensive training that all agents were subjected to before they were sent into enemy territory.

Jamila Ahmed’s—Every Rising Sun

Shaherazade and the Arabian Nights tales are familiar to everyone, but what about the life of Shaherazade? This is a fascinating read that begins in Persia when Shaherazade discovers that the Malik’s wife is unfaithful. The Malik is so distraught once he learns of his wife’s infidelity, he loses all reason once his wife is beheaded that Shaherazade’s father, the vizier cannot help him. A second wife, a third wife, and yet another cannot save him from despair, but can Shaherazade with her magical tales save him from the brink of disaster?

Set during the Crusades when Suladin is fighting against the infidels in Palestine, the novel mixes historical events with fiction to create a gripping tale.

Rebecca Struthers’—Hands of time *****

I wasn’t expecting to finish Hands of time, just read a chapter, because a book on the history of clocks and watches didn’t seem that interesting. But one chapter led to another, and I became hooked on this interesting history of not just the well-known brands we know today, but the people who invented and refined timekeepers of the past and how their inventions influenced other industries.

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Susanna Clarke’s—Piranesi *****

What made this tale a five out of five read for me was that I had never read anything like it. Piranesi lives in a world where there is only one other human being—the Other. Within his house/world are huge statues in infinite rooms that he explores. The lower rooms are subject to tides that sometimes crash through the corridors. Piranesi is in awe of the Other whom he meets every week for an hour, but when he learns that there is someone else searching for him, the Other warns him of the danger. But will he be in danger? And why are there only two people in this strange world?