The Call of Cthulhu by, H.P. Lovecraft

This is an enjoyable read.  The opportunity to read it recently presented itself so I jumped at the chance.  The scientific nature of this tale adds to the thrill of this short tale.  The unknown, hidden scientific studies and journals of a dead man contribute to the undertow of anxiety and fear present throughout this tale.  H.P. Lovecraft really is a master of horror.  The shared dreams or a shared conscience of the horror that was occurring is chilling to think about.  Having your body possessed by a feverish insanity that causes you to create art, or spew out madness is terrifying in any time period.  There are a few things in this tale that bothered me, I am sure that it is wholly due to the fact that it was written in 1926 and I am reading it in 2014.  It bothered me that people with 'mixed blood', Haitians and African Americans were depicted as devil worshipers or people who practiced the dark arts.  I can understand that horror plays on fears and the unknown so it is relevant for the time period it was written in, but that doesn't stop from making it offensive to me today.  So overall I really liked the tale, it would be interesting to read a modern take on this story, minus the racism that was present in the 1920's. 

Mistress of Fortune By, Holly West

Mistress of Fortune was quite a fun read.  Set in England during the rule of Charles II, a devilish plot is brought to the attention of Mistress Ruby a local fortuneteller.  Unwittingly Ensnared in this murderess plot Mistress Ruby relentlessly follows the breadcrumbs of clues to discover who is behind this plot, and why she was dragged into it in the first place.  I am not well versed in the Stuart Era of British History, so I don't think I can review the accuracy of this tale, but I was not disappointed by the antics that ensue.  Mistress Ruby is a strong female, living in a time when women often were not seen as strong.  She uses her cunning and mastery of disguises to slowly piece together the mystery of murder.  A little romance has been sprinkled throughout this tale, but it simmers on the backburner of this tale, which causes me to hesitate in categorizing this as a romance novel.  There isn't a paranormal aspect to this tale; although there are fortune tellers in this novel their serves range from reading astrology, palm reading, intuition, and the use of herbology.  This tale does not contain magic, if you are searching for a novel that contains magic this is not the novel for you.  If you are seeking a good mystery or a fun historical fiction please give Mistress of Fortune a try.

The Tyrant's Daughter By, J.C. Carleson

The Tyrant's Daughter is about a teenage girl who flees to America after her father is assassinated.  Raised to think her father is king, Laila experiences an intense culture shock when she arrives.  This tale brings attention to the different experiences of three warring factions, focusing on a Dictatorship in the Middle East.  Laila's eyes are open to not only how the world viewed her father's 'rule', but also how the factions who opposed her father suffered.  This novel is masterfully written, an experience that is easy to relate to as well.  Laila’s American classmates welcome her with open arms.  Through her friendship with Emmy and Ian Laila is able to experience a freedom that she isn't accustom too, but Carleson doesn't write a tale to sign the praises of the freedoms of America.  Laila also learns the immense difference in cultures through the different versions of the Cinderella tale, and how the moral of the story is lost on her American friends who only see it as a barbaric tale.  Laila also connects with Amir who is a boy her age.  Through him she learns of the atrocities people had suffered during her father's reign.  (I hope that isn't too much of a spoiler.)  Laila also learns more about her mother during the course of this novel, where she comes from and what drives her.  The characters in this novel have a depth to them that makes it effortless to sympathies with.  The Tyrant's Daughter is a journey of self-discovery, family and culture.  I highly recommend this book; it was quite an enjoyable read.