What is this book?

Can you identify the title and author of this book by only reading the first line?
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"Scarlett O'Hara was not beautiful, but men seldom realized it when caught by her charm as the Tarleton twins were."

His Last Duchess

Have you ever read His Last Duchess? If not it is a must read before the end of the year especially if you love historical romances.

Based on Robert Browning's famous poem, My Last Duchess, the book capitivates almost any type of reader.
The book follows the main storyline of the poem with a few twists!


That's my last Duchess painted on the wall,
Looking as if she were alive. I call
That piece a wonder, now: Fra Pandolf’s hands
Worked busily a day, and there she stands.
Will’t please you sit and look at her? I said
“Fra Pandolf” by design, for never read
Strangers like you that pictured countenance,
The depth and passion of its earnest glance,
But to myself they turned (since none puts by
The curtain I have drawn for you, but I)
And seemed as they would ask me, if they durst,
How such a glance came there; so, not the first
Are you to turn and ask thus. Sir, ’twas not
Her husband’s presence only, called that spot
Of joy into the Duchess’ cheek: perhaps
Fra Pandolf chanced to say “Her mantle laps
Over my lady’s wrist too much,” or “Paint
Must never hope to reproduce the faint
Half-flush that dies along her throat”: such stuff
Was courtesy, she thought, and cause enough
For calling up that spot of joy. She had
A heart—how shall I say?—too soon made glad,
Too easily impressed; she liked whate’er
She looked on, and her looks went everywhere.
Sir, ’twas all one! My favour at her breast,
The dropping of the daylight in the West,
The bough of cherries some officious fool
Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule
She rode with round the terrace—all and each
Would draw from her alike the approving speech,
Or blush, at least. She thanked men,—good! but thanked
Somehow—I know not how—as if she ranked
My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name
With anybody’s gift. Who’d stoop to blame
This sort of trifling? Even had you skill
In speech—(which I have not)—to make your will
Quite clear to such an one, and say, “Just this
Or that in you disgusts me; here you miss,
Or there exceed the mark”—and if she let
Herself be lessoned so, nor plainly set
Her wits to yours, forsooth, and made excuse,
—E’en then would be some stooping; and I choose
Never to stoop. Oh sir, she smiled, no doubt,
Whene’er I passed her; but who passed without
Much the same smile? This grew; I gave commands;
Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands
As if alive. Will’t please you rise? We’ll meet
The company below, then. I repeat,
The Count your master’s known munificence
Is ample warrant that no just pretence
Of mine for dowry will be disallowed;
Though his fair daughter’s self, as I avowed
At starting, is my object. Nay, we’ll go
Together down, sir. Notice Neptune, though,
Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity,
Which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me!

Between Shades of Grey

Imagine being woken up in the middle of the night by a group of soldiers only to be told that you have 20 minutes to pack your bag.

This was the fate of Lina and her family.

Young Lithuanian, Lina, was taken away in the middle of the night, with her mother and brother, by the Soviet secret police. For the next several months Lina is transported  to a variety of different places. The entire time they have to live their life in fear and wonder where their Father is being held captive.

Along the way Lina meets a young boy, Andrius, and falls in love with him but a few weeks later Lina is taken away.
Lina, her brother and mother struggle to survive in the harshest of weather conditions and under the severest of circumstances.

'Between Shades of Grey" is an outstanding and throught-provoking novel written by Ruta Sepetys. It is a must read on everyones list and gives you an entire new perspective on what many people had to endure during World War 2.