Carole's Sunday_ America's first daughter

Author: Stephanie Dray & Laura Kamoie 

Title: America's First Daughter

Genre: Historical Fiction & Romance

Pages: Audiobook

Published: March 1st 2016  

Where I Got It: My shelf (Audible)

In a compelling, richly researched novel that draws from thousands of letters and original sources, bestselling authors Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie tell the fascinating, untold story of Thomas Jefferson’s eldest daughter, Martha “Patsy” Jefferson Randolph—a woman who kept the secrets of our most enigmatic founding father and shaped an American legacy.

From her earliest days, Patsy Jefferson knows that though her father loves his family dearly, his devotion to his country runs deeper still. As Thomas Jefferson’s oldest daughter, she becomes his helpmate, protector, and constant companion in the wake of her mother’s death, traveling with him when he becomes American minister to France.

It is in Paris, at the glittering court and among the first tumultuous days of revolution, that fifteen-year-old Patsy learns about her father’s troubling liaison with Sally Hemings, a slave girl her own age. Meanwhile, Patsy has fallen in love—with her father’s protégé William Short, a staunch abolitionist and ambitious diplomat. Torn between love, principles, and the bonds of family, Patsy questions whether she can choose a life as William’s wife and still be a devoted daughter.

Her choice will follow her in the years to come, to Virginia farmland, Monticello, and even the White House. And as scandal, tragedy, and poverty threaten her family, Patsy must decide how much she will sacrifice to protect her father's reputation, in the process defining not just his political legacy, but that of the nation he founded.

This was one of the longest audiobooks I have listened too. It took me a while to get through it!

The story follows Patsy Jefferson who is the daughter of the famous Thomas Jefferson. We get to see the man and the forming of this nation through her eyes. We get to see this young lady grow in the shadow of her father. She may have been in the shadow, but she certainly grew into an impressive person herself. It was certainly a journey. 

I'll admit I knew close to nothing about her. I know some about her father, but not a lot. It was a fun. It was sad. It was a long journey for her and for us, the listeners/readers. 

Honestly...I don't know how the lady kept herself cool and collected. There were so many times I would've flown off the handles and given a piece of my mind. I would've cried and screamed and kicked. There were times I agree with her being collected...I would've tried (but probably failed) to be cool, but there were times she should've stood up and said something. Poor girl. Poor Thomas J. Poor William (even though he made me mad at one point). 

Yes, yes, I was team William. I did not trust Tom at the beginning and I was proven right again and again. Sighs.

So yes, there is a touch of romance in this, but I do not feel it takes away from the story. It felt very realistic. There is love in normal life and this felt like Patsy telling her grandbabies the story. There was a good balance between the romance, the drama, the story, and the characters. Perfectly balanced. A rare sight indeed especially with two authors writing this. 

The narration was done well. She was SUPER southern. Did early southern colonists have thick accents? I'll have to research that...maybe they did, but I feel it was way too thick. In my language class I took eons ago we talked about the colonists and they were different from the English, but overall so at that time period. I can see the accent forming into the 1800s, but during the war? Mmmm not sure. I could be COMPLETELY wrong. We did not go into much details about each colony. Just an overall look (and it has been years - so I could be forgetting). Other than that, I really enjoyed her! She made me hooked on the story right away. She really embodied all the characters when they spoke even the male characters. 

Overall, this was really good. I really enjoyed it! I highly recommend this for historical lovers. The audio was good, but I bet reading would be just as good! I'll stamp this with 4 stars. 

Mishel Reviews: The Princess of Egypt must die - Stephanie Dray

Mishel reviews

Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone

Release Date:  November 2012

Publisher: Originally appeared in the ETERNAL SPRING anthology of Young Adult Fiction

Pages:  55

Author Site:   

My Rating: 4/5 

Source: Kindle Freebie

Cover: She’s wearing the royal purple, I like it =)

Princess Arsinoe came of age in the glittering court of Ptolemaic Egypt. Abused by her ruthless sister, a pawn in the dynastic ambitions of her father, and dismissed by the king who claimed her for a bride, young Arsinoe finds herself falling in love with a young man forbidden to her. She dreams of a destiny as Egypt's queen, but first she must survive the nest of vipers otherwise known as her family.

Review:

Ugh, this is why I dislike short stories/novellas/novellettes. Call them what you want and I’ll pretty much ALWAYS want more! The Princess of Egypt Must Die is absolutely no exception, especially when I became so attached to characters within a mere 55 pages! I mean, COME ON!?! And while I’m moaning and complaining let me underline the fact that this short story was fantastic! 

Doing some vague and mild research I’ve come to see that the heroine of this story is Queen Arsinoe II. While there is a lot of crazy rivalry – sibling, family, political, etc involved in her history (and pretty much everyone in history it seems), this particular story is about young Princess Arsinoe. Here she is portrayed as the sweet, fragile, younger daughter of the pharaoh who wants desperately to be loved. After being reluctantly married off to the King of Thrace she hopes to find some form of happiness in her new life. But Princess Arsinoe soon learns that rivals will always be around and the love and happiness she’s always wanted may continue to be out of her reach. 

I’ve only dabbled here and there in historical fiction so it’s always a treat to find a book that makes me want to go do research on the time period or featured character. Now if I follow through on said research is an entirely different subject matter that we may or may not discuss (probably not) at a later date. Ancient Egypt has continued to fascinate me with the few works I’ve read about the time period by different authors. I’m excited to continue on in the time period and hopefully continue to be just as thrilled.  

Having already read Stephanie’s work, it’s hard for me not to compare this short story to her Cleopatra’s Daughter trilogy. There are many similarities and differences but the bottom line is I truly love Stephanie Dray’s writing.  Her attention to historical detail is amazing and her ability to engage readers on an emotional level is staggering. I’m looking forward to her future work that will encompass the life of Martha “Patsy” Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson’s daughter (the third president of the United States, just putting it out there…) For those who are new to Stephanie Dray I’d highly recommend this short gem of a read as an introduction to her and her writing. P.S. It’s still a Kindle Freebie

Mishel Reviews: Daughters of the Nile - Stephanie Dray

Mishel Reviews

Series or Stand Alone: Cleopatra’s Daughter, book three

Release Date:  December 2013 

Publisher: Berkley Trade

Pages:  576

Author Site: 

My Rating: 5/5 

Source: Received for review from author/publisher

Cover: Thumbs up! It goes very well with the other two books and shows the growth of the main character. I also like that Selene’s daughter is featured on the cover.

Based on the true story of Cleopatra’s daughter…

After years of abuse as the emperor’s captive in Rome, Cleopatra Selene has found a safe harbor. No longer the pitiful orphaned daughter of the despised Egyptian Whore, the twenty year old is now the most powerful queen in the empire, ruling over the kingdom of Mauretania—an exotic land of enchanting possibility where she intends to revive her dynasty.

With her husband, King Juba II and the magic of Isis that is her birthright, Selene brings prosperity and peace to a kingdom thirsty for both. But when Augustus Caesar jealously demands that Selene’s children be given over to him to be fostered in Rome, she’s drawn back into the web of imperial plots and intrigues that she vowed to leave behind.

Determined and resourceful, Selene must shield her loved ones from the emperor’s wrath, all while vying with ruthless rivals like King Herod. Can she find a way to overcome the threat to her marriage, her kingdom, her family, and her faith? Or will she be the last of her line?

Review:

Daughters of the Nile has to be one of THE most satisfying conclusions to a trilogy I have ever read. I closed the book sighing with contentment as I wiped the remaining tears off my face. Yes, folks it was THAT good! I can’t help but write this review with the previous two novels in my head. The overall reading experience was epic in my opinion. I’ll try not to be a fan girl as I review this one but please excuse the moments when my cup runeth’ over. 

Selene has come a long way from the captured prisoner she once was as a child when she first set foot in Rome. She has now lived over two decades, gotten married, become a powerful Queen, had children of her own, and continues to stand up and defy the most powerful man in the empire. One of her biggest desires is to reclaim her rightful place in Egypt and Selene has been fighting non-stop for it. However, when her ambitions become close enough to taste and grab with two hands she hesitates. Although she’s lost so much for her dreams already, can she risk losing her new family, her fragile relationship with her husband, her beloved kingdom, or the new life she has come to embrace? Selene must choose between her past and her future, as she has always had to do, and risk losing it all.

Again, I must comment on how much I love the characters in these books. I’m pleasantly surprised to report that none have been stagnant. Each person has had ample time to develop and not once did I feel overwhelmed by any of their stories. Everyone had their share of high, happy times, and low, heartbreaking times. It was amazing to see everyone treated as if this was their story to tell, not just Selene’s. 

Coming in under 600 pages I hardly noticed the heaviness of them. I couldn’t believe how the words were flying off the pages and how I still wanted more after I finished. I have to say that the emotional peaks and low points were so numerous that I was shocked. After each critical, climactic point I felt that the story was probably ending soon and things couldn’t possibly get worse and there was no way there could be more to read in the remaining pages. It has been an emotional journey, through this book especially, that has made the entire trilogy a favorite of mine. I adore this author’s writing and I know I will be revisiting Selene again in the future.

I suppose I can’t give all props to Stephanie for putting my emotional investment to the test time and time again. I suppose I should thank history itself and all the players involved. While Stephanie may have been expanding on true events she did so with a beautiful style and with not too much to go on if you think about it. Although I’m sure her extensive research was time-consuming and exhausting there isn’t much known about Queen Cleopatra Selene, before she was Queen of Mauretania or after. And in each of the Author’s Note provided I felt Stephanie was fair in explaining all, or most, of her reasons for writing the story the way she did with the information she had at hand. Basically this small rant is to give the author her deserved props for surrounding real people from the past in a beautifully brutal world that I quite frankly hated to leave. I highly, highly recommend this book and the entire trilogy as a whole. You may of course read this as a standalone but the true enjoyment and experience will come when read them all, in order and hopefully back to back. 

Mishel Reviews: Song of the Nile - Stephanie Dray

Mishel reviews

Series or Stand Alone: Cleopatra’s Daughter, book two

Release Date:  October 2011 

Publisher: Berkley Trade

Pages:  398

Author Site:  

My Rating: 4.5/5 

Source: My personal bookshelf/Own

Cover: Thumbs up! It goes well with the first book and the cover model is aging along with Selene, very well done! The purple is not only lovely on the cover but symbolic as well.

Sorceress. Seductress. Schemer. Cleopatra's daughter is the one woman with the power to destroy an empire...  

Having survived her perilous childhood as a royal captive of Rome, Selene pledged her loyalty to Augustus and swore she would become his very own Cleopatra. Now the young queen faces an uncertain destiny in a foreign land.

The magic of Isis flowing through her veins is what makes her indispensable to the emperor. Against a backdrop of imperial politics and religious persecution, Cleopatra's daughter beguiles her way to the very precipice of power. She has never forgotten her birthright, but will the price of her mother's throne be more than she's willing to pay?

Review:

Song of the Nile opens to Cleopatra Selene marrying her childhood tutor, Juba II of Numidia. The couple is sent off to Mauretania where they are to rule in favor of Rome and Augustus. Still young, at fourteen years old, Selene has more trials and tribulations that she must overcome and endure even with an ocean dividing her and Augustus. She soon comes to truly understand how limited her freedom is how much of an impact Augustus still has on her life. This is a much darker tale that includes sexual cruelty, incestuous relationships, and the violence of ancient Rome. I know it may not be something all readers will like but I for one appreciated that Stephanie Dray took the risk to portray Selene’s story the way she wanted. I’m glad she didn’t shy away from fear of offending. Not only do I love her writing style and her story-telling capabilities but now I respect her for taking risks.

One of my favorite aspects of these books is the characters. From Selene to Augustus, Helios to Juba, Livia to Octavia, I’ve come to know their personalities (through Stephanie’s eyes) and I’ve come to care about them. Each character is brilliantly layered where I feel torn between loyalties and repeatedly question what I would do in Selene’s situation, other than freak out…daily! And while Selene is understandably the driving force in her own story, the people that surround her are equally a key element to the plot and the overall depiction of Selene’s life. The political portion is fascinating and really makes me want to do further research on this time period. The magical elements of Selene and her growing relationship with her goddess, Isis, continue to make the story stand out. 

You know, having read this book over two years ago I was surprised by how much of Selene’s story stuck in my head. I have a horrible memory so I was delighted to read passages and say to myself “Ooooh, I remember this!” and I was equally delighted reading different passages and saying to myself “Wow, how did I forget this!” I really should re-read more because it’s more fun than I thought it’d be. I keep thinking there are too many books out there to re-read the ones I’ve already read (which of course is true), but it’s crazy what one can find the second time around. The ending was explosive and I have to say I can’t recall ever reading it before. I must not have finished the book because I really, honestly, truly believe I would have remembered that happening…I know I’m super ridiculously vague but that’s a spoiler-free review for you =) You’re welcome! 

I like how Song of the Nile included just enough important information from Selene’s past, and the previous book, so it could be read as a standalone or out of order. But I truly enjoyed this better with having the first book under my reading belt. So my recommendation is to pick up Lily of the Nile first. But if you must be a rebel you can feel at peace knowing you’re still able to enjoy the story. I’m currently reading, and definitely enjoying, the last piece of Stephanie Dray’s telling of Cleopatra Selene which is due out this Tuesday, the 3rd. I can’t wait to finish so I can share my thoughts with you all. If you haven’t started these books yet I hope my thoughts will nudge you into considering them =) 

Mishel Reviews: Lily of the Nile - Stephanie Dray

Mishel reviews

Series or Stand Alone: Cleopatra’s Daughter, book one

Release Date:  January 2011 

Publisher: Berkley Trade

Pages:  351

Author Site:  

My Rating: 4,5/5 

Source: My personal bookshelf/Own

Cover: Thumbs up!

Heiress of one empire and prisoner of another, it is up to the daughter of Cleopatra to save her brothers and reclaim what is rightfully hers...  

To Isis worshippers, Princess Selene and her twin brother Helios embody the divine celestial pair who will bring about a Golden Age. But when Selene's parents are vanquished by Rome, her auspicious birth becomes a curse. Trapped in an empire that reviles her heritage and suspects her faith, the young messianic princess struggles for survival in a Roman court of intrigue. She can't hide the hieroglyphics that carve themselves into her hands, nor can she stop the emperor from using her powers for his own ends. But faced with a new and ruthless Caesar who is obsessed with having a Cleopatra of his very own, Selene is determined to resurrect her mother's dreams. Can she succeed where her mother failed? And what will it cost her in a political game where the only rule is win-or  die?

Review:

Let me preface this review by saying I’ve already read the second book of this series. I read book two (for review) back at P.S. I Love Books and I never actually posted a review because I stopped blogging. But as I am now slowly coming back to the book reviewing world (which I’ve missed so much *hugsssss*) I was super lucky to be contacted to review Stephanie Dray’s third book (due out December 3rd) in the Cleopatra’s Daughter series. So naturally I went out and bought book one and two (my first copy of book two is stored away and I can’t seem to find it, yeah-so not cool!) so I could reacquaint myself with the story of Selene, the daughter of the last pharaoh of Egypt and Mark Antony of Rome.

Lily of the Nile begins shortly after the end of the war between Egypt and Rome. It covers the time from Cleopatra’s death to Selene’s betrothal, which is roughly four years. Although this is the opening to a trilogy, it can be read as a standalone. The ending events of the book were wisely chosen and the conclusion is satisfying. But be forewarned, you may not be able to stop yourself from getting the second or third book. After Cleopatra’s death her last remaining children are taken prisoners to Rome by the Emperor, Augustus. Selene, her twin Helios, and their younger brother are to live with Mark Antony’s Roman wife and Augustus’ sister, Octavia. Quite a mouthful of facts – I know. Reading from Selene’s ten-year-old (and on) point of view was surprisingly plausible and engrossing. Selene, like most of the other children of the book, is far more mature than many modern adults. And while she may not have a lot of world experience just yet she will gain a plethora of experiences, ranging from heartbreakingly horrible to something closely resembling love and happiness.

The only books about Cleopatra, Selene, or this time period that I’ve read are book two in this series, Song of the Nile (which I’m re-reading) and Michelle Moran’s Cleopatra’s Daughter. So I don’t have a big knowledge base of this time period. Facts are facts in history though, no one can change that. But the fiction part of historical fiction is the amazing things authors can create to “fill in the gaps”. Stephanie Dray’s writing is fantastic. It was easy to get lost in the descriptive writing, the cleverly added mysticism and magical elements, and the fully fleshed out characters. I was as drawn to the people surrounding Selene as I was to Selene herself. Details were never rushed and with my limited knowledge I never once felt out of place or confused. I just know I wanted more of this dangerous time period in history. It’s hard to imagine being Selene’s age and having such a burden put upon you. But I felt I got to know Selene through her intimate thoughts, fears, and daily struggles to stay alive in the same household as the murderer of her family and possibly her very future. 

I’m excited to continue on with this trilogy and eager to see what Stephanie Dray has in store for us outside of Selene’s life with future books. I know many historical fictions fans, be they newbies or old pros, will enjoy the research-evident and beautifully written world that Stephanie has laid out in Lily of the Nile.

Review: Lily of the Nile - Stephanie Dray

Cleopatra's Daughter 1
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 368
Published: January 2011

Heiress of one empire and prisoner of another, it is up to the daughter of Cleopatra to save her brothers and reclaim what is rightfully hers...

To Isis worshippers, Princess Selene and her twin brother Helios embody the divine celestial pair who will bring about a Golden Age. But when Selene's parents are vanquished by Rome, her auspicious birth becomes a curse. Trapped in an empire that reviles her heritage and suspects her faith, the young messianic princess struggles for survival in a Roman court of intrigue. She can't hide the hieroglyphics that carve themselves into her hands, nor can she stop the emperor from using her powers for his own ends. But faced with a new and ruthless Caesar who is obsessed with having a Cleopatra of his very own, Selene is determined to resurrect her mother's dreams. Can she succeed where her mother failed? And what will it cost her in a political game where the only rule is win-or die?

My thoughts:

This is book one about Princess Selene, but it is a novel that easily can stand on its own. One aspect of her life ends when the book ends, and it's a good solid ending. But she has more to experience, and that will come later.

This is then the story of Selene, daughter of Cleopatra and Marc Anthony. A girl who managed to stay more in the shadows of time than her famous mother. She, her twin Helios, and their younger brother was brought to Rome as prisoners and were taken in by Octavia, sister of Octavian. This time in Rome is what this book is about.

Again I must say that I am pretty appalled by the Romans. A woman had no real worth or say in things. Her only duty was to marry a man, and bear him a son. That's it. She should not speak or have ideas, and if the man said she was unfaithful she suffered while he could marry someone else. It was a man's world. And this is one of the things the novel does well, Selene is from another culture, one where woman has opinions, and it's a clash of cultures.

One thing about the book that makes it less historical fiction is the magic. There truly is magic and Selene is getting messages from the Goddess Isis, carved into her arms. At first I was not sure, about magic but I just had to adjust and think that who knows, maybe there was magic then. That way I could still feel it was historical fiction, and not something else.

And I just have to mention one thing about Octavian, Ceasar, what a self-righteous ass he was.

Recommendation and final thoughts:

It's a shame that Selene is not more known. She is getting her story told now, and that is good. Because it is fascinating and she lived at a thrilling time. The book is an interesting mix of facts, fiction, and fantasy.

Reason for reading:

I wondered about the magic and such.

Cover: 

Lovely