Book Review: Justina - Daughter of Spartacus by Ryan Lew

Author: Ryan Lew

Title: Justina - Daughter of Spartacus

Series: Justina Saga #1

Genre: Historical Fiction

Format: ebook

Pages: 310

Published: November 17, 2017

Where I Got It: My shelf (Amazon Freebie)

Summary: 

For two thousand years, the rise and fall of Julius Caesar has captivated the world. All know his name. Few know the truth.

Love. Honor. Treachery.

Justina. A name lost to history. A young girl, barely a woman, raised in the Roman elite. When her true identity is discovered, the revelation will send her world spinning and propel her down a path toward her destiny...and Caesar. With enemies and lies encompassing her entire existence, her true past will determine her incredible future and that of the entire Republic.

Power. Secrets. Betrayal.

While Caesar builds his power in Rome, weaving a web of spies and alliances, one young girl's fate is on a collision course with his own. Rome's biggest challenge of the past 20 years came from a man known as Spartacus. Now, his unknown daughter threatens all that Rome has built.

Review:

This was a freebie and I had been craving an Ancient Rome tale. So why not!

Here we follow Justina. Her name was lost to history. She is a young woman raised in the Roman elite circle. When her true identity is discovered, her world is sent spinning and her path leads to Caesar. Her decisions and Caesar's decisions will impact the future of all of Rome. 

For me....this was for sure mixed. I was absolutely hooked and couldn't stop reading! And then, like a speed bump, I slowed down. And then like a stop sign and the police watching me....I stopped. And stopped for a long time. After a few days, I went back and it was a struggle to finish reading. 

I really can't point at what changed. I just wanted to be done. I found myself starting to skim some parts. The characters were diverse and complex which usually get me and make me happy. The story was perilous and dangerous (it IS Rome after all). So what was the problem? Maybe there was just too much going on? But I just know that couldn't find my rhythm that I had at the first 50% of the book. 

But yes, I started out in love and then ended up being meh about this. Not sure I'll read the next. We'll see. 

Rating? Mmmmm *does some complicated math* I'll stamp it with a 2. The last 50% I just couldn't care and just wanted to be done. I feel like this may have been a more me issue. It's me...I am the problem.