History from a Woman's Perspective- A Book Blog

     Please join M.K. Tod as she tours the blogosphere with HF Virtual Book Tours, from August 16-31. This is M.K. Tod's second tour with HFVBT. She toured previously for Lies Told in Silence in 2015. Time and Regret by M.K. Tod Release Date: August 16, 2016 Lake Union Publishing eBook & Paperback; 366 Pages Genre: Historical Fiction Source: This book was given to me by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. Read an Excerpt . Synopsis: When Grace Hansen finds a box belonging to her beloved grandfather, she has no idea it holds the key to his past—and to long-buried family secrets. In the box are his World War I diaries and a cryptic note addressed to her. Determined to solve her grandfather’s puzzle, Grace follows his diary entries across towns and battle sites in northern France, where she becomes increasingly drawn to a charming French man—and suddenly aware that someone is following her…      Through her gran

Haven: Chronicles of Warshard #1 Author: Katherine Bogle Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy Publisher: FriesenPress Release Date: May 10, 2016 Pages:208 Source: This book was given to me iRead Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Haven ( Chronicles of Warshard #1 ) is the 2nd place winner of World's Best Story!      Princess Haven was never meant to be Queen.      Her immortality has saved her time and time again, but when the last of her royal family dies at her feet, she is next in line to rule a nation on the brink of war. With no formal training on how to be Queen, Haven must rise to the occasion with the help of her best friends, and personal guard, or risk losing everyone she has ever loved.      With war to the West, and no escape to the East, the evil tyrant Kadia sets her sights on the six kingdoms. Haven's neighbors are quick to fall under the swords of Kadia's shadow soldiers, leaving a sea of bodies and a clear path to Haven's only h

Lady of the Bridge Author: Laura Kitchell Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance Publisher: Laura Kitchell Release Date: 2015 Pages: 245 Source: This book was given to me by Read for Review in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Forbidden love between a warrior princess and an elite samurai makes for an adventure set during the early days of the Tokugawa shogunate. Join this couple in a race across 17th century Japan where political unrest has created dangerous ronin, civil uprisings, and war-ravaged castles. Caught in the middle of the struggle between Shogun's rise to rule and the old regime, this warrior princess is forced to battle for her life.       In the end, she must choose between family honor and her heart's desire.        My Review: Princess Saiko  has lived a sheltered and privileged life. Her father dotes on her and allows her to study martial arts. When the time comes for her to be the imperial consort to the emperor of Japan in Kyoto, the princess i

A Most Magical Girl Author: Karen Foxlee Genre: Children's, Historical Fiction, Fantasy Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers Release Date: August 2, 2016 Pages: 304 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: From the author of Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy comes the story of a friendship between two girls set in Victorian England, with magical machines, wizards, witches, a mysterious underworld, and a race against time.      Annabel Grey is primed for a proper life as a young lady in Victorian England. But when her mother suddenly disappears, she’s put in the care of two eccentric aunts who thrust her into a decidedly un-ladylike life, full of potions and flying broomsticks and wizards who eat nothing but crackers. Magic, indeed! Who ever heard of such a thing?       Before Annabel can assess the most ladylike way to respond to her current predicament, she is swept up in an urgent quest. Annabel is pitted against another young witch, Kit

The Architect of Song (Haunted Hearts Legacy Book 1) Author: A. G. Howard Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Paranormal Publisher: Golden Orb Press Release Date: August 15, 2016 Pages: 318 Source: This book was given to me by Rockstar Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: A lady imprisoned by deafness, an architect imprisoned by his past, and a ghost imprisoned within the petals of a flower – intertwine in this love story that transcends life and death.       For most of her life, Juliet Emerline has subsisted – isolated by deafness – making hats in the solitude of her home. Now, she’s at risk to lose her sanctuary to Lord Nicolas Thornton, a mysterious and eccentric architect with designs on her humble estate. When she secretly witnesses him raging beside a grave, Juliet investigates, finding the name “Hawk” on the headstone and an unusual flower at the base. The moment Juliet touches the petals, a young English nobleman appears in ghostly form, singing a so

Throne of Lies Author: Sara Secora Genre: YA, Fantasy Synopsis: As a seventeen-year-old ruler chafing under the obligations of her bloodline, Princess Amethysta Serelle finds the royal life anything but enchanting.      Betrothed to a nefarious highborn, Amethysta’s heart mourns her lost chance at love—that is, until she becomes mesmerized by someone other than her suitor, and her heart begins to beat anew.      Desperate to keep her daughter on the path toward duty and the throne, the queen keeps a deadly secret. But as Amethysta balances the burden of expectations and freedom, the glowing, blue truth will not stay hidden for much longer.      Desire and duty battle on, further complicated by strange occurrences happening to Amethysta’s body. She struggles for control as her once unquestioned reality is obliterated.      Will she discover the truth, in her heart and hands, before it’s too late?      Buy the book on   Amazon . Author Bio      Sara Secora has a p

Wolf Hollow Author: Lauren Wolk Genre: Children, Historical Fiction Publisher:  Dutton Books for Young Readers Release Date: May 3, 2016 Pages: 304 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Growing up in the shadows cast by two world wars, Annabelle has lived a mostly quiet, steady life in her small Pennsylvania town. Until the day new student Betty Glengarry walks into her class. Betty quickly reveals herself to be cruel and manipulative, and while her bullying seems isolated at first, things quickly escalate, and reclusive World War I veteran Toby becomes a target of her attacks. While others have always seen Toby’s strangeness, Annabelle knows only kindness. She will soon need to find the courage to stand as a lone voice of justice as tensions mount.      Brilliantly crafted, Wolf Hollow is a haunting tale of America at a crossroads and a time when one girl’s resilience and strength help to illuminate the darkest corners of our history.    

Setting the World on Fire: The Brief, Astonishing Life of St. Catherine of Siena Author: Shelley Emling Genre: Nonfiction, History, Biography, Religion Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin Release Date: April 5, 2016 Pages: 256 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: One of only two patron saints of Italy, the other being St. Francis of Assisi, St. Catherine was ahead of her time. As a political powerhouse in late 14th century Europe, a time of war, social unrest and one of the worst natural disasters of all time--the plague, she worked for peace between Christians while campaigning for a holy crusade against Muslims. She was illiterate but grew into a great writer by dictating to assistants. She was frail and punished herself mercilessly, often starving herself, while offering moral guidance and inspiration to kings, queens and popes.      It's easy to see why feminists through the years have sought to claim the patronage of St. Catherine. From

The Star-Touched Queen Author: Roshani Chokshi Genre: YA, Fantasy Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin Release Date: April 26, 2016 Pages: 353 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Fate and fortune. Power and passion. What does it take to be the queen of a kingdom when you're only seventeen?      Maya is cursed. With a horoscope that promises a marriage of Death and Destruction, she has earned only the scorn and fear of her father's kingdom. Content to follow more scholarly pursuits, her whole world is torn apart when her father, the Raja, arranges a wedding of political convenience to quell outside rebellions. Soon Maya becomes the queen of Akaran and wife of Amar. Neither roles are what she expected: As Akaran's queen, she finds her voice and power. As Amar's wife, she finds something else entirely: Compassion. Protection. Desire…      But Akaran has its own secrets -- thousands of locked doors, gardens of glass, and a tree tha

Sacred Legacy by Kat Flannery Publication Date: July 31, 2016 Imajin Books eBook & Paperback; 234 Pages Series: The Branded Trilogy, Book 3 Genre: Historical/Romance/Western Source: This book was given to me by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Tsura is a Chuvani, and with that comes great power…      Desperate to escape the memories that haunt her, Tsura Harris returns to Jamestown, the very place her mother forbade her to go. A gifted Chuvani, Tsura has sworn off all magick, thus making her vulnerable to the Renoldi clan, who wish to kill her and take the pendant that is the key to her power.      Red Wolf is hell-bent on living his life on the sea, until he runs into Tsura on the docks. His pride wounded from her rejection years before, he hoped to never see her again. But when the evil Corsair, Romulus Black, demands to know where she is, Red Wolf must protect her, as is his duty.      But is duty a

Today, I would like to celebrate the third year of having this blog! It has been an amazing ride! I appreciate the support from my fellow bloggers and my readers! I look forward to bringing more honest reviews this year along with guest posts and author interviews! Thank you all so much!

Madame Presidentess by Nicole Evelina Publication Date: July 25, 2016 Lawson Gartner Publishing eBook & Paperback; 400 Pages Genre: Historical Fiction        Source: This book was given to me by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours in exchange for an honest review  Synopsis:  *Winner: U.S. Women’s History category – 2015 Chaucer Awards for Historical Fiction      Forty-eight years before women were granted the right to vote, one woman dared to run for President of the United States, yet her name has been virtually written out of the history books.      Rising from the shame of an abusive childhood, Victoria Woodhull, the daughter of a con-man and a religious zealot, vows to follow her destiny, one the spirits say will lead her out of poverty to “become ruler of her people.”      But the road to glory is far from easy. A nightmarish marriage teaches Victoria that women are stronger and deserve far more credit than society gives. Eschewing the conventions