History from a Woman's Perspective- A Book Blog

Throne of Lies ( Amethysta Trilogy #1) Author: Sara Secora Genre: YA, Fantasy Release Date: August 2016 Source: This book was given to me by YA Bound Book tours in exchange for an honest review. Summary from Goodreads:       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 str...

Death at the Paris Exposition by Frances McNamara Publication Date: September 1, 2016 Allium Press Paperback; 276 Pages Series: Emily Cabot Mysteries #6  Genre: Historical Mystery Source: This book was given to me by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.        Synopsis: Amateur sleuth Emily Cabot’s journey once again takes her to a world’s fair–the Paris Exposition of 1900. Chicago socialite Bertha Palmer is named the only female U. S. commissioner to the Exposition and enlists Emily’s services as her secretary. Their visit to the House of Worth for the fitting of a couture gown is interrupted by the theft of Mrs. Palmer’s famous pearl necklace. Before that crime can be solved, several young women meet untimely deaths and a member of the Palmer’s inner circle is accused of the crimes. As Emily races to clear the family name she encounters jealous society ladies, American heiresses seeking titled European...

The Wrong Prince by C.K. Brooke Genre: NA Fantasy Romance Release Date: June 17th 2016 48fourteen Source: This book was given to me by YA Bound Book tours in exchange for an honest review. Summary from Goodreads:      Two princes. One bride. A dire misunderstanding…      Geo and Dmitri are the princes of Tybiria. Though Geo is the obvious athlete, it's bookish Dmitri that yields the credit - and consequences - for slaying a foreign prince. But whose arrow really struck the boy?      Luccia Camerlane is the Baron of Backshore’s enigmatic daughter...as well as Prince Geo’s secret mistress…until she learns of her disastrous betrothal to none other than his brother, Prince Dmitri.      When Dmitri is abducted by the deranged King of Llewes, star-crossed lovers Geo and Lucie must set aside their woes and differences to rescue the Crown Prince from the formidable Wintersea fortress. A precocious castle ward, a fascinat...

Louisa: The Extraordinary Life of Mrs. Adams Author: Louisa Thomas Genre: Nonfiction, History, Biography Publisher: Penguin Press Release Date: April 5, 2016 Pages: 499 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review  Synopsis: An intimate portrait of Louisa Catherine Adams, the wife of John Quincy Adams, who witnessed firsthand the greatest transformations of her time.        Born in London to an American father and a British mother on the eve of the Revolutionary War, Louisa Catherine Johnson was raised in circumstances very different from the New England upbringing of the future president John Quincy Adams, whose life had been dedicated to public service from the earliest age. And yet John Quincy fell in love with her, almost despite himself. Their often tempestuous but deeply close marriage lasted half a century.       They lived in Prussia, Massachusetts, Washington, Russia, and England, at royal courts, on farms,...

     Today, I have the pleasure to interview Garrett Calcaterra. He is the author of the Dreamwielder Chronicles series. I have read and reviewed his first novel, Dreamwielder , and have immensely enjoyed it! I encourage you to read it, for you will not be disappointed! I hope this interview will give you some insight into his writing and his novels. I thank Mr. Calcaterra for generously taking the time to let me interview him. 1. What inspired you to write the Dreamwielder Chronicles ? The initial concept actually came from a dream my mom had. I was visiting over Christmas and she told me she'd had this dream that she thought I should write into a story. I groaned inwardly a little since as a writer I always have people tell me ideas they think I should turn into a story, but it turned out my mom's concept was really cool. Her dream was more or less the opening scene in the book. Obviously, there was quite a bit of work involved in turning a dream snippet...

Aphrodite's Choice by Christy English Publication Date: May 20, 2016 eBook; ASIN: B01FZQ80F0  Series: The Goddess Diaries #1 Genre: Fantasy/Mythology/Paranormal/Romance Source: This book was given to me by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.        Synopsis: Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, still walks the modern world. No longer thronged by worshipers, Aphrodite heals the bodies and souls of the men she touches, one man, one night, at a time. But not everyone thinks of her as a long-dead myth. Someone is stalking her. The men who have hunted her kind as witches for centuries have passed their hatred on to their sons.      As she flees her enemies and tries to warn her sisters of the danger facing them once again, Aphrodite is followed by one of the members of the Brotherhood, a man who has been given the task of killing her, and any of her sisters who cross his path. But it does not take he...

The Mermaid and the Treasure of the Bay Author: A. Algeri Genre: YA, Fantasy Publisher: A. Algeri Release Date: 2015 Pages: 209 Source: This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.  Synopsis: The Mermaid and the Treasure of the Bay is the first adventure of Brinn, a young woman who had recently returned to her homeland, Nyar Kaad, after years of being away.       For her mother and sister it’s only supposed to be an episodic stay, because their intention is to return to the capital, Adaria, held by both aristocrats, by then, to be their home. Brinn, however, isn’t interested in living in the golden cage of high society and aspires to a different existence, that will push her to oppose the decisions of her family and to pursue a destiny according to her own wishes.       The accidental discovery of what looks like a map to hidden treasure, buried in Nyar Kaad, according to tradition, by pirates once dwe...

Red: The Untold Story by Angela M. Hudson Genre: YA Fairytale Retelling Release Date: July 25th 2016 Summary from Goodreads:      A powerful new YA novel by award-winning dark romance author AM Hudson.      Do not go gentle into the wolf's asylum...      Once every twenty years, pack alpha Luther takes a new wife. On the day of Selection, Red is chosen. Just as her family always planned. Just as she always planned. Until she met Alex Plain.      Alex took Red to worlds she never imagined, where the ordinary is seen as magical, and the upright is abstract. With the help of this new friendship, Red begins to see a future for herself outside of the pack. But, unfortunately, Alex Plain came along too late.      Red is obligated to marry Luther now, and taken to live in the mysterious Ravenswood Mansion, where truth lies and the walls have eyes. What Red learns there about her alpha will ignite some bur...

A Clearing in the Forest by Kim Love Stump Genre: YA Fantasy Summary:  Princess Adriana is about to leave the Kingdom of Ayrden on the Journey of her sixteenth year.      If she is ever to ascend to the throne, Adriana must go—alone and unarmed—into the unknown. She’s been trained and gifted for the journey, just like all the royals who preceded her—even the ones who never returned.      Adriana leaves Ayrden on her brother’s black stallion the day after her birthday celebration, with bravery in her heart and hopes for a quick return. When three paths emerge, one of grass, one of gold, and one of gemstones, she chooses the pragmatic path of grass. Although it seems safe, and the landscape familiar, she soon finds she will have to overcome nearly impossible challenges. Ultimately, an unexpected friendship not only changes Adriana, but the very kingdom she someday hopes to rule. The question is, will the friendship turn into everlasting love? Ab...

Give in to the Feeling Author: Sarah Zama Genre: Historical Fiction, Paranormal Publisher: Sarah Zama Release Date: March 4, 2016 Source: This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Chicago 1924      When Susie dances with Blood in Simon’s speakeasy, she discovers there’s a new world beyond the things she owns and the things she’s allowed to do. Blood values her thoughts, her feelings and offers his respect for her as a person. So different from the luxury Simon has offered her. The exciting club nights and the new freedom of dressing and doing as she pleases.      But Susie’s still Simon’s woman, and he won’t allow her to forget it.      Soon, Susie there might be more than two men fighting over her. As Blood and Simon confront each other, Susie sees the spirit world filter into her world and crack the reality she knows. And when she looks through the shards of the illusion she’s been livi...