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Showing posts from January, 2018

The Lost Season of Love and Snow by Jennifer Laam: A Book Review

The Lost Season of Love and Snow Author: Jennifer Laam Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: St. Martin’s Press Release Date: January 2, 2018 Pages: 344 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: The unforgettable story of Alexander Pushkin’s beautiful wife, Natalya, a woman much admired at Court, and how she became reviled as the villain of St. Petersburg.      At the beguiling age of sixteen, Natalya Goncharova is stunningly beautiful and intellectually curious. At her first public ball during the Christmas of 1828, she attracts the romantic attention of Russia’s most lauded rebel poet: Alexander Pushkin. Finding herself deeply attracted to Alexander’s intensity and joie de vivre, Natalya is swept up in a courtship and then a marriage full of passion but also destructive jealousies. When vicious court gossip leads Alexander to defend his honor as well as Natalya’s in a duel, he tragically succumbs to his injuries. Natalya finds herself reviled for

The English Wife by Lauren Willig: A Book Review

The English Wife Author: Lauren Willig Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery Publisher: St. Martin’s Press Release Date: January 9, 2018 Pages: 379 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: From New York Times bestselling author, Lauren Willig, comes this scandalous novel set in the Gilded Age, full of family secrets, affairs, and even murder.      Annabelle and Bayard Van Duyvil live a charmed life in New York: he's the scion of an old Knickerbocker family, she grew up in a Tudor manor in England, they had a whirlwind romance in London, they have three year old twins on whom they dote, and he's recreated her family home on the banks of the Hudson and renamed it Illyria. Yes, there are rumors that she's having an affair with the architect, but rumors are rumors and people will gossip. But then Bayard is found dead with a knife in his chest on the night of their Twelfth Night Ball, Annabelle goes missing, presumed drowned, and the papers

The Pearl Sister (The Seven Sisters #4) by Lucinda Riley: A Book Review

The Pearl Sister (The Seven Sisters #4) Author: Lucinda Riley Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance Publisher: Atria Release Date: January 23, 2018 Pages: 702 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: From the breathtaking beaches of Thailand to the barely tamed wilds of colonial Australia, The Pearl Sister is the next captivating story in New York Times bestselling author Lucinda Riley’s epic series about two women searching for a place to call home.      CeCe D’Aplièse has always felt like an outcast. But following the death of her father—the reclusive billionaire affectionately called Pa Salt by the six daughters he adopted from around the globe—she finds herself more alone than ever. With nothing left to lose, CeCe delves into the mystery of her familial origins. The only clues she holds are a black and white photograph and the name of a female pioneer who once traversed the globe from Scotland to Australia.      One hundred years earlier, Kit

Deborah Calling by Avraham Azrieli: A Book Review

Deborah Calling  Author: Avraham Azrieli Genre: Historical Fiction, Christian, Biblical Fiction Publisher: HarperLegend Release Date: 2017 Pages: 432 Source: This book was given to me by TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: The author of the bestselling Deborah Rising continues the fascinating story of the Biblical prophetess Deborah in this entrancing work of visionary fiction—a tale of danger, mysticism, intrigue, and daring for fans of The Red Tent , The Mists of Avalon , and The Alchemist .      Deborah’s father dreamed that, one day, she would become a prophet—a seemingly impossible dream for a woman in a patriarchal society. To see her father’s dream come true, Deborah made the cunning decision to become a man and sought out a mysterious elixirist who can turn women into men.      Under the elixirist Kassite’s tutelage and training, Deborah learns the essential traits of masculinity and steadily grows stronger, building muscle and willpower. But

Blog Tour: Feathered: (Swan Maiden Book #1) by Rachel Wollaston: A Book Review

Feathered: Swan Maiden – Book 1 Author: Rachel Wollaston Genre: Fantasy Source: This book was given to me by Enchanted Book Promotions in exchange for an honest review.      The light and the dark were never meant to be separated.      When her bargain with a malevolent wizard goes terribly wrong, Marion DuVal finds herself trapped between two forms: a beautiful but darker parallel of herself, and a swan. Somehow, she must adhere to the wizard’s wishes, but it’s hard to perform epic magic when your feet are flippers and your neck’s the length of a small fishing pole. Caught up in a lie of royal proportions, her task is to get close to the queen, and such a thing is difficult when a certain handsome prince keeps getting in the way.      One girl; two identities. Marion must stop the darkness inside her before it’s too late.      Based on the classic tale of Swan Lake.       My Review: Feathered is a retelling of Swan Lake. Marion has been found guilty of witchcraft and ha

Blog Tour: Bad Princess by Kris Waldherr: A Book Review

Bad Princess Author: Kris Waldherr Pub. Date: January 30, 2018 Publisher: Scholastic Nonfiction Pages: 128 Formats: Hardcover, eBook Find it: Goodreads , Amazon , B&N , iBooks , TBD Source: This book was given to me by Rockstar Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Forget everything you thought you knew about princesses...       Welcome to Bad Princess by Kris Waldherr (author of Doomed Queens ), where you'll discover what really happens after "Happily Ever After." From the war-torn Dark Ages of Medieval Europe to America's Gilded Age, and all the way up to Kate Middleton, Bad Princess explores more than 30 true princess stories, going beyond the glitz and glamour to find out what life was really like for young royals throughout history.        A mix of royal biography, pop culture, art, style, and pure fun, Bad Princess is a whip-smart, tongue-in-cheek spin on the traditional princess narrative, proving that it takes more than a pret

My Most Anticipated Books of 2018!

The year 2018 seems like such a great year for lovers of historical fiction. There are many good books that will be released within the year. Clear your calendars, because there will need to be several days and nights of good reading! Here is a list of some of my most anticipated books of 2018: To be honest, I don't really know much about Alexander Pushkin or his wife Natalya. However, I read The Secret Daughter of the Last Tsar , and I enjoyed it immensely. Release Date: Jan. 2nd This book has just been released. I saw this at my local library the other day, and it looks really good. It has everything that I want in a gothic novel; secrets, murder, and mystery. I have heard many people raving about this author.  It seems like a perfect read on a cold winter's day, so I will definitely check it out soon! Release Date: Jan. 9th As a fan of historical mysteries, this looks like a fun read. I also like that it has a unique setting, which is set in India. Re

Blog Tour: Deborah Rising by Avraham Azrieli: A Book Review

Deborah Rising Author: Avraham Azrieli Genre: Historical Fiction, Christian, Biblical Fiction Publisher: HarperLegend Release Date: 2016 Pages: 330 Source: This book was given to me by TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: In the tradition of The Red Tent , The Fifth Mountain , and The Mists of Avalon comes this absorbing historical novel that reimagines the life of one of the Bible's most revered women, the prophetess Deborah, and her epic journey to fulfill her destiny.      Deborah's father dreamed that his daughter would one day become a prophet of the God of the Israelites. But the social and religious mores of her time dictated that a woman must marry--even against her will--and obey her husband. When Deborah is forced into an engagement with the violent son of her local judge, the young Hebrew woman rebels, determined to forge a new path.      Captivated by the notion of transforming herself into a man to escape the arranged marriage and

The Woman in the Camphor Trunk (Anna Blanc Mystery #2) by Jennifer Kincheloe: A Book Review

The Woman in the Camphor Trunk (Anna Blanc Mystery #2) Author: Jennifer Kincheloe Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Mystery Publisher: Seventh Street Books Release Date: 2017 Pages: 304 Source: This book was given to me by the publisher and the audiobook was given to me by Audiobookworm Promotions blog tour in exchange for an honest review Synopsis: In early-1900s Los Angeles-- an era of courting, ragtime, suffragettes, and widespread corruption-- a socialite turned police matron tracks down the murderer of a white woman in Chinatown, while trying to prevent the outbreak of a bloody tong war.      Los Angeles, 1908. In Chinatown, the most dangerous beat in Los Angeles, police matron Anna Blanc and her former sweetheart, Detective Joe Singer, discover the body of a white missionary woman, stuffed in a trunk in the apartment of her Chinese lover. If news about the murder gets out, there will be a violent backlash against the Chinese. Joe and Anna work to solve the crime quietl

Guest Post by Ralph Webster: Female or Male Perspective?

     Today's guest writer is Ralph Webster. He is the author of A Smile in One Eye . His latest novel, One More Moon will be released on February 28th. The novel tells the story of his grandmother’s desperate journey from her life at the Pensione Alexandra in Naples to America. Mr. Webster explains the approach he took in writing from a female perspective in One More Moon. Female or Male Perspective?      Whose voice?  A woman’s or a man’s?      This past week I was asked “how was writing One More Moon different from what I’d experienced writing the last book?”  It’s a curious question - one that I find myself reflecting upon now and certainly something that I was not overly conscious of when I was writing.  Had I considered the difference, would it have changed the way I wrote One More Moon ?      Old habits are hard to break.  I can’t say the way I approached the writing changed much - the way I researched, my daily routine, the thought process.  I always take my cra

Blog Tour: The Woman in The Camphor Trunk (Anna Black Mystery #2) by Jennifer Kincheloe

Author: Jennifer Kincheloe Narrator: Moira Quirk Length: 10 hours 50 minutes Series: Anna Blanc Mysteries, Book 2 Publisher: Jennifer Kincheloe Released: Nov. 14, 2017 Genre: Historical Fiction Mystery      Los Angeles, 1908. In Chinatown, the most dangerous beat in Los Angeles, police matron Anna Blanc and her former sweetheart, Detective Joe Singer, discover the body of a white missionary woman, stuffed in a trunk in the apartment of her Chinese lover. If news about the murder gets out, there will be a violent backlash against the Chinese. Joe and Anna work to solve the crime quietly and keep the death a secret, reluctantly helped by the good-looking Mr. Jones, a prominent local leader.      Meanwhile, the kidnapping of two slave girls fuels existing tensions, leaving Chinatown poised on the verge of a bloody tong war. Joe orders Anna to stay away, but Anna is determined to solve the crime before news of the murder is leaked and Chinatown explodes.