History from a Woman's Perspective- A Book Blog

The Fire of Winter by D.K. Marley Publication Date: June 1, 2019 eBook; 355 Pages Genre: Historical Fiction Source: This book was given to me by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis : Gruah, granddaughter of King Cìnéad III of the Royal Clan Alpin, marries two men in less than six months, one she loves and one she hates; one in secret, the other arranged by the High King of Scotland. At the age of eighteen, she lays her palm upon the ancient stone of Scone and sees her destiny as Queen of Scotland, and she vows to do whatever necessary to see her true love, Macbeth macFindlaech, beside her on the throne.      Amid the fiery times and heated onslaughts from Denmark and England, as the rule of Scotland hangs in the balance, Gruah seeks to win the throne and bring revenge upon the monsters of her childhood, no matter the cost or amount of blood tainting her own hands; yet, an unexpected meeting wit...

Lady Macbeth: On the Couch: Inside the Mind and Life of Lady Macbeth Author: Alma H. Bond, Ph.D. Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Bancroft Press Release Date: April 15, 2014 Pages: 260 Source: This book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review Synopsis: Scholars, professors, and historians have wondered for centuries how and why Lady Macbeth, the beautiful, beloved wife of a nobleman, had to encourage--nay, push--her husband, Prince Macbeth, to commit the ghastly crime of killing the king.      The great Sigmund Freud himself said that nobody knows why the Lady did so. Dr. Alma Bond spent many years searching for the reason.      Read Lady Macbeth: On the Couch to learn the answer to this ancient mystery, and to get a fascinating, first-hand look at life more than a millennium ago.       My Review: Macbeth is one of my favorite Shakespearean plays. Yet, the character that intrigues me the most in t...

O, Juliet: A Novel Author: Robin Maxwell Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: New American Library Release Date: 2010 Pages: 352 Source: Personal Collection Synopsis: A RICH TALE OF PASSION, REVENGE, AND TRAGEDY ON THE CUSP OF THE ITALIAN RENAISSANCE: A FRESH TWIST ON THE BARD’S BELOVED ROMEO AND JULIET .       Before Juliet Capelletti lie two futures: a traditionally loveless marriage to her father's business partner, or the fulfillment of her poetic dreams, inspired by the great Dante. Unlike her beloved friend Lucrezia, who looks forward to her arranged marriage into the Medici dynasty, Juliet has a wild, romantic imagination that takes flight in the privacy of her bedchamber and on her garden balcony.      Her life and destiny are forever changed when Juliet meets Romeo Monticecco, a soulful young man seeking peace between their warring families. A dreamer himself, Romeo is unstoppable, once he determines to capture the heart of the remark...

Juliet Author: Anne Fortier Genre:  Historical Fiction, Contemporary, Mystery & Thriller Publisher: Ballantine Books Release Date: 2011 Pages: 464 Source: Personal Collection Synopsis:   When Julie Jacobs inherits a key to a safety-deposit box in Siena, Italy, she is told that it will lead her to an old family treasure. Soon she is launched on a winding and perilous journey into the history of her ancestor, Giulietta, whose legendary love for a young man named Romeo rocked the foundations of medieval Siena. As Julie crosses paths with the descendants of the families immortalized in Shakespeare’s unforgettable blood feud, she begins to realize that the notorious curse-- “A plague on both your houses!” is still at work, and that she is the next target. It seems that the only one who can save Julie from her fate is Romeo--but where is he?           My Review:  I have always been a fan of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet . I’ve always found...

Lady Macbeth: A Novel Author: Susan Fraser King Genre: Historical fiction Publisher: Crown Release Date: 2008 Pages: 352 Source: Personal Collection Synopsis: I am granddaughter to a king and  daughter to a prince, a wife twice over, a queen  as well. I have fought with sword and bow, and  struggled fierce to bear my babes into this world.  I have loved deeply and hated deeply, too.       Lady Gruadh, called Rue, is the last female descendent of Scotland’s most royal line. Married to a powerful northern lord, she is widowed while still carrying his child and forced to marry her husband’s murderer: a rising war-lord named Macbeth. Encountering danger from Vikings, Saxons, and treacherous Scottish lords, Rue begins to respect the man she once despised–and then realizes that Macbeth’s complex ambitions extend beyond the borders of the vast northern region. Among the powerful warlords and their steel-games, only Macbeth can unite Scotla...

Ophelia Author: Lisa Klein Genre: YA, Historical fiction, Suspense, Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Release Date: 2006 Pages: 336 Source: Personal Collection Synopsis: He is Hamlet, Prince of Denmark; she is simply Ophelia. If you think you know their story, think again.     In this reimagining of Shakespeare's famous tragedy, it is Ophelia who takes center stage and finally gets her due. Ambitious for knowledge and witty as well as beautiful, Ophelia catches the attention of the captivating, dark-haired Prince Hamlet, and their love blossoms in secret. But bloody deeds soon turn Denmark into a place of madness, and Ophelia will be forced to choose between her love for Hamlet and her own life. In desperation, Ophelia devises a treacherous plan to escape from Elsinore forever . . . with one very dangerous secret.       My Review: Shakespeare has always been one of my favorite playwrights. I like to read his plays during my spare time. One of his best known ...