David Blog Tour: Guest post from author Mary Hoffman on her favourite historical fiction authors

 

To celebrate the release of David, author Mary Hoffman has stopped by today as part of the blog tour to talk about her favourite authors- welcome Mary!

Who are your favourite writers of Histfic?

• Georgette Heyer

When I was quite young, my older sister was a great fan of the Regency novels of Georgette Heyer and I used to borrow her copies. I didn’t notice that they were “historical novels” – I just read them for the romance!  My absolute favourite was Devil’s Cub, and my older sister’s was the book that preceded it:These Old Shades. 

Some people think it’s smart to sneer at Georgette Heyer, dubbing her a “romantic novelist” and “women’s writer” two of the worst things you can say about anyone, apparently. But, boy, did she know how to plot! And we discovered her detective novels too – like Blunt Instrument – which are really good.

I haven’t re-read her for years but I remember her books with affection – especially The Devil’s Cub. And the Marquis Dominic de Vidal remains my idea of the irresistible romantic hero.

• Mary Renault

I did not read Mary Renault till a couple of years ago, though the titles The Bull from the Sea and The King Must Die had been lodged in my mind for decades. I read both of those and The Last of the Wine and loved them. I have yet to read the Alexander trilogy but it’s high on my list.

What I really adored was the all the part about the Crane Dance in The King Must Die. And the bull-leaping. I completely believed in all that. But not even an artist of Mary Renault’s skills could convince me that Theseus is a sympathetic hero.

• Robert Graves

I read I, Claudius and Claudius the God while I was still at school and was completely absorbed by them. I was doing A level Latin so felt quite at home in Imperial Rome. But I didn’t know that Graves had written more till I met my husband, who introduced me to Count Belisarius and King Jesus.

I think it really helps that Graves is a poet and mythographer; I’ve had his  Greek Myths on my shelves for longer than I can remember and it’s one of my Desert Island books.

• Rosemary Sutcliff

I wish I’d been a child when Sutcliff was writing her amazing Legionary books. I came to them late as an adult and that makes them a bit different. But the book of hers I most admire (even though as a judge on the Other Award, I voted for her Boudicca novel, Song for a Dark Queen), is Sword at Sunset.

The King Arthur body of legends is important to me – as to many others – and Malory’s Morte Darthur is another Desert Island Book. Sutcliff wrote a very good trilogy re-telling those legends but in the earlier Sword at Sunset, she imagined what the real, historical Arthur might have been like. I’ve read it many times and it’s about time I read it again – one of my all-time favourites.

• Contemporary writers

I suppose I read more teenage writers of historical fiction – Celia Rees, Mary Hooper, Geraldine McCaughrean  - than adult. But I’ve read and enjoyed Tracy Chevalier. I have never read Jean Plaidy or Anya Seton. But now that I write historical fiction myself, maybe it’s time to give them a go.

One claim to fame I do have: I have read all twenty-seven of Sir Walter Scott’s novels and own a set. Don’t offer to test me on them!

Thanks for stopping by Mary! I love Georgette Heyer too and I have These Old Shades out from the library for this summer to read as part of my Georgette Heyer Challenge 2011. Rosemary Sutcliffe sounds like an author I might like to try.

David is a complex and intriguing book that I enjoyed reading so if you're a historical fiction fan, you may want to check out my review for it here. 

Don't forget to check out the next tour stop tomorrow at Fluttering Butterflies!

Where to find Mary:

www.maryhoffman.co.uk

www.twitter.com/@MARYMHOFFMAN


www.facebook.com/maryhoffman.fanpage

www.bookmavenmary.blogspot.com

Thank you to Bloomsbury UK for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

Book Review: David by Mary Hoffman

Goodreads description

Michelangelo’s statue of David is famous around the world. Millions flock to Italy every year to admire the physical perfection of the young man captured within the marble. But the identity of the model has never been known . . . until now. In this epic tale, acclaimed author Mary Hoffman imagines the story of Gabriele, a naïve but incredibly handsome young man who is hired as Michelangelo’s model, only to find himself drawn into a world of spies, political treachery, and murder. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Florence in its most turbulent times, this is a rich, colorful and thrilling tale that gives life to one of the world’s greatest masterpieces.

 
 
 
 
My Review 
 
I didn't know much about Michaelangelo's David before I heard of Mary Hoffman's new book but upon reading the synopsis, I was intrigued by the concept of exploring the man behind the model of one of the world's most famous works of art when very little is known of him.

Gabriele de Lauri is a young and strapping man in 1501 who has never left his Sedignano country home and has no money to speak of. Setting off on an adventure to the city of Florence, his only hope is of finding his milk brother, the well known sculptor Michaelangelo. Far from just working with his hands to go back with enough money to settle down with his sweetheart, he finds himself entangled in the backstabbing politics of the city and immortalised in the statue that would become to be known as David.

I'd never read any of Hoffman's books before but the way she tackled this story has won me as a fan of hers.  She writes pure quality historical fiction because although there isn't a lot to work with for the character of Gabriele, the life story she fabricates around him was plausible and kept me entertained with political intrigue, loyalties and an appreciation of the work of artists around the time all appearing in the plot. I learnt lots about the political scene of the time with the rivalries of the pro- Medicians and Republicans through her informative and engrossing narrative.

Gabriele was bought to life really well into a complex layered character that seems very plausible for the statue of David, being  handsome and innocent when he arrives fresh from the country. I liked how he wasn't only a man possessed of looks but also intelligence because he learns readily and quickly and has an admirable appreciation for and interest in art. At the beginning he is naive for example he gets robbed on his first night in the city and knows nothing of politics but his character develops hugely and the book sees him through the transition from a boy to a man. Despite the mistakes he makes- mainly involving fidelity- it is hard not to like him because he is always well meaning at heart and has a lovely sense of humour.

Real life characters such Michaelangelo also feature and his is depicted as a man just like any other who needs to earn his living but is lucky to be doing what he loves. His relationship with Gabriele was strong and it was interesting to read their brotherly banter and affection towards each other. Another historical character was Leonardo da Vinci in the middle of creating his masterpiece the Mona Lisa and I loved finding out about the story of who modelled for the painting. Art lovers will especially enjoy the artistic elements and I found that they added a depth of reality to the story.

The fast placed plot lives up to the characters with many twists and turns as Gabriele is embroiled with the political strongholds in the city and finds himself in a dangerous and vulnerable position as he works out who he can really trust and faces the consequences of his mistakes.The adventurous nature had me in suspense as to the fate of the characters as it wasn't at all predictable.

Through the detailed writing, I was sucked into Renaissance Florence with the artistic splendour and darker side of the city becoming lifelike and bouncing off the pages. Ever since I visited Rome and Milan last year, I've loved Italy and have a tie to it because my mum lived there for a while and a close friend of mine lives there too. So David's beautiful Italian setting is to die for! It has made me long to visit Florence to see the streets described in this book for myself and I think it would be heard to read it without wishing to.

The one thing that I didn't like so much about this book was the sexual elements in the story because although they are realistic of the time nothing was really graphic, the detail that is there could have been toned down to make it more suitable for younger teenagers like me. Unfortunately, it did affect my enjoyment and detracted from the rest of the story for me. It's because of this that I would only recommend David to the upper teen/YA audience even though I'm at the lower end.

Verdict/ Speed Read:  I thoroughly enjoyed the strong and intriguing plot, thrilling pace, and gorgeous Italian setting of David. It was especially refreshing in the historical genre and I don't think it's appeal will be limited to just a YA audience. I am looking forward to reading Hoffman's other books and I'm hoping to read Troubadour this summer as I have it on my shelf!

Rating: 4 stars

Thank you to Bloomsbury for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

If you like the sound of David, check out the blog tour for it that's happening for it at the moment and will be stopping by here next week by clicking on the picture below.


 

Book Review: Waterfall by Lisa T Bergren

Goodreads description

Lisa Tawn Bergren's new YA series, River of Time, is romantic, historical fiction in which the plucky heroine doesn't have to fear a vampire's bite but must still fight for her life.

In Waterfall, American teenager Gabi Betarrini accidently finds herself in Fourteenth-Century Italy . . . Knights. Swords. Horses. Armor. And Italian hotties. Most American teens want an Italian vacation, but the Betarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives there with their archaeologist parents. Stuck on yet another hot, dusty dig, they are bored out of their minds... until they place their hands atop handprints in an ancient tomb and find themselves catapulted into the Fourteenth Century and in the middle of a fierce battle between knights bent on killing one another.

My review

When I picked up Waterfall I was really hoping that I would enjoy it as much as some of the other bloggers whose reviews I’ve read but by the time I’d finished, I wanted to announce to the world that everyone should go out and buy it immediately and I couldn’t wait to start recommending it! It has everything that a perfect medieval time travel should have: sword fights, hot Knights, a feisty heroine, castles, pretty dresses,  danger, humour and of course…. a good dose of romance! If you haven’t already guessed, I fell head over heels in love with it and it has earned its place on my favourite’s shelf. I actually put off writing this review for quite a while because I wasn’t sure quite how I could begin to explain what I thought about it…..

The heroine and main character Gabi, who narrates the book is a bold and strong girl who is also kind hearted and fiercely loyal whilst having believable human weaknesses too. Most of the time she has lots of common sense but she also has an impetuous nature so instead of steering away from the danger she faces, she wants to jump right into the action to wield her sword along with the men whilst feeling like a nervous wreck inside. She is the kind of girl who refuses to ride sidesaddle on a horse and is prepared to scale a high castle wall to rescue her sister. This makes the plot a whole lot more adventurous but leads Gabi into a lot of trouble too. Yet even when times got tough, she stuck them out resiliently and was determined to find her sister Lia. I loved having her as narrator because her inner monologue is witty at times and gave a good insight into how she felt travelling unexpectedly back in time.

But where’s a leading lady without her handsome hero? Cue the handsome and chivalrous Knights by her side that are willing to die to protect her. The romance was so adorable and I was cheering for Gabi and her chosen man all the way despite the challenges because they were just born for each other. If there’s any love that can transcend through time, than it’s definitely the one to be found in this book.

There was also whole cast of well written and memorable secondary characters such as Marcello’s flirtatious and easy going cousin Luca, Gabi’s sister Lia who has great talent with a bow and arrow and Marcello’s back stabbing prospective fiancée Lady Rossi. Their convincing characteristics and differing complex personalities were part of what made the book really come alive for me because I truly cared about what happened to them. I particularly loved the main male characters because they were all such genuinely honest, kind and chivalrous gentlemen who put men of our century to shame.

The plot swept me in with adventure, political intrigue, passion and page turning excitement. I liked how other plot elements weren’t sacrificed because the pages were filled with both suspenseful and heart stopping action as well as great character development and interactions, which is often hard to find together in YA. It was amusing to read how Gabi slowly tried to adjust to being in the fourteen century at the beginning with lots of embarrassing mistakes and enthralling to watch epic fight-to-the-death battles play out in my mind later on.  With so many elements of the plot, it might sound chaotic but it all slots together smoothly and everything comes together really well. 

I’m unsure how accurate the historical detail in the book is, but to me it was a convincing setting and I wouldn’t care if it wasn’t based on truth at all!I’ve loved Italy since my visit there last year, it was really interesting to read about how it might have been centuries ago from Tuscany and Castle Forelli to the political warfare.

Whilst it is classified as Christian fiction, I don’t think this will bother anyone who is not a fan of this genre because the Christian content is minimal and involves Gabi starting to wonder about God and some other short prayers by the people of the time. Don’t let the genre label put you off because it’s hardly noticeable in a historical setting where religion would have played an important part for the people then anyway. For me as a Christian, it was nice to see these elements included but I would have enjoyed Waterfall just as much if they hadn't been there.

Verdict: Waterfall is the kind of book that you can completely lose yourself in and it reminded me of why I love historical fiction so much. It’s the best YA debut I’ve read and I can't wait to get started on the newly released Cascade and the third in the series Torrent when it is released later in the year. I would especially recommend it to fans of historical romance but I think it’s one of those books that fans of every genre will be able to enjoy. Give it a try but be prepared to become addicted!

Rating: 5 stars

Book Review: Anastasia's Secret by Susanne Dunlap

Goodreads description

Anastasia Romanov, life as the privileged daughter of Russia's last tsar is about to be torn apart by the bloodshed of revolution. Ousted from the imperial palace when the Bolsheviks seize control of the government, Anastasia and her family are exiled to Siberia. But even while the rebels debate the family's future with agonizing slowness and the threat to their lives grows more menacing, romance quietly blooms between Anastasia and Sasha, a sympathetic young guard she has known since childhood. But will the strength of their love be enough to save Anastasia from a violent death?

Review

Inspired by the mysteries that have long surrounded the last days of the Romanov family, Susanne Dunlap's new novel is a haunting vision of the life-and love story-of Russia's last princess.Anastasia’s Secret tells the tragic story of Russia’s last Grand Duchess through Anastasia’s eyes during her teenage years and the fall of the Imperial family. Anastasia and her sisters are used to luxury as the daughters of the Tsar but when World War One breaks out, the life that they have known begins to change beyond imagination...

Susanne Dunlap did a wonderful job of turning Anastasia from a figure in a history book to a lifelike teenage girl with the same emotions, hopes, aspirations and thoughts as other girls her age. I really liked how Anastasia felt that she was still being treated as the ‘baby’ of the family could be counted on to make everyone laugh when she was really growing into a intelligent young lady just like her sisters and needed to be thought of as that. This added a depth to her character that made her seem more lifelike to me and was key in the development of her character. I also loved the imagined secret romance with Sasha that was bought into the story because it was the perfect side plot to the story and was a distraction from Anastasia’s increasingly bleak and controlled life whilst also giving her the chance to grow up and experience love for the first time. Their relationship was complicated and it was often hard to tell what Sasha thought of Anastasia but it added an exciting and romantic element to the book to provide a distinction to other sad events. Sasha wasn’t my favourite of heroes and I felt there was something lacking about his character but nevertheless, it didn’t impact my enjoyment too much. Their relationship was also used as a useful window for learning more about the world of Russia outside the Palace walls, which Anastasia would otherwise have been unaware of. I found learning more about the country at the time very interesting and I’m glad this was added in.

I really liked how close Anastasia was to her sisters and younger brother. I particularly liked her relationship with her sister Marie (known as Mashka), who she shares a bedroom with Anastasia and I would have liked to have known what her character was thinking. As secondary characters, her sisters were very well developed and this is unusual in books with quite a large cast of characters but was key to this story because it helped me to care more about their fate. The Romanov family as a whole had a close and warm bond that I wouldn’t have imagined in such an important family when their father is busy with ruling the country. Even at the hardest times, they stayed faithful to each other and this is something to be admired.

It is clear that Susanne Dunlap spent a lot of time researching meticulously for Anastasia’s life is described in detail from servants to pets and as far as I know, these details are accurate. I learnt so much but it didn’t feel like it was overloaded in detail at all because everything was woven in a natural way into a rich tapestry. At the front of the book, there was a really helpful glossary of the characters names in the books explaining the Russian way of naming family members and their customs. I found myself using this throughout the book to make clear the sometimes confusing Russian names. This in depth look and intricate at the Romanov household and the story of the Romanov family fascinated me and made me want to learn more about them after I’d finished the book.

The inevitable ending of the story was well written and I was satisfied with it at first but another part of me would have liked to have seen it carried on further than the point it got up to just out of curiosity. Susanne Dunlap partly did this in the detailed epilogue explaining what happened afterwards with her musings about writing about such a talked about historical figure in the first person but it didn’t have the same effect as it would have been seeing it through Anastasia’s eyes. Though I have to admit that the story didn’t need this for the story is left on a note of insecure hope and the reader is left to imagine what Anastasia went through after that.

Anastasia’s Secret is a intriguing book that brings Anastasia Romanov’s teenage years to life blending fact with fiction to create an inevitably devastating and tragic story but also one brimming with romance and hope. The only thing that brings my rating down to 4.5 is that sometimes I found some parts of the bit lengthy and unnecessary.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Book Review: The Queen's Lady by Eve Edwards

Warning: There are some spoilers here for the first book in the series, The Other Countess.

Goodreads description

1584 – Surrey, England When Lady Jane Rievaulx begins service to the Queen at Richmond Palace, she is thrilled at the court’s newest arrival . . . Master James Lacey. Despite her previous courtship with his older brother, James is the man she truly loves. And for his part, he cannot deny his fascination with her. However, James is setting sail on a treacherous journey to the Americas, seeking absolution for what he sees as past sins. But when Lady Jane is forced into a terrible situation by her own family, there is only one man to save her. Will Master James return to his lady ­- before it’s too late?

My thoughts

Last year I read the first in the Lacey series, The Other Countess and absolutely loved it so it became on my favourites of the year so I was really excited that there was going to be a sequel. The Queen's Lady definitely had a lot to live up to! I am glad to say that Eve Edwards descriptive writing transported me back into the Elizabethan world that entranced me in the Other Countess.

This Lacey romance, switches from the story of the alchemist's daughter Ellie to her friend, Lady Jane Perceval who gave up a bright and safe future to ensure her friend's happiness in a huge test of loyalty. I originally found her hard to like in the first book but I liked the way her character developed and became more interested in her by the end so I'm happy that her story gets a book of its own. Eighteen months on from where we left Jane in The Other Countess, we meet Jane again as a recently widowed Marchioness, who is grieving for her kind elderly husband. He offered her refuge from her manipulating family as well as a caring and fatherly friendship though their marriage was in name only. She is at the mercy of her cruel father and her deceitful step-sons who will stop at nothing to get back what they believe is rightfully theirs but thanks to her late husband's thoughtful arrangements, she is able to serve the Queen as a lady in waiting at court. When Master James Lacey arrives at court, Jane is overjoyed and her old strong feelings for him come flooding back because despite her courtship with his elder brother, James is the man her heart truly lies with. The problem is, James hates her at first because he doesn't know the real reason why she broke her betrothal . Despite him learning the truth and having a fascination with her, James embarks on a voyage to the Americas to try and rid himself of the terrible memories of war that haunt him, feeling that he does not deserve beautiful Jane. However, whilst away Jane is forced into a dreadful situation as her family try to use her as a pawn to advance their fortunes.

I liked Jane much more in this book because she seemed to have matured a great deal and copes with the strains and stresses she is put under as well as the social expectations everyone around seems to have very well. It is very hard to begin to image what it would be like to have such heavy burdens resting on such young shoulders. To the court, she seems like a stiff and cold person but underneath the mask she puts on to hide her emotions there, she is bubbly, warm and loving as well as a loyal friend when she is with her lifelong playmate and friend, Milly. I really liked the scenes at Milly's needle women's workshop, which Jane helped to set up because the real Jane is revealed and the fun side of her is bought out into the open.

The romance between Jane and James was strong  (even though I personally love the love interest Will in The Other Countess more!) and I was rooting for them all the way because they bought out the best in each of their personalities, helped each other through rough patches and seemed to be meant for each other. I thought the fact that they both had flaws made their relationship even stronger. It was so frustrating for James to feel he was unworthy of her and sail to the other side of the world, leaving his lady in her time of need though. I liked the side love story of her friend Milly too, which was ridden with problems because of rife feelings of prejudice and racism in London.

The main character of the next book in the series called Kit, who is the illegitimate brother of Will and James Lacey is also introduced and whilst I didn't really warm to him, his character was intriguing. I'm especially looking forward to see how his relationship develops with his half brothers and if he can get over thinking they will treat him the same way as his/their father.

Once again, Eve Edwards creates a wonderfully detailed and authentic Elizabethan setting enriched by all the sights, sounds and smells of the time. In her 'about section' she says that she attended jousts and ate Elizabethan banquets as part of her research for the book and this really shows as the way she describes things so vividly really brings them to life. What really strikes me is how she makes the characters so accessible and rateable to modern readers and shows that human nature and emotion hasn't changed over time.

Verdict: Whilst I did love this book and wasn't too disappointed, I have to be honest and say that I didn't enjoy it *quite* as much as The Other Countess, but it was very close. Perhaps the reason for this is the characters aren't quite so 'sweet' and it has a darker side. This series is now one of my favourites and I'm really looking forward to the next installment, The Rouge's Princess, which is published in a few months. I'd recommend it to those who loved The Other Countess, historical fiction and romance fans or just those who are looking for wonderful story.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Read for the 2011 YA historical fiction challenge.

Book Review: Dark Mirror by J.P Putney

I love this cover- it grabbed
my attention right away!

Publisher description

As the youngest daughter of the Earl and Countess of Fairmont, Lady Victoria "Tory" Mansfield is destined for a charmed life of status and wealth. The envy of many young girls, Tory knows she is lucky which is why she goes to great lengths to hide her special talent... magic. If her powers were exposed, it could strip her of her position and disgrace er family forever. Which is exactly what happens when a shocking accident happens and forces Tory to reveal her magic, and she is immediately exiled to Lackland Abbey, a reform school for other young men and women in her unique position.

What lies ahead is a strange and wonderful world where Tory will learn that it is not her social standing or her family's wealth, but destiny and magic, true love and friendship, and courage and strength that determine her real worth as a young woman.

My review

I’ve always loved historical fiction but I haven’t read many mixed with elements of fantasy and magic so I was very excited to get the chance to review Dark Mirror and see what I thought of this cross genre.

Lady Victoria Mansfield (Tory) has everything that a young Victorian girl from a wealthy family could ever want and she is soon to be presented to society as a young lady in order to try and find an eligible match. Except when her secret is revealed to her friends and family in a dreadful accident(someone who has magical abilities, she is packed off to Lackland Abbey in disgrace, a school to try and ‘fix’ sons and daughters of members of the aristocracy with magical talents. Tory is determined to do everything she can to learn to control her magic as quickly as possible so that she can return home to her family and live as much of a normal life as she can. However, Lackland Abbey is very different from the life of luxuries that she has always known and everything she has taken for granted is challenged.

Tori was an admirable heroine because she gave up a glittering place at the top of society to save a person who was very close to her when she could so easily chosen not to do anything. Her feelings about being ostracized by the family and the rest of high society and finding herself in a strange new environment where she knows no one were believable and relatable. I was rooting for her throughout and liked seeing the character development she went through from a lady of leisure whose main concern in life is marrying a titled and wealthy man to a determined, independant and hard working young women who doesn’t care about class and titles as much. Despite this, I would have liked to know more about her and her interests rather than just her personality in order to make her a more rounded and well developed character who feels more alive.

The romance between Tory and one of the Lackland boys was sweet, clean and bought a lighter element to the story but it was very predictable. I could tell where it was going the moment Tory claps eyes on her potential love and launches into a praising description of him . This was quite cute but I just wish that there had been a lot more interation between the two before they completely feel for each other to give their relationship more depth. I hope that their romance will be developed better in the sequel and that the deep and magical connection they feel pulsing between them is explained.

I think that the author pulled off the two time periods of the early Victorians and World War Two really well with distinctly different feels in the two. I especially enjoyed Tory’s descriptions of the unfamiliar new inventions that were used in the 1940s such as cars, planes and radios. The time travel also made me think about the similarities between events in history and the way history repeats itself over time.

At times I felt a bit detached from the writing even though I loved the story and I felt this was the one downfall of the book even though it wasn’t that the writing was bad. There were some lovely descriptions, dialogue flowed smoothly between the characters and the tension at the end kept me absorbed

Dark Mirror works well as a standalone novel with a wrapped up ending that left me satisfied and I’m looking forward to the release of the sequel. It has a lot more to give because the characters were really starting to form strong relationships by the end and there are so many ways that the storyline could be carried forward.

Verdict: I loved escaping into the wonderful and magical world of Dark Mirror and being transported between the early 1800s and 1940s with likable characters despite some of the flaws. Therefore my rating is based on enjoyment because the flaws didn't effect that. Dark Mirror is a fabulous start to the Dark Passage series and would recommend it to all history and fantasy lovers.

 Dark Mirror was released at the beginning of this month and is now available to buy on Amazon here.


                                                                Rating: 4 stars


Thank you very much to the publisher, St. Martin's Griffin for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way affected the thoughts in my review.

GIVEAWAY (US and Canda)- Look out for a Dark Mirror giveaway post tomorrow- thank you very much to St. Martin's Griffin for providing the prizes!



Book Review: Belle's Song By K.M Grant

Belle is the only child of a bellfounder living in London in 1387. Her mother died when she was young and Belle knows she is likely a disappointment to her father, for she cannot help him with his trade like a son could, and she is terrible at the traditional female chores of cooking and cleaning house. To make things worse, when she is fifteen her daydreaming contributes to an accident that leaves her father crippled. When she meets a group of pilgrims staying at the inn next door, including the the famous writer Chaucer, she decides she will travel with them to Canterbury to pray that her father will be healed.

My review

 I've been looking forward to this one since I started blogging back last August because it was initially scheduled to be published in December but it was delayed till this March. It follows the story of young Belle, the only daughter of a bell maker who decides embarks on a pilgrimage after she meets Luke, the son of an alchemist and scribe to the famous poet Chaucer. She hopes for a miracle if she travels to Canterbury: that her father will be able to walk again. On the pilgrimage she meets many new and interesting people such as handsome Walter, the son of a rich and influential knight but she'd rather not have met the disgustingly horrid Summoner Seekum who blackmails her to spy on Chaucer for him. Whilst the pilgrims make their journey, unrest is stirring up all around England as people turn against each other because they differ in opinions on the new young King. Some would do anything they can to support him whatever the risk and others would be just as quick to betray him.

Belle was an interesting character because she had lots of different sides to her, which made her seem very three dimensional and real. Sometimes she was impulsive and headstrong, whilst other times she came across as fragile and vulnerable. For example she has an issue with self harming and becomes obsessed with counting things in threes, which I think translates to a modern day obsessive compulsive disorder. It was unusual to see this in a historical fiction book because it hasn't been explored that much in the genre but I suppose people had the same emotional problems then. However, overall she was a caring and brave girl who was willing to risk everything for those she loved.

I loved the love triangle between Belle, Walter and Luke because it had a unique spin on it. It might appeal to those of you who feel that love triangles are becoming a bit of a cliche in the YA genre now. Although, I felt that the romance was a bit under developed and I would have liked to see some more romance and less of the evil Summoner.

I also really liked the historical setting because there aren't all that many medieval YA books about and having Chaucer as one of the main secondary characters was fascinating as the author included The Cantebury Tales in some parts. I've never really heard much about the royal court at that time either so I enjoyed learning about that too.

One of the only things I didn't like as much was that it sometimes felt that there were so many plot lines and things going on that they weren't all able to be expanded on or explored as much as I would have liked.  They included : the pilgrimage, the uprising against the King and political intrigue, the evil Summoner Seekum blackmailing Belle, Belle's self harming and the love triangle. Whilst all these ideas are fantastic and helped to keep the plot fast paced, I thought it just started getting a little bit complicated for a relatively short 300 page book and each of the ideas would have been a good story in their own right.

Verdict: Belle's Song is a sweet book filled with dangerous secrets, adventure, wonderful romance and political unrest that I found really interesting and fast paced. Despite some of the issues I had with it, I enjoyed it and would reccommend it if you like the premise.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Thank you to Quercus Books for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Forge by Laurie Halse Anderson

Please note: There are some spoilers for Chains for Laurie Halse Anderson in this review if you have not read it yet.

Goodreads Summary

In this compelling sequel to Chains, a National Book Award Finalist and winner of the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction, acclaimed author Laurie Halse Anderson shifts perspective from Isabel to Curzon and brings to the page the tale of what it takes for runaway slaves to forge their own paths in a world of obstacles—and in the midst of the American Revolution.

The Patriot Army was shaped and strengthened by the desperate circumstances of the Valley Forge winter. This is where Curzon the boy becomes Curzon the young man. In addition to the hardships of soldiering, he lives with the fear of discovery, for he is an escaped slave passing for free. And then there is Isabel, who is also at Valley Forge—against her will. She and Curzon have to sort out the tangled threads of their friendship while figuring out what stands between the two of them and true freedom.

My thoughts and review


I loved reading the first book in the Seeds of America series, Chains so I had been looking forward to the UK release of Forge for a long time. I loved Isobel's determined character that was prepared to challenge the way her life was as a slave in New York and had the courage to run away with her friend Curzon. In Forge, there is a change in narrator to Curzon and although I missed the book being told from Isobel's point of view, I did warm to Curzon's voice too as I liked him in Chains.

At the beginning of the book we find Curzon on his own as Isobel has run away from him to find her little sister Ruth and he suddenly finds himself entangled with the patriots and forced to sign up as a private in the Continental army if he is to hide his true identity as a runaway slave who has been promised his freedom but has no documents to prove it.

This brings complications in itself for a harsh and relentless winter is about to set in and no one is prepared for what lies ahead. Laurie Halse Anderson describes vividly the bitterly cold conditions the 12,000 soldiers had to endure in Valley Forge with no barracks and no continuous supply of food. I enjoyed learning about the different types of foods that they ate to stay alive like  firecake (a burnt flour and water mix that tasted of ashes.) Despite this, the men always try to find some humour to lighten the situation and their attempts were very laughable. 
Through this ordeal Curzon can't stop himself thinking of Isobel and wondering if he will ever see her again as well as trying to sort out his feelings for her. Whilst I enjoyed all the description about the hardships of army life and Curzon's worries about how Isobel was faring, I felt that it dragged on for far too long (nearly half the book) and I felt like I was waiting for something to happen although I did like the twist at the end of it because I didn't see it coming.

The second half of the book and the ending is much more thrilling and had more of the spirit, adventure and excitement that I loved in Chains coupled with another cliffhanger. That is why Forge lives up to the 'historical thriller' label that Laurie Halse Anderson gives her historical fiction books to make them more appealing to children and teenagers. 

The joys and complications of human life is what I think makes Chains and Forge so accessible because Laurie Hale Anderson has created complex and easy to relate to characters who are not afraid to fight for what they believe in. I have grown to love them so that I really care about what happens to them and that is always a sign of fantastic writing.

It is clear that all the details about the Revolution have been carefully researched and it pays off because of the authenticity of it. A small touch that I also liked was the snippet from a letter or document about the army at the beginning of the chapter because it added to the atmosphere of the book.

Verdict: Whilst Forge didn't captivate me as much as Chains, I still really enjoyed it and found the historical side very interesting. I can't wait for the third installment of Isabel and Curzon's story, Ashes!

Looking for more about Isabel and Curzon's story? You may like my review of Chains.

Book Review: The Merchant's Daughter by Iris Niven

A photo of the cover. I'm not keen on it at all.

Summary from blurb

Phoebe, the beautiful daughter of a prosperous merchant, learns of his mysterious death and is taken to Rome to be cared for by relatives of her late mother. She is introduced to Rome's high society but the appalling brutality against Christians in the arena sickens her. Her sympathy grows into interest which is sparked sparked into faith when she discovers the secret letters of Ignatius, the martyred Bishop of Antioch. She embarks on a highly dangerous mission to remove the letters to Greece for safe keeping. Adventure, betrayal and unexpected romance bring the story to a dramatic climax and to the dawning of a new day.

My review and thoughts

I was lent this by a lady at my church whose friend wrote it for her teenage daughters. If it wasn't for that, I may never have discovered this book as I only found it on the Internet and being sold on Amazon by typing in the ISBN code (9780720823769) to Google.

In the first chapter, we meet sixteen year Phoebe who is anxiously waiting the return of her father and his goods ship but instead she receives the tragic news of his mysterious death. Before she knows it, she is whisked off to live in Rome with her mother's half sister Priscilla by Priscilla's son Oresta, who is a Roman centurion. Phoebe quickly settles into life in Rome and befriends Oresta's brother Marcus and his young wife Julia. However, when Phoebe sees the cruel and tortuous ways that Christians are treated and killed in the arena she is appalled, especially because she discovered the mother she never met was a Christian. She admires their courage and firm faith even in the face of death and questions about the Christian faith begin to kindle inside her and Marcus.

The story moved along at a good pace because there was always something happening but there was a lot of beautiful description too. The writing was very different to more modern YA books that would be published now and had a more slightly old fashioned style to it, which I liked. Recently, I haven't been reading many books that are set in the third person so that was a nice change too.

Phoebe is a very likable main character who is strong headed and opinionated but very feminine too as she likes fashion and pretty dresses as well. Over the story, she develops a lot as a character as she grows in courage, improves her relationships with other characters and begins to question her beliefs.  I also enjoyed that there is some romance with conflicting feelings for her character, which made the story more lighthearted.

I have learnt a lot about Roman civilisation in my Latin lessons at school but have only read a few books set at that time so I found learning about Phoebe's and her family's clothes, social events, lifestyle  was fascinating. I particularly enjoyed reading about the persecution of the Christian's in Rome and the secret meetings held in the catacombs were very interesting.

I don't think that non- Christians should be put off by the faith theme because there isn't that much detail about the actual Christian faith and more about the persecution and danger of secretly meeting together in Rome.

Verdict: The Merchant's Daughter is a reasonably short book with a strong and likable heroine and lovely descriptions throughout that helped to build up the atmosphere and setting. I particularly loved the Roman setting and the mystery and adventure that the secret Christian meetings bought to the book. It's not the best book I've read this month but I would still recommend it. It would be wonderful to get this book more read and up on the Internet - I'm sure the author would be delighted!

Book Review; Crusade by Linda Press Wulf

I really like this cove because it captures
the spirit of the book well. I also
like the glossy and raised up red cross
in the middle on my paperback copy.

Summary (from blurb)

When a dazzlingly handsome boy riding a white charger arrives in Georgette's village she is spellbound- both by the boy and by the crowd that surrounds him. They are all children. The boy is even more entrancing when he speaks. He seeks volunteers to join his Crusade- a perilous mission from which some may not return.

Georgette has never left her village before, but she knows she will follow the boy. And so begins a journey filled with terrible danger, sacrifice and true love, a journey which will take all of Georgette's courage to survive.

My review and thoughts

When a surprise copy of Crusade arrived for review from Bloomsbury arrived through my door, I was very excited as it sounded just up my street. Before, I hadn't read any fiction about the Crusades or the Children's Crusade but I learnt about them at school so I was eager to read the author's interpretation of these events.

Crusade tells the story of one of many Children's Crusade through the eyes of  fictional characters Georgette and Robert, two very different young teenagers who are united on a quest to reach the Holy land. Robert is an orphan who was left on the church steps as a baby but he never stole food like the other orphans in his village. As he grows older, it became apparent that he is extraordinarily intelligent and by the time he is five years old he knows all the Latin prayers and hymns by heart. The Church Abbot notices his talent and takes him in as the Abbey's ward to be taught as his protege student. Georgette is a peasant girl whose mother died in childbirth. Finding her home life dull, she befriends the elderly village priest who teaches her more about her faith. When a young thirteen year old prophet who is no older than herself arrives in Georgette's village looking for new children to she is drawn to the prospect of seeking glory for God, unlike many of the other children who just want a chance to travel and see the world. Along with her brother, who is known for his fiery temper, she leaves her village and everything she has ever known along  to join the Crusade.
Later in the journey, when the Crusade stops at Robert's abbey to ask for food, Robert joins too. He has become dissatisfied with his life in the Abbey where everything is governed by routine and the Abbot and wants a different life purpose.

The journey is more difficult than expected and the children must face every hardship imaginable from starvation and sickness to death. For months, they must rely on the kindness and goodwill of the inhabitants of passing villages, towns and cities but with thousands of children with empty stomachs, food becomes extremely scarce and Georgette and Robert have no way of knowing when their next meal will be. The things that they had to endure are heart wrenching and emotional to read about because many of the children are very young at only eight. I am glad that the author did not try to shy away from the realities of what the Children's Crusade would have been like.

They were both really likable and strong characters and my heart went out to them in their struggles as they were very easy to warm and relate to. What I loved most about them was how despite all the terrible things that are happening around them and the realisation that the Crusade isn't as focused on their holy mission as they first thought, they both remained true to their beliefs and faith.
I really liked how the story was told from the point of view of a boy and a girl, especially as it makes the story more appealing to both genders. It was also really clever how the stories of Georgette and Robert began to come together and entwine towards the end. However, my only disappointment was when the book came to an end when their story together began to pick up. It did pick up all of the loose ends but it also left a lot to the imagination so if the author wanted to, there is room for a sequel.

I learnt a lot about the Children's Crusade through this fictional retelling of events and found the fate of these children very interesting. I think that it has just the right amount of action and history for younger readers to enjoy the story too and learn more about the Crusades must have been like by following the story of characters near their own age who it is easier to relate to.

Verdict: Linda Press Wulf has created a wonderful and beautifully evocative story based loosely on what little is known about the events of the Children's Crusade. I really recommend it!

Thank you to Bloomsbury UK providing a copy of this book for review.

Book Review: Nicola and The Viscount by Meg Cabot

The cover style is similar to that of the
Princess Diaries

From the back cover:

Nicola could feel Lord Sebastian's heart beating. It was the most delightful feeling in the world. Surely it meant that The God liked her. More than simply liked her--loved her even. It had to! It just had to!

Miss Nicola Sparks has fallen in love, big time. The object of her dreams is the fabulously rich Lord Sebastian, he of the ice-blue eyes, golden hair, and full-on mastery of the dance floor. To Nicky, Lord S. is a god. But are gods always quite as perfect as they are meant to be?


A totally romantic story with an unforgettable heroine--from the best-selling author of The Princess Diaries.

My review and thoughts

Reading this blurb, it has exactly the same ingredients and wording that you would expect on a contemporary YA romance and on others of Meg Cabot's books but the big twist is that it is set in the past during the Regency/Georgian period. Which author could be better at trying her hand to a teenage regency romance?

Nicky Sparks is a young orphan who has been left her father's estate Beckwell Abbey, which brings in enough money annually to send her to a reputable boarding school for young ladies and to leave a reasonably comfortable life. At sixteen Nicky leaves school and is about to jump into her first glamorous society season along with her best friend Elanor Sheridan. She has already set her heart on the handsome and rich Lord Sebastian Bartholomew, the brother of her schoolfriend Honoria, who she and Elanor have nicknamed 'the God.'  She is sure that they are meant to be and are a match made in heaven but not everything is as it seems.

A while ago I read Cabot's other teen regency romance and I much preferred the main character Nicky to Vicky. They are very different in a lot of ways although they share the fact that they are both orphans: Vicky is a rich heiress and Nicky is poor, Vicky is quite proud and sometimes sarcastic and outspoken whilst Nicky is fairly naive, loyal and shyly passionate. I would much rather have Nicky as a best friend!

I liked that she was a romantic poetry fan and a good fashion designer who always manages to add a small adjustment to her old clothes to keep in style on a budget. The book is narrated in the third person but follows Nicky's thoughts, which is one of the reasons why I enjoyed it so much.

A lot of the other characters were cliches as you have the handsome bad boy. the caring and teasing childhood friend, the cruel guardian Uncle and the foolish cousin but the reason why these are so well used is because they are the perfect ingredients and work really well together.

I loved the hero of the book who Nicky eventually ends up with (sigh- so romantic!) but I would have liked to know more about Sir Hugh, who is Elanor's betrothed.

From the first chapter, I found the plot quite predictable and whilst there were lots of twists and surprises along the way, I had guessed who Nicky ended up with very early on in the book.  I think this could be because the basic plot and character relationships of Victoria and the Rouge was extremely similar. Some of the end is a bit far fetched but it's not impossible that something similar could have happened to a young girl back then and it adds to the drama and suspense of the ending.
However, plot is not what this book is about because everything from the antics and journeys of the characters to the fashions, witty dialogue and scandals of London high society made it a really fun and light hearted read.

Not everything is historically accurate as far as my knowledge extends and there are not so many of or detailed period descriptions as you would find in a Georgette Heyer regency but this didn't detract from my enjoyment of it. There were lots of small detailed I picked up on that were not true to the time such as the familiarity of woman and men for example using shortened names and the fact that at times Nicky and other main characters sometimes behaved and thought as if they were modern girls. Although, this book is aimed at teenagers and I think that it is more likely to appeal to them this way. Also, this is what gives the book its unique sparkle. Sometimes you just want something to curl up and sink into easily without having to think or concentrate on too hard but enjoy reading romance and have a few laughs. Nicola and the Viscount did the trick for me!

What Meg Cabot has to say about her inspiration for the book (taken from her website):

When I was a teen I saw the movie Romancing the Stone, and knew at once that I wanted to be a historical romance writer just like Joan Wilder (because she got to go to work in her pajamas). I loved reading historical romances, especially ones with humor in them, by authors like Johanna Lindsey and Amanda Quick. It's a dream come true to see my books on the same shelves as theirs!

Verdict: Nicola and the Viscount is a light, girly and fun read that would be perfect to introduce young girls to the world of historical and regency romance or Meg Cabot. It kept the pages turning and I loved it! However I wouldn't recommend it to adults who are looking for something similar to Georgette Heyer/Jane Austen unless they are looking for an easy and light book.