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Review: The Lost Boys of London (Bianca Goddard Mysteries #5) by Mary Lawrence
Bianca Goddard is a completely new to me sleuth, last year was the first time I discovered her and it was the fourth book that I picked up. I was told that each book in the series could be read as a standalone, so I was excited to dive in, even if I was skeptical. I was thrilled that the book was indeed possible to read as a standalone and thought it was a very interesting and enjoyable series so I was excited to read the next book, even if I haven’t gone back and read the other books in the series. This book sounded exceptionally good as it is…
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Review: Sin Eater by Megan Campisi
This book has been receiving a ton advanced praise. It’s been talked about as one of the next big Indie Picks and many are characterizing it as a cross between The Handmaid’s Tale meets Alice in Wonderland. When I heard all the praise and hype about this book, I was a little hesitant to read it because I worried that my expectations wouldn’t live up to the hype. However the summary sounded so promising that I didn’t feel like I could pass on it, nor did I want to. The summary promised a dark and innovative novel with lots of imagination mixed with some historical fiction. I was so glad…
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Review: Tidelands (The Fairmile #1) by Philippa Gregory (Audible Edition)
I have only read one Philippa Gregory novel and that was ages ago. I felt like I was long overdue for one of her books. When I saw that this was her latest book I was eager to check it out. I thought that it sounded like an interesting setting and kind of far removed from what she is most well known for—royal courts. I decided to pick it up on Audible instead of actually picking up a hard copy and I was glad I did because the narrator did a great job and made it very enjoyable to listen it, but that said I wasn’t sure that I loved…
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Review: The Alchemist of Lost Souls (Bianca Goddard Mysteries #4) by Mary Lawrence
As many of you know, I have a weakness for historical mysteries. I adore them and can’t get enough. However, so many of them are written during Victorian or Edwardian era England that often the books blend together, no matter how well written they are. That’s why this book set itself apart for me….it’s set in Tudor England. When I think of historical mysteries, I don’t think of Tudor England as an optimal setting, but rather a period full of obstacles to detecting/investigating, so I was eager to see how the author used this to her advantage. I haven’t read any of the other books in the series, so I…
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Special Feature: The Alchemist of Lost Souls (Bianca Goddard Mysteries #4) by Mary Lawrence
The first thing that caught my eye about this book was the title. I love the mystical and scientific world of alchemy and I thing it makes for an interesting backdrop for a murder mystery. Also the time period. So so so many historical mysteries are set from the Victorian era thru WWII and while I love all those periods, there are times when it feels a little stale. This time period is ripe with superstition and I think it will do nicely for a series such as this. When I saw this book, I didn’t even care that it was 4th in a series, the time period alone sounded…
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Excerpt: THE PHANTOM TREE by Nicola Cornick
Attention all Tudor era historical fiction fans…..here is a new release that you might be interested in! See reading to see a sneak peak excerpt below! It sounds like such an exciting book, in fact it might make me come out of my self imposed Tudor era hiding, just to read it! Book: THE PANTOM TREE by Nicola Cornick Paperback: 384 pages Publisher: Graydon House; Original edition (September 1, 2018) Browsing an antiques shop in Wiltshire, Alison Bannister stumbles across a delicate old portrait—identified as the doomed Tudor queen, Anne Boleyn. Except Alison knows better. The subject is Mary Seymour, the daughter of Katherine Parr, who was taken to Wolf Hall in…
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Cover Reveal: The Blue by Nancy Bilyeau
The Blue by Nancy Bilyeau Publication: Fall 2018 Endeavour Quill Genre: Historical Fiction What would you do to possess the most coveted color in the world? The year is 1758, and a headstrong woman artist, 24-year-old Genevieve Planche, is caught up in a high-stakes race to discover the ultimate color, one that threatens to become as deadly as it is lucrative. When Genevieve’s mission is complicated by her falling in love with the chemist behind the formula, she discovers the world of blue is filled with ruthless men and women and how high the stakes really are. The story sweeps readers from the worlds of the silk-weaving refugees of London’s…
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Review: A Column of Fire (Kingsbridge #3) by Ken Follett
I was first introduced to Ken Follett back in 2009 when I took my first trip to London. I needed something long enough that I would not read it all by the time the flight was over and long enough that I wouldn’t have to buy another book while I was there. One of my friends recommended The Pillars of the Earth. I wasn’t going to read it but she brought it for me and I felt bad saying no. Ironically, all I remember of that trip was how much I loved that book! That book was fantastic. I loved everything about it. I remember staying up way too late…
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Special Feature: A COLUMN OF FIRE (Kingsbridge #3) by Ken Follett
There is a reason that Ken Follett is a #1 best selling author–his novels are fantastic. I read his book THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH while I was visiting London in 2009 and never looked back. His writing was unparalleled and I loved that book with all my heart. I couldn’t put it down the entire vacation and I happened to be cathedral hopping in England so it was a fitting read to be sure. I didn’t continue on with the Kingsbridge series though, only because I felt like the way Pillars ended, it was enough. I was happy with where it ended and where all the characters were in…
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Book Blast: The Dark Lady’s Mask by Mary Sharratt
The Dark Lady’s Mask by Mary Sharratt Publication Date: April 19, 2016 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Hardcover, eBook, Audio Book Genre: Historical Fiction READ AN EXCERPT. Shakespeare in Love meets Shakespeare’s Sister in this novel of England’s first professional woman poet and her collaboration and love affair with William Shakespeare. London, 1593. Aemilia Bassano Lanier is beautiful and accomplished, but her societal conformity ends there. She frequently cross-dresses to escape her loveless marriage and to gain freedoms only men enjoy, but a chance encounter with a ragged, little-known poet named Shakespeare changes everything. Aemilia grabs at the chance to pursue her long-held dream of writing and the two outsiders strike up…