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The Day the Falls Stood Still by Cathy Marie Buchanan is set against the backdrop of Eastern Canada and more specifically, Niagara Falls and is centered around 17 year old Bess Heath and river man, Tom. The two are in different social classes, but fall in love. I found the beginning of their relationship to be very sweet and it was a thrill to see their love blossom and grow. This historical novel, the author’s first, was hard for me to put down. I loved all the characters, admired their strength, cried and laughed with them and didn’t want any of it to end. I appreciated the amount of research that must have gone into it and loved the real, black and white clippings at the beginning of chapters and how an actual historical figure was incorporated into the story. I felt invested in the lives of Bess and Tom and their families and that, to me, is the mark of a great book.

Just because a book is small (256 pages) doesn’t mean it can’t be powerful. And boy, is Impatient With Desire powerful! It’s the fictional account of the true story of ‘The Donner Party’ who left their home in search of a better life in California in 1846. Burton uses the perfect amount of, what I believe to be painstaking, research and intelligent illusion to get into the mind of Tamsen Donner and what it must have been like to see her family go through what they did. Their experiences are told through fictional diary entries and letters to Tamsen’s sister. Her actions when her family, friends, and those around her are starving and freezing and trapped in the snowy mountains show her to be a woman of strength and I came to admire her greatly.

My Name is Mary Sutter is set during the Civil War and tells the story of a strong willed woman who wants to be a surgeon in a time women aren’t allowed near the profession. She works as a midwife, along with her mother, but it’s just not enough. Mary isn’t like other heroines you read about in books – she’s not beautiful, can’t get any man she wants and has to work hard to achieve her goals. I found it refreshing for a change. As always, when I read Historical Fiction, I look for the actual history and am pleased that this book had it. Lincoln is someone I haven’t read a lot about, so I’m not sure of the accuracy of his character, but I liked him anyway. Reading about the hospitals, wounded, dying and lack of supplies was heartbreaking. One thing I will say is that the book is very graphic. From Mary delivering a child to her amputating limbs, Robin Oliveira goes into great detail and it can sometimes get gory. In that aspect, the book may not be for the faint at heart. However, if you can skim over those parts, I think you’ll still enjoy the book.

The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory is the second book in her Cousins’ War series. It tells the story of Margaret Beaufort who, love or hate her, is the reason the Tudors regained control of the throne. We have her to thank for Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. At a young age the only thing Margaret wanted was to be like Joan of Arc. But as often happened during that time in history, she was wedded and bedded and bore a son while she was still a child herself. From almost the moment Henry Tudor was born, she worked as hard as she could to bring him to his rightful place as king of England. It became her life’s work. She believed it was God’s will that her son be on the throne and would stop at nothing to make that happen. I was often annoyed with Margaret Beaufort while reading the book. And yet, I understood why she did the things she did. What mother won’t move mountains for their child? (And the House of York was a formidable mountain) She is driven by her belief in God, had visions from the time she was just a little girl and it overtakes her entire being. I don’t feel she was too ambitious (her son did have a legitimate claim on the throne) but her cold heartedness and the fact that she was so absorbed with thinking she was doing God’s will and that she herself was Godly, made me dislike her. As always, Philippa Gregory is a wonderful storyteller and succeeds in bringing history to the pages of a book, making it readable, enjoyable and engaging. It’s always a pleasure to find a book that is impossible to put down and The Red Queen was that for me.

For the King by Catherine Delors is a refreshing change from your typical historical fiction book. Told from the perspective of a male character, something which I haven’t come across often, it’s an historical thriller that will leave you on the edge of your seat at times and always keep you wanting more. And the mystery is only part of it. Delors delves into the political intrigue during the early years of the Revolution which is something people might not know much about. Police Chief Inspector Roch Miquel must investigate a failed assassination attempt on Bonaparte and the deaths of the innocents caught in the crossfire. While he has his own beliefs about which political group might be the culprits, those around him, mainly his superiors, have other ideas. I like Roch as a main character and felt really connected to him – more so as the book progressed. Not only that, I really cared a lot about some of the secondary characters, as well. Alexandrine, in particular, is someone I would have liked to read more about. Paris is also a huge character is this book. I’ve never been there so I really appreciate how Catherine described the places and people in the city, making it easy for me to imagine being there and walking in the shoes of the people I was reading about. You can really tell how much the author loves the city.

The Truth About Delilah Blue by Canadian author Tish Cohen tells the story of Delilah Blue Lovett, aka Lila Mack, who has lived with her father since a young age. Several years later her mother finds her and explains the circumstances to her (bringing along a precocious younger sister) and everything Lila has believed about her life comes crashing down. Trying to find the answers from her father before Alzheimer’s steals his memory becomes a challenge. One of the things I thought throughout the book is how well Tish Cohen knows how to write a character. Just wow! Their development made them real to me and made me care what happened to them and what decisions they made. Through her exceptional writing, the author takes you on a guided journey, unhindered, within their lives. It’s one of the most ‘real’ books I’ve read in a long time.

His Last Letter, Jeane Westin’s sophomore release, tells the story of Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley and their tumultuous friendship and love affair. The book opens with the Queen hearing of the death of her childhood friend and receiving a letter he wrote on his deathbed – his last letter. After that, the book moves back and forth from the couples younger years to about three years before she gets the letter. I really loved that aspect of the book – jumping between the two time periods gave better clarity to their relationship. I’ve never been a fan of either Elizabeth or Dudley. This book didn’t change that for me, I didn’t expect it would. However that didn’t take away from how much I enjoyed His Last Letter. All in all, the book is historically accurate with just a bit of leniency on Ms. Westin’s part that adds to the story. She was able to convey pure and raw emotion through her words, giving the main characters voices after all these years. You can tell the subject is close to the authors heart as you read her words. Books written from the heart are the best ones to read.

The first word that comes to mind as I sit down to review this book is ‘epic’. The subject, which is something I knew nothing about before reading this novel, is ambitious to say the least but C.M. Mayo tackles it with great skill. Seldom do I read a book that I think that could easily be transformed into film, but I believe that The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire could. And should! You can see the amount of research that went into this book on every, single page. The vivid descriptions of the places make you feel like you a part of the history. And the characters are written in such an exceptional way that they come alive on the pages – from the highest class to the lowest. No one is more important than the other and all are written with care and attention. The biggest thing that I will take away from reading this work of historical fiction, is that my view on Mexico will forever be changed. Every perception of the people and places I have seen there has been altered – and in a good way. What a rich history they have that is seldom told! Thanks to Ms. Mayo for giving me a different perspective.

Is it bad to admit that it was the cover of this book that made me want to read it? It’s true – sometimes I DO judge a book by it’s cover. When it was sent to me by the publisher and I started to skim the pages, it went right to the top of my pile and I started reading. Penelope’s Daughter is one of my favourite books of 2010. Breathing so much life into Homer’s characters (let’s admit it, Homer isn’t easy to read…) couldn’t have been as easy task, but Laurel made it seem that way. Vivid characters and places kept me glued to the pages and even had me dreaming about them. The book is split into three parts – Ithaca, Sparta and Ithaca. Xanthe’s life is also split into three parts. As a youngster, the daughter of Odysseus and Penelope grew up in Ithaca never knowing her father. When she becomes older, her mother, in order to save her life, sends her to Sparta to live with her cousin – the same cousin responsible for her father’s lengthy absence - Helen. She lives there for several years before it’s safe for her to once again return home to Ithaca. At the beginning of each chapter, the author describes Xanthe in front of her loom and tells us the colour(s) she is using and that colour describes the person or place or period in her life she is actually weaving. This became one of my favourite aspects of reading the book. It gave Xanthe so much human-ness and really brought out all of her raw emotion.

Masquerade by Nancy Moser tells the story of two young ladies. Charlotte is a lady of means and Dora is her maid. When Charlotte is sent to visit her new fiancé whom she’s never met – Dora is to go with her – the two hatch a plan that will change their lives, and those of the people they meet forever. I really enjoyed the book. It’s the first I’ve read by this author and upon looking at her other titles, I know it won’t be the last. In fact, I’m quite eager to get the rest of them! I would probably class it as Christian historical fiction – there are several references to God and prayer and church. Parts of the storyline may have been slightly predictable, but I don’t think that takes anything from the book. Nancy Moser’s writing style made it easy to read with nice descriptions and interesting characters.

I’ve been wanting to read The Golden Mean for some time now and when I finally found my window of opportunity, I jumped on the chance. It didn’t take long before I discovered why so many accolades were being heaped upon it. I devoured each and every word, neglecting my husband and children in the process. Thankfully (for them) I read it quickly – it was impossible to put down. Annabel Lyon’s first novel tells us the story of Aristotle and his pupil, Alexander (later to become ‘The Great’). The two had great regard for each other and, I think, each had something to teach the other. I didn’t know much about Aristotle before reading this book, but the way Lyon writes him, he became real and so much more than just the philosopher we hear about. And reading about Alexander before his greatness was a huge treat for me. In short, the book is smart. The dialogue is witty. The characters are believable (and thank goodness for the character guide at the beginning of the book. With all those hard to pronounce names, I found myself referring to it often). All in all, it’s a work of genius.

In The Queen of Last Hopes, Susan Higginbotham tells her readers the story of Margaret of Anjou. While there are several books that re-tell The War of the Roses, seldom can an author bring history alive the way Susan does in this piece of historical fiction. So much propaganda is written about Margaret, who was sent to England in order to marry a king in the hopes of peace, that it was refreshing to read something that shows her as something other than a ‘she wolf’ (check out Susan’s guest post about why she thinks Margaret got such a bad rap in my next post). I like her. What mother wouldn’t do whatever she had to do for her child? Margaret was given a voice in this book and a chance to change people’s perceptions of her. Thank God. This book is next to impossible to put down once you start it. I love how characters get to voice their points of view in different chapters of the book. Make sure you read the chapter headings or you might get confused as to who’s speaking. I was seriously impressed, once again, at the research Susan must do to create a story that is fresh and interesting about a time in history that is written about quite a lot. I think even the most devout Yorkist may be swayed, even if only slightly, after reading this one. That being said – Go Lancaster!

The Damascus Way by Davis Bunn and Janette Oke is the third and final installment in the Acts of Faith series. I didn’t read the first two, however that didn’t keep me from enjoying this one very much. It’s well written – and from what I’ve heard, it’s the best of the three so far. I still would like to read The Hidden Flame and The Centurion’s Wife, though, just to round out the story for myself. The reason being because the lives of the characters from these previous books become intertwined with Julia, whom this book is about. She is the daughter of a rich merchant who is devastated when she learns a secret about her family. The story begins after the resurrection of Christ and as such, tells us of the early days of the church. You will read about people you’re familiar with from Bible stories, including Saul of Tarsus - I’ve always enjoyed that aspect of Biblical fiction. I think readers of all ages will enjoy, and be inspired by, this book.

The Tudor Secret is the first book in C.W. Gortner’s The Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles series and let me just say, I can’t wait until the rest of the series comes out! If they are even a fraction as good as The Tudor Secret, I will be thrilled. The main character is fictional Brendan Prescott. He comes to London and is immediately dropped in the center of the intrigue and mystery and danger that is the Tudor court. I should mention that it is set during the time of Edwards VI’s rule and later on Mary I, but really, the story mainly focuses on Brendan, a man who knows nothing of his past, and his relationship with Elizabeth, Robert and all the Dudley clan, and a few other fictional characters that helped round out the story in a wonderful way. Ohhh, how I hate the Dudleys – in this book they are particularly nasty – and all I wanted the entire book was for them to get their comeuppance. What a nice change from other Tudor era novels I’ve read recently. Such a different perspective and a breath of fresh air. I enjoyed reading something from a male point of view – the character and the author. It’s more action packed than ‘love packed’. Some liberties were taken with the historical accuracy at times, but it wasn’t blatant. The characters were easy to keep track of and they didn’t get confusing. In the end, it’s just a very entertaining, well written and quite simply, one of the best books I’ve read this year.

By Royal Decree is the third book in Kate Emerson’s ”The Secrets of the Tudor Court” series. All I can say is that I’m sooo happy this isn’t a trilogy because I can’t wait to read more! I love how Kate takes more obscure characters from the Tudor era and brings them to life surrounded by some of our favourite real life characters. And this book is FULL of Tudor goodies from Henry VIII to Jane Grey and a couple of princesses who become queens. Elizabeth Brooke comes to court and falls in love with the new queen’s brother, Will Parr – only he is already married. When he finds himself single – after his wife commits adultery – he and Bess marry. Only, depending on the monarch in power, sometimes they are and sometimes they aren’t. My heart breaks for them at times and you’ll have to read the book to find out how their love story ends. There is a ton of passion and intrigue in this book. And for me, that’s what made it hard to put down. I just loved the twists and turns the story takes. Also, I appreciate how easily she includes era specific tidbits into the tale – types of clothing, food, rules, etc. It makes me feel like I’m learning something while reading this really awesome book.

“A cherub with cheekbones.” This is how Poppy Dunbar describes Tom – the man she meets the night before her wedding. She ends up cancelling that wedding much to the chagrin of many people close to her. On her own, Poppy ends up meeting a multitude of new people – Casper, Claudia, new boss, Jake, and more - when she moves from Bristol to London to live and work. Of course, she has ulterior motives for choosing London. One reason is to find Tom. The other is to find her real father. Of course, things never end up happening as planned. Sometimes they end up better. The characters in the book, all written brilliantly by Jill Mansell, are multi dimensional and all have their own stories to tell – those stories are interesting, heartwarming and unpredictable. Jill’s writing style and ability to tell a funny, romantic story, which is also tearful and dramatic at times, kept me reading well into the night. It really is Brit Chick Lit at its best. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I know it won’t be the last.

Unveiled: Fanny Chamberlain Reincarnated, by Jessica Jewett, is an interesting and very personal look at reincarnation and past lives. At a very young age, Jessica knew she was different. It wasn’t just the physical (she was born a quadriplegic). It’s the dreams she had, the memories of another life, the fact that she saw ghosts. Growing up in a religious community didn’tmake it easier on her. She felt the need to keep it secret, afraid of being teased and ridiculed. As if her past life isn’t dramatic enough, Jewett’s current life is very intriguing. Her father left the family when Jessica was only four, leaving her mother to care for her and her younger brother. At age six, she was sent to Texas to live with her grandmother – her mom felt she would receive a better education there. (Her grandmother comes to realize how stubborn the young Jessica can be in a terrific battle of wills!) She taught herself to draw and write using only her mouth and this became an important tool as it was then possible for her to put onto paper the people she saw in her memories – “The profile of the woman with the dark bun at the nape of her neck”. Fanny Chamberlain is not a well known historical figure. Certainly not as well known as her husband, Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain – college professor, Civil War General, Governor of Maine, husband, father. She married him in 1855 and they had five children, two of whom lived to adulthood. Unveiled is an interesting look at reincarnation. Even if you have doubts about past lives or don’t believe in them at all, Jessica’s fresh and honest writing style will keep you glued to the page and keep you up all night (or make you late for work, as I learned firsthand). The pictures of family members past and present, Fanny’s homes, letters and Lawrence’s personal items gives the story an even more intimate touch. I feel privileged to be able to read the account of her struggles to come to terms with her dreams and memories and search for Fanny.

I have never read a book set during Christmastime before, nor have I ever had a desire. However, when I got the opportunity to read The Unfinished Gift by Dan Walsh, something in me said ‘you need to read this book’. I can’t even express to you how glad I am that I listened to that inner voice. The book is historical which is perfect because everyone knows I’m a history nerd. I’ve read some about WW2, but mostly it’s been about the men off fighting. This book had some of that – but it was mostly about the people back home and the struggles they have with the loss of loved ones, government regulations on food, fuel, etc. I think a successful book is one where the reader can instantly identify with the characters and can create some sort of emotional attachment with them, whether love or hate. Dan Walsh certainly accomplished this in my eyes. I wanted to cuddle little Patrick and punch his grandfather! (most times) And I found it hard to forget about them even when I had to put the book down. The Unfinished Gift is a nice, easy read. Easy in the sense that it’s easy to get caught up in the lives of people Mr. Walsh is writing about (you can tell he cares about the characters, too, which is lovely) and that made it hard for me to put down. When you read the book, have plenty of tissue around – you’re gonna need it.

These Old Shades is a book that has pretty much everything. It’s got love (ofcourse) as well as jest and intrigue. The May/December romance is interesting – the young heroine is able to bring redemption to the cold ‘hero’ of the story (I think the word evil came to mind quite often while I was reading the book). One thing I realized while enjoying These Old Shades if the fact that the book is suitable for a wide age range, men included. I don’t think that only women will enjoy the story. Come on, ladies! Now is the chance to get your husband/boyfriend/male friend interested in reading! It’s nice to find a book that you want to frantically flip through to find out what is going to happen next, yet want to read slowly so you can savour every word at the same time.

I was thrilled with The Silent Gift by Michael Landon Jr. and Cindy Kelley from the moment I began to read the first page. It pulled me in instantly and kept me riveted up until the end. Set in the 1930’s, The Silent Gift tells the story of a ‘silent’ boy named Jack – he is deaf and mute. His mother sees a chance to get her son away from their abusive life and she takes it. Her strength and love for the boy is amazing and inspirational. The story is emotional and if you’re looking for a quick and easy read, save this one for another day. This book has depth and will pull at your heartstrings and, if you are anything like me, have you reaching for the box of tissues. It’s a faith based book (Christian) but honestly, it doesn’t try to convert you. So even if you’ve had issues with reading this type of book before, look past the genre and just enjoy what it is – a fabulous book full of inspiration for anyone who reads it. The pairing of Landon Jr. and Kelley is a match made in Biblio-Heaven, in my opinion.

In The Queen’s Mistake, Diane Haeger tells the story of Henry the VIII’s fifth wife, the young Catherine Howard. I really, REALLY like this Cat Howard. She actually seems smart, has a good head on her shoulders, (ahem, no pun intended) which is different than she is portrayed in some of the other books I’ve read where she’s basically a flighty sl*t. Don’t get me wrong though – Cat IS loose when it comes to the opposite s*x. And she knows it. “She knew her behavior had long been considered promiscuous, but seducing men was the one thing in the world she knew how to do well.” When the time comes for her to go to court, she knows the reason her uncle is sending her – he wants to marry her off to someone whom he feels will be an advantageous match, therefore raising the family higher up the social ladder. “To remain, she must find more favor in the queen’s household, anger no one who had the power to speak against her, and, on the whole, search for a husband not only wealthy enough to keep her but well placed enough to please her family.” Little does she know that she will catch the eye of the most well placed man in England! Another person I really like in the book is Anne of Cleves. She is so endearing and tries so hard to please everyone, especially Henry. Court is like the worst high school clique you can imagine and it must have been terribly hard for her trying to fit in. Cat was sweet with her. I like the part near the beginning of the story where the queen wishes to learn to play the lute to please the king. Catherine does her best, but when the time comes for Anne to show off her new talent, she forgets what she’s supposed to do. Mistress Howard joins the queen to play and this is where Henry gets his first look at ‘all grown up’ Catherine. Of course we know what happened and about Catherine Howard’s sad fate. But, the way Diane Haeger tells the story to us is like hearing it again for the first time. I absolutely love the way she describes things – from items to people to places. It’s almost like you can see them in front of you like a movie. I appreciate an author that takes the time to do research and makes an effort to teach you something on top of entertaining you. I’ve read her books

The Sixth Wife is the story of Katherine Parr, the sixth and last wife of Henry VIII, told through the eyes of her best friend, Catherine, Duchess of Suffolk - she was married to Charles Brandon and they had two sons.(she also had two more children in a later marriage and lost both sons by Charles on the same day to sweating sickness) The writing style is different and sometimes feels quite modern. But, once I got over the initial feeling of it being hard to read (she uses a LOT of commas. A silly complaint, I know), I really began to enjoy the book. At first I was confused by the two C/Katherines, but again, once I got into the story, it got easy. Suzannah Dunn has kept the book mostly true to history (as I know it and I'm quite new to Tudor history), with the exception of one major storyline - Catherine has an affair with her best friends husband, Thomas Seymour. Of course, I suppose it's possible that it did happen, but there is no mention, not even a whisper, of it in the history books, so I'm going to put it in the historical 'fiction' category for now. I never really did understand how the affair started. Cathy hated Thomas but after one brief, stolen kiss, she suddenly seems unable to stay away from him or get enough of him and so the affair begins. One thing I did notice is how Dunn seemed to pair women into groups to show their differences and similarities. Kate and Cathy - Elizabeth and Jane (Grey), each of the older ladies taking on a mother role to one of the younger. This is another book in which I didn't like Elizabeth (not a huge fan, sorry *waits to be stoned*) and it almost feels as if the author didn't like her either. From her very first appearance in the story it seems as though Dunn doesn't want her readers to like the young princess, writing her as sneaky and flirtatious, though very smart and aware. While the idea of writing about Katherine Parr though another person's story is interesting, it didn't give me the insight I desired. Some people say there isn't much to say about Kate and that history doesn't tell much, but what it does tell is HUGE. She survived Henry VIII.(massive in itself!) She married Thomas Seymour even though people knew he was a 'social climber' having persued a young Elizabeth first. She married for love and believed her husband did the same. She died in childbirth leaving behind a child who was lost in history. If it weren't for Katherine, who acted as a mother to Elizabeth, oversaw her education, etc., the Queen who was so popular during her rule and even today, would not have been the woman she became. Kate was a massive influence on her and, I believe, molded her into what she became. So, in the end, I think the book was more about Catherine than Katherine and if the title had been different I might have enjoyed it more (wierd, I know, but I was looking for more Kate). However, the good outweighed the bad so I'd give it a 3/5.

Jean Plaidy is one of the Queens of Historical Fiction. If you think about when the books were written, the amount of research she would have done is huge. The Thistle and the Rose, part of Plaidy's Tudor Princesses series, is the story of Margaret, the older sister of Henry VIII and her marriage to James IV at a young age. I knew absolutely about Margaret when I started this book and I must say it was quite pleasant to read about 'another Tudor' for a change. Yes, Henry is mentioned quite a lot, but the book is pretty much all Margaret. I felt sorry for her most of the time. She seemed to have the worst luck and it made her a sympathetic character. I really wanted her to succeed in her endeavors, but more often than not, her plans were foiled. And she seemed to have really bad luck with men! I'm glad I still can, after reading this book, say that I've never read a Plaidy I didn't like.

Tracy Chevalier is one of my top 10 favourite authors. Girl with a Pearl Earring was the second of her books I've read and my expectations were high. I was not disappointed. I love how much I learned about 17th Century artists and how the mixed their paint, the grinding of the bones and how the paint gets it colour. Tracy has this way of 'showing' us instead of 'telling' us what she means when she writes. I appreciate that. If you saw the movie and liked it, you will like the book a million times better! Griet is such a lovely character and through her eyes we learn much about the differences between the classes, quarantines and just Holland altogether. Chevalier is incredible.

My eleven year old daughter absolutely loves The Royal Diaries series. She likes seeing which historical fiction book I'm reading and trying to read about the same person. It's an excellent series for all ages because the stories are true, real and aren't filled with all that stuff you don't want your kids reading about.

My eleven year old daughter absolutely loves The Royal Diaries series. She likes seeing which historical fiction book I'm reading and trying to read about the same person. It's an excellent series for all ages because the stories are true, real and aren't filled with all that stuff you don't want your kids reading about.

My eleven year old daughter absolutely loves The Royal Diaries series. She likes seeing which historical fiction book I'm reading and trying to read about the same person. It's an excellent series for all ages because the stories are true, real and aren't filled with all that stuff you don't want your kids reading about.

My eleven year old daughter absolutely loves The Royal Diaries series. She likes seeing which historical fiction book I'm reading and trying to read about the same person. It's an excellent series for all ages because the stories are true, real and aren't filled with all that stuff you don't want your kids reading about.

To the Tower Born is the second book I’ve read that’s written by Robin Maxwell – the first being The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn. I like her writing style. It’s easy to follow, doesn’t get extremely repetitive and is all in all, very readable. First off, there are some historical discrepancies, but since I’m certainly not a history major, I won’t get into those. I suppose people that are sticklers for accuracy might find this annoying. I’m of the opinion that people who write historical FICTION are allowed to take some liberties – unless they are totally blatant. The story is about the disappearance of young King Edward V and his brother, Richard (Dickon), after they are put in the Tower by their uncle, Richard of Gloucester for ‘safe keeping’. The story is basically told from the perspective of princes’ sister, Bessie(who would go on to become mother to Henry VIII) and her friend, Nell Caxton. I like Nell – a lot! She’s the type of friend I’d like to have. She’s loyal, smart, funny and strong. She becomes god mother to Henry VIII and together, they tell him the story of the princes. As so not to give away any spoilers, I’ll stop there. I found the book an interesting account of what might have happened to the Princes.

To the Tower Born is the second book I’ve read that’s written by Robin Maxwell – the first being The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn. I like her writing style. It’s easy to follow, doesn’t get extremely repetitive and is all in all, very readable. First off, there are some historical discrepancies, but since I’m certainly not a history major, I won’t get into those. I suppose people that are sticklers for accuracy might find this annoying. I’m of the opinion that people who write historical FICTION are allowed to take some liberties – unless they are totally blatant. The story is about the disappearance of young King Edward V and his brother, Richard (Dickon), after they are put in the Tower by their uncle, Richard of Gloucester for ‘safe keeping’. The story is basically told from the perspective of princes’ sister, Bessie(who would go on to become mother to Henry VIII) and her friend, Nell Caxton. I like Nell – a lot! She’s the type of friend I’d like to have. She’s loyal, smart, funny and strong. She becomes god mother to Henry VIII and together, they tell him the story of the princes. As so not to give away any spoilers, I’ll stop there. I found the book an interesting account of what might have happened to the Princes.

In Mistress of the Sun, we are introduced first to a young Louise de la Vallière. Petite is a charming, smart child who is completely in love with horses. It becomes apparent to those around her, that at a young age, she has a way with the animals. When her father purchases a seemingly untameable White from a Romany circus, Petite uses bone magic to tame him and what follows changes her life forever. From a convent to the home of high born aristocrisy where she becomes a maid in waiting to a set of princesses, fate leads her to her first meeting with The Sun King. And she appears to fall in love with him instantly - despite the fact that she has no idea he IS the king. She becomes his mistress, has many children by him (though not all survive) and has struggles with her religious views and the fact she believes there is sin in her. Gulland paints a story rich in detail and the amount of research she puts into her projects is second to none. She has this way of making you feel that you've been to the places you read about in her books, seen the things the characters have seen, felt what they felt. I'm such a 'history nerd' and being able to learn something from a book makes it even better to me. She gives her characters multiple dimentions and makes us love them or hate them or feel as if we know them by the time the story ends. Nothing in the book is 'filler material' which I appreciate in a read. If you adore history and captivating characters, love stories and personal journeys, and if you appreciate a writer who takes the time to develope a story worth reading, you need to pick up this book, tout suite!

In Mistress of the Sun, we are introduced first to a young Louise de la Vallière. Petite is a charming, smart child who is completely in love with horses. It becomes apparent to those around her, that at a young age, she has a way with the animals. When her father purchases a seemingly untameable White from a Romany circus, Petite uses bone magic to tame him and what follows changes her life forever. From a convent to the home of high born aristocrisy where she becomes a maid in waiting to a set of princesses, fate leads her to her first meeting with The Sun King. And she appears to fall in love with him instantly - despite the fact that she has no idea he IS the king. She becomes his mistress, has many children by him (though not all survive) and has struggles with her religious views and the fact she believes there is sin in her. Gulland paints a story rich in detail and the amount of research she puts into her projects is second to none. She has this way of making you feel that you've been to the places you read about in her books, seen the things the characters have seen, felt what they felt. I'm such a 'history nerd' and being able to learn something from a book makes it even better to me. She gives her characters multiple dimentions and makes us love them or hate them or feel as if we know them by the time the story ends. Nothing in the book is 'filler material' which I appreciate in a read. If you adore history and captivating characters, love stories and personal journeys, and if you appreciate a writer who takes the time to develope a story worth reading, you need to pick up this book, tout suite!

I just finished reading Tracy Chevalier’s fourth novel, The Lady and the Unicorn. It’s the first book I’ve read by this author. The book was just excellent and if I’d had more time, I’m sure I would have had it finished in a day or two. I like the idea of taking works of art and creating a story about it. It sounds like something I’d like to do myself! The story revolves around the creation of a set of tapestries. From the family who commissions the work, to the artist who creates the beautiful scenes, to the family who skillfully weaves the paintings into reality, each character puts their own special marking into the tapestries in one way or another. Even the Unicorn’s horn becomes like a character with how Nicolas uses it almost like a pick up line! I really love how the author breaks the chapters down, writing about the lives and experiences of a different character in each chapter. I think that is what made the people more real to me. The book is rich with period detail and I especially enjoyed reading about the weaving process. But mostly, I fell in the love with the characters (and hated the ones who were meant to be hated). Tracy Chevalier made it easy with her writing style and how she was able to give them each something special that made you remember them. I was able to laugh and cry through triumph and despair with them. To some, Nicolas des Innocents may have been the lead character in the book, but to me, it was always the tapestries. They seemed to breathe and live and tell the story themselves. Really, my only complaint is that the book wasn’t longer. I was sad to see it end. I’d love to read more about the characters, know what others, not associated with the involved parties, thought of the The Lady and Unicorn, how it made them feel and think. The book is just an all round good read and I totally recommend it. I can’t wait to read my next Tracy Chevalier book.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book at first – never having heard of either of the co-authors and not having read any reviews. I try not to read other peoples thoughts on books before I read it myself. I like having an untainted view and not have someone else’s conclusions in my head. I was hooked from the very first page and found the book nearly impossible to put down. I think, at one time or another, every girl has wished they could be in Tulia Rose’s shoes and travel to Paris and Italy alone, meet a handsome artist and fall in love (and if the truth be told, I fell in love with Raffaello, too). Through Tulia’s sidewalk artist, we learn about Raphael, whom I’m sure we have all heard of, but don’t know much about. We hear the love story of love ago which in some ways mirrors the love story between Tulia and the artist. As she learns from Raffaello, the struggling writer finds her muse and begins to write again. The way the authors go back and forth from present day to the early 1500’s is clever and delightful and isn’t the least confusing. On top of all that, the book had me in tears, which isn’t an easy feat. I can easily say that this is one of the best books I’ve ever read and it’s among the top five books I’ve read this year already. You don’t need to be a history buff to enjoy this book. In fact, I suspect that by reading this book, you’ll become more interested in the past and the wonderful stories it has to offer.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book at first – never having heard of either of the co-authors and not having read any reviews. I try not to read other peoples thoughts on books before I read it myself. I like having an untainted view and not have someone else’s conclusions in my head. I was hooked from the very first page and found the book nearly impossible to put down. I think, at one time or another, every girl has wished they could be in Tulia Rose’s shoes and travel to Paris and Italy alone, meet a handsome artist and fall in love (and if the truth be told, I fell in love with Raffaello, too). Through Tulia’s sidewalk artist, we learn about Raphael, whom I’m sure we have all heard of, but don’t know much about. We hear the love story of love ago which in some ways mirrors the love story between Tulia and the artist. As she learns from Raffaello, the struggling writer finds her muse and begins to write again. The way the authors go back and forth from present day to the early 1500’s is clever and delightful and isn’t the least confusing. On top of all that, the book had me in tears, which isn’t an easy feat. I can easily say that this is one of the best books I’ve ever read and it’s among the top five books I’ve read this year already. You don’t need to be a history buff to enjoy this book. In fact, I suspect that by reading this book, you’ll become more interested in the past and the wonderful stories it has to offer.

Ever since I was a little girl, and my parents took me to Church each and every Saturday morning, I have loved a good Bible story. I love hearing about people who lived so long ago that it almost seems unreal. And so, when I began to read The Triumph of Deborah by Eva Etzioni-Halevy, I had high hopes. I was not disappointed. First off, it contains elements of some of my favourite things – A Bible story, history and a strong woman. Or shall I say strong women. The main female characters, Deborah, Nogah, Asherah/Oshrah and Reumah (and even Jael who wasn’t around a lot, but had a HUGE role) are all powerful ladies, even in times of trial. They know what they need to do and they get it done – no matter what – with God’s help and their own ‘hutzpah’. The characters in the book are written in such a way that while I was reading, I could see them in my mind’s eye and therefore lost myself within the story several times. I came to love so many of them, found I was worried about their well-being, wanted them to triumph and they became people I wanted to meet and know. (if only) The land also became a character to me. I love how Eva described the scenery so beautifully that I could imagine I was there and picture it perfectly even though I have never been to that part of the world before. Now I come to Barak. Like all the women in the story, I found myself falling in love with this powerful man! He’s handsome and frightening and sweet all rolled into one. He’s a good man, despite his faults. The Triumph of Deborah is rich in detail – both the people and the land. It’s evident that the author left no stone unturned in her research and effort of being true to history and Biblical times. The sexual content is beautifully penned and not at all vulgar. I didn’t want the book to end and was sad to see it do so. I already miss the people and wonder about how their children might have turned out had the story kept going. And now, without a doubt, when asked the question of which people in history I would ‘have supper with if I could’, Deborah is going to the top of my list. She is absolutely facinating to me.

I've been dying to read this book. Sounds great and is on a subject I want to know more about. (plus it's historical, so what more could we ask for? lol)