Becoming Leidah is a magical realism tale set in 19th century Norway, a time and place still deeply entrenched in superstition, in which the clash between the Norse Paganism and Christianity was still culturally present. The narrative, rather than linear, moves between past, present, and future in mirroring the three Norns of Norse Mythology--the sisters… Continue reading Review: Becoming Leidah by Michelle Grierson
Stephanie Dray does it again with this epic gem of a historical fiction novel highlighting three amazing women. The Women of Cheateau Lafayette weaves their lives together; the women bound by the Chateau Chavaniac-Lafayette, the home of American Revolution war hero the Marquis de Lafayette. In the 18th-century, we follow Adrienne de La Fayette (nee… Continue reading Review: The Women of Chateau Lafayette by Stephanie Dray
The Mask Revealed by Julia Brannan, book 2 in the Jacobite Chronicles, picks up right where book 1 left off. Beth Cunningham, after uncovering a startling secret, must put the pieces of her life back together within its new context. Soon after, Beth and her new husband journey to Italy and France where they… Continue reading Review: The Mask Revealed by Julia Brannan
The Rebel Nun by Marj Charlier tells the little-known true story of 6th-century nun Clotild who leads a rebellion for the rights and freedom for her sisters. The story takes place in medieval France at the monestary of the Holy Cross where, after the death of the progressive-thinking (for the time) abbess, the male-led… Continue reading Review: The Rebel Nun by Marj Charlier
If Diana Gabaldon Herself recommends a book series, you listen. Mask of Duplicity, the first in the Jacobite Chronicles Series, is of course right up my alley. Taking place in the years leading up to the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745, Elizabeth "Beth" Cunningham finds herself at the mercy of her estranged, cruel, military-minded half-brother… Continue reading Review: Mask of Duplicity by Julia Brannan
The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner is a quick, entertaining, and pleasant read. If you've been here before, you probably already know I have a soft spot of the 18th century. I'm also interested in herb lore and apothecary methods of the time, so the subject matter checked those boxes. To be honest, for some… Continue reading Review: The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson follows Phebe Delores Brown, the child of an enslaved woman and the master of their plantation. Phebe has avoided the harsh field toil by weaving and sewing alongside her mother on the Bell Plantation in Charles City, Virginia. Her mother is a strong influence on her life--teaching her healing… Continue reading Review: Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson
I was already familiar with the Kingsbridge series from the Pillars of the Earth and World Without End mini-series. The Evening and the Morning is my first Ken Follett...and I must say, I went a very long time assuming he must be a very talented writer. But I think I was wrong. I appreciate the… Continue reading Review: The Evening and the Morning by Ken Follett
Linnea Hartsuyker's Golden Wolf trilogy has been on my to-read list for a while for its realistic representation of Scandanavia during the 9th century. Historical Fiction with Vikings--yes, please, but it's surprisingly hard to find serious stories about Vikings rather than harlequin-esque romance novels about stereotypes (no offense if those are your vice.) The Half-Drowned… Continue reading Review: The Half-Drowned King by Linnea Hartsuyker
Mayflower Chronicles: The Tale of Two Cultures by Kathryn Brewster Haueisen straddles the line between fiction and non-fiction in telling the intertwining stories of the English religious rebels and the Pokanoket people and how these cultures clashed. There are two interesting points about the author, Kathryn Brewster Haueisen. She is the descendant of the… Continue reading Review: Mayflower Chronicles: The Tale of Two Cultures by Kathryn Brewster Haueisen
