Tag: historical fiction

Book Review: The Chateau on Sunset, by Natasha Lester

Image belongs to Ballantine | Ballantine Books.

Title: The Chateau on Sunset
Author: Natasha Lester             
Genre: Fiction  
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 

After her parents’ deaths, Aria Jones is sent to live with her reclusive starlet aunt at the Chateau Marmont, the hotel on Hollywood Boulevard with a notorious reputation.

Left alone to wander the hotel, Aria sees everything-all the ways people wheel and deal for fame. But the Marmont isn’t meant for young girls with big hearts, and Aria discovers an insidious secret that will haunt her childhood.

As she matures, she finds solace in the hotel’s library. Her sole goal is to be as inconspicuous as possible. Until one day, the hotel is sold to mysterious rock star Theo Winchester and his troubled daughter, Adele. Will Aria realize there’s more to life than being invisible?

This ended up being such a wonderful read! Poor Aria lost her parents and then got thrown into the deep end of craziness in Hollywood—with no road map. I found life in the hotel to be fascinating and horrifying, too. Lots of strong, vivid characters that I loved reading about, mixed with the ugliness of the casting couch era.  I loved seeing Aria grow and change and become such a strong woman who can help and inspire other women.

Natasha Lester is a bestselling author. The Chateau on Sunset is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Ballantine | Ballantine Books in exchange for an honest review.)

   

Book Review: The Stargazer of Nantucket, by Julie Gerstenblatt

Image belongs to Harlequin Trade Publishing | Park Row.

Title: The Stargazer of Nantucket
Author: Julie Gerstenblatt         
Genre: Historical fiction  
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 

Massachusetts, 1851

Winifred Starbuck wants only one to join her parents on their final merchant voyage—from Nantucket Island to bustling San Francisco, then across the glittering Pacific to the distant ports of China. Yet renowned trade captains Nell and Peter Starbuck have forbidden their daughter from coming aboard on the adventure of a lifetime. So Winnie does what any strong-willed eighteen-year-old would, she stows away.

Once the ship sets sail, Winnie is plunged into turbulent waters, treachery, and the thrill of life on the high seas. As she drifts farther from shore, and closer to fabled Canton port, she uncovers a long-buried secret—one that reveals the truth behind her parents’ desperate fear. And as she continues to chart her own course, she’ll have to plumb the depths of her courage to take on a world far bigger—and more dangerous—than she ever imagined.

This wasn’t a bad read, but I found it a bit unrealistic. I just can’t imagine Winnie’s parents not only being okay with her mixing in with the crew on the ship, but actively supporting her working shifts and doing everything the crew does. No, sorry, not buying it. That’s probably why I didn’t like this more, because that was so far-fetched, the rest of it didn’t really matter.

Julie Gerstenblatt lives in Rhode Island. The Stargazer of Nantucket is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin Trade Publishing | Park Row in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: The Unicorn Hunters, by Katherine Arden

Image belongs to Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore | Del Rey.

Title: The Unicorn Hunters
Author: Katherine Arden             
Genre: Fantasy  
Rating: 5 out of 5 

Anne of Brittany was a child when her realm was invaded, her home besieged, and her royal father driven to his death.

Now her treasury is empty, her land occupied by her enemies, and she is ordered, under threat of renewed war, to become queen of her conquerors and marry the King of France.

This marriage means her country’s annexation. But Anne promised her father that Brittany would never be conquered.

Defiantly, she betroths herself in secret to France’s greatest enemy. But in a world where courts may spy on each other by magic, there is only one way to solemnize this illicit union.

Anne takes her court deep into a legendary forest, where the court diviners’ skill cannot reach. The world thinks they are only a hunting party, coursing after unicorns. But that is a lie, a trick, a feint. No one in living memory has seen a unicorn. All Anne wants is this secret wedding, which is her only hope of salvation.

But when against all hope a unicorn appears and a stranger out of legend stumbles from the trees and falls at her feet, Anne is plunged into a world of enchantment where a doomed sovereign might find the power to change her own and her country’s destiny—or be lost in the shadows forever.

This was a lovely fantasy/historical fiction read! I truly loved reading Anne’s story and this wonderful fictional twist.  Anne was a great character, and the supporting characters were also believable to read. I really enjoyed all aspects of this, and found Katherine Arden’s writing to be as beautiful as always.

Katherine Arden was born in Austin. The Unicorn Hunters is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore | Del Rey in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: The Mountains We Call Home: The Book Woman’s Legacy, by Kim Michele Richardson  

Image belongs to Sourcebooks Landmark.

Title: The Mountains We Call Home: The Book Woman’s Legacy
Author: Kim Michele Richardson  
Genre: Historical fiction  
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

In this standalone and companion novel to the The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek series, our heroine for the ages, legendary book woman, Cussy Lovett, returns home. A powerful testament of strength, survival, and the magic of the printed word, The Mountains We Call Home is wrapped into a vivid portrait of Kentucky life: examining incarceration and criminalization, exploring the effects on the poor and powerless, and tracing the societal consequences of fractured family bonds, along with nostalgic glimpses of a bustling, multifaceted Louisville, and heartwarming portraits of reading efforts in every facet of life.

I loved reading the continuation of Cussy’s story! She’s such a remarkable character, yet relatable in so many ways. The things she experiences are horrible, yet somehow, she keeps pushing forward and helping everyone around her. I love reading about her life and her experiences, and the sense of hope that fills every page of her story.

Kim Michele Richardson is from Kentucky. The Mountains We Call Home is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Sourcebooks Landmark in exchange for an honest review.)

   

Book Review: Daughter of Egypt, by Marie Benedict

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title: Daughter of Egypt
Author: Marie Benedict             
Genre: Historical Fiction  
Rating: 4 out of 5

1920’s London was enthralled by the discovery of the treasure-filled tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. Filled with priceless statues, jewels, and the gold-encased mummy of the boy Pharaoh himself, the burial site unleashed a fascination with the ancient world and revolutionized the world of archeology.

The discovery was made by Lord Carnarvon of Highclere Castle and his associate, famed archeologist Howard Carter. What no one knows is that without the pioneering spirit of Lady Evelyn Herbert, Carnarvon’s daughter, the tomb might never have been found. As a young woman, Evelyn was fascinated by the story of Hatshepsut, a woman who had to assume the guise of a man in order to rule Egypt. Although she brought peace and prosperity to Egypt, her male successors ruthlessly and thoroughly erased her name from history.

Lady Evelyn’s ambition to find the tomb of Egypt’s first woman ruler exposes her to life-threatening danger and pits her against archeologists who refuse to believe the tomb can be found―and certainly not by a woman. Refusing to give up, Evelyn is on the verge of success when she is suddenly forced to make an agonizing choice between loyalty to her beloved father and Carter and realizing the dream of a lifetime.

I saw the King Tut exhibit several years ago and Egyptian history has always fascinated me, so I was intrigued by this novel. I liked Evelyn, but I did not like the rest of her family much. Her determination to be involved in archeology was inspiring, although I can’t imagine her getting to be on a dig now. It was interesting seeing the Egyptian culture through her eyes as she realized the impact the English were having on Egyptian history and on Egyptian culture then, in the 1920s.

Marie Benedict is a bestselling author. Her newest novel is Daughter of Egypt.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

     

Book Review: Heiress of Nowhere, by Stacey Lee

Image belongs to Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing | Sarah Barley Books / Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Title: Heiress of Nowhere   
Author: Stacey Lee           
Genre: YA   
Rating: 4 out of 5

1918. Orcas Island, Washington.

Lucy Nowhere has spent her eighteen years working on the vast estate of the eccentric shipbuilder who took her in after she washed ashore in a green canoe as a baby. But she has long wished for a life off the island, and in a matter of days, she is set to leave for college—and, for the first time, choose her own future.

Then she finds her employer’s severed head on the beach. Rumors swirl that a mischievous spirit and its minions, the sea wolves, have struck again. Lucy doesn’t believe in myths. She knows that a human—a human murderer—killed him. And when she is unexpectedly named heiress to the estate, she understands the next target is her.

Her closest friend, the estate’s vigilant young guard, begs her to escape while she can. But Lucy knows the only way she can discover who she is, and free the island of its curse, is to find the real killer—before she becomes the next victim.

Honestly, I wanted to know more about the sea wolves! So, my only complaint is that that part of the storyline wasn’t resolved.

This setting was very isolated and insular, but the author depicted it well. I liked the characters and the impact their different cultures had on things. This was a solid historical read, and was very clean, too, making it an excellent choice for a YA audience. Lots of threads twisting and turning and I was never quite sure who the culprit was, but I enjoyed the read.

Stacey Lee is a bestselling author. Heiress of Nowhere is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing | Sarah Barley Books / Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review.)

    

Book Review: All In Her Hands, by Audrey Blake

Image belongs to Sourcebooks Landmark.

Title: All In Her Hands
Author: Audrey Blake         
Genre: Historical fiction    
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 

One woman physician. A group of talented midwives. A deadly disease spreading.

1849. Dr. Nora Gibson is the only female surgeon in London. In all of England, even. After earning her medical degree and overcoming the prejudice of those who wished to see her fail, she’s finally earned her place at the Great Queen Street Hospital alongside her newlywed husband and her eccentric but ailing adoptive father, the great Dr. Horace Croft.

But peace is hard to come by as a physician, and for one like Nora, it’s almost impossible. When Nora takes up the fight to bring midwives into the medical field, her already fragile reputation comes under fire by colleagues and London society itself. And if the possibility of losing her rights to practice medicine wasn’t enough, a dangerous enemy has made itself known: the deadliest cholera epidemic in over a century. It’s a swift disease that wreaks havoc and tragedy across the city, especially amongst the working classes, and Nora will do anything she can to help. Soon, she finds herself on the frontlines of the disease, and as those around her begin to fall, she’ll have to find the strength to stand alone and maintain her greatest oath: to save lives. Whether she’ll make it through, though, is up to fate.

I read the first book in this series and somehow missed the second, so I was excited to read this. It did not disappoint. Parts of this were so hard to read—the extreme prejudice that Nora and the midwives were treated with by the doctors, society, and even her in-laws really infuriated me.

I love Nora herself, although her stubbornness bordered on self-harm in a couple of places. Her determination to help others and to bring respect to a group of women devoid of it was inspiring, and I really enjoyed this read.

Audrey Blake is the pen name for Jaima Fixsen and Regina Sirois. All in Her Hands is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of SOURCEBOOKS Landmark | Sourcebooks Landmark in exchange for an honest review.)

    

Book Review: The Bookbinder’s Secret, by A. D. Bell

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title: The Bookbinder’s Secret
Author: A. D. Bell            
Genre: Historical fiction   
Rating: 4 out of 5

Lilian (“Lily”) Delaney, apprentice to a master bookbinder in Oxford in 1901, chafes at the confines of her life. She is trapped between the oppressiveness of her father’s failing bookshop and still being an apprentice in a man’s profession. But when she’s given a burned book during a visit to a collector, she finds, hidden beneath the binding, a fifty-year-old letter speaking of love, fortune, and murder.

Lily is pulled into the mystery of the young lovers, a story of forbidden love, and discovers there are more books and more hidden pages telling their story. Lilian becomes obsessed with the story but she is not the only one looking for the remaining books and what began as a diverting intrigue quickly becomes a very dangerous pursuit.

Lily’s search leads her from the eccentric booksellers of London to the private libraries of unscrupulous collectors and the dusty archives of society papers, deep into the heart of the mystery. But with sinister forces closing in, willing to do anything for the books, Lilian’s world begins to fall apart and she must decide if uncovering the truth is worth the risk to her own life.

I enjoyed the parts of this about bookbinding, and the mysterious hidden letters and story hidden in the bindings of the secret books. I did not enjoy Lily’s penchant for doing absolutely stupid things all the time. I was honestly more invested in the story from the past than Lily’s story, as I was not convinced she’d ever make a good decision.

A. D. Bell lives in Oxford. The Bookbinder’s Secret is her debut novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

   

Book Review: Skylark, by Paula McLain    

Image belongs to Atria Books.

Title: Skylark
Author: Paula McLain     
Genre: Historical fiction   
Rating: 4 out of 5

1664: Alouette Voland is the daughter of a master dyer at the famed Gobelin Tapestry Works, who secretly dreams of escaping her circumstances and creating her own masterpiece. When her father is unjustly imprisoned, Alouette’s efforts to save him lead to her own confinement in the notorious Salpêtrière asylum, where thousands of women are held captive and cruelly treated. But within its grim walls, she discovers a small group of brave allies, and the possibility of a life bigger than she ever imagined.

1939: Kristof Larson is a medical student beginning his psychiatric residency in Paris, whose neighbors on the Rue de Gobelins are a Jewish family who have fled Poland. When Nazi forces descend on the city, Kristof becomes their only hope for survival, even as his work as a doctor is jeopardized.

I really enjoyed both timelines of this novel…except the endings. Wasn’t really a fan of either of those, but that’s a me issue. Strong writing, and I had no problems being immersed in the points-of-view of two such different characters. Both settings were sad and difficult, but the characters managed to find hope and push forward, despite the challenges.

Paula McLain is a bestselling author. Skylark is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Atria Books in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: The Cathedral of Lost Souls, by Paula Brackston     

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title: The Cathedral of Lost Souls
Author: Paula Brackston            
Genre: Historical fiction/fantasy   
Rating: 4 out of 5

Hereford, England 1881.

The adventure continues! After the fire and the tumultuous events in the cathedral library, Hecate is determined never again to come so close to losing the beloved mappa mundi. She has shown herself to be the greatest threat to the Essedenes and their plans and they will stop at nothing to be rid of her. With the help of her archeologist father, and the support of the redoubtable and loyal Inspector Winter, she must take the fight to her enemies.

But the numbers of Embodied Spirits are growing with terrifying speed, and an atmosphere of violence and danger has taken hold of the ancient city of Hereford. Hecate dare not trust anyone beyond her inner circle, no matter how benevolent they might seem. Nor will she risk the lives of those she loves ever again. The goddess Hekate has called her to action. She must draw upon all her gifts, and the assistance of her family of ghostly allies, if the city is not to be lost to darkness forever.

I’m a huge fan of Paula Brackston’s Found Things series, and I’m enjoying the Hecate Cavendish books, too (although not quite as much). This was a solid read and kept me engaged with everything going on. I would have liked to see more of the map and its inhabitants, but I did enjoy this and am looking forward to reading more.

Paula Brackston is a bestselling author. The Cathedral of Lost Souls is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)