Tag: historical

Book Review: Murder on the Sacred River, by Tasha Alexander

Image belongs to

Title: Murder on the Sacred River
Author: Tasha Alexander
Genre: Mystery, historical fiction
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

1908: Lady Emily and her husband Colin Hargreaves, along with an eccentric group of English tourists, are vacationing in India at Ahilya Fort, the old home to the Maharaja’s family, when a man is found shot along the Narmada River. Emily and Colin jump into action, but their suspect list is large, including a wonderful spinster and her not-so-wonderful companion; a local doctor; a widow who lives nearby; an English explorer; and an Englishman who now runs a tea plantation near Darjeeling.

1740: Fifteen-year-old Ahilyabai has been married to the son of Malharrao Holkar, the Lord of the Malwa territory, for seven years. Now the time has finally come to produce an heir. But though Ahilya’s in-laws have shown her nothing but kindness, her notoriously-drunken husband remains a mystery to her, having rarely spoken to Ahilya since their wedding as children. Faced with this tortured and distant man, Ahilya’s sense of loyalty is tested as she attempts to balance fulfilling her duty with forging her own destiny. Her decisions will have ripple effects across time—including Lady Emily’s investigation almost two hundred years later.

Lady Emily’s case takes a dramatic turn when a shocking new person arrives at the fort—and when the killer strikes again shortly afterwards, she and Colin must race to uncover the villain’s identity before it’s too late.

This wasn’t a bad read, it just felt very slow. I’ve read one other Lady Emily novel, and I didn’t have trouble following at all, the story just teetered on the edge of boring for me, both the Lady Emily storyline and the Ahilyabai one, too. I had trouble keeping the Englishwomen straight in my head—actually, all the English characters sort of blurred together for me. This wasn’t a bad read, just not an exciting one.

Tasha Alexander lives in Wyoming. Murder on the Sacred River is her newest novel.

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

Book Review: Daughters of the Wreckage, by Stefanie Koens

Image belongs to

Title: Daughters of the Wreckage
Author: Stefanie Koens
Genre: Historical fiction
Rating: 4 out of 5

Shortly before Christmas in 2018, Tess McCarthy, after years as a hard-working English teacher who never did anything out of the ordinary, flies to Western Australia’s remote Abrolhos Islands. She is in search of answers–both to the infamous Batavia shipwreck and her personal family crises.

Amsterdam, 1628. Saskia, an orphaned young Dutchwoman, boards Batavia with relatives, bound for a new and potentially dangerous life in the East Indies–only for her world to first collide with Aris Jansz, the ship’s taciturn under surgeon.

Tess, Saskia, and Aris–their lives linked by secrets that span generations–carry the baggage of past losses and the uncertainty of their futures. And, in the most unlikely circumstances, they may find qualities that echo through faith, acceptance, and love.

I’d never heard of the Batavia shipwreck but the details of what happened to the survivors was truly terrible. I did enjoy that past timeline, despite the portrayal of life on board the ship being so unpleasant. I actually enjoyed Tess’s POV much more as she stepped outside her comfort zone in a big way and learned how to grow and to heal. This was a good historical fiction read about a historical incident most people know little to nothing about.

Stefanie Koens lives in Perth. Daughters of the Wreckage is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Thomas Nelson Fiction | Thomas Nelson in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Sisters of the Midnight Sun, by Fiona Valpy

Image belongs to

Title: Sisters of the Midnight Sun
Author: Fiona Valpy
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 5 out of 5

2001: Overwhelmed by grief in the wake of losing her twin sister, Ruby Reid has come to Scotland to escape. Her new job as companion to Hanna Kristiansen, an elderly woman living on a remote homestead in the wild and remote Shetland Islands, offers plenty of challenges and a welcome distraction from the devastating choice Ruby has to make.

1940: Hanna’s quiet life on the fjords of northern Norway is overturned when her hometown is attacked and her country falls into the hands of Nazi occupiers. But the Norwegians are a people as resilient as the ancient bedrock of their land. Hanna becomes involved in the resistance movement, fighting to help end the war that has taken so much from her. She’s sent to Scotland for training, where she meets a charismatic member of the shadowy special forces who are supporting Norway’s fight for freedom. Though she’s eager to join the fight in Scotland, Hanna must return to her homeland, and face the dangerous underground work that lies ahead for her and her twin sister, Liv.

As Hanna shares her story, Ruby begins to navigate the path of her grief. Hanna in turn finds comfort in discovering that confiding in her younger friend is helping them both heal. Ruby also learns that, like the beautiful untamed land of Hanna’s rural croft, there is strength to be found in fragility, as well as hope for new life, in the wildness of an island at the end of the world.

As she slowly finds healing in a place as delicate yet defiant as the people who tend it, can Ruby find the courage to face up to the heartbreaking decisions she must now make?

This was a fantastic read! I loved both timelines equally. I do love World War II-era historical fiction—it’s my favorite genre to read—but this was truly so, so good. The writing was excellent, the settings were great, and the characters were so well-done. I am not into the concept of remote living, but the writing was so good it made both settings appealing. Excellent book, if a bit heart-wrenching.

Fiona Valpy lives in Scotland. Sisters of the Midnight Sun is her newest novel.

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

The Gods Will Sing Our Song, by Autumn Krause

Image belongs to Random House Children’s Books | Delacorte Press.

Title: The Gods Will Sing Our Song
Author: Autumn Krause              
Genre: historical fiction, YA   
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

A divine favor can change everything.

1942. War rumbles across the world, gods stir in the wind, and two lives are set on a collision course that will change them forever.

Seventeen-year-old Ren Hamada has always been defined by his troubled past, while Violet Aratani has only ever worried about keeping her straight-A grades and helping her parents run their beloved print shop. The two have little in common beyond the old magic that thrums in their worn family relics—and the fact that they’re Japanese American in a country determined to cast them as the enemy.

Forced out of their homes and into ramshackle wooden barracks in the California desert by the US government, Ren and Violet collide. In a barbed wire world where everything they thought they knew is upside-down, the magnetic pull between them is the only thing that makes sense.

But there’s more than just desert dust swirling in the air. A god walks among them, his mortal form tethered to the camp, and only Violet and Ren hold the key to freeing him—an act that would earn them an immeasurable reward. Yet with tensions rising and their lives on the line, is even a divine favor powerful enough to save them?

I do love World War II-era historical fiction, but this dealt with something I haven’t read much about. Parts of it were horrifying and sad. Parts of it were inspiring, magical, and full of hope. I loved both Ren and Violet and found the mythology in the story fascinating. Even the secondary characters were vivid and had me emotionally attached. This is a solid read that I enjoyed very much.

Autumn Krause is from L.A. The Gods Will Sing Our Song is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Random House Children’s Books | Delacorte Press in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Hawk & Sparrow, by Ayana Gray

Image belongs to

Title: Hawk & Sparrow
Author: Ayana Gray             
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Rating: 4 out of 5

Vesper Evans has always resented Basalton’s high society, and the sorcery that provides them with a luxurious life unimaginable to most. Orphaned as a child and rescued by the editor of The Basalton Globe, Vesper is now an ambitious reporter determined to keep her newspaper afloat.

While covering a lavish society gala, Vesper happens upon a shocking scene: the murdered body of a man she had spoken with just minutes before. Several of the powerful magical elite may want the man dead, but the prime suspect is wealthy industrialist Maximilian Kite.

Max soon makes Vesper a tempting offer: Find the culprit and restore his reputation in exchange for a substantial fee. Despite her distaste for Max’s world, Vesper agrees—the money would save the Globe, and the story would be the scoop of a lifetime. There’s only one catch: In order for her to infiltrate society, the two must pose as a courting couple.

Their investigation takes them from the highest echelons of privilege to the seediest backstreets of Basalton. As they unearth the city’s secrets and scandals, Vesper finds herself in grave danger—while falling for one of the most infuriating, arrogant, handsome men she has ever met . . .

I thoroughly enjoyed the world this was set in (except for the lack of women’s rights). It felt like the 1920s, which is a favorite of mine. I actually found Vesper’s disdain for anyone in high society a bit off-putting:  not that she didn’t have some good points, but she was guilty of the exact same kind of prejudice she accused all of them of.

I enjoyed the mystery of trying to figure out what was going on and who was behind everything, and there were plenty of red herrings to keep me guessing. I loved the interactions between Max and Vesper and how they both influenced each other. This was a solid, engrossing read.

Ayana Gray is a bestselling author. Hawk & Sparrow is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group | Balzer + Bray in exchange for an honest review.)

    

Book Review: The Women in White, by Sarah Pekkanen    

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title: The Women in White
Author: Sarah Pekkanen             
Genre: Mystery  
Rating: 4 out of 5

Extrasensory perception.

The Gift.

A Sixth Sense.

Or something else….

In 1964, four remarkable young women at a prestigious university became the subjects of parapsychology experiments by a visionary scientist. On the cusp of a historic breakthrough, the women mysteriously vanished and the program was erased from history. Decades later, Riley Bell, newly divorced and desperate for a fresh start, accepts a caretaker job for an elderly widow named Betty. Riley steps into a home that is frozen in another era – no microwave, television, or cell phones, and Betty has never heard of the internet. Why has Betty lived in such profound isolation for so many years, and why does she need Riley now? As the story unfolds across two timelines – Betty’s 1960s era of 5 o’clock martinis and high-stakes experiments, and Riley’s quest to uncover the truth about the missing women – old secrets rise to the surface. And the only way to survive is to confront the mystery that has lingered for sixty years.

On one hand, this was a great read. Not my usual historical fiction era, but I enjoyed it—except for the expectations and controlling of the men in the novel. That was absolutely infuriating. The writing was excellent, and I loved all the characters. The experiments in the story were horrifying to me, but believable. I loved how Riley came to figure out what was going on and apply the lessons from Betty’s past to her own life.

Sarah Pekkanen is a bestselling author. The Women in White is her newest novel.

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

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 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: The Geomagician, by Jennifer Mandula   

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

Title: The Geomagician
Author: Jennifer Mandula        
Genre: Fantasy  
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Mary Anning wants to be a geomagician—a paleontologist who uses fossils to wield magic—but since the Geomagical Society of London refuses to admit women, she’s stuck selling her discoveries to tourists instead. When an ancient egg hatches in her hands, revealing a loveable baby pterodactyl Mary names Ajax, she knows this is the kind of scientific find that could make her career—if she’s strategic.

Mary contacts the Society about her discovery, and they demand to take possession of Ajax. Their emissary is none other than Henry Stanton, a distinguished (and infuriatingly handsome) scholar… and the man who once broke Mary’s heart.

Henry claims he believes in the brilliant Mary, and that he only wants to help her obtain the respect she deserves. She knows she can’t trust her fellow scholars, who want to discredit her and claim Ajax for their own—but can she even trust Henry, who seems intent on winning Mary back?

Now Mary has a new mystery to solve that’s buried deeper than any dinosaur She must uncover the secrets behind the Society and the truth about Henry. As her conscience begins to chafe against her ambition, Mary must decide what lengths she’s willing to go to finally belong—and what her heart really wants.

I enjoyed this a lot! The world this is set in has a lot of problems, but it was an interesting setting. And Ajax was absolutely adorable! I was intrigued with this story from the very beginning, and I like Mary a lot. I think I enjoyed her interior monologue the most, questioning herself and her actions in real time.

Jennifer Mandula lives in Ohia. Her debut historical fantasy is The Geomagician.

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