Upcoming Releases - January 2010

January 1

Sharon Lathan - The Darcy's at Years End (US)

Elisabeth McNeill - The Heartbreaker (UK)
T. G. Morgan - The Master of Bruges (UK)

January 5
Tracy Chevalier - Remarkable Creatures (US)
Kate Emerson - Between Two Queens (UK)

Karen Harper - Mistress Shakespeare (US)
Eugenia Kim - The Calligrapher's Daughter (UK)

January 6
Diane A.S. Stuckart - Portrait of a Lady (US)

January 7

Omair Ahmad - The Storyteller's Tale (UK)
Benita Brown - Starlight and Dreams (UK)

Diana Gabaldon - An Echo In The Bone (UK)
Panos Karnezis - The Convent (UK)
Richard Rayner - A Bright and Guilty Place: Murder in LA (UK)
John Wilcox - The Shangani Patrol (UK)

January 11
June Francis - Sunshine and Showers (UK)
January 19
Maryse Conde - Victoire, My Grandmother (UK)
Bernard Cornwell - The Burning Land (US)
Sara Donati - The Endless Forest (UK)

January 21

Jane Borodale - The Book of Fires
Christian Cameron - Tyrant: Funeral Games (UK)
Sam Eastman - Eye of The Red Czar (UK)

Karen Harper - The Queen's Governess (UK)

January 22
Christian Cameron - Tyrant: Storm of Arrows (UK)

January 28
Laura Joh Rowland - The Cloud Pavilion (UK)

January 29
David Dockinson - Death of a Wine Merchant (UK)

Teddy's Best of 2009

Below are my top five favorites of 2009, starting with my most favorite.  You can click on the covers to read my reviews:

Have you ever wondered what happened to Cleopatra's children after her after her death? Michelle Moran tells us in her new engrossing novel.   Michelle Moran writes a sweeping novel of some of the beauty and severe brutality of Rome.  This is my top pick for 2009. 




 

Juana, daughter of Queen Isabel & King Ferdinand of Spain was raised to be a pawn. She was betrothed as a toddler to Philip of Flanders, heir to the Hapsburg throne, to improve political alliances with Spain.  This is an enthralling story of greed, lust, power, loyalty, and friendship. C.W. Gorther keeps the story going in perfect pitch!  I could not put this book down and it kept me up into the wee hours of the morning.

When her mother died, Pan Yuliang was sent to her uncle's house. He raised her along with the help of a maid. She was to be promised to a man and then be married. That is what her mother's wish for her and a promise from her uncle.  However, her uncle had a drug habit and ran out of money. He had to get drugs somehow, so he sold Yuliang into prostitution at the age of 14. How she become a famous painter from there is a very interesting story!  I cannot recommend this book high enough. It does not disappoint!

Will Somers starts out with a dull life in the country on the family farm. Even his family admits that he doesn't make a good farmer. That doesn't leave him with any real options, until an option lands in his lap. Margaret Campbell Barnes envelopes the reader into the pages of her book. It is a compelling read and captures the period and Will Somers well. This book is hard to put down! Highly recommended!  This is the story of how Will became King Henery VIII's fool.  

This is the story of how Arthur became King and how Gwenhwyfar became his Queen.  There is no magic here as in some of the other books on the subject.  Helen Hollick leaves out all the usual mystery and magic. There is no mention of Merlin and Lancelot, which in my opinion, makes her version more plausible than other versions of the story.Hollick's writing is smooth and beautiful. She seamlessly transports her readers back to the Dark Ages.

HT News

Are you a fan of Lauren Willig's Pink Carnation series? If you are, you might be interested in reading the free novella that she has up on her website - Ivy and Intrigue: A Very Selwick Christmas.

Happy blogiversary to Lucy from Enchanted by Josephine. She's celebrating with an author guest post by Sandra Gulland, and a giveaway of the fantastic Josephine B trilogy.
You can win a copy of The Burning Land by Bernard Cornwell over at The Tome Traveller.

Why I Love Writing About Unusual Historical Professions by Christine Trent

If you’re reading this, you probably already love historical fiction. But why do you love it? Is it the idea of a time where women wore long dresses, the rich rode in fancy carriages, and everyday speech was so much more formal?

Sure.

But don’t you just love really learning something as you read historical fiction? Something that makes you say, “Huh! I never knew that about Richard III/the Druids/Roman centurions.” Me too. And one of my favorite things to read about is the unusual sorts of jobs people had in previous centuries. And so when I sat down to write my first book, I knew that the protagonist had to have a truly unusual profession.

In my first book, THE QUEEN’S DOLLMAKER, I wrote about. . .you guessed it, a dollmaker to Marie Antoinette. I’m a lifelong doll collector, and knew the dolls have been around for centuries, but had no idea how they were made in previous times. It was fascinating for me to learn that high quality 18th century dolls were carved of wood, and were mostly used by the upper classes to display fashions. Also, doll carving was typically a man’s job, done by carpenters.

In my next book, I decided to focus on what I consider a similar yet unique profession, waxworking, by inventing an apprentice to the great Madame Tussaud. It is remarkable how much work went into creating a single figure. . .and Tussaud was sculpting, designing tableaux in which the figures could be displayed, and running her exhibition hall, with her only help being just her young son, Joseph, for many years. Even with today’s modern waxworking techniques, it takes the artisans at Madame Tussaud’s nearly six months to create a figure.

Did you know that both men and women owned waxworks, but the women tended to enjoy more success? In England, anyway.

I picked out some occupations from A DICTIONARY OF OLD TRADES, TITLES, & OCCUPATIONS, by Colin Waters. Has anyone ever read or written historical fiction about a:

· Kiver (a brewery worker)?
· Knacker (a toymaker)?
· Jambee Maker (maker of a particular kind of fashionable walking cane)?
· Tax Collector?
· Chandler (candlemaker)?
· Hokey Pokey Man (Italian ice cream seller)?
· Coach Builder?
· Or how about a Papermaker, Coppersmith, Locksmith, Nailmaker, or Wheelwright?

I don’t know about you, but I can imagine fascinating stories being woven out of any of these professions.

Are there any other unusual professions you’ve read about and loved?

________________________________________

Christine Trent debut novel, The Queen's Dollmaker, will be released today December 29th.
Here's a little preview:

A young woman, struggling to expand her London dollmaking trade, finds a surprising customer in Queen Marie Antoinette, an avid doll collector herself. This seemingly innocent exchange puts Claudette’s life in danger when she is lured to Paris under false pretenses. Money and jewels are being smuggled in dolls destined for the Queen, and have now been discovered by the fledgling revolutionary French government…


The author is currently working on her next book: The Wax Apprentice. To learn more don't forget to visit her lovely website: http://www.christinetrent.com/

Ana's Best of 2009

Time to look back at what I read this year once more. This is the second year we are doing this so I suppose we are starting a tradition. It's always fun to revisit the best books I read and this time I think I gave better grades than last year to my reads. I also read more historical fiction which is a good thing for the purpose of this blog. I gave top grades to four books:

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Piel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

A lovely, cosy story that made me laugh and cry in turns. A wonderful story of book lovers and life during the war period.

A Dangerous Mourning by Anne Perry

I always feel like Perry has a wonderful way of describing the Victorian world and she has a knack for capturing the human psicology and complexities that I find very appealing.

The Marsh King's Daughter by Elizabeth Chadwick

There's no one like Elizabeth Chadwick to bring the medieval world to life. Her characters may not always be likeable but they are definitely complex and believable and of course her portrayal of the period is without fault.

Into the Wilderness by Sara Donati

Sara Donati is a new find for me. I'm very glad I followed Marg's advice and picked this one up because I fell in love with the characters and the setting of America's wild frontier and I can't wait to pick up the next one.

And I have a few honourable mentions:

The Dark Rose by Cinthia Harrod-Eagles

Red Adam's Lady by Grace Ingram

Dissolution by C.J. Sansom

Lady of The Roses by Sandra Worth

I hope 2010 will prove to be an even better year in terms of Historical fiction!

HT News: The 2010 Reading Challenges edition

There are a lot of great historical fiction reading Challenges coming up next year - something for nearly everyone. We thought it would be a good idea to create a list of the challenges that we are aware of. Please let us know if there are any that we should have mentioned and we will add them to the post.

Our Mutual Read - A Victorian Reading Challenge 

Amanda from The Blog Jar has been reading a lot of Victorian novels this year and hopes to continue that, so she has created a challenge to encourage others to join her! There are different levels, and some mini challenges. The full details can be found on the challenge blog.

2010 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

The wonderful ladies at Royal Reviews are running their Historical Fiction Reading Challenge for the third year running. 

There are four different levels available

Curious – Read 3 Historical Fiction novels.
Fascinated – Read 6 Historical Fiction novels.
Addicted – Read 12 Historical Fiction novels.
Obsessed – Read 20 Historical Fiction novels.

I've signed up for the Obsessed level.

A Tournament of Reading

Meghan from Medieval Bookworm has announced a new medieval reading challenge to encourage readers to get a little more medieval into their reading diet

The Tudor Book Challenge

Michelle from Benedictionary has announced her Tudor Book Challenge, where the idea is "to read books about or inspired by the Tudor era of the English monarchy." There are several gorgeous buttons to choose from, prizes and four different participation levels. You have to sign up by December 31 to be eligible for the prizes, so check out the challenge post now.

Art History Challenge

This is the second year of the Art History Challenge, but this year it is being hosted by nomadreader. This challenge is for those of us who love to read about the art and artists from history. There are four different levels of participation and several lovely buttons to choose from. You can find all the details at the challenge blog.

War Through the Generations - Vietnam

One of my favourite challenges this year was War Through the Generations which was focussed on WWII. In 2010, the focus shifts forward 20 years or so to reads about the Vietnam War.
Year of the Historical

Year of the Historical - A 2010 Reading Challenge

Kmont from Lurv a la mode is hosting Year of the Historical. This challenge encompasses both historical romance and historical fiction, with the idea being that challenge participants will read one qualifying book per month.

Fire and Ice Historical Fiction Challenge 2010

Ambrosia from Fire and Ice is hosting a Historical Fiction challenge, where the idea is to read one historical fiction book per month.

American Civil War Reading Challenge

Marny is hosting the American Civil War Reading Challenge. The idea is to read either fiction or non-fiction about the American Civil War, and there are four different participation levels.
Alphabet in Historical Fiction

Outlander Reading Challenge 

This challenge is already underway, but as far as I can tell it isn't too late to join in. The idea is to read your way through the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon by November 17 2010.

Lucy Maud Montgomery Reading Challenge

Carrie from Reading To Know is hosting the second round of the Lucy Maud Montgomery Reading Challenge. This is a month long challenge that runs for the month of January, where the idea is to read one or more books by L M Montgomery.

The Alphabet in Historical Fiction

Last, but definitely not least, there is our own reading challenge, The Alphabet in Historical Fiction. The idea is that every each fortnight you have to write a blog post about an historical fiction book of your choice (it might even be something you already read before), but it MUST be related to the letter of the fortnight.

You have several possibilities:
- the first letter of the title
- the first letter of the author's first name or surname
- the first letter of a character's first name or surname
- the first letter of a place where an historical event took place

You just have to choose one of them and participate.

Marg's Best of 2009

It's always an interesting exercise looking back on the books that you have read during a year. Today, I begin a series of posts where each of us here at Historical Tapestry picks out our favourite reads of 2009. I wonder if your favourites will appear on any of our lists?


Quite often I will look at books on my list and see a book that I marked as a particular grade but as I look back on it would probably grade differently now, some times better and some times worse. Then there are the stand out books. The books that you absolutely loved and would not change the grade of even if you read the books months ago.

My first favourite for this year is The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley. From the first moment I picked up this book, I was sucked into the worlds of historical fiction Carrie, as she in turn was drawn into the world of Sophia who lived in the early 1700s in Scotland! I have been recommending this book to anyone I talked to. One thing to bear in mind is that the title has now been changed to Sophia's Secret. Regardless of which title the book has, the contents of the book are excellent, and I am looking forward to reading more from Susanna Kearsley next year.

You can read my review (including a synopsis) here.

If we travel back even further in time from the early 1700s, we will eventually find ourselves at the time of my other favourite book of 2009 - The Swan Maiden by Jules Watson. This isn't the first Jules Watson book that I have read, having enjoyed the three books of her Dalriaida trilogy over the last few years, but this is definitely the most confident and assured in terms of writing style yet.

This book is a retelling of a Celtic myth about Diedre, an unusual young woman who catches the eye of the King, Conor. She doesn't want to be forced into marrying him, so she escapes and in doing so comes across three young warriors who have been banished from the tribe. She falls in love with one of them, Naisi, but it is only a matter of time before Conor finds them, and when all of them have to face the consequences of their actions.

Beautifully written, and a lovely story, this is another highly recommended read. You can read our interview with Jules Watson as well as my reviews of her other books by clicking on this link.

There are lots of other Historical Fiction books that I really really enjoyed as well this year, and here are just some of those reads:

The Last Queen by CW Gortner (you can read both my own and Teddy's thoughts here)

The Water Horse by Julia Gregson

The Founding, The Dark Rose and The Princeling by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles - all part of the Morland Dynasty series of books.

Night of Flames by Douglas W Jacobson - read my review and a Why I Love guest post from this author

Cross Stitch by Diana Gabaldon (reread)

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

The Wedding Officer by Anthony Capella

Royal Harlot by Susan Holloway Scott - read Susan Holloway Scott's Why I Love guest post.

The Kingmaking and Pendragon's Banner by Helen Hollick - read Helen Hollick's Why I Love guest post

Bones of the Hills by Conn Iggulden

The Conquest by Elizabeth Chadwick

HT Recommends: HF with a Holiday theme

No, this time no one asked us for recommendations but we decided to do a special post with some books devoted to the current Holiday Season. There are several holidays being celebrated this month and we thought it would be interesting to find Historical Fiction books about them. From what we found Christmas is the one most books are devoted to but we would love to discover more books and about more holidays. Here's what we came up with:

HF with a Christmas theme:

Louisa May Alcott - Louisa May Alcott's A Christmas Treasury (a collection of stories)

Agatha Christie - Hercule Poirot's Christmas

Bernard Cornwell - Sharpe's Christmas

Glenice Crossland - Christmas Past

Charles Dickens - A Christmas Carol

Charles Dickens - Ghostly Christmas

Paul Gallico - A Miracle in The Wilderness

Alex Haley - A Different Kind of Christmas

Robert Lee Hall - Benjamin Franklin and A Case of Christmas Murder

Cyril Hare - A English Murder

Karen Harper - The Queene's Christmas

Georgette Heyer - Envious Casca

Marvin Kaye - The Last Christmas of Ebenezer Scrooge

Selma Lagerlof - The Legend of The Christmas Rose

LM Montgomery - Christmas With Anne

Owen Parry - Our Simple Gifts ; Civil war Christmas tales

Owen Parry - Strike The Harp!

Anne Perry - A Christmas Journey (2003)

Anne Perry - A Christmas Visitor (2004)

Anne Perry - A Christmas Guest (2005)

Anne Perry - A Christmas Secret (2006)

Anne Perry - A Christmas Beginning (2007)

Anne Perry - A Christmas Grace (2008)

Anne Perry - A Christmas Promise (2009)

Miss Read - A Country Christmas

Miss Read - The Christmas Mouse

Miss Read - A Village Christmas

B.R. Roberts - What a Christmas

Harriet Beecher Stowe - The First Christmas in New England

Laura Ingalls Wilder - A Little House Christmas (a collection of stories)

HF with a Hanukkah theme:

Miriam Chaikin - Alexandra's Scroll, the story of the First Hanukkah

Stephen Krensky - Hanukkah at Valley Forge

The Walking People by Mary Beth Keane

In the 1950'sJohanna and her sister, Greta lived with their parents, Lily and Big Tom and their brothers in Ballyroan, Ireland. It was a very quiet little town, as many people from the town had immigrated to America. They lead a simple life of farming and fishing salmon. Joanna and Greta went to school while their brothers farmed with Big Tom. The family didn't think that Greta would really amount to much, she was quite awkward and they called her a goose. She stuck to Joanna like glue and rarely left her side.

One day a gypsy woman and her son, Michael came to their home looking for a handout. Johanna was drawn to Michael right away, wondering what it was like to roam the country side and not live in any one place.

Then, Johanna and Greta's father was shot for poaching salmon and died. It left the family without much means to survive. All except for one of the brothers, Little Tom went to Australia. They found work and send what money they could back home to help the family. Joanna then got the idea that her and Greta should also find work and they did in a nearby town, lying about their ages. They worked in a bed and breakfast however, there were very few customers and they were finally let go.

They ran into Michael every once in awhile and then one day, he showed up on their doorstep again. He was fascinated by the family and wondered what it would be like to live in a house. Lilly let him stay and he pitched in with chores and farming with Little Tom.

Johanna started sneaking out at night to visit Michael in the barn , where he slept. She wanted to convince him to go to America with her. She told Greta of the plan and she wanted to go too. Lily didn't know about it until Greta spilled the beans by purposely leaving a letter out from a family friend in America. Lily decided that it would be a good idea for both her girls to go with Michael to America and work for awhile. They could send some money home and eventually move back home to Ballyroan.

It was now the 1960's and Johanna, Greta, and Michael end up in New York. It is quite disconcerting at first, coming from such a small town with few people to the hustle and bustle of a big city. Also, soon after they arrive, Joanna discovers that she is pregnant from the nights she spent with Michael on the ship.

The Walking People is Mary Beth Keane's first novel. Though not perfect, I really enjoyed it. She wrote in beautiful prose about the people and landscape of Ballroan, Ireland. The character development was very strong and rang true for me. She effortlessly transitioned the story to America and captured the heart of 1960's New York. There is a lot more to the story but I don' want to risk giving away spoilers. I recommend this to historical fiction fans and lovers of the immigrant experience.

4/5

A Christmas Guest by Anne Perry

In A Christmas Guest, Mariah Ellison, better known as the vinegar-tongued Grandmama from the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt series, makes a stunning appearance in a bracing story full of devious delight . . . and certain death.


For Grandmama Ellison, Christmas is no reason to celebrate. And when her daughter and son-in-law plan a Christmas vacation to Paris sans hers truly, the cantankerous Grandmama is forced to stay elsewhere–and travels to the chilly, windswept Romney Marshes to spend the holiday with Charlotte Pitt’s parents, Caroline and Joshua Fielding.

Grandmama is immediately miserable. For starters, Christmas with the Fieldings is nothing like the cultured life to which she’s accustomed, and the Romney Marshes are unbearably provincial. When Joshua’s cousin Maude Barrington arrives, Grandmama is at her wit’s end. Although Maude is well traveled and friendly, Grandmama thinks she’s improper and strange. But when Maude is found lifeless in bed, Grandmama senses foul play and takes it upon herself to assume the role of amateur detective–uncovering not only the truth about Maude Barrington but some startling truths about herself as well.

I do hope Anne Perry continues to write theses because they really are a treat during the holiday season. The only drawback is that most of the main characters in these stories are secondary characters from her two series - the Inspector Monk and the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt. So it happens that from time to time I find out something that is going to happen in books of those series that I haven't read yet. For instance in this story the main character is Charlotte Pitt's grandmother and I ended finding some things about her that I didn't know yet since I only read a few books in that series.

Mariah Ellison, the mentioned grandmother, is very unhappy because she will have to spend the holiday season with her former daughter-in-law who is now married to a younger actor, Joshua. Mariah is very bitter and finds fault with almost everything. Things only get worse when it is announced that one of Joshua's relatives will come to spend the holiday season with them because her family already has guests. The relative, Maude, reveals herself as an original woman, a traveler who has spent most of her time abroad and has really enjoyed the different cultures she has known.

While Mariah doesn't exactly feels any empathy with Maude the truth is that when she is found dead in her bed the next morning she suspects murder was done. She even discovers how it could have happened. And she starts feeling that she may have some things in common with Maude and she was in fact a woman to be admired. So she decides to go and meet Maude's family, tell them what happened and possibly discover who the killer is.

In the process Mariah Ellison discovers a few truths about her, a lot of secrets in Maude's family and that joy and good will, not to mention good people, actually exist. She finds the spirit of Christmas! Just lovely!

Grade: 4.5/5

HT News

First a bit of Historical Tapestry news. We now have a Goodreads account, so if you have one too you can befriend us there and see what books are on our bookshelves.

Elizabeth Chadwick has five copies of her newly rereleased novel, The Running Vixen. You can find all the details here.

Another author who is holding a giveaway is Sharon Kay Penman, who is giving away a signed copy of The Devil's Brood.

Carrie Lofty recently guest posted for us. If that piqued your interest, and you would like to win a copy of her book, then you can win a copy over at Historical Novel Review.

Kathy from Oklahoma Booklady is giving away a copy of Tears of a Pearl by Tasha Alexander. Click here for the details.

Amy from Passages to the Past is giving away a copy of The Days the Falls Stood Still by Cathy Marie Buchanan

The Little Duke by Charlotte Mary Yonge

An inspiring story of Richard the Fearless (943-996) who became Duke of Normandy at the age of 8. Relates the perils of his childhood, both at home in Normandy and during his captivity at the court of France, and how at long last he came to embrace the values his father espoused.

One of these days I went browsing Project Gutenberg to see if I found anything interesting for a challenge I was involved in and that interested me at the same time.

When I found this title I didn't immediately realise it was a story for children, what appealed to me was that it was a medieval story and I seldom resist those.

I really did like it and can totally see how it would appeal a child. The hero is a child, Richard of Normandy, who inherits the dukedom on his father's death while still a child. The little Duke (very well titled) becomes first a prisoner of King Louis of France and then, after escaping with the help of his loyal servants, allies himself with the Danes and manages to imprison the King who is later exchanged for his sons that Richard had met while at court.

Basically this is the story of a young boy becoming a man, controlling his emotions, conquering his desire of vengeance and fully embodying the Christian values of forgiveness and good will to others. Richard of Normandy would later be known as Richard the Fearless and the great-grandfather of William the Conqueror.

Grade 4/5

HT News

All Things Royal is giving away a copy of Murder Most Royal by Jean Plaidy and a DVD of Anne of a Thousand Days. You can see all the ways you can enter by clicking on this link.

Arleigh at Historical-fiction.com has a few giveaways running at the moment. The first is for Tales of Passion, Tales of Woe by Sandra Gulland. Another one is for The Huntress by Susan Carroll (a book that I have had here to read for so long!). A third giveaway is for a set of Annette Laing's childrens book series which is called The Snipesville Chronicles.

Over at Scandalous Women you can win a copy of Norah Lofts' The Lute Player as long as you live in the US or Canada.

Amy from Passages to the Past is giving away a copy of The Queen's Confession by Victoria Holt.

Lucy from Enchanted by Josephine has a guest post from Mary Lydon Simonson, author of Searching for Pemberly, and there is a giveaway as well.

Why I Love Unusual Settings by Carrie Lofty

I've always been just a little bit stubborn. Call me principled or hard-headed, but I tend to do things my own way. For example, medieval romances are much scarcer than they once were--maybe all those vampire brotherhoods horned in on the knight-hero's territory? But when I sat down to write the follow-up to my Robin Hood-themed debut, WHAT A SCOUNDREL WANTS, I somehow got it in my brain to set SCOUNDREL'S KISS in Spain.

Medieval Spain.

The Kingdom of Castile, to be exact.

Why? Once the idea fired up inside my imagination, I couldn't let it go. Maybe writing a warrior monk hero just sounded intriguing and sexy to me at the time. Imagine all the training and hard-earned experience of a warrior, but all the humility and, ahem, self-control of a monk. Talk about conflict!

But you see, I started out my career as an historian. More specifically, I studied nothing other than gunfighters and outlaws for roughly ten years. (Blame that fantastically melodramatic TV show from the early 90s, "The Young Riders.") Then I wondered what other places had history. Turns out...well, every place! *grin*

I became very curious, and the more exotic the better. But it turns out that historical romance is not as adventurous as I am. Regency settings, the Scottish Highlands--that wasn't enough for me. I wanted the thrill of new times and places to go along with the thrill of love's first blush.

Even since then, I've made it my mission to bring a little bit of the exotic to historical romance. I've set works in 1950s Italy, medieval England, and Napoleonic Austria, and my current work-in-progress takes place in Victorian South Africa! I even founded a multi-author blog in November of 2006, called Unusual Historicals (http://unusualhistoricals.blogspot.com/) to serve as a meeting place for like-minded fans and authors.

But more than exotic settings, I love a great romance. I love that zing that the hero and heroine feel when they realize they're with their one-and-only. I sigh happy sighs and clutch really great books to my heart. As a writer, that's always been my first and foremost goal. Otherwise, all my fascination with history and exotic locales blends into a boring textbook--that's not sensual or sexy at all!

Oh, speaking of stubborn, did I mention that the heroine of SCOUNDREL'S KISS is addiction to opium? I just can't seem to help myself!

__________________________________

Born in California, raised in the Midwest, Carrie Lofty met her husband in England--the best souvenir! Since earning her master's in history, she's been devoted to raising two precocious daughters and writing romance, including her Robin Hood-themed debut, WHAT A SCOUNDREL WANTS. This June, Carrie's sensual tale of two lovelorn musicians in Napoleonic Austria will launch Carina Press, Harlequin's new all-digital venture. With Ann Aguirre, she also co-writes hot'n'dirty apocalyptic romances as Ellen Connor.

http://www.carrielofty.com/

http://www.ellenconnor.com/

Challenge: The Alphabet in Historical Fiction

It's time for a new letter in The Alphabet in Historical Fiction but first let's take a look at our entries for the letter B:

1 - Heather (Epoch Tales) - Black Robe by Brian Moore

2 - Whitney (She is Too Fond of Books) - The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa Gregory

3 - Teddy (So Many Precious Books, So Little Time) - Beneath a Marble Sky by John Shors

4 - Sarah (Reading The Past) - The Boundless Deep by Kate Brallier

5 - Leya (Wandeca Reads) - Blindspot by Jane Kamensky and Jill Lepore

6 - Robin (The Lady Gwynn's Kingdom) - The Last Boleyn by Karen Harper

7 - Cat (Tell Me a Story) - The Fraud by Barbara Ewing

8 - Miss Moppet (Misadventures of Moppet) - Madame du Barry by Jean Plaidy

9 - Rowenna (Hyaline Prosaic) - Mr Timothy by Louis Bayard

10 - Stark Raving Bibliophile - March by Geraldine Brooks

11 - Ana (Aneca's World) - Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell

12 - Marg (Reading Adventures) - The Master of Verona by David Blixt

13 - Gautami Tripathy - Midwife of The Blue Ridge by Christine Blevins

14 - Carrie (Opalescent Essence) - Honolulu by Alan Brennert

15 - Daphne (Tanzanite) - Desire The Kingdom by Paula Zabka

16 - Alex (Le Canape) - Les Aventures Extraordinaires de Adele Blanc-Sec by Jacques Tardi


Lucy from Enchanted by Josephine left her A letter post on the B's, it's The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen by Syrie James

Since the next letter would collide with the season's festivities we decided to jump the Jan 1st th date and you have a whole month to read your book. The next letter with be presented on Jan 15th.


And now it's time to remember the rules and introduce the new letter!

Each fortnight (1 month this time) you have to write a blog post about an historical fiction book of your choice (it might even be something you already read before), but it MUST be related to the letter of the fortnight.

You have several possibilities:

- the first letter of the title

- the first letter of the author's first name or surname

- the first letter of a character's first name or surname

- the first letter of a place where an historical event took place


You just have to choose one of them and participate.


Please check our blog each 1st and 15th of the month to find out our new letter, and then link your post (not your blog) back to our page through Mr Linky (see below). Then come and check to see who else has posted and visit their blog to find out all the details of the book they were reading.



This time you have until the Jan 15th to complete your mission.



And the next month will be dedicated to the letter C:

Scoundrel's Kiss by Carrie Lofty

Turning his back on his old life as a rogue, Gavriel de Marqueda has joined a monastic order in Spain and taken a vow of chastity. Before he becomes a monk, he must pass one final test: help a woman who has lost her way. But when he lays eyes on Ada of Keyworth, he is tempted beyond measure by her sultry beauty and dangerous curves. Far from her home in England, Ada has been battling inner demons for more than a year. When she discovers that her only friend has abandoned her, she has no choice but to grudgingly accept Gavriel's help. But Ada is not fooled. Though Gavriel wears the robes of a monk, Ada sees that he is a virile man who looks at her with a hunger that matches her own - one that begs to be satisfied again and again.

Castile, Iberian Peninsula, 13th century. The fights between Moors and Christians have been going on for centuries. The Convivencia is in place, having Moors, Christians and Jews living together despite their religious beliefs causing deep social differences.

Ada of Keyworth is an English woman with a talent for languages who found a place in the court of a known aristocrat in Toledo. Her troubled past led her to a opium dependance to calm her dreams. While trying to end her thirst for more drugs she finds herself under the power of a merchant. The young woman ends up in a brothel to be sold as slave to pay her debts.

Gavriel of Marquaeda is a mysterious young man about to become a monk of the Order of Santiago. While on a mission in a local brothel with his master and another novice, he notices a dazzling woman being rescued by a young warrior, Jacob. Seeing him outnumbered, he decides to help and both get to save Ada from a life of servitude. The English woman will then become his final test before joining the Order: help her with the drug addiction and keep her safe.

The main characters in this story are a little different from what we normally expect in an historical romance. Ada is independent, tough and haunted by dreams and even guilt that never let her sleep. She's not the innocent and typical damsel in distress, this woman is determined to have a career and fend for herself when needs be.

Gavriel is training to join the Order of Santiago. His warrior past weights on his shoulders and he desperately seeks redemption. When he meets Ada, his world is completely shaken. While sometimes a little overbearing, he is also resigned about his future. His past and family would never let him find his peace and built a life with Ada.

These two are a perfect match, both determined to get through the worst ordeals while fighting for what they want. But they are far from being the flawless heroes who always save the day. It's one of the reasons why they win me over.

The secondary characters are also very endearing and I truly hope to see Bridget and Jacob in Carrie Lofty's future books.

I really enjoyed the fact that the author ends up with a note discussing the historical context and explaining the changes she made to suit her story. Writing a romance during the Reconquista in the Iberian Peninsula is probably not an easy task. The era and location are not usual among historical romance or even historical fiction, and from the first pages, I was immediately swept away.

Some details like the character's names who are so often misspelled, anglicized or even stereotyped (no Juanitas here!) feel familiar to anyone who is close to this culture. My grandmother's family is originally from the region of Castile and Leon and one of the characters has her family name which is common in the area but it was nonetheless funny to find here.

The language used by the characters might seem sometimes a tad too modern, especially Ada's, but nothing that spoils the story.

Scoundrel's Kiss is the sequel of What a Scoundrel Wants which I still didn't read but I planned to do as quickly as my TBR pile will allow me. I heartily recommend this book to everyone who enjoys a good romance and history as well.

Grade: 4/5

Murder in Nob Hill by Shirley Tallman

The year is 1880, the place San Francisco. Intelligent,
outspoken Sarah Woolson is a young woman with a goal and the fortitude to achieve it. She has always dreamed of becoming a lawyer. The trouble is, everyone believes women belong in the home – that it is not only unnatural, but against God’s will for them to seek a career.

When Sarah finagles an interview with one of the city’s most prestigious law firms, no one thinks she has a prayer of being hired. Except Sarah. Using her brains and a little subterfuge, she not only manages to become the firm’s newest (and only female) associate attorney, she also acquires her first client—a lovely young society matron suspected of brutally stabbing to death her wealthy but abusive husband. Sarah is sure of her client’s innocence, but the revelation of the woman’s secret lover may make that innocence impossible to prove.When four more victims fall prey to the killer’s knife, Sarah fears she has bitten off more than she can chew. Bucking her boorish employer and the judicial system, Sarah finds herself embroiled in shady legal maneuvers, a daring Chinatown raid, and a secret and very scandalous sex club in this irresistible blend of history, romance, and murder.

Sarah Woolson is the younger daughter of a prominent family of San Francisco. Her father is a respected judge and she always wanted to follow his footsteps and practice law. While having all the requirements, a woman attorney was not a common thing in 1880. But Sarah is not easily put down and with the help of her brother, she manages to get an interview with Shepherd, McNaughton and Hall (a renowned law firm). There she meets Annjennet Hannaford, a young widow and a client of the firm but who gets a patronizing answer to her economical concerns caused by her husband’s recent murder. Sarah’s attention is immediately caught by the lady's situation and she offers her services to Annjennet, to great despair and annoyance of Shepherd.

Sarah is one of those heroines I can’t help admiring. She’s intelligent and brave, nothing stops her until the mystery is solved. Even if pampered and protected by her father, she knows how privileged she is and that awareness grows during her investigations.

My favorite moments are the bickering scenes between our heroine and Robert Campbell. It’s hilarious when she calmly and logically explains something to her stubborn and quick temper colleague.
I also enjoyed the glimpses of the town’s Chinese community, something I don’t often read about. The mysterious Li Ying is a wonderful character and I truly hope to see more of him in Tallman’s future books.

Not only the portrait of 19th century San Francisco caught my attention right away but the fast pace mystery keeps you guessing until the end.

Grade: 4/5

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Piel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

' I wonder how the book got to Guernsey? Perhaps there is some sort of secret homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers.' January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second

World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she's never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb..

As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends - and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island - boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all.

Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the society's members, learning about their island, their taste in books, and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds will change her forever.

Written with warmth and humor as a series of letters, this novel is a celebration of the written word in all its guises, and of finding connection in the most surprising ways.

I had no idea what awaited me when I started this book, I had some knowledge about the Island of Guernsey but none about its history and the period of the German occupation. Not that I felt this about the place, it's much more about people, how they live, love and cope in a time of adversity, but I definitely felt like hopping on a plane and travel there just to see if it was how I imagined it.

The story is told entirely in epistolary format, the common thread is Juliet, a writer, she is on tour and sends letters to her publisher in London retelling what's happening with her life and writing. One day she receives a letter from a man in Guernsey, Dawsey Adams, he bought a second hand book with her contact inside and wants to know if she can help him find more books by the same author as they are scarce in Guernsey. What follows is a rather interesting and funny exchange where we see their personalities reflected. Through his letters Juliet gets to know the Guernsey inhabitants and the story of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, a book club they founded when under the Nazi occupation. Juliet is so intrigued that she eventually decides to travel to Guernsey and not only gets to know them all in person but to write about their experiences during the war.

It's a sweet and charming story, with lots of literary references and with a very cosy feel. You can't help a few laughs while reading it but there's also sadness and tragedy, the main thing I suppose is that you actually feel like you would really like to meet those characters some time. They are that real!

Grade: 5/5

Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman

After reading His Dark Materials (Golden Compass), I was curious about Philip Pullman’s other works. Sally Lockhart’s series seemed a good start to know this author a little better, so I decided to try Ruby in the Smoke.

‘Have you ever heard the phrase The Seven Blessings?’That question causes a man to die of shock, and propels Sally Lockhart into a desperate adventure that will expose the deepest secrets of the corrupt and murderous opium trade. Sally is sixteen when the story begins, orphaned and alone. She’s had an unconventional education: her knowledge of English Literature, French, History, Art and Music is non-existent, but she has a thorough grounding in military tactics, can run a business, ride like a Cossack and shoot straight with a pistol. When her father is drowned in suspicious circumstances in the South China Sea, Sally soon finds herself in terrible danger too – and at the rotten heart of it all lies the deadly secret of the ruby in the smoke.

This is the story of 16 year old orphan, Sally Lockhart. After her father sudden death, she receives a strange message... Decided to unveiled the mystery, the young woman starts an adventure who will change her life.

One of my problems with this book, is the main character – Sally. Many of her decisions and attitudes are not what we expect for a young woman of the late 19th century and she really felt terribly fake to me. Also, Sally is too perfect! No matter what, she always seems to find effortlessly a solution for everything and everyone's problems.

Another particularity, in every dangerous situation she’s never really hurt or threatened. Unfortunately, her companions cannot say the same and they end up beaten and bloodied by Sally's enemies. No need to say how annoying it can be to read about such flawless and stagnant characters.

The secondary characters were also a problem, since I barely noticed them. I was expecting so much from the photographer, Frederick and what a disappointment it was to see how he constantly stayed in the background just like the others. Even the villainess, Mrs. Holland, who, at first, sounded so promising, couldn't save the story. She ended up looking like just a rather silly old woman in quest of power. Even her ending is pathetic, making everything easy for Sally.

I never really had the feeling I was reading a story set in Victorian England, but maybe Pullman wanted to keep things simple, since this is a young adult book.

Everything happens very quickly which is sometimes confusing making it hard to keep your attention the story without being distracted by something else. I don’t think I’ll continue reading Sally Lockhart’s adventures.

Grade: C+

HT News

The ladies from Hoydens and Firebrands, a group author blog that focusses on the 17th century, have interviewed Christie Dickason about her new book, The King's Daughter.

Did you know that author Anne Whitfield has set up a Historical Fiction books network on Ning? It's a place specifically for readers and authors of Historical Fiction to connect. You can check it out here. It's been around for a while now, but I have only just found out about it, so I am sharing it with you all!

Tony Hays has guest posted on CW Gortner's blog, Historical Boys. Speaking of Tony Hays, Amy from Passages to the Past is giving away a copy of his second book, The Divine Secret.

Alaine from Queen of Happy Endings is having a huge December/January giveaway at her blog. There are 6 books up for grabs in total, 3 of which are historical fiction. Full details can be found here.

Lucy from Enchanted by Josephine is giving away a copy of Syrie James' The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen. Correction. The book being given away is a collection of Jane Austen novels. This giveaway closes on 7 December so you will need to hurry if you are interesting in getting into the draw for this prize.

Arleigh from Historical-fiction.com has two new giveaways on her blog. The first is for The Green Bronze Mirror by Lynne Ellison, and the second is for Duchess: A Novel of Sarah Churchill by Susan Holloway Scott.

Dolleygurl from The Maiden's Court is giving away a copy of the novel which started her reading historical fiction, The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory.

The December giveaway at Scandalous Women is The Harlot's Progress: Yorkshire Molly. Details of how to enter here.

Into The Wilderness by Sara Donati

It is December of 1792. Elizabeth Middleton leaves her comfortable English estate to join her family in a remote New York mountain village. It is a place unlike any she has ever experienced. And she meets a man unlike any she has ever encountered--a white man dressed like a Native American, Nathaniel Bonner, known to the Mohawk people as Between-Two-Lives. Determined to provide schooling for all the children of the village, she soon finds herself locked in conflict with the local slave owners as well as her own family.

When I first heard of Into The Wilderness I must confess I was a bit doubtful that it was the book for me. It was presented as a sequel to The Last of The Mohicans and usually the sequels are a bit (or a lot) of a letdown (it isn't exactly a sequel though as the events take place quite a few years after TLoTM and only some of the same characters appear). However Marg was so sure about it and recommended it so well that I ended up putting it in the TBR pile and this weekend I finally read it. And I am very happy that I did.

This is the story of Elizabeth Middleton who travels to the New World to meet her father and become a school teacher. Her father has other ideas though and wants to see her well married with one of his neighbours, Richard Todd, whose primary interest is Elizabeth's dowry - the mountain Hidden Wolf. But Elizabeth has other ideas, not only wants she be independent but she is also attracted to Nathaniel Bonner, Cora and Hawkeye's son, who lives with his family in the mountain and has his own reasons to dislike the Richard. To help Nathaniel gain what he wants Elizabeth must plot to apparently to her father's wishes till the moment is right to show her hand.

But there's a lot more to like than just Elizabeth and Nathaniel's story. There's the vivid portrayal of the native way of life and the settlers way of life. The tension in their relationship and the problems faced by those who live between both worlds.

I think the best thing about the story is Donati's vivid descriptions and complex characters, you really feel transported to that world for the space of the reading and when it closes you really want to know what is going to happen next with the characters. Fans of Diana Gabaldon will be happy to know that her famous characters are mentioned in the space of a page.

Grade: 5/5

HT New - News flash!

Robin Maxwell has announced the launch of the O'Juliet Love Games. In the lead up to the release of her new novel, O'Juliet, which is due to be released early in February 2010, Robin is going to be having all sorts of cool promotions. You can check out the announcement post at her blog.

I must say I am very excited about reading this book! I hope it lives up to my expectations!

Visit RobinMaxwell.com for more information

Poisoned Season by Tasha Alexander

London’s social season is in full swing, and the Victorian aristocracy can’t stop whispering about a certain gentleman who claims to be the direct descendant of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. But he’s not the only topic of wagging tongues. Drawing rooms, boudoirs, and ballrooms are abuzz with the latest news of an audacious cat burglar who has been making off with precious items that once belonged to the ill-fated queen.

Light gossip turns serious when the owner of one of the pilfered treasures is found murdered, and the mysterious thief develops a twisted obsession with Emily. But the strong-minded and fiercely independent Emily will not be shaken. It will take all of her considerable wit and perseverance to unmask her stalker and ferret out the murderer, even as a brewing scandal threatens both her reputation and her romance with her late husband’s best friend, the dashing Colin Hargreaves.

Those who enjoyed Tasha Alexander previous installment – And Only to Deceive – will certainly like this one as well. I must say that Lady Emily Ashton’s series is getting better and better. I can hardly wait to get my hands in Fatal Waltz.

Emily is an intelligent woman. She loves Greek culture, is interested in antiquities and she spends most of her time learning the most she can about both subjects. If And Only To Deceive is mostly focused on her failed relationship with her deceased husband and the mystery surrounding his death, in The Poisoned Season, she moves on, becomes more independent, more sure of herself. Lady Ashton has a brain and has no problems showing it, even if some society members (including her mother) are scandalized by her reading in a public place (this scene was hilarious!).

This time the mystery concerns a descendent of Marie Antoinette, Charles Berry, or so he claims. After his arrival to London, some of his ancestors personal objects are stolen from their owners. Meanwhile David Francis, a ton member, is poisoned and someone steals from his house something belonging to the tragic French queen. The mysterious thief is also sending some strange notes in Greek to Emily…

While I enjoyed the mystery part immensely, sometimes I had to suspend my disbelief about the thief’s antics. It really seemed a bit too much but nothing that makes you less curious about his identity.

Colin Hargraves is also making a patient court to Emily. He doesn’t want to scare her or rush her into anything she would later regret. Her previous disastrous marriage is something she doesn’t want to repeat and it’s obvious Colin understands Emily’s need to make a life of her own and decide when and if she wants to marry again.

Tasha Alexander not only easily creates a Victorian feeling but the historical detail is rich and delightful, even if sometimes too slow paced for my taste. Highly recommended for those who wish for a gripping and well written story.

Grade: 4/5

HT News

HF Author Jessica James is on virtual tour over the next couple of weeks for her novel Shades of Grey. There are prizes and guest posts/interviews, so if you are interested in checking out her Civil War novel, then check out all the details here.

Over at Blog O' the Irish, Celticlady is giving away a historical fiction novel set in Egypt. Click here for details of how to win a copy of The Stone of Light: A Novel of Ancient Egypt (Nefer The Silent) by Christian Jacq.

Over at A Book Blogger's Diary you can read a guest post from Eva Hetzioni-Halevy and enter for a chance to win a copy of her book, The Triumph of Deborah. There are a lot of other giveaways at A Book Blogger's Diary as well.

Arleigh from Historical-fiction.com is giving away a copy of Susan Vreeland's Girl in Hyacinth Blue.

Angiegirl from Angieville has posted the cover for Deanna Raybourn's upcoming standalone novel. I am definitely looking forward to reading this one!

Daphne from Tanzanite Shelf and Stuff is hosting a giveaway, this time for The Queen's Dollmaker by Christine Trent.

Challenge: The Alphabet in Historical Fiction

It's time for a new letter in The Alphabet in Historical Fiction! But before, let's see our entries for the letter A:


1. Stephanie aka Laughing Stars - The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

2. Marg (Reading Adventures) - The Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani

3. Whitney {too fond of books} - Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen

4. Robin - The Reluctant Queen by Jean Plaidy

5. Teddy - The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton

6. Daphne (Tanzanite) - Murder Most Royal by Jean Plaidy

7. Miss Moppet - Angélique (the heroine from the series by Serge Golon)

8. Rowenna - Atonement by Ian MacEwan

9. The Burton Review - Twilight of Avalon by Anna Elliott

10. Sarah (Reading the Past) - The Alchemist's Daughter by Eileen Kernaghan

11. Leya (Wandeca Reads) - The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende

12. Carrie C. - The Teahouse Fire by Ellis Avery

13. Ana (Aneca's World) - Red Adam's Lady by Grace Ingram

14. Heather - Any Known Blood by Lawrence Hill

15. Cat (Tell me a Story) - Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin

16. bookworm - The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

17. Alex (Le Canapé) - The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory


And now it's time to remember the rules and introduce the new letter!

Each fortnight you have to write a blog post about an historical fiction book of your choice (it might even be something you already read before), but it MUST be related to the letter of the fortnight.


You have several possibilities:

- the first letter of the title
- the first letter of the author's first name or surname
- the first letter of a character's first name or surname
- the first letter of a place where an historical event took place

You just have to choose one of them and participate.

Please check our blog each 1st and 15th of the month to find out our new letter, and then link your post (not your blog) back to our page through Mr Linky (see below). Then come and check to see who else has posted and visit their blog to find out all the details of the book they were reading.

You have until the end of each fortnight to complete your mission.

And the next fortnight will be dedicated to the letter B: