Hugo and Iris: Hugo's Wedding (Book 1 – Spring 1830) by Yslaire

This is the first volume of the family saga, La Guerre des Sambre. We follow the adventures of this family through time (or should I say back back in time!) since the 19th century until the Prehistory.

The trilogy about Hugo and Iris were drawn by the talented Bastide and Mezil who follow the story and scenario by Yslaire.

1857. A young redhead boy with an injured eye cannot sleep at night after having a nightmare. Comforted by his aunt Sarah, the boy fells asleep. The next day in an office at his house, he finds a book called “La Guerre des Yeux” (The War of the Eyes) and looks carefully at a portrait of a redhead men who looks very much like him.

We go back to 1830 with the marriage of Hugo Sambre and Blanche Dessang. It's a marriage of convenience and the young couple isn't really pleased about each other's fate, especially the groom. Quickly, Hugo leaves his family home and travels to Belgium to a business trip with his father-in-law.

During a visit to a copper mine, Hugo and a friend, Vicaire, make a macabre discovery: an ancient graveyard. Among the bones of women and children, a skull with red precious stones as eyes who completely fascinates Hugo. While exploring the tunnel, they make another incredible find, a cave with prehistorical paintings. The young man cannot think about anything else, and when he returns home he remains completely obsessed with those red eyes.

The relationship with his father already tumultuous, becomes even more complicated after Hugo's refusal to sell the mine and he is asked to leave the family house as soon as possible. He leaves for Paris where his friend Vicaire drags him to the theater to see the fascinating Iris, an actress with red eyes...

This first volume is thoroughly captivating and I couldn't stop reading it until the last page. The story is well written and there's enough intrigue and drama to please any historical fiction lover who enjoys a good family saga.

The drawings are breathtaking! Each one of them is a treat and you can easily feel all the work behind them. They are also one of the main reasons why the story works so well. The richness of the colors and details take you back through time skilfully, but without distracting you from the story. Everything is every well balanced.

You can also follow the Sambre family three in the back of each volume (also beautifully done), which really helps if you continue to read the series.
The series:

La Guerre des Sambre livre I (1830-1847) - Hugo & Iris

1. Le mariage d'Hugo
2. La passion selon Iris
3. La Lune qui regarde

La Guerre des Sambre livre II (1760) - Werner & Charlotte

1. L'Éternité de Saintange
2. La Messe rouge (to be released)
3. Votre enfant, comtesse.., (to be released)

La Guerre des Sambre livre III (-40 000 av JC) - Aam & Yev

1. La Genèse (to be released)
2. Au commencement (to be released)
3. Ecce homo oculis (to be released)

This series is linked to another historical series focused in Hugo and Iris descendants, called Sambre and published before this one.

Unfortunately, these series were only translated in German and never in English. It's really a shame since this is, for me, a must read for anyone who enjoys historical comics.



Grade: 4.5/5

Historical Fiction Challenge 2011

After 3 years organizing the Historical Fiction Challenge, the girls of The Royal Reviews gracefully passed over this exciting event to our team at Historical Tapestry. We will do our best to continue doing a great job and create a wonderful place to share and discuss our favourite (and less favourite) historical fiction books for the next year.

Each month, a new post dedicated to the HF Challenge will be created. To participate, you only have to follow the rules:

• everyone can participate, even those who don't have a blog (you can add your book title and thoughts in the comment section if you wish)

•  add the link(s) of your review(s) including your name and book title to the Mister Linky we’ll be adding to our monthly post (please, do not add your blog link, but the correct address that will guide us directly to your review)

• any kind of historical fiction is accepted (HF fantasy, HF young adult,...)

• you can overlap this challenge with others kind of challenges

• During these following 12 months you can choose one of the different reading levels:

1. Severe Bookaholism: 20 books
2. Undoubtedly Obsessed: 15 books
3. Struggling the Addiction: 10 books
4. Daring & Curious: 5 books
5. Out of My Comfort Zone: 2 books

The challenge will run from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2011.

 

<a href="http://historicaltapestry.blogspot.com"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_UfIpb3_As6zp4UXleiQE-VKo-3HpnYJ9HXU2rxTE1Ze9SRGomrDqBIsVXAM0osQ_wmYRhupQkKlG-jQ4eCd9NW4wSJfE1ctS6JgdLLwCKaiOd494tyaTXmA0jDXkXkTM6W4-klqbNjE/s1600/historicalfiction_challenge_button_petit.png"></a>

Have fun everyone!

Tutankhamun by Nick Drake

Tutankhamun, son of Akhenaten, has inherited an empire that seems to be at the height of its power and international glory. But the young King, just eighteen years old, is faced with the political and personal intrigues and conspiracies of the Court, where his godfather Ay, and the General Horemheb are locked in a bitter struggle for ascendancy. Tutankhamun must steer the empire back from the brink of disaster and dissent to which his father Akhenaten's rule led the Two Lands of Egypt, and re-assert the stability and authority of his famous dynasty.Rahotep, chief detective of the Thebes division, has his own worries - his daughters are growing up in a changing world of danger and instability, while out on on the streets of Thebes things are falling apart; poverty and dissent are breaking out into a nightmare of violence, gold and corruption seem all-powerful, and the city's shadowy underworld is itself witnessing mysterious acts of shocking brutality. Yet, when he receives a mysterious invitation to the secret halls of the Royal Palace, he cannot refuse.What he finds there, and the quest on which he embarks, will change his life, and put everything he thought he believed, and everything he loves, at risk.

A while back the Historical Tapestry blog was asked to give some recommendations on books set in Ancient Egypt. One of the titles that came up at the time was Nick Drake's historical mysteries Nefertiti and Tutankhamun. When I was offered a chance to read the second I couldn't let it pass.

The story is a mystery set during Tutankhamun's reign. The main character is Rahotep, a Seeker of Mysteries. The fact that I haven't read the first book didn't really upset me except for the fact that Rahotep was in very good terms with Tutankhamun's wife, Ankhesenamun, and I can only guess that it was due to the action in the first book.

Ankhesenamun and her husband have been have been King and Queen of Egypt but the true ruler is Ay, the regent. Eager to shed that influence Ankhesenamun ask Rahotep for help with her plans and asks him to be her personal guard. Rahotep is already working on a case, a young boy with deformities was found murdered, with his crippled members broken and reset in the right position. Then another body is found, and another, and another, till it is apparent a serial killer is at work.

Rahotep has to combine his investigation about the killer with his role with the Royal Family. Through his eyes we see not only the Royal couple but also the power struggle between the regent Ay and the General Horemheb. As with any story about Tutankhamun this one offers an explanation for his death and the events surrounding the construction and embellishment of his tomb. Is it the real one? Probably not but it worked for me.

Regarding the serial killer, which Rahotep eventually realises also has a connection with the Royal family, I found his work to be more those of a mad man but it made for an engaging, suspenseful read to watch Rahotep follow the clues and find the culprit. I will definitely pick up Nefertiti when I find it.

Grade: 4/5

Splendour Falls by Susanna Kearsley

Chinon-chateau of legend, steeped in the history of France and England. It is to Chinon that Emily goes on a long-awaited holiday, to meet her charming but unreliable cousin, Harry. Harry wanted to explore the old town and the castle, where Queen Isabelle, child bride of King John, had withstood the siege of Chinon many centuries ago, and where, according to legend, she hid her casket of jewels. But when Emily arrives at her hotel she finds that Harry has disappeared, and as she tries to find him she becomes involved with some of the other guests and learns of a mystery dating from the German occupation during the Second World War. Another Isabelle, a chambermaid at the hotel, fell in love with a German soldier, with tragic results.

Emily becomes increasingly aware of strange tensions, old enmities and new loves; as she explores the city, with its labyrinthine dungeons and tunnels and its ancient secrets, she comes ever closer to the mystery of what happened to both the Isabelles of Chinon's history.

One of the reasons that I really love Kearsley's books is because she manages to blend the contemporary and the historical in a very natural manner. Sometimes when an author changes back and forth between time periods it can leave the reader feeling confused or overwhelmed with information, but I never feel that way with Kearsley. That's probably a good thing, though, because this book is set in the contemporary world, but it also ties in World War II and the world of Henry II. It sounds really complicated, but I thought she handled it well. I saw a couple other reviews that said it was confusing, though, so I guess it really depends on the person.

The novel is told from Emily's point-of-view. She has traveled to Chinon to meet her cousin Harry, but when she arrives he is no where to be found. Instead she must navigate on her own while she waits for him to appear. She starts associating with the other guests in the hotel right away, though, and it is with these characters that most of her interaction is played out. Is it sad that I was happy she included two brothers from Canada as characters? She pulled them off really well, too. They would get really defensive when people called them Americans and that is very Canadian! I keep hoping that Kearsley will write some books set in Canada, but I suppose I also enjoy her foreign settings.

Anyway, back to the review! This novel is about two Isabelle's from two different time periods. Queen Isabelle offers a bit of mystery to the story, while an Isabelle that was a chambermaid at the hotel that Emily is staying at had a ill-fated romance with a German soldier. When I look back on the book it amazes me how many things were happening all at once, but they all managed to flow together and work seamlessly by the end. Kearsley doesn't forget about her subplots like some authors do. If things are not exactly all tied up in a pretty little bow by the end, there is at least enough of a conclusion of things that you will not be left dangling at the end.

I have an attraction to things set during the World Wars, so I was happy to see how Kearsley managed to write a connection in. I was also happy to see how things played out. It is the stories from the war that always attract me, and this one doesn't disappoint. It is weaved in with the main plot expertly. I also don't really know a lot about Queen Isabelle. I thought the mystery of her hidden treasure really added to the story because ultimately it is what started everything off. She is why Harry was in the area in the first place, so without her Emily would never have came to Chinon and the events never would have played out. And, once again there is some romance thrown in, but there is too much going on to call it just a romance novel.

This is another great book from Susanna Kearsley that I enjoyed reading!

Symptoms of Death by Paula Paul

Edward Boswick, Fifth Earl of Dunsford, hosted a small gathering of friends at his country estate, including the village's lady-doctor, Alexandra Gladstone. The noblest of the nobel, each of his intimates was in possession of title, land--and a secret vendetta against his host. And so,when their "dear Eddie" is found murdered in his own bed, the lords and ladies point to a helpless servant--and flee.


But when Dr. Gladstone finds evidence suggesting otherwise in her autopshy of the late earl, her inquires lead her into a web of scandal and deceit.

December is always a busy month and there's nothing better than a light, entertaining historical read to pass the time. The abundance of mysteries of the cosy variety that has appeared recently have made that one of my favourite genres for when I want to be entertained but not think too much. This time my choice was the first in the Dra Alexandra Gladstone Mysteries by Paula Paul.

The book is set, I believe, in Victorian England during a house party at the Earl of Dunsford's country estate. Dra Alexandra Gladstone is called upon to attend to a young maid who has apparently tried to murder the Earl believing him to be the killer of her lover. Alexandra tends to the girl and makes her go to her room believing her to be harmless but the next morning the Earl is dead and the girl, Elsie, has disappeared.

Alexandra is somewhat of a rarity, a female doctor when females weren't allowed to study medicine. Paul explains that by having her been taught at home by her father and well accepted in the village because everyone knows since she was a girl. To tell the truth Alexandra sounds a bit too sensible to be true in a Victorian heroine but I could deal with that.

Earl Dunsford's guests don't waste time in blaming the doctor for not having drugged the girl, and stopped her from murder, but Alexandra quickly realises that the earl was not stabbed, as the girl was threatening, but strangled which would imply someone stronger. With the help of Mr. Forsythe, one of the Earl's guests, Alexandra decides to try to find out what really happened. Soon it is apparent that the earl wasn't exactly a nice person and that more than one of his guests could have a motive for murder.

The appearance of several "ghosts", and walks in the foggy night, does give the story a bit of a gothic look and I couldn't help thinking that sometimes Alexandra was a bit too daring , almost TSTL. In one of those moments I was so engaged in the story and waiting for something to happen that I immediately deduced who the murderer was... and in the end I was proven right.

So if you are in the mood for something light, fast paced and with a bit of a gothic feel this might just be the book for you!

Grade: 3/5

Historical Fiction reading challenges for 2011

Royal Mistress Challenge 2011

Miss Moppet is back with this challenge focussing on the the fascinating women who were mistresses to royalty through the ages, whether they be actual people from history, or fictional characters.

Chivalrous Deeds: a Historical Fiction Challenge

Hosted by Holly from Bippity Boppity Book


As a Knight or Lady Knight, visit as many courts as possible. For example, reading Victoria Victorious by Jean Plaidy would count as 1 visit/chivalrous deed achieved at the court of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Reading No Will But His by Sarah Hoyt would count as 1 visit/chivalrous deed achieved at the court of Catherine Howard and Henry VIII, etc...

War Through the Generations: US Civil War

YA Historical Fiction Reading Challenge hosted at Books Are a Girl's Best Friend

Are you looking for  an escape from the contemporary world?
Are you a big historical fiction fan who has never delved into the YA section of the genre?
Or maybe you have been meaning to try a new genre for a while....?
Or are you a YA historical fiction lover already?

 Georgette Heyer 2011 Reading Challenge hosted by All Things Historical Fiction

• The book must be by Georgette Heyer obviously and it must be HF. It can't be one of her mystery novels.
• You must read at least 3 books and they can't be one's that you've already read because that sort of defeats the purpose.
• This is a year long challenge so you have until January 1st of 2012 to finish your personal goal.

Full details here

Annexed by Sharon Dogar

Most everybody knows about Anne Frank and her family but, mostly from Anne's point of view. Have you ever wondered what Peter van Pels point of view was? No, he did not keep a diary like Anne, so we will never know for sure however , thanks to Sharon Dogar we can imagine what he thought.

The dreadful day in 1942 when the Franks and van Pels were to meet up in the annex to hide from the Nazis, Peter van Pels decided to run away with his girlfriend, Liesl. He went to meet her but instead, to his horror he witnessed Lisel and her family being taken away from their home by the nazis. Now, with nowhere else to turn, he knew he had to go to the annex as planned.

He spends quite a bit of time there, in bed and thinking of Liesl. Pretty much everyone gets on his nerves, especially Anne with her overly cheery and talkative disposition. He thinks to himself,

"I wonder how this can be called living? How can we be in a space this small?

We’re trapped in this building like rats in a sinking ship,

waiting to be caught. The pain flashes through my head

again, lightning striking a steeple."

Finally Peter's father tells Peter that he must chip in with the work that needs to be done. His father said to him,

“Fight!” he says, and he sits back and shakes his head at

me. “You think you can fight this? Get up and make yourself

useful, that’s how we fight.”

He still dreams of Liesl and wonders if she is still alive. However, he starts to enjoy the company of Anne and her older sister, Margot. More and more the three of them spend time together making jokes and telling each other their fears.

After about a year together, Anne and Peter start to have romantic feelings for each other. The adults notice it and Otto Frank, Anne's father has a chat with Peter telling him that he thinks that Anne and Peter should just remain good friends so that Margot doesn't feel left out. However, love can't be controlled very well and Anne and Peter's relationship deepens.

Despite her strong feelings for Peter, Anne has another love, writing. She spends hours every day writing in her diary. Her father tells everyone how important it is to tell everyone they can their story when they get out. If for some reason they don't make it, Otto keeps Anne's diary for her in a hiding place so people can read it and learn about their circumstances.

Soon before the war ends the Nazis discover the annex and the people in it. They are all shipped off to death camps. The only survivor was Otto Frank. His friend and employee Miep keep Anne's diary and Otto edits it and has it published. It has been read by millions of people all over the world.

I'm ashamed to say, I have never read 'The Diary of Anne Frank.' I don't even know how that's possible, I am of Jewish heritage, why didn't my Sunday school assign it for the holocaust lessons? I don't practice Judaism but I know I must read Anne Frank's Diary. Actually, everyone should read it. IMO.

Sharon Dogar made the life in the Annex real. She gave Peter van Pels a voice, though fiction, it was a wonderful voice. I like to think that she got the essence of his voice right. Her poetic prose was strong and vibrant and never overly sentimental. She tells the fictionalized story of Peter, Anne, and the Annex in perfect pitch. This book is marketed as for young adults but I think it's an excellent book for adults as well.

5/5

Winners! Winners!

We have had lots of contests running over the last few weeks, and it is time to announce who the lucky winners are!

Firstly, we had a giveaway of two copies of The Forever Queen by Helen Hollick with thanks to Sourcebooks. The winners are:

Linda
Marie B

Next, we were giving away a copy of The Lady's Slipper by Deborah Swift with thanks to St Martin's Press. The winner of that giveaway was

Heather from Epoch Tales

Finally, we were giving away a grand total of six copies of The Winter Sea/Sophia's Secret (the book is published under different titles in the US and UK, but it is the same book) as part of our celebrations of Susanna Kearsley week. The winners are:

Lady Q from Let Them Read Books
Katy from A Few More Pages
Angiegirl from Angieville
Christina from Confessions of a Book Addict
Trisha Tack
Elysium from Bookramblings.net

I want to thank both of Susanna Kearsley's publishers, Sourcebooks in the US and Alison and Busby in the UK, for their support of this event, and for providing the giveaway copies. I hope all of you who won a copy of the book enjoy it as much as we all did!

Thank you also to everyone who entered for your support of Historical Tapestry

On the Proper Use of Stars by Dominique Fortier

The year was 1845 and Sir John Franklin and his crews on the Terror and the Erebus set sail on a mission to find the Northwest Passage.  Everyone, 129 men ultimately perished on the mission.  On the Proper Use of Stars is the fictionalized story of what happened. 

Francis Crozier was second in command and kept a journal where he wrote day to day about the mission but also about the woman of his dreams, Sophia.  Back in England Lady Jane Franklin and her niece, Sophia kept busy while waiting to hear word from Sir John Franklin.  After three years have passed Lady Jane used everything and everyone at her disposal to convince the Admiralty to send out a search party.  They refused again and again.  

I took me quite awhile to get into the story.  I found the beginning quite dull.  It wasn't until things started to happen in the story that the pace picked up for me.   This book is translated, so I'm not sure if that could be part of the problem or not.  I did find the writing quite poetic and as the story got going it was very visual.  Ultimately, I warmed up to the story and enjoyed it.

Grade: 3.5/5

Some Elizabeth Chadwick news

Those who are eagerly expecting the release of Elizabeth Chadwick's The Lady of the English (like us!) will be pleased to admire the beautiful cover of the book:

Two very different women are linked by destiny and the struggle for the English crown. Matilda, daughter of Henry I, is determined to win back her crown from Stephen, the usurper king. Adeliza, Henry's widowed queen and Matilda's stepmother, is now married to William D'Albini, a warrior of the opposition. Both women are strong and prepared to stand firm for what they know is right. But in a world where a man's word is law, how can Adeliza obey her husband while supporting Matilda, the rightful queen? And for Matilda pride comes before a fall ...What price for a crown? What does it cost to be 'Lady of the English'?

The Lady of the English will be released the 2 June 2011 in the UK. You can already pre-order it at The Book Depository or Amazon.co.uk

Thanks to Misfit who uploaded this new cover at Goodreads which immediately draw my attention to it.

Also, Sourcebooks came up with a wonderful Elizabeth Chadwick eBook Bundle that includes three of her novels:

Get ready for Elizabeth Chadwick’s highly anticipated new release…

If you haven’t read Elizabeth Chadwick yet – here is your chance. With her new release, To Defy A King, quickly approaching, Sourcebooks has developed the ultimate eBook bundle.

Hailed by the Times of London as “an author who makes historical fiction come gloriously alive,” Elizabeth Chadwick is a gifted storyteller who captures the passion, deceit, honor, and heartbreak of Medieval England like none other.

Now, get three books from historical fiction powerhouse Elizabeth Chadwick at one low price. This bundle includes The Greatest Knight, The Scarlet Lion, and For the King’s Favor, each on their own a shining example of a novelist at the peak of her powers. Taken collectively, you’ll witness an era you won’t want to leave.

Elizabeth Chadwick Bundle: The Greatest Knight, The Scarlet Lion, and For the King’s Favor

Sourcebooks Landmark

ISBN 13: 9781402261343

ISBN 10: 1402261349

DLP $35.99 U.S.

epub format (PDF also available)

3 books in one bundle; 1680 pages

November 2010

Upcoming Releases - December

This is a compilation of titles we have found in several places on the web, feel free to add your suggestions if we missed them.

Historical Tapestry is now a Book Depository Affiliate and all commissions earned from sales through our links will be used to fund future giveaways.

Disclaimer: the dates specified are from amazon.com or the author's website. Release dates may vary in different countries.

1 December

• Pemberley Ranch by Jack Caldwell (31/12/10 in the UK)

2 December

• Leopard Unleashed by Elizabeth Chadwick (UK reissue)

7 December

• Death and the Running Patterer: A Curious Murder Mystery by Robin Adair
• The Princess of Nowhere by Lorenzo Borghese
• A Play of Piety by Margaret Frazer
• The Queen Hereafter by Susan Fraser King

14 December

• Secrets of the Tudor Court: By Royal Decree by Kate Emerson

21 December

• The Golden Prince by Rebecca Dean

28 December

• A Royal Likeness by Christine Trent

Why I Love Cleopatra’s Daughter by Stephanie Dray

More than two thousand years after her death, Cleopatra VII of Egypt remains the most famous woman in history. As Shakespeare wrote, “Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety.” I share the bard’s admiration, but my heart belongs to the Queen of the Nile’s less famous daughter, Cleopatra Selene.

Selene was born at the cusp of a religious awakening and she came of age in a dangerous political world. Like her more famous mother, Selene forged important alliances with the Romans and charmed her way to power. It may even be argued that she did so more successfully and without bloodshed. She would go on to have a long and prosperous reign as the most important client queen in the empire.

But triumph did not come easy and the tragedy of her story moved me. The more I learned, the more I came to love her. In fact, I came to love her so much that I wrote a series of historical novels about her life, starting with my debut novel, Lily of the Nile.

After her parents committed suicide, the ten year old Selene was taken prisoner and marched through Rome in chains. Her life was spared by Rome’s first emperor, Augustus, who would later be her political patron. As an orphan, Selene and her two surviving brothers were raised by Octavia, her father’s former wife, and the emperor’s sister.

Life can’t have been easy for Selene in Rome where her mother had been demonized as an Egyptian whore and her father so disgraced that the day of his birth was declared unlucky. Her survival was at the sufferance of the man who destroyed her family and who now held Egypt as his own private domain. She would go on to earn his trust, naming a city after him and founding a cult in his honor...but she never forgot her mother or her legacy. The relics of her reign give us a picture of a woman who found a careful balance between currying favor with Augustus and with Rome while honoring her disgraced family. In spite of all the tragedy in her life, Selene managed to build a sanctuary for the political and religious remnants of her mother’s court; she carved out a new life for herself in a new nation and that’s something I hope will be celebrated.

______________________________________________________

BIO

Stephanie Dray is the author of a forthcoming trilogy of historical fiction novels set in the Augustan Age, starting with Lily of the Nile: A Novel of Cleopatra's Daughter. Before she wrote novels, Stephanie was a lawyer, a game designer, and a teacher. Now she uses the transformative power of magic realism to illuminate the stories of women in history and inspire the young women of today. She remains fascinated by all things Roman or Egyptian and has–to the consternation of her devoted husband–collected a house full of cats and ancient artifacts.

She is currently sponsoring the Cleopatra Literary Contest for Young Women, the deadline for which is March 1, 2011, but join her newsletter now for updates and a chance to win a free copy of Lily of the Nile and additional prizes.

Visit Stephanie Dray's website to know more about her tour.

Mariana by Susanna Kearsley

The first time Julia Beckett saw Greywethers she was only five, but she knew at once that it was her house. Now, twenty-five years later, by some strange chance, she has just become the new owner of the sixteenth-century Wilshire farmhouse. But Julia soon begins to suspect that more than coincidence has brought her there. As if Greywethers were a portal between worlds, she finds herself abruptly transported back in time. Stepping into seventeenth-century England, Julia becomes Mariana, a beautiful young woman struggling against danger and treachery, and battling a forbidden love for Richard de Mornay, handsome forebear of the present squire of Crofton Hall. Each time Julia travels back, she becomes more enthralled with the past, falling ever deeper in love with Richard...until one day she realizes Mariana's life threatens to eclipse her own--and that she must find a way to lay the past to rest, or risk losing a chance for love in her own time.

Mariana is my third book by Susanna Kearsley, who quickly became one of my favourite writers just after reading The Winter Sea. I was never quite a fan of "time slip"/ time travel novels and, at first, I wasn't very sure I would like her books. For me, this was one more proof that I need to step out of my comfort zone more often.

Since she was a child, book illustrator Julia Beckett always felt a connection with Greywethers, a 17th century manor. Unexpectedly, she becomes the owner and immediately feels at ease with her new house, the village and her news friends and neighbors. But suddenly Julia starts to have some strange experiences who take her to another era and another life as Mariana Farr.

The scenes in the 17th century are richly detailed transporting you back in time along with Julia. The transitions between present and past were smoothly done, something that I really appreciated. I could perfectly imagine Mariana’s daily life at her uncle's strict house, while struggling with her feeling for the handsome Richard.
Both Mariana and Julia are characters easy to like and it's impossible not to admire their strength and passion for life.

One of my favourite aspects of this story is the charming small town atmosphere. The descriptions of the local daily life and Julia's interaction with her new neighbors make you want to live there and meet everyone. The secondary characters are also one of the treasures of this novel! You want them to be also your friends and go to the pub with them for a pint and a good chat. I have a soft spot for Julia's brother who won me over with his constant support for his sister and his quirky sense of humor!

Like in the previous books I read by Susanna Kearsley (Winter Sea and Shadowy Horses), the hero in this story is simply divine! I won't say much more, but until now this seems to be a constant in this author's books. You cannot help but to fall for her handsome and mysterious heroes.

Mariana is one of those beautiful stories that will remain in your thoughts for a long time after you finish reading the last page. I simply couldn't put it down while trying, at the same time, to make it last. Definitely a recurring problem with Kearsley's books.

Some final scenes were deeply emotional and I found myself with a box of tissues in my hand and wishing I had the author's entire backlist next to me to read them all in a row.

Grade: 5/5

Susanna Kearsley Week - Why I Love Time Slip

I blame Rod Taylor. That long-ago Saturday when the Twin Cinemas in our small town played a matinee show of The Time Machine, I had just reached an impressionable age. I emerged from that theatre completely enthralled, and not just with the dashing Australian, but with the whole concept of time travel. Reading the book made it worse. As did reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, a book that still, all these years afterward, makes it impossible for me to pass by a wardrobe without that small wondering moment, that impulse to open the door and make certain the back of the wardrobe is actually solid.

For me, the idea that, if I could find the right vehicle, or the right doorway, I might leave the place and the time I was in and wind up somewhere else…well, that seemed like a magical thing to me, then. It still does.

The Traveller in The Time Machine goes forward to the future, and the children in the chronicles of Narnia discover a completely different world, but if I’d had my choice I would have journeyed to the past. My love of history started early, with the stories and the myths my mother read to me at bedtime, and the family history that my father introduced me to, the tales of our own ancestors, so well-loved and familiar that the faces gazing out at me from all those faded photographs seemed utterly alive.

Time-slip novels, with their tandem narratives, allow me to explore that past while keeping one foot firmly in the present. And they let me explore, too, the ways that the present is shaped by the past, and the way what is happening now can be rooted in seeds that were sown generations ago. Straight historical novels can do this as well, of course – readers can spot the connections themselves – but I love how the use of both present and past, side by side, can make each one more interesting, just as complementary colours make each other more intense and vivid.

Sometimes connecting my modern-day characters with a past story, whether those characters physically enter the past or just study it, lets me more naturally bring certain details of history to life, since those characters, like us, are not of that world, and will notice the things that are strange to them.

Time-slip, for me, is the best of both worlds: I can pass through the wardrobe and back again, freely, whenever I want; send the time machine spinning to places unknown and return to my starting place, just like Rod Taylor did those years ago on that Saturday in the Twin Cinemas, when he first made me believe such a thing might be possible.

Susanna Kearsley is the author of several novels. Her novel, The Winter Sea, is being published in the United States for the first time. For more information on the author and her books you can visit her website and don't forget to check out all the other great posts during Susanna Kearsley week

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 W:

1. Heather (Epoch Tales) - W is for Winter

2. Cat (Tell Me a Story ) - W is for Wedding

3. Sarah (Reading the Past) - W is for Wishnia

4. Carrie C. (Opalescent Essence) - W is for Winter

5. Marg (The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader) - W is for Winston Churchill

6. Teddy (So Many Precious Books..)- W is for Wayne Johnston

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'll have until December 14th to complete your mission, the next letter will be published on December 15th and it's the letter X:

Named of the Dragon by Susanna Kearsley

When I read an author, generally the first book by them will hold a special place for me no matter what I read next. In Kearsley's case that would be The Winter Sea. I loved that book and it will likely remain my favourite by her, but this one almost pushed it out of the number one spot. There was so much going on in this book that left me really enthralled with the story! So, The Winter Sea stays in first place, but this one is in a very close second. It's too bad this is one of her books that is harder to get a copy of. It is mostly out-of-print and my library didn't have a copy, so I wound up lucking into a copy at the second-hand bookstore. I will say if you get a chance to read this book, you should!

The main character of the novel is Lyn. She is battling with life at the moment. She has a successful job, but she is still facing demons from the death of her child. Normally she cannot even handle have children around her, but she finds herself spending Christmas with a woman with a young baby and there is not much she can do about it. Actually, she finds herself wrapped up with this woman and her baby in more ways than she could ever have expected. She starts having dreams where a woman is trying to give her a baby to protect and she soon learns that her dreams are connected to events occurring in the present. They bring in an Arthurian connection that I was very excited about. I have an obsession with anything of that nature. I wasn't sure if it was going to work well in the novel, but by the end she had managed to work things in rather well.

One thing I really like about Kearsley is her ability to write characters that I actually find myself interested in and care about. Lyn is one such character. I really felt for her through the events of the novel, and when things didn't seem to be going very well for her I kept hoping that they would improve. She is someone that you want to see come out all right in the end because she really deserves it. People call Kearsley's novels romance novels, but for some reason I can't put that label on them. I just find that there is too much else going on to limit them to any one genre. This one, for example, does have some relationships that are developed, but it also ties in history and mythology. There is also a lot of connections to literature in general through the use of the characters and also by including quotes from famous writers at the beginning of every chapter.

I will point out that this is one of Kearsley's early novels, so it isn't as strong as say The Winter Sea in some areas, but it still manages to capture you from the very first page and take you on a wonderful journey to Christmas in Wales. You will find yourself both loving and hating the characters, but in the end you will be happy that you stayed for the experience. I closed this book and felt very satisfied. This review does not do justice to all the things happening in the book, but hopefully it will entice you to find out what I didn't mention. I look forward to rereading it in the years to come.

The invitation to spend Christmas in Angle, on the Pembrokeshire coast, is one that Lyn Ravenshaw is only too happy to accept. To escape London and the pressures of her literary agency is temptation enough, but the prospect of meeting Booker Prize nominee James Swift - conveniently in search of an agent - is the deciding factor. On holiday she encounters the disturbing Elen Vaughan, recently widowed and with an eight-month-old son whose paternity is a subject for local gossip. Elen's baby arouses painful memories of Lyn's own dead child and strange, haunting dreams, in which a young woman in blue repeatedly tries to hand over her child to Lyn for safekeeping.

Who is the father of Elen's baby? What is the eerie, monstrous creature of Elen's dreams that tries to ensnare her son, and what makes her so sure that Lyn has been sent to protect him? As she begins to untangle the truth behind the stories, the secret she discovers leads Lyn to an encounter with the past that will change her life forever.

Susanna Kearsley Week: Breaking News

We are very pleased to announce that Susanna Kearsley's UK publishers (Allison and Busby) have contacted us, and in addition to the 3 copies of The Winter Sea that we are giving away courtesy of Sourcebooks, we are now also giving away 3 copies of Sophia's Secret (which is the same book, just with a different title), so there are now six chances to win as part of Susanna Kearsley week.

The contest ends on December 3, 2010. If you have already entered, then there is no need to enter again. If you have not already entered then please, click on the link below and complete the form to do so!

Giveaway Entry Form