Marg's Best of 2010

I had a pretty good reading this year, with many more books that I rated as 5/5 reads. Here are my favourite historical fiction reads of the year. I have also done a list that includes the books from other genres on my own blog.

Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer - I have been reading Heyer in the last couple of years and I have liked them, but this is the first one that I have loved!

This is actually the follow up book to These Old Shades, which featured the father of the hero in Devil's Cub, but this was definitely a case of the son of a rake outraking the father! Fantastic read!

The Endless Forest by Sara Donati - This year saw the end of one of my favourite series, and what a conclusion! I loved it, and yes, I cried. I also read the first book in this series again, Into the Wilderness, as well and absolutely loved that book again too!)

To Defy a King by Elizabeth Chadwick - This was my most anticipated historical fiction read for this year, and it didn't disappoint! Click here to read a conversation about this book from three of the contributors at Historical Tapestry.

It was no surprise to see this book also appear on Alex and Ana's best of lists for this year as well!

The Help by Kathryn Stockett - This appeared on many must read lists for 2009. I can totally see why!

Set in the American South during the 1960s, and concentrates on the relationship between a young white woman who wants to start hearing the stories of the hired help who play such a major part in raising people like herself and her friends. 

The Shadowy Horses by Susanna Kearsley - After reading The Winter Sea last year (and still gushing about that book to anyone that will listen) it was going to be a requirement to read more from this author. In the end, I read three more books from her this year. I liked the others a lot, but loved this one!

If you are interested in hearing more about Susanna Kearsley's books, then check out Susanna Kearsley week, which includes reviews, a guest post and an interview as well!

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly - For the last two years I have been waiting for the third book in the Rose trilogy to come out. When I heard that Jennifer Donnelly was working on a YA novel before working on that book I was a little disappointed. I mean how much longer did we have to wait! And then the buzz started just before BEA, and then the reviews started. I picked this book up to to read during take off on a flight home with the intention of just reading for the 15 minutes and then swapping to my e-reader. I didn't swap back! What a wonderful book!

Mr Rosenblum's List by Natasha Solomons - What a wonderful charming book this was!

This book might not technically be historical fiction, but it is set just after the end of World War II and is such a fantastic read that I couldn't not include it. The book is about a German Jewish couple who moved to England just before WWII started and Mr Rosenblum's struggle to become the quintessential English gentleman.



Honourable Mentions:

Roses by Leila Meacham (love a big juicy saga, and this was definitely one of those)

The Countess and the King by Susan Holloway Scott

The Confessions of Catherine de Medici by CW Gortner

Teddy's Best of 2010

This was another good year of historical fiction for me.  How could it not be?  There are so many wonderful historical fiction authors out there these days.  2010 was an especially good year for WWII themed books as you will see below.  Here are my favourites:

The Postmistress by Sarah Blake

I read this all the way back in January but it has stuck with me. 
WWII fiction at it's finest! Frankie Bard, a reporter in London reports for Edward R. Murrow in th war and war effort while experiencing the nightly bombing raids first hand.  Meanwhile, Postmistress, Iris James struggle on the ethics of delivering upseting letter.

 Annexed by Sharon Dogar

Also based in WWII this YA novel is written from the imagined point of view of Peter van Pels's.  The boy trapped in the annex with Anne Frank and her family.  This is a wouunderful book for both young adults and adults.

The Twentieth Wife by Indu Sundarsen

In the 16th and 17th centuries, this is and epic adventure and love story of the emperor of the Mughal Empire and Mehrunnisa, his true love.  More historical fiction at it's finest.

The Confessions of Catherine De Medici by C.W. Gortner

Back in 2009 C.W. Gortner dazzled me with his book The Last Queen.  In 2010 he did it again with The Confessions of Catherine De Medici.  He tells a more balanced story of this powerful and controversial woman in history.

Restitution:Nazis, Communists, and the Fight For a Lost Heritage 

Based on a true story, this book tells the story who flied to Canada from Czechoslovakia during WWII.  With the help of an "honest smuggler" they try to recover paintings stolen from them in their homeland.

Kelly's Best of 2010

I thought that I hadn't read that many historical fiction books in 2010, but when I was going back through my list of books read this year I found several that really stuck out.

The Postmistress by Susan Blake

The title doesn't necessarily sound that exciting, but when you read the book you will find that there is a lot more to it than meets the eye. The book takes place around and during World War II, which is one of my favourite time periods to read books set during. The book sets around two women: Iris James and Frankie Bard. I found the story rather captivating and look forward to what Blake writes next.

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

While I am calling this historical fiction, it is actually set in several different time frames. When books travel around through time and have many different narrators I am always worried, but Morton pulled it off really well. She was added to my auto-buy book because I was drawn into this story and the characters. I am hoping to read her debut novel and her new novel this year.

The Greatest Knight by Elizabeth Chadwick

I admit that I have always wanted to read Chadwick, but every time I tried I would have a hard time getting into the story. This time was different. I was drawn in from the very first moment and am now a Chadwick fan, which Marg, Ana, and Alex all ready claim to be. I am hoping to read a bunch of her books this year because she is such a gifted author. Her books are very readable, but they also provide lots of information. She attains a very happy balance.

The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley

This list turns out to all be new-to-me authors, but Kearsley became my favourite. I read this book and then I had to try all of her books. I still have a couple left for 2011, but I think that 2010 easily became the Year of Kearsley. It could easily have been the other three authors in this list, too, because I loved them. This book also travels back and forth through time in a masterful way. She writes fascinating characters and really draws writers into her story. I am very happy that I gave her a read.

Honourable Mentions:

Named of the Dragon by Susanna Kearsley

Mariana by Susanna Kearsley

The Shadowy Horses by Susanna Kearsley

Alex's Best of 2010

This year was filled with several unforgettable reads, much more than I ever expected. Here are my choices in no particular order:

To Defy a King by Elizabeth Chadwick

Elizabeth Chadwick never disappoints and she is one of my auto-buy authors for now several years. If you never read anything by her, rush to the nearby book store and buy one of her book. She's amazing!

To Defy a King brings us back to the Marshal family and tells us the story of William's elder daughter, Mahelt, and her husband Hugh Bigod. Historical fiction at its best!

The Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer

After reading a few books by Heyer, I was ready to give up on her after two bad experiences. The Devil's Cub was the book of the reconciliation. I couldn't stop laughing during the all story, the dialogues are incredibly funny and each scene is a delight. This is the perfect comfort read!

Roselynde by Roberta Gellis

Until today I'm still wondering why it took me so many years to read this book. I should ignore those misleading 70's covers who made me stay away from one of my now favourite historical fiction books. The relationship between the h/h was perfectly balanced with the captivating historical background.

Alinor by Roberta Gellis

The second book in The Roselynde Chronicles and definitely my favourite. How to explain the wonderful Ian de Vipont?! Loved every phrase, every scenes and I know I'll reread it as much as I can until I die. Don't run away because of the cover (at least the old ones), this isn't a bodice ripper at all. I cannot recommend this one often enough!

Katherine by Anya Seton

One of the best discoveries this year, thanks to our Anya Seton Season we had earlier in June. The love story of Katherine and John de Gaunt is still haunting me after all these months. This was such an unexpected adventure, I wasn't sure I was going to like it. I was right, I didn't like it, I loved it to pieces.

Mariana by Susanna Kearsley

Kearsley's The Winter Sea was in my last year's Best of and, without surprise, here she is again with another extraordinary story. Again, timeslip novels weren't my thing at all, I normally avoid them. Susanna Kearsley has a real gift to create heart warming characters that stay with you months after reading her stories. Can't wait to read her entire backlist!

For the King by Catherine Delors

Catherine Delors showed me how a good writer can make me read and enjoy a story set in a historical period that I don't really care for. I had some troubles warming up to the main character in the beginning, but despite the rocky start I became totally enraptured. It's also an ode to my city of adoption, Paris, something that touched me and made this book very special to me. I truly hope For the King will be translated to French so I can offer a copy to some of my friends and family.

Honorable mention:

The Iron King by Maurice Druon

This was a reread of the first book of a famous French series that I intend to keep reading through 2011. I think every French who enjoys history must have read this book once in their lives. It was translated years ago to English, but it seems they are HTF and quite expensive. If you ever find a reasonable priced copy anywhere, don't hesitate and grab it!

By Fire, By Water by Mitchell James Kaplan
(review will be published in the following weeks)

When I learned that this story was set in 15th century Spain, I knew I had to read it. Luis de Santangel is one of the most fascinating characters I had the chance to “meet” this year. He also make me think more deeply about my own religious and cultural heritage. This was a very emotional and unforgettable adventure.

A Royal Likeness by Christine Trent
(review will be published in the following weeks)

Before reading this book, Madame Tussaud was hardly someone I thought interesting. Christine Trent showed me easily how wrong I was bringing back to live a tough as nails, sometimes irascible but very practical, intelligent and quite warming woman who was the head of a flourishing business that we can still visit today. I just love how this author opens up the door of a all new world in each one of her novels, first dollmaking and now wax figures.

Ana's Best of 2010

The end of 2010 is near and once again we are looking back at the best books we've read during this year. I read less this year than in 2009 and maybe because of that I have fewer favourites. This year I would award top honours to:

THE SCARLET LION by Elizabeth Chadwick

The second book in the William Marshall duo, this one pays closer attention to his wife Isabelle. The great heiress he married, who brought him great wealth and power and with whom, I like to think, he also found a great love. They lived in dangerous and trying times but faced the adversities together.

TO DEFY A KING by Elizabeth Chadwick

After finishing William Marshall's books what better way to revisit him than by following the story of his daughter Mahelt? A young Lady with a strong personality that finds herself divided between her birth family and the family she married into during the turbulent times that preceded the signing of the Magna Carta.

I SERVE; A NOVEL OF THE BLACK PRINCE by Rosanne E. Lortz

As the title indicates this is a novel about the Black Prince, the military man and the lover of the Fair Maid of Kent. But it is also a novel about Chivalry. About honour and justice, the love of God and the love of a Lady, about being true to one self and our moral values.

My honourable mentions are:

For the King by Catherine Delors

To Shield The Queen by Fiona Buckley

The Oak Apple by Cynthia Harrod Eagles