Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Would Recommend to Someone Who Doesn't Read Historical Fiction

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and Bookish.   This meme features a different top 10 list every week.

This week's list: Top Ten Books I'd Recommend to Someone Who Doesn't Read XX (for example, if you are a YA blogger you might pick 10 YA books for people who don't read YA or if you read classics maybe 10 classics that those who don't typically read classics might read! Or you could get more specific).

Top Ten Books I'd Recommend to Someone Who Doesn't Read Historical Fiction

(1) The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Kay Penman.   Penman is a master of the historical fiction genre and this is, in my opinion, her finest work. 

(2) The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett.   This is one of the books that got me interested in the historical fiction genre. 

(3) The Greatest Knight by Elizabeth Chadwick.  Chadwick's novels are full of vivid historical detail.  This one brings to life William Marshall, a man considered to be the greatest knight of the medieval era. 

(4) The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.  A charming novel set in Guernsey in the years immediately following WWII. 

(5) Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden.  This power novel brings to life the horrors of WWI and its aftermath for those who survived the trenches. 

(6) Katherine by Anya Seton.  One of my all-time favourites, this novel tells of the real-life 14th century love story of Katherine Swynford and John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster. 

(7) Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn.  The first in Raybourn's Lady Julia mystery series, this novel is not to be missed. 

(8) Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See.  Beautifully written novel of two young girls selected to be sworn sisters in 19th century China.

(9) The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.   Narrated by Death, this novel follows the life of a young girl in Nazi Germany. 

(10) Atonement by Ian McEwan.  This beautifully written novel is set in England during 1930s and 1940s.  

Mailbox Monday

It's time for Mailbox Monday, a weekly travelling meme that is being hosted during the month of January by At Home With Books. 

I received lots of great books last week!  I might have to cool it on the book purchasing in the weeks to come and focus instead on those books I already have :-)






Received for Review:

The Turning of Anne Merrick by Christine Blevins

She spies for General Washington, betrays the Redcoats and battles for America's independence...

It's 1777, and a fledgling country wages an almost hopeless struggle against the might of the British Empire. Brought together by a fateful kiss, Anne Merrick and Jack Hampton are devoted to each other and to their Patriot cause. As part of Washington's daring network of spies, they are ready and willing to pay even the ultimate price for freedom.

From battlefields raging along the Hudson, to the desperate winter encampment at Valley Forge and through the dangerous intrigue of British-occupied Philadelphia, Anne and Jack brave the trials of separation, the ravages of war and an unyielding enemy growing ever more ruthless.

For love and for country, all is put at risk-and together the pair must call upon their every ounce of courage and cunning in order to survive.

Received from Author:

Midwife of the Blue Ridge by Christine Blevins

They call her Dark Maggie for her thick black hair, but the name also has a more sinister connotation. As the lone survivor of an attack on her village, she was thought to be cursed, and unfit for marriage. Maggie is also gifted with quick wits and skilled in medicine, trained as a midwife. Venturing to the colonies as an indentured servant, she hopes to escape the superstitions of the old country, and find a home of her own. But what she discovers is a New World fraught with new dangers.



 
Won (courtesy of Bippity Boppity Book):

The Lion Wakes by Robert Low

It is 1296 and Scotland is in turmoil. The old king, Alexander III, has died after falling off his horse one dark and stormy night. Scotland's future is in peril. Edward I of England, desperate to keep control of his northern borders, arranges for John Baliol, a weak man who Edward knows he can manipulate, to take leadership of Scotland. But unrest is rife and many are determined to throw off the shackles of England. Among those men is Robert the Bruce, darkly handsome, young, angry and obsessed by his desire to win Scotland's throne. He will fight for the freedom of the Scots until the end. But there are many rival factions and the English are a strong and fearsome opponent. The Lion Wakes culminates in the Battle of Falkirk which proves to be the beginning of a rivalry that will last for decades...

My Own Purchases:

The Rook by Daniel O'Malley

"The body you are wearing used to be mine." So begins the letter Myfanwy Thomas is holding when she awakes in a London park surrounded by bodies all wearing latex gloves. With no recollection of who she is, Myfanwy must follow the instructions her former self left behind to discover her identity and track down the agents who want to destroy her.

She soon learns that she is a Rook, a high-ranking member of a secret organization called the Chequy that battles the many supernatural forces at work in Britain. She also discovers that she possesses a rare, potentially deadly supernatural ability of her own.

In her quest to uncover which member of the Chequy betrayed her and why, Myfanwy encounters a person with four bodies, an aristocratic woman who can enter her dreams, a secret training facility where children are transformed into deadly fighters, and a conspiracy more vast than she ever could have imagined.

Filled with characters both fascinating and fantastical, THE ROOK is a richly inventive, suspenseful, and often wry thriller that marks an ambitious debut from a promising young writer.

The Unseen by Katherine Webb

England, 1911. When a free-spirited young woman arrives in a sleepy Berkshire village to work as a maid in the household of The Reverend and Mrs Canning, she sets in motion a chain of events which changes all their lives. For Cat has a past - a past her new mistress is willing to overlook, but will never understand . . .

This is not all Hester Canning has to cope with. When her husband invites a young man into their home, he brings with him a dangerous obsession...

During the long, oppressive summer, the rectory becomes charged with ambition, love and jealousy - with the most devastating consequences.

The First Wife by Emily Barr

His first wife was everything you're not. But was she everything she seemed?

Lily, a young woman left alone in the world on the death of her grandparents, finds purpose when she befriends Harry Summers, a grieving widower, whose wife Sarah recently took her own life in Barcelona. The pair fall in love and Lily finally finds the security she has never had. But Lily's life takes a darker turn when she realises there may be more to Sarah's death than meets the eye. Anxious to find the truth before she marries her beloved Harry, Lily sets off to Barcelona in search of answers. What she discovers is more shocking than she could ever have imagined.


I also purchased:

- Theodora by Stella Duffy
- My Love, My Enemy by Jan Cox Speas
- The Debutante by Kathleen Tessaro
- The Nosferato Scroll by James Becker


That's it for me.  What was in your mailbox this past week?

Book Review: Dark Road to Darjeeling by Deanna Raybourn

After eight idyllic months in the Mediterranean, Lady Julia Grey and her detective husband are ready to put their investigative talents to work once more. At the urging of Julia's eccentric family, they hurry to India to aid an old friend, the newly widowed Jane Cavendish. Living on the Cavendish tea plantation with the remnants of her husband's family, Jane is consumed with the impending birth of her child and with discovering the truth about her husband's death. Was he murdered for his estate? And if he was, could Jane and her unborn child be next?


Amid the lush foothills of the Himalayas, dark deeds are buried and malicious thoughts flourish. The Brisbanes uncover secrets and scandal, illicit affairs and twisted legacies. In this remote and exotic place, exploration is perilous and discovery, deadly. The danger is palpable and, if they are not careful, Julia and Nicholas will not live to celebrate their first anniversary.

Synopsis courtesy of Chapters.indigo.ca

My Review

4 Stars
  
Dark Road to Darjeeling, the fourth book in Deanna Raybourn's Lady Julia Grey mystery series, moves away from the confines of Victorian England, the setting for the first three novels in the series, to colonial India.   As their honeymoon draws to a close, Lady Julia and new husband, private detective Nicholas Brisbane, are requested by Julia's sister, Portia, and brother, Plum, to accompany them to India to come to the aid of family friend Jane Cavendish.  Jane, a recent widow awaiting the birth of her first child, is convinced the circumstances surrounding her husband's death were not as straightforward as they appeared to be.  Eager to help, Julia and Nicholas set forth for India and put their investigative skills to work; uncovering far more than they ever anticipated and putting their own lives at risk in the process.

Somewhat disappointed with the third installment of the series, Silent on the Moor, I left Dark Road to Darjeeling languishing unread on my shelves for over a year before finally picking it up.  My main concern was whether the series would still hold the same appeal now that the "will they or won't they" dynamic of Julia and Nicholas' relationship was put to rest with their marriage.  I needn't have worried.   This book is every bit as fun and mysterious as the first two novels of the series.   The change in setting was refreshing, and I especially enjoyed the view of life in a small colonial village presented in the novel.   Raybourn once again delivers a novel full of interesting and well thought out characters; successfully incorporating the story lines of new characters, to whom there is more than meets the eye, with those of the series regulars.   One of the greatest strengths of this book is that the mystery surrounding Jane's husband's death was actually mysterious.   I hate mystery novels that feature a villain who is too easily identifiable, but this isn't a problem in Dark Road to Darjeeling.  I had little idea how things would turn out until almost the end, which is exactly how I think mysteries should be.   I look forward to reading the next installment, The Dark Enquiry. 

Recommended to fans of the earlier Lady Julia books and historical mysteries in general, especially those set in the Victorian era.   

Note: This book comes from my personal collection.

Seeking Historical Fiction Suggestions à la Downton Abbey

I need your help fellow book bloggers!  I've recently become addicted to the wonderful Downton Abbey and am now interested in reading some historical fiction set in Edwardian England, although the late-Victorian era would also be okay.   I'm particularly interested in any books that feature aristocratic families, like Downton's Granthams, and their stately homes.   Since I've not read widely on this period, I'm looking for recommendations.   The only novel suggested to me to date is Daisy Goodwin's The American Heiress.  

Does anyone have any recommendations?

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and Bookish.   This meme features a different top 10 list every week.   This is my first time participating :-)

Top Ten Authors I Wish Would Write Another Book:

(1) J.K. Rowling.  I adore the Harry Potter series and would love to read another book by J.K. Rowling, even if it doesn't feature Harry and his friends. 

(2) Susanna Kearsley.  Kearsley's most recent novel, The Rose Garden, came out in 2011.  I love her stuff and can't wait till her next book is published -- whenever that may be. 

(3) Sharon Kay Penman.  Since finishing Penman's latest release, Lionheart, I've been eagerly awaiting the promised follow-up.  Hopefully it won't be too long before it comes out. 

(4) Kate Morton.  I've loved all three of Morton's novels and hope that 2012 brings a new book from this incredible author.  

(5) Kimberley Freeman.  Wildflower Hill, Kimberley Freeman's debut novel, made my list of favourites in 2011 and I can't wait to hear more from this author. 

(6) Sarah Addison Allen.  I read all four of Addison Allen's books last year and thought they were great.  Here's hoping she publishes another book soon! 

(7) Elisabeth Storrs.   The Wedding Shroud, a historical novel set in ancient Etruria and early Rome, was one of my favourite reads from last year. 

(8) Kristen Britain.  Britain is the author of one of my favourite fantasy series, Green Rider.   The last book left off on a cliff-hanger but it's probably going to be a couple more years before the next book is released.    

(9) George R.R. Martin.  While book five of Martin's epic A Song of Ice and Fire series was released just this past summer -- and I know the next book won't likely be out for several years -- I can still keep hoping that maybe the wait for book six won't be as long as the wait for book five was.

(10) Ann Marie Macdonald.   I thought Macdonald's Fall on Your Knees and As the Crow Flies were excellent novels so I'd really like to see something new from this author. 

What authors do you wish would write another book?

Mailbox Monday

It's time for Mailbox Monday, a weekly travelling meme that is being hosted during the month of January by At Home With Books. 

Thanks to the abundance of gift cards I received for Christmas, my mailbox has been quite full with new books lately.   Here are some of my gift card purchases (all synopses courtesy of Chapters.indigo.ca):






Historical Fiction

The Courier's Tale by Peter Walker

Reginald Pole, diplomat, friend of scholars, cardinals and artists, and cousin to Henry VIII, is first seen stealing into the Medici chapel at dead of night to catch a forbidden glimpse of Michelangelo's masterpiece of funerary sculpture. But as the king's representative in Italy, and an admired scholar himself, it falls to him to make the case for Henry's divorce from Katherine of Aragon. And it falls to the hapless Michael Throckmorton to become Thomas Cromwell's courier to Pole in Rome.

In Peter Walker's imaginative novel, in which two worlds, increasingly opposed, are beautifully evoked, we see these famous events that saw England become a Protestant nation through the eyes of the luckless courier. The dubious privilege of being courier to Cromwell and the King, makes of Michael Throckmorton's life a tragicomedy of endless journeys back and forth between England and Italy. And even though in time he becomes the loyal friend of the disgraced Pole, who can never risk returning to England while Henry lives, this is no compensation for the childhood love who appears to have been lost along the way.


Russian Winter by Daphne Kalotay


In present-day Boston, Nina Revskaya, once a great star of the Russian ballet, has decided to auction her jewellery collection and donate the proceeds to the Boston Ballet Foundation. It is a mysterious gesture that has piqued the interest of two particular individuals: a rising associate director at the auction house, Drew Brooks, who seeks to unravel the provenance of the pieces; and a professor and Russian translator at the nearby university, Grigori Solodin, who believes the jewels might hold the key to his past.

The stakes are raised when an anonymous individual donates a necklace that perfectly matches the bracelet and earrings in Nina's collection, claiming the pieces belong together. It is this donation that will bring Drew and Grigori together in unexpected ways to uncover the story behind Nina's fabulous jewels' a bounty said to have been smuggled out of Stalinist Russia when she defected from the country in the early 1950s.

It was there, in Russia, that Nina first learned to dance, fell in love with the handsome poet Viktor Elsin, and struggled with the choice to pursue her craft or begin a family. Nina and her circle of free-thinking artist friends lived in constant fear of Stalin's disapproval, of arrest and torture by the secret police for unpatriotic behaviour and so-called crimes against the state. Yet when their circle was broken by just such an arrest, a devastating misunderstanding parted the four friends and lovers forever.

Brock's Agent by Tom Taylor

It's the eve of the War of 1812.   Thomas Jefferson declares that it's a "mere matter of marching" for the United States to seize Upper Canada.

After witnessing the Battle of Tippecanoe, Jonathan Westlake, a young man ready to make his mark, returns home to York [now Toronto] from a successful fur trading expedition. Intervening in a scuffle to save a young woman's life, he appears to have killed her stepfather. To escape arrest for murder, Westlake is now forced to join the British Army and pose as a fur trader while on a secret mission for Major General Isaac Brock.

In a frantic search for the girl he rescued, down Georgian Bay to Fort Detroit, Westlake discovers treachery in his own family circle. His friends, a French Canadian named Lapointe and a Shawnee native called Paxinos, will remain loyal to him in a battle that may cost all of them their lives.

As nations and men struggle for military supremacy in North America, the principal characters fight to the death over love, independence, and a fortune in furs.

The King's Witch by Cecelia Holland

During the Third Crusade, deaths from fever and starvation are common, but King Richard the Lion-Hearted has a secret ally against these impassable enemies-a mysterious healer by the name of Edythe.

She was sent to him by his mother Eleanor, and Richard first assumes that Edythe is a spy. But when her medical knowledge saves his life, she becomes an indispensable member of his camp-even as his loyal soldiers, suspicious of her talent for warding off death, call her a witch.  



Also received:

- The Courtier's Secret by Donna Russo Morin
- The Winter Palace by Eva Stachniak
- The Botticelli Secret by Marina Fiorato

Fantasy

Theft of Swords by Michael J. Sullivan

Royce Melborn, a skilled thief, and his mercenary partner, Hadrian Blackwater, make a profitable living carrying out dangerous assignments for conspiring nobles-until they are hired to pilfer a famed sword. What appears to be just a simple job finds them framed for the murder of the king and trapped in a conspiracy that uncovers a plot far greater than the mere overthrow of a tiny kingdom.

Can a self-serving thief and an idealistic swordsman survive long enough to unravel the first part of an ancient mystery that has toppled kings and destroyed empires?

And so begins the first tale of treachery and adventure, sword fighting and magic, myth and legend.

Seven Princes by John R. Fultz

It is an Age of Legends.  Under the watchful eye of the Giants, the kingdoms of Men rose to power. Now, the Giant-King has slain the last of the Serpents and ushered in an era of untold peace and prosperity. Where a fire-blackened desert once stood, golden cities flourish in verdant fields.

It is an Age of Heroes.  But the realms of Man face a new threat-- an ancient sorcerer slaughters the rightful King of Yaskatha before the unbelieving eyes of his son, young Prince D'zan. With the Giant-King lost to a mysterious doom, it seems that no one has the power to stop the coming storm.

It is an Age of War.  The fugitive Prince seeks allies across the realms of Men and Giants to liberate his father''s stolen kingdom. Six foreign Princes are tied to his fate. Only one thing is certain: War is coming.

SEVEN PRINCES.   Some will seek glory.  Some will seek vengeance.  All will be legends

Also received:

- Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder


Those are the books that arrived in my mailbox.  What did you get? 

2012 Reading and Blogging Resolutions

Happy New Year!  It's hard to believe it's 2012, isn't it?  2011 was a great reading year for me, and I have no doubt 2012 will be even better!   Here are my reading and blogging resolutions for 2012:

2012 Reading Resolutions:

(1) Reduce the size of my massive TBR pile.   My book buying obsession has resulted in me having a TBR pile the size of a mountain.   My participation in the Mount TBR Challenge should help to reduce it a little bit, as my goal is to read at least 50 books that were sitting on my TBR as of the end of 2011.

(2) Read at least 75 books.   This isn't a stretch target as I've read at least 80 books in each of the last three years, but I don't want to put any pressure on myself and end up rushing through books I should savour in order to meet a reading goal.  

For the past few years my reading resolutions have included buying fewer books.  Since I never keep this one, hence my large TBR pile, I've decided not to bother including it again this year :-)

2012 Blogging Resolutions:

(1) Post more reviews.   To date, my reviews have focused almost exclusively on books within the historical fiction genre.  During 2012 I'd like to increase the number of reviews I write by expanding my reviews to include more than just historical fiction. 

(2) Become more involved in the blogging community.   I'm going to try my best to comment more often on other blogs, as well as participate in any opportunities that come up for book tours, etc.

(3) Participate more regularly in weekly memes.   In addition to Mailbox Monday, I'm going to try to regularly contribute to Waiting on Wednesday and Suddenly Sunday.   I'm also going to look for an additional meme to participate in, although I haven't decided which one yet. 

Those are my resolutions for the year.   Do you have any?