Sultana: Two Sisters by Lisa J. Yarde

In
fourteenth-century Spain, former friends vie for a man's heart and the future
of his kingdom. Both women are captives sold into the harem of Sultan Yusuf I
of Moorish Granada.



A young girl with a hidden heritage, Esperanza Peralta, forges a new identity
as Butayna and becomes the mother of Yusuf's firstborn son. The Jewess Miriam
Alubel takes the name Maryam and also bears Yusuf several children, including
two sons.



The clash between former friends is inevitable, as each finds diverging paths
in a dizzying rise to power beside their husband. Both remain aware of the
struggle ahead of them, for only one heir may inherit Yusuf's throne and only
one woman can claim the revered title of Mother of the Sultan.




Get this book. Get it now! I promise you will not be disappointed. Sultana: Two Sisters by Lisa J. Yarde continues the
saga of the 14th Century Nasrid Dynasty begun with Sultana and
Sultana’s Legacy. This biographical fictional series is not one to be missed. It is a time of harsh realities, blood baths, and political
turmoil. In this, the third novel of this fascinating series, set during the
reign of Sultan Abdul Hajjaj Yusuf I of Granada, two women become deadly
enemies in the fight for supremacy. Butayna and Maryam vie for the heart of Sultan
Yusuf, for whoever captures his love and bears his son, will likely rule the
harem.




It is obvious that author Lisa J. Yarde has done
extensive research into the era. With vivid detail and expressive prose, she expertly
brings the characters to life with all their faults and qualities, emotions and
aspirations. The characters always surprise the reader, for their unpredictability
and ever changing motivations. As I read and learned more about the two women
at the heart of the story, I clearly understood the dangerous times they lived
in and what motivated them to do what they did. Through the eyes of these two
women, the reader is swept into feelings of lost love, mystery, hardships faced
by the characters, betrayal, bitterness, passionate love and forgiveness. The
author has a lovely writing style, simple, unencumbered, but beautiful in
description and spirit. The characters are complex and with plenty of conflict
in their pasts to capture the reader's interest and hold it to the end. To keep
the era as authentic as possible, the author does not sugar-coat any of the
brutality or realities of the times. 



It is a story about the choices one makes during a
moment in time and the impact it will have on one's future. There is plenty to
contemplate and identify with along with the two women at the heart of the
story. A deeply evocative story with plenty of passion to keep you turning the
pages long into the night. The Sultana series of novels overflow with intrigue,
murder, betrayal, sabotage, treachery, treason, and plenty more. Although they
can be read independently of each other, I recommend you begin at the beginning
and not miss any of the excitement.