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An Almond for a Parrot
‘I would like to make myself the heroine of this story – an innocent victim led astray. But alas sir, I would be lying…’
London, 1756: In Newgate prison, Tully Truegood awaits trial. Her fate hanging in the balance, she tells her life-story. It’s a tale that takes her from skivvy in the back streets of London, to conjuror’s assistant, to celebrated courtesan at her stepmother’s Fairy House, the notorious house of ill-repute where decadent excess is a must…
Tully was once the talk of the town. Now, with the best seats at Newgate already sold in anticipation of her execution, her only chance of survival is to get her story to the one person who can help her avoid the gallows.
She is Tully Truegood.
Orphan, whore, magician’s apprentice.
Murderer?
London, 1756: In Newgate prison, Tully Truegood awaits trial. Her fate hanging in the balance, she tells her life-story. It’s a tale that takes her from skivvy in the back streets of London, to conjuror’s assistant, to celebrated courtesan at her stepmother’s Fairy House, the notorious house of ill-repute where decadent excess is a must…
Tully was once the talk of the town. Now, with the best seats at Newgate already sold in anticipation of her execution, her only chance of survival is to get her story to the one person who can help her avoid the gallows.
She is Tully Truegood.
Orphan, whore, magician’s apprentice.
Murderer?
395 pages, Hardcover
First published November 3, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 313 reviews
April 7, 2017
An Almond for a Parrot is an interesting mix of erotic romance, historical fiction, and magical realism set in 18th century London. This novel opens in the story's present-day with our narrator/heroine in prison for murder. She takes readers back to the beginning, where everything began...when she was married off at the age of 12. Don't worry, you won't be reading anything sexual at this age, but as with many women of that time who sought both survival and independence, her sexual awakening began early and was well-paid for.
My favorite quote:
"Laughter is by far the better remedy for all life's ills. Our days are measured too often in woes and too seldom in humor, which is a pity, for what is this world if not a farce, a comedy of follies performed without rehearsal, a stage waiting for a strumpet to tell her tale."
“Women have no money in their own right and many are subjected to the tyranny and cruelty of neglectful fathers and husbands. If a woman leaves this so-called protection, she finds the road to virtue closed to her by poverty and necessity. Her body is the only currency she possesses.”I ended up enjoying this book a great deal. I found it engaging, erotic, romantic, suspenseful, mysterious, and mystical...and it all worked! The only distraction noted during my personal reading experience was that the [maybe historically accurate] vocabulary caused me to borderline eye-roll during the descriptions of the sex scenes, ie: purses, mounds, and maypoles. But the quality of the scenes themselves were spot on: lots of internal emotion and complexity. Also, the author incorporated some f/f teaching/experimentation that was lovely because of its kindness and innocence. Above all, I loved the magical realism element. In a time when anything magic related was feared and punished, these characters embraced it and strived to perfect it. Overall, a great read for those who enjoy historical erotica. Check it out!
My favorite quote:
"Laughter is by far the better remedy for all life's ills. Our days are measured too often in woes and too seldom in humor, which is a pity, for what is this world if not a farce, a comedy of follies performed without rehearsal, a stage waiting for a strumpet to tell her tale."
October 11, 2017
“The gods made our bodies as well as our souls, is it not so? They give us voices, so we might worship them with song. They give us hands, so we might build them temples. And they give us desire, so we might mate and worship them in that way.”
----George R.R. Martin
Wray Delaney, pen name for Sally Gardner, an award-winning British children's author, has penned an intriguing and a very sizzling historical fiction called, An Almond for a Parrot that revolves around a young woman in London locked up in a prison as she is accused of killing her husband, whom she got married to at the age of 12 by her father to pay off his neck-deep debts, and from the prison cell, the woman narrates the story of her life, of how she discovered her sexuality at a tender age, of how she became a prostitute, of her godly gifts of seeing dead people's ghosts from parrots in a cage, of falling in love, of her other talents of pleasing men, and mostly of her erotic exploration through ages.
Synopsis:
London, 1756: In Newgate prison, Tully Truegood awaits trial. Her fate hanging in the balance, she tells her life-story. It's a tale that takes her from skivvy in the back streets of London, to conjuror's assistant, to celebrated courtesan at her stepmother's Fairy House, the notorious house of ill-repute where decadent excess is a must...Tully was once the talk of the town. Now, with the best seats at Newgate already sold in anticipation of her execution, her only chance of survival is to get her story to the one person who can help her avoid the gallows. She is Tully Truegood. Orphan, whore, magician's apprentice. Murderer?
In the year of 1756, Tully Truegood, a popular courtesan with magical powers, pens her memoir from the Newgate prison in London, as she awaits the trial of the murder that she claims that she did not commit. Tully's mother died during childbirth leaving Tully motherless and with an alcoholic, temperamental and gambling addict father. By the age of 12, Tully finds herself surrounded with a new step mom whom her father remarries and two step sisters, also, to pay off his debts, her father randomly marries her off to a random men through an agreement. Gradually, through one of the step sisters, Tully discovers her sexuality and the pleasures she can attain by her body. And finally, one day, Tully breaks free from the cages of her wretched life, and lands upon Queenie's Fairy House, where she earns a name because of her talents to please a man in an unique way and mostly because of her magical talent to speak up to ghosts of dead people, especially, she can make the people like Queenie talk to their lost ones like a dead daughter. In the meantime of pleasing men and giving solace to broken souls, Tully falls in love with a man, and with their love story, Tully explores a journey of erotic pleasure. But then the husband from the past shows up, and a tragedy occurs, grab the book to explore this delicious and extremely engrossing journey of Tully Truegood.
This book is a true gem, that can invoke real passion and desires, as well as can also give a hell lot of sexual tension, if read carefully. No this is not a Fifty Shadesstyled mommy porn, instead it is something intensely sensual, evocative and visually imaginative. The author did a marvelous job in bringing alive the Georgian 18th century in London by depicting the then fashion statements to the lives of the people to the architecture of the buildings to the culture, hence it will feel like taking a walk down the memory lane. While reading I lost myself so much into this compelling and stirring story that when I looked up from the book, the reality felt so dull. This exquisite novel is a must read for all the historical fiction aficionados.
The author's writing style is extremely elegant, laced with deep heartfelt emotions and intensity, that will move the readers. Not only that, the prose is magical and articulate, subtly painted with a mysterious flair, that makes the tale even more enchanting. The dialogues and the narrative from this book are very thoughtfully and realistically penned by the author. And with a moderately swift pace, the book will turn out to be a complete page-turning read for readers.
The background of the novel is set in the 18th century London and also very apt with the proper flair of those times. The author has flawlessly captured the Georgian era with its fashion sense to the lifestyle of its people to the roads to every tiny details, that only made me felt like walking inside an 18th century-London. Not only that, the painting of the background is penned with utmost clarity and vividly, as a result, the readers can easily visually imagine the scenes from this book.
The characters from this book are very much well developed, especially the main character, Tully, who has multiple layers and the character will grow so much through out the story line. Tully's life journey from a very tender age is explored with lots of depth, hence the readers will be able to comprehend with her easily. Her strength, her vigor, her independence, her talents, both magical and desirable ones, her thoughtfulness, everything makes her stand out in the rest and will easily imprint into the hearts and minds of the readers. Even the supporting cast is portrayed in an interesting manner.
The best part of the book are those erotic love making scenes which are metaphorically referred to by whimsical grandiloquence with vegetables, flowers, gardens and mostly with mother nature. It is beautiful, intense, and also at times comical in a way. The story line is very tight and unforeseeable and the readers will be glued to the book till its very last page. In short, the book is highly captivating and as for me, I found it to be quite liberating.
Verdict: A vulgar, yet intense and erotic life story of a prostitute accused of murder.
Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers from Harper Collins India for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
----George R.R. Martin
Wray Delaney, pen name for Sally Gardner, an award-winning British children's author, has penned an intriguing and a very sizzling historical fiction called, An Almond for a Parrot that revolves around a young woman in London locked up in a prison as she is accused of killing her husband, whom she got married to at the age of 12 by her father to pay off his neck-deep debts, and from the prison cell, the woman narrates the story of her life, of how she discovered her sexuality at a tender age, of how she became a prostitute, of her godly gifts of seeing dead people's ghosts from parrots in a cage, of falling in love, of her other talents of pleasing men, and mostly of her erotic exploration through ages.
Synopsis:
London, 1756: In Newgate prison, Tully Truegood awaits trial. Her fate hanging in the balance, she tells her life-story. It's a tale that takes her from skivvy in the back streets of London, to conjuror's assistant, to celebrated courtesan at her stepmother's Fairy House, the notorious house of ill-repute where decadent excess is a must...Tully was once the talk of the town. Now, with the best seats at Newgate already sold in anticipation of her execution, her only chance of survival is to get her story to the one person who can help her avoid the gallows. She is Tully Truegood. Orphan, whore, magician's apprentice. Murderer?
In the year of 1756, Tully Truegood, a popular courtesan with magical powers, pens her memoir from the Newgate prison in London, as she awaits the trial of the murder that she claims that she did not commit. Tully's mother died during childbirth leaving Tully motherless and with an alcoholic, temperamental and gambling addict father. By the age of 12, Tully finds herself surrounded with a new step mom whom her father remarries and two step sisters, also, to pay off his debts, her father randomly marries her off to a random men through an agreement. Gradually, through one of the step sisters, Tully discovers her sexuality and the pleasures she can attain by her body. And finally, one day, Tully breaks free from the cages of her wretched life, and lands upon Queenie's Fairy House, where she earns a name because of her talents to please a man in an unique way and mostly because of her magical talent to speak up to ghosts of dead people, especially, she can make the people like Queenie talk to their lost ones like a dead daughter. In the meantime of pleasing men and giving solace to broken souls, Tully falls in love with a man, and with their love story, Tully explores a journey of erotic pleasure. But then the husband from the past shows up, and a tragedy occurs, grab the book to explore this delicious and extremely engrossing journey of Tully Truegood.
This book is a true gem, that can invoke real passion and desires, as well as can also give a hell lot of sexual tension, if read carefully. No this is not a Fifty Shadesstyled mommy porn, instead it is something intensely sensual, evocative and visually imaginative. The author did a marvelous job in bringing alive the Georgian 18th century in London by depicting the then fashion statements to the lives of the people to the architecture of the buildings to the culture, hence it will feel like taking a walk down the memory lane. While reading I lost myself so much into this compelling and stirring story that when I looked up from the book, the reality felt so dull. This exquisite novel is a must read for all the historical fiction aficionados.
The author's writing style is extremely elegant, laced with deep heartfelt emotions and intensity, that will move the readers. Not only that, the prose is magical and articulate, subtly painted with a mysterious flair, that makes the tale even more enchanting. The dialogues and the narrative from this book are very thoughtfully and realistically penned by the author. And with a moderately swift pace, the book will turn out to be a complete page-turning read for readers.
The background of the novel is set in the 18th century London and also very apt with the proper flair of those times. The author has flawlessly captured the Georgian era with its fashion sense to the lifestyle of its people to the roads to every tiny details, that only made me felt like walking inside an 18th century-London. Not only that, the painting of the background is penned with utmost clarity and vividly, as a result, the readers can easily visually imagine the scenes from this book.
The characters from this book are very much well developed, especially the main character, Tully, who has multiple layers and the character will grow so much through out the story line. Tully's life journey from a very tender age is explored with lots of depth, hence the readers will be able to comprehend with her easily. Her strength, her vigor, her independence, her talents, both magical and desirable ones, her thoughtfulness, everything makes her stand out in the rest and will easily imprint into the hearts and minds of the readers. Even the supporting cast is portrayed in an interesting manner.
The best part of the book are those erotic love making scenes which are metaphorically referred to by whimsical grandiloquence with vegetables, flowers, gardens and mostly with mother nature. It is beautiful, intense, and also at times comical in a way. The story line is very tight and unforeseeable and the readers will be glued to the book till its very last page. In short, the book is highly captivating and as for me, I found it to be quite liberating.
Verdict: A vulgar, yet intense and erotic life story of a prostitute accused of murder.
Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers from Harper Collins India for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
March 29, 2020
2.5*
This book has a wonderful idea of a story. But it was executed in a poor manner, leading to low stars.
Tully Truegood is in jail, expecting a baby. She will also be executed if she can't prove her innocence in the murder of her husband Captain Spiggot. She is an orphan and a whore and she wants to tell us her story...
What I liked about this book:
1. The title was unique and interesting.
2. The book cover was beautiful (mine had embroidered art work)
3. There is magical realism
4. This story is set in 18th Century, England and Ioved the setting of this book
5. The story is pretty good too
What I couldn't stand about this book:
1. Characters were totally clueless. They didn't have a direction, they didn't have a proper development. They were incomplete.
2. Narration at times were good, but overall it was terrible. There was no clarity, no aim. Everything was so confusing and cluttered.
3. The tasteless almost cringeworthy sex scenes. Out of all the negatives, this one stood out. All over the book, such boring scenes were scattered and I have no comments! If they were removed I would have given it 3.5 stars.
4. The hasty ending. The story assigns pages for irrelevant incidents but the ending was just abrupt and senseless.
5. Another issue was with the plot twists. The story makes me think that the place is a really small world. The characters run into each other always and all of them are in some way or other involved in the twists.
6. Another issue was with the elements of magical realism itself. It was incomplete. Tully is able to see ghosts, fly around etc etc, but she cant save herself when needed.
There were many such issues which made my read kind of boring and illogical.
This book has a wonderful idea of a story. But it was executed in a poor manner, leading to low stars.
Tully Truegood is in jail, expecting a baby. She will also be executed if she can't prove her innocence in the murder of her husband Captain Spiggot. She is an orphan and a whore and she wants to tell us her story...
What I liked about this book:
1. The title was unique and interesting.
2. The book cover was beautiful (mine had embroidered art work)
3. There is magical realism
4. This story is set in 18th Century, England and Ioved the setting of this book
5. The story is pretty good too
What I couldn't stand about this book:
1. Characters were totally clueless. They didn't have a direction, they didn't have a proper development. They were incomplete.
2. Narration at times were good, but overall it was terrible. There was no clarity, no aim. Everything was so confusing and cluttered.
3. The tasteless almost cringeworthy sex scenes. Out of all the negatives, this one stood out. All over the book, such boring scenes were scattered and I have no comments! If they were removed I would have given it 3.5 stars.
4. The hasty ending. The story assigns pages for irrelevant incidents but the ending was just abrupt and senseless.
5. Another issue was with the plot twists. The story makes me think that the place is a really small world. The characters run into each other always and all of them are in some way or other involved in the twists.
6. Another issue was with the elements of magical realism itself. It was incomplete. Tully is able to see ghosts, fly around etc etc, but she cant save herself when needed.
There were many such issues which made my read kind of boring and illogical.
March 4, 2023
So this scratched a very odd itch that I didn't know I had. I'm usually not one for trigger warnings but with this particular book I feel I should list them first.
Trigger warnings:
Sexual content (some very graphic) including but not limited to: Rape, Sodomy, Underage, Prostitution, Brothel Operations, same sex encounters, and bondage.
Underage arranged marriage.
Parental and spousal abuse.
Death
It's a lot... If you're still with me and still interested.. I'd recommend reading it. I really enjoyed it. It's historical fiction, erotica and mystery with a hint of magic... Oh and ghosts.
Trigger warnings:
Sexual content (some very graphic) including but not limited to: Rape, Sodomy, Underage, Prostitution, Brothel Operations, same sex encounters, and bondage.
Underage arranged marriage.
Parental and spousal abuse.
Death
It's a lot... If you're still with me and still interested.. I'd recommend reading it. I really enjoyed it. It's historical fiction, erotica and mystery with a hint of magic... Oh and ghosts.
February 28, 2019
Sexy, fun, magical - in one word: entertaining!
May 20, 2020
4.5 stars
I received a free copy of this book from Harper Collins in exchange for an honest review.
Video review (spoiler free): https://bit.ly/2XfhxYx
It’s 1756 and Tully Truegood is languishing in prison, accused of murder. In Tully’s own words, she writes down her story so those reading can understand her actions. From ignored daughter to famed and beloved courtesan, the reader follows Tully through the high and lows of your young life until eventually arriving to how she ended up behind bars.
This is an absolute fantastic book that had me hooked from the first chapter. I flew through this story and found it hard to put down at times (in fact, the day I finished it I had to get off the train for work with only about three pages to go and it was infuriating).
Tully is one of those characters you can fall in love with. She is young and honest, and her voice sounds exactly like this. I don’t think there was much badness in her at all, and I really just wanted to take her in my arms and protect her from all the evil in the world.
At first Tully’s proper voice in the book threw me off but I gradually got used to her way of speech and the book eventually settled down into the story and flowed really well. The chapters were short which made them easy to fly through and devour. I read fifteen chapters in my first sitting!
Tully is a very sensual and sexual person, from the time she is quite young and she enjoys and relishes in sex and sex with people she cares about. She owns her body in a way that’s really empowering and admirable. I loved her descriptions of a a lot of sexual scenes she both witnesses and takes part in because she gives different names to body parts (Venus mound and pleasure garden instead of vagina, and pleasure pole instead of penis for example) and while this could come across silly and moronic in other books, it doesn’t in this one because you know everything Tully is describing it out of awe and pleasure, and it’s Tully being Tully.
There was a magical ad supernatural twist to this story I was;t expecting but I grew to love it. It really fell into place and became an integral part of the plot and one, as a reader, I would anticipate and wish more of.
I really enjoyed the romance int his book. At first, I was afraid it would take over but Tully proved to be her own person and took control of her own story and I loved that.
This was a fantastic book with both a great historical setting as well as an a amazing female protagonist that you could respect, admire and just want to be friends with. Highly recommend. P.S This book is perfect for fans of TV show Harlots!
I received a free copy of this book from Harper Collins in exchange for an honest review.
Video review (spoiler free): https://bit.ly/2XfhxYx
It’s 1756 and Tully Truegood is languishing in prison, accused of murder. In Tully’s own words, she writes down her story so those reading can understand her actions. From ignored daughter to famed and beloved courtesan, the reader follows Tully through the high and lows of your young life until eventually arriving to how she ended up behind bars.
This is an absolute fantastic book that had me hooked from the first chapter. I flew through this story and found it hard to put down at times (in fact, the day I finished it I had to get off the train for work with only about three pages to go and it was infuriating).
Tully is one of those characters you can fall in love with. She is young and honest, and her voice sounds exactly like this. I don’t think there was much badness in her at all, and I really just wanted to take her in my arms and protect her from all the evil in the world.
At first Tully’s proper voice in the book threw me off but I gradually got used to her way of speech and the book eventually settled down into the story and flowed really well. The chapters were short which made them easy to fly through and devour. I read fifteen chapters in my first sitting!
Tully is a very sensual and sexual person, from the time she is quite young and she enjoys and relishes in sex and sex with people she cares about. She owns her body in a way that’s really empowering and admirable. I loved her descriptions of a a lot of sexual scenes she both witnesses and takes part in because she gives different names to body parts (Venus mound and pleasure garden instead of vagina, and pleasure pole instead of penis for example) and while this could come across silly and moronic in other books, it doesn’t in this one because you know everything Tully is describing it out of awe and pleasure, and it’s Tully being Tully.
There was a magical ad supernatural twist to this story I was;t expecting but I grew to love it. It really fell into place and became an integral part of the plot and one, as a reader, I would anticipate and wish more of.
I really enjoyed the romance int his book. At first, I was afraid it would take over but Tully proved to be her own person and took control of her own story and I loved that.
This was a fantastic book with both a great historical setting as well as an a amazing female protagonist that you could respect, admire and just want to be friends with. Highly recommend. P.S This book is perfect for fans of TV show Harlots!
March 19, 2019
Well, that was weird. It reminded me a bit of Crimson Petal and the White. Just a bit. Which, I admit, I kinda hated.
The magic and ghosts stuff? Um, cool but weird. The resolution? Um, WHAT? I can't even. The sex, meh, I was expecting to be titulated but a lot was sad and gross. Definitely, trigger warnings here. The stuff that happened to those four girls was horrific.
The magic and ghosts stuff? Um, cool but weird. The resolution? Um, WHAT? I can't even. The sex, meh, I was expecting to be titulated but a lot was sad and gross. Definitely, trigger warnings here. The stuff that happened to those four girls was horrific.
Read
September 10, 2019DNF at 24% (Audiobook via BookBeat UK!)
Well, this was a huge shame. I was expecting a creepy historical thrillery mystery, with a hint of a romance and hearing from the POV of Tully. Tully is serving time in Newgate Prison and is on the list of potentially being hanged due to a murder charge. The background of her life was harsh, scary and ultimately tragic. This looked like the makings of a fantastic read... but around 12% in, the content became very adult and erotic. In fact, far too erotic for my liking, really taking away the mystery element and enjoyment for me. There will be others out there who will really like this kind of story, but sadly, not me!
Well, this was a huge shame. I was expecting a creepy historical thrillery mystery, with a hint of a romance and hearing from the POV of Tully. Tully is serving time in Newgate Prison and is on the list of potentially being hanged due to a murder charge. The background of her life was harsh, scary and ultimately tragic. This looked like the makings of a fantastic read... but around 12% in, the content became very adult and erotic. In fact, far too erotic for my liking, really taking away the mystery element and enjoyment for me. There will be others out there who will really like this kind of story, but sadly, not me!
June 3, 2017
Having read the premise of this book in the library, I was expecting some kind of historical crime mystery. What I got was part crime mystery, part fantasy, part erotic novel and part family saga. It seemed as if the author wasn't entirely sure which genre to follow, and so it became a bit of a muddle. The different genres never really blended together, it was either one thing or another, so while we were trying to work out her past the crime got forgotten, while we were 'entertaining' her past got forgotten, and so on. While I don't mind magical realism in the right place, it brought nothing to the party except to provide a diversion from what the actual gist of the story was (which became more and more muddy as the story went on). The ending was strange and I put the book down feeling completely indifferent about it.
The characters never really developed either, and they all had the same personality so it was hard to differentiate between them. I didn't find the main character very likeable, she bounced form one situation to another without really learning anything in between, and the bit with the rats was very odd. In the beginning I thought Mr Crease was the most interesting person in the book, but by the end his personality had all but faded away.
For the most part I quite enjoyed the writing style, it was easy to read and scenes were set very well, but some of the prose was a little too flowery and the euphemisms went from amusing to annoying quite quickly. There were also quite a few typos and errors that made it into the book.
I don't like giving books one star but there was little I liked about this one.
The characters never really developed either, and they all had the same personality so it was hard to differentiate between them. I didn't find the main character very likeable, she bounced form one situation to another without really learning anything in between, and the bit with the rats was very odd. In the beginning I thought Mr Crease was the most interesting person in the book, but by the end his personality had all but faded away.
For the most part I quite enjoyed the writing style, it was easy to read and scenes were set very well, but some of the prose was a little too flowery and the euphemisms went from amusing to annoying quite quickly. There were also quite a few typos and errors that made it into the book.
I don't like giving books one star but there was little I liked about this one.
January 25, 2017
Pure erotic historical fiction goodness. A touch of magic as well!
September 29, 2016
Tully Truegood is an orphan, and a whore, she also sees ghosts, works with an ageing Magician and is soon the talk of the town.
I found this hard to read, for the simple reason, it tried to be too many things, and it was all jumbled up. Some readers will love it, I personally would not have picked it to buy,
I found this hard to read, for the simple reason, it tried to be too many things, and it was all jumbled up. Some readers will love it, I personally would not have picked it to buy,
October 8, 2018
Absolutely brilliant
August 26, 2016
Lucky enough to be sent a copy of this from the publishers, Harper Collins, in return for a fair and honest review.
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book!! Set around 1756, it starts in Newgate prison as we meet Tully Truegood who is awaiting trial for murder. So she sets out to tell us her story - and what a story it is!!
This isn't a light and fluffy book! It features some very graphic sexual scenes, but not over the top as Tully starts her journey from her very grim background, with a drunk and abusive father who sees her more of a chambermaid than a daughter. Until he can start using her as payment for his gambling debts and this is where her life changes and her life as a whore begins.
But with Tully she seems to be different from a lot of the girls of the time. She wants independance. She wants education. And she is lucky along the way to meet certain people who believe in her too and do all they can to change the direction of her life.
There is also quite a large magical element to this story which just adds something fun and different - making ghosts from the past appear to people is some party trick!!
There are some extremely ghastly characters along the way, which just added to my admiration of Tully in how she just kept going and kept believing there was more out there for her. It follows her sexual awakening and is quite sensual and evocative at times but never felt too vulgar - vegetables are often used as descriptions for the sights she is often faced with!!
Loved the historical element and it mixed so well with the magical side, and also loved the way that we found out why she was awaiting trial a long way into the story so you got a real background to the character and you can make your own mind up as to what happened.
Highly recommended if you are looking for something a little different to read!
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book!! Set around 1756, it starts in Newgate prison as we meet Tully Truegood who is awaiting trial for murder. So she sets out to tell us her story - and what a story it is!!
This isn't a light and fluffy book! It features some very graphic sexual scenes, but not over the top as Tully starts her journey from her very grim background, with a drunk and abusive father who sees her more of a chambermaid than a daughter. Until he can start using her as payment for his gambling debts and this is where her life changes and her life as a whore begins.
But with Tully she seems to be different from a lot of the girls of the time. She wants independance. She wants education. And she is lucky along the way to meet certain people who believe in her too and do all they can to change the direction of her life.
There is also quite a large magical element to this story which just adds something fun and different - making ghosts from the past appear to people is some party trick!!
There are some extremely ghastly characters along the way, which just added to my admiration of Tully in how she just kept going and kept believing there was more out there for her. It follows her sexual awakening and is quite sensual and evocative at times but never felt too vulgar - vegetables are often used as descriptions for the sights she is often faced with!!
Loved the historical element and it mixed so well with the magical side, and also loved the way that we found out why she was awaiting trial a long way into the story so you got a real background to the character and you can make your own mind up as to what happened.
Highly recommended if you are looking for something a little different to read!
December 21, 2016
An Almond for a Parrot is an interesting book that blends magical realism into a tale along the lines of Fanny Hill. The story entertained me from start to finish and I was keen to see how Tully's journey would end. I did find some of the sexual euphemisms a little too flowery language-wise for my taste; its purple prose dragged me out of the story several times. Also, the ending, when it came, felt a tad rushed compared to the earlier pacing. However, regardless of these minor gripes, it was enjoyable and the perfect read before bed. An Almond for a Parrot will appeal to readers of classics like Fanny Hill as well as readers for modern historical fiction who are looking for something a little different.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley.
Shelved as 'dnf'
March 1, 2021DNF @30%
2017; Mira/HarperCollins
I loved the cover to this novel and that it seemed to be a historical fiction with mystery and romance. Alas, this novel tried to do too much all together so it becomes muddled and also a bit much. There is romance, eroticism, mystery, magic realism, fantasy, historical fiction, and then I gave up. I tried reading one a month ago and was having difficulties, so I thought I would try audio but my mind kept wandering. I am calling it, DNF.
***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through Edelweiss. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***
2017; Mira/HarperCollins
I loved the cover to this novel and that it seemed to be a historical fiction with mystery and romance. Alas, this novel tried to do too much all together so it becomes muddled and also a bit much. There is romance, eroticism, mystery, magic realism, fantasy, historical fiction, and then I gave up. I tried reading one a month ago and was having difficulties, so I thought I would try audio but my mind kept wandering. I am calling it, DNF.
***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through Edelweiss. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***
July 3, 2017
I love a good historical smut book, but I couldn't handle all the talk of body parts being root vegetables. I was giggling and rolling my eyes, which probably wasn't what was supposed to happen.
And, ewww, child prostitution.
And, ewww, child prostitution.
August 22, 2017
An interesting departure for Sally Gardner in this raunchy, magical, Georgian set novel with a lingering mystery at its heart. Incredible writing, an unforgettable character evolution in the lead, Tully, and an ending so bittersweet it's hard to know what to think.
October 8, 2018
This book was a straight up bought-it-because-the-cover. Also the historic crime murder mystery part intrigued me as well, as I've noticed I kinda like that type of genre.
Had I know more what the book was about. I would not have read it at all. I didn't think a lot about the back saying Tully was a whore and courtesan. I should have. There was little about the murder-mystery and the stuff of what led up to the murder. It was however lots of sex. I was bored.
Also, there's rape in the book, and women are told to "suck it up" if they are so if that's something you don't want to read about. Don't read this book.
And frankly. It was a bit mess. We get this part with ghosts and Tully's special powers, which was really interesting. We have this marriage-intrigue going on too which with more focus could be interesting. Then the part with Tully being a courtesan/whore. Which was less interesting. And for like 90% of the book her powers is used to please men. I would have been more happy to get more of the two former, and less of the last.
Also that very ending! Don't read this if you haven't read the book
Had I know more what the book was about. I would not have read it at all. I didn't think a lot about the back saying Tully was a whore and courtesan. I should have. There was little about the murder-mystery and the stuff of what led up to the murder. It was however lots of sex. I was bored.
Also, there's rape in the book, and women are told to "suck it up" if they are so if that's something you don't want to read about. Don't read this book.
And frankly. It was a bit mess. We get this part with ghosts and Tully's special powers, which was really interesting. We have this marriage-intrigue going on too which with more focus could be interesting. Then the part with Tully being a courtesan/whore. Which was less interesting. And for like 90% of the book her powers is used to please men. I would have been more happy to get more of the two former, and less of the last.
Also that very ending! Don't read this if you haven't read the book
June 5, 2019
Not my type of book.
November 21, 2021
DNF at 25%. Just couldn't with the euphemisms anymore
February 13, 2017
The novel opens in the year 1756 with the heroine of the story, Tully Truegood, locked up in Newgate prison, awaiting trial for murder. I don’t use that word “heroine” lightly but even though Tully herself denies it, I disagree and think the term is appropriate. The story is told in the form of a first person written account of what led her to be incarcerated at Newgate, but just whose murder she is accused of remains a mystery for most of the novel.
To be honest, I didn’t expect to like this novel as much as I did. Published by Mira, a division of Harlequin, I suspect I am not exactly the targeted market for such a novel. However, Tully herself is such an engaging character that I could not help but to root for her to overcome all that life has thrown at her: a mother who died in childbirth, a father who was a drunken fool and who treated her as a servant and used her to erase his gambling debts, a bizarre marriage at the age of 12…the list goes on. Much of the book deals with Tully’s education as a courtesan in her step-mother’s Fairy House, and as such details her own sexual awakening. Falling in love is not the goal of a courtesan but when it happens to Tully, life changes forever after.
While mostly a romantic/erotic suspense novel, there are also elements of fantasy sprinkled throughout. Tully has “powers” such as the ability to see ghosts occasionally and allow others to see and hear them as well. A few other abilities manifest themselves from time to time but there is never an explanation of where such magic comes from or of any consequences from using it. As a fantasy aficionado, this sort of magic is not at all what I seek out in a fantasy novel but here it seems just fine. The powers do play an important role in the final part of the plot but for the most part, seemed somewhat unimportant to the story.
Overall, this was quite an enjoyable novel to read. Those who avoid “spicy” novels will likely want to steer clear of this one as well due to the large number of sex scenes although I will say they are handled with finesse and flowery/Victorian language. It’s certainly not porn. In the end it is a sweet romance story with a hugely satisfying ending. I just wish the magic system was more completely developed and Tully’s use of it more fully explored. The ending doesn’t seem to suggest a sequel but perhaps more books in this “universe” could explore that aspect to a greater degree.
To be honest, I didn’t expect to like this novel as much as I did. Published by Mira, a division of Harlequin, I suspect I am not exactly the targeted market for such a novel. However, Tully herself is such an engaging character that I could not help but to root for her to overcome all that life has thrown at her: a mother who died in childbirth, a father who was a drunken fool and who treated her as a servant and used her to erase his gambling debts, a bizarre marriage at the age of 12…the list goes on. Much of the book deals with Tully’s education as a courtesan in her step-mother’s Fairy House, and as such details her own sexual awakening. Falling in love is not the goal of a courtesan but when it happens to Tully, life changes forever after.
While mostly a romantic/erotic suspense novel, there are also elements of fantasy sprinkled throughout. Tully has “powers” such as the ability to see ghosts occasionally and allow others to see and hear them as well. A few other abilities manifest themselves from time to time but there is never an explanation of where such magic comes from or of any consequences from using it. As a fantasy aficionado, this sort of magic is not at all what I seek out in a fantasy novel but here it seems just fine. The powers do play an important role in the final part of the plot but for the most part, seemed somewhat unimportant to the story.
Overall, this was quite an enjoyable novel to read. Those who avoid “spicy” novels will likely want to steer clear of this one as well due to the large number of sex scenes although I will say they are handled with finesse and flowery/Victorian language. It’s certainly not porn. In the end it is a sweet romance story with a hugely satisfying ending. I just wish the magic system was more completely developed and Tully’s use of it more fully explored. The ending doesn’t seem to suggest a sequel but perhaps more books in this “universe” could explore that aspect to a greater degree.
November 9, 2017
Na brilhante capa de Memórias de uma cortesão de Wray Delaney está escrito, e cito: “ Um conto de fadas erótico para adultos”. E é mesmo.
O livro, embora de 2016, parece um clássico inglês do século XVIII onde se juntam as festas, o poder dos homens nobres, o declínio dos jogadores e a exploração das mulheres pelas figuras masculinas.
Tully é uma jovem fogosa ignorada pelo pai e que acaba, por força dos acontecimentos, por se tornar meretriz. Ela para além de ser uma mulher lindíssima, sem complexos é também uma jovem e boa alma, que acaba por se mostrar generosa e bem formada. Para além disso tem poderes que a ajudarão em circunstancia nefastas.
Quando o livro começa Tully está pressa arriscando-se a ir parar à forca. Com esta realidade resolve escrever a sua história de vida e é este flashback que serve de construção literária para a história. Trata-se, pois, de um livro muito bem escrito, em que nos sentimos levados pela descrição da cidade de Londres da época e pelos acontecimentos.
A construção do espaço é outro aspeto importante e muito bem feito. Os diferentes espaços interiores ou exteriores estão muito bem narrados, sendo esta exposição de uma pertinência absoluta. Vamos da cela da prisão para os espaços amplos e glamorosos do bordel de Queenie, das tabernas para os teatros, sendo sempre correta a apresentação dos lugares ou das próprias personagens ou mesmo no que se refere ao guarda-roupa.
Não querendo desvendar os mistérios e as aventuras vividas pela jovem cortesã, não posso deixar de referir que o erótico está muito bem tratado e narrado no livro. Não é ofensivo, nem obsceno. Pelo contrário o assunto é tratado com delicadeza e bom gosto. Surge quando deve e, na maior parte das vezes, acaba por ser uma relação amorosa, mais do que um negócio.
Deixem-me terminar referindo que num momento em que tanto se fala do papel da mulher na sociedade e de violência sobre as mulheres este é um livro que enaltece a figura feminina, as suas competências e o papel que lhe seria devido na sociedade.
Um livro que aconselho sem dúvida alguma.
in:https://livrosgosto.blogspot.com
O livro, embora de 2016, parece um clássico inglês do século XVIII onde se juntam as festas, o poder dos homens nobres, o declínio dos jogadores e a exploração das mulheres pelas figuras masculinas.
Tully é uma jovem fogosa ignorada pelo pai e que acaba, por força dos acontecimentos, por se tornar meretriz. Ela para além de ser uma mulher lindíssima, sem complexos é também uma jovem e boa alma, que acaba por se mostrar generosa e bem formada. Para além disso tem poderes que a ajudarão em circunstancia nefastas.
Quando o livro começa Tully está pressa arriscando-se a ir parar à forca. Com esta realidade resolve escrever a sua história de vida e é este flashback que serve de construção literária para a história. Trata-se, pois, de um livro muito bem escrito, em que nos sentimos levados pela descrição da cidade de Londres da época e pelos acontecimentos.
A construção do espaço é outro aspeto importante e muito bem feito. Os diferentes espaços interiores ou exteriores estão muito bem narrados, sendo esta exposição de uma pertinência absoluta. Vamos da cela da prisão para os espaços amplos e glamorosos do bordel de Queenie, das tabernas para os teatros, sendo sempre correta a apresentação dos lugares ou das próprias personagens ou mesmo no que se refere ao guarda-roupa.
Não querendo desvendar os mistérios e as aventuras vividas pela jovem cortesã, não posso deixar de referir que o erótico está muito bem tratado e narrado no livro. Não é ofensivo, nem obsceno. Pelo contrário o assunto é tratado com delicadeza e bom gosto. Surge quando deve e, na maior parte das vezes, acaba por ser uma relação amorosa, mais do que um negócio.
Deixem-me terminar referindo que num momento em que tanto se fala do papel da mulher na sociedade e de violência sobre as mulheres este é um livro que enaltece a figura feminina, as suas competências e o papel que lhe seria devido na sociedade.
Um livro que aconselho sem dúvida alguma.
in:https://livrosgosto.blogspot.com
April 3, 2017
I began this with a certain amount of uncertainty because I had the sense that it was a Moll Flanders knock-off. And certainly there are echoes of Moll's story in this piqaresque novel/romance of Tully Truegood, but the tale here is warmer and much more appealing to the contemporary reader than Defoe's novel. Tully is warmer, certainly than the eponymous Moll, and while she loses her innocence and becomes a worldly woman in the course of the novel, she never becomes hardened to life.
Briefly, An Almond for a Parrot is the story of Tully Truegood, a girl with a peculiar gift. If there is a weakness to the story, it centers on her magical powers which seem to be that if she believes she can do something, she can do it. No boundaries to this are ever explained, leaving the reader with a sense that her magic is both convenient and chaotic, and we are never really certain how she came by them. I came to the end of the story wondering why she didn't do this thing or that thing and avoid all the problems? And of course the answer is that there would have been no story then. (It doesn't do to ask too many questions about magic because you'll end up wondering why Gandalf didn't just have the eagles drop the ring into Mt. Doom instead of sending the fellowship into so much danger.)
But the book is well written and engaging, moving quickly through Tully's girlhood, her changes in situation, the ups and downs of her life as a courtesan, and finally to the resolution of the love story (which is a little too contrived, in my opinion, but I can overlook that.) It's appealing that the strongest characters in the book are all women. Men propel the plot line to a great degree, but its the women who live it, who cope with the weakness, folly, and malice of those men, and rise above it.
On the whole I think it's one of the better and more engaging historical romances I've read in the last few years, with memorable characters. If the plot has bumps along the way, they're not so large or troubling that they take away from the enjoyment of the book.
Briefly, An Almond for a Parrot is the story of Tully Truegood, a girl with a peculiar gift. If there is a weakness to the story, it centers on her magical powers which seem to be that if she believes she can do something, she can do it. No boundaries to this are ever explained, leaving the reader with a sense that her magic is both convenient and chaotic, and we are never really certain how she came by them. I came to the end of the story wondering why she didn't do this thing or that thing and avoid all the problems? And of course the answer is that there would have been no story then. (It doesn't do to ask too many questions about magic because you'll end up wondering why Gandalf didn't just have the eagles drop the ring into Mt. Doom instead of sending the fellowship into so much danger.)
But the book is well written and engaging, moving quickly through Tully's girlhood, her changes in situation, the ups and downs of her life as a courtesan, and finally to the resolution of the love story (which is a little too contrived, in my opinion, but I can overlook that.) It's appealing that the strongest characters in the book are all women. Men propel the plot line to a great degree, but its the women who live it, who cope with the weakness, folly, and malice of those men, and rise above it.
On the whole I think it's one of the better and more engaging historical romances I've read in the last few years, with memorable characters. If the plot has bumps along the way, they're not so large or troubling that they take away from the enjoyment of the book.
June 2, 2018
I mean, I do think this book does have a lot of flaws - such as like some characters having more development than others, lots of underdeveloped plot lines, introducing a character and developing them and their relationship to the main character; only to barely write about them later in the book, and an ending that felt too neat to belong to this novel.
I note I did really enjoy this book, especially the writing in this book, the atmosphere, as Sally Gardner/Wray Delaney's books kind of pale in comparison to An Almost for a Parrot, with perhaps an exception for parts of Tinder. I do think Gardner is one of those writers whose prose improves book per book, and I would love to see her write more as Wray Delaney, if only to see her how she does improve upon her work.
I note I did really enjoy this book, especially the writing in this book, the atmosphere, as Sally Gardner/Wray Delaney's books kind of pale in comparison to An Almost for a Parrot, with perhaps an exception for parts of Tinder. I do think Gardner is one of those writers whose prose improves book per book, and I would love to see her write more as Wray Delaney, if only to see her how she does improve upon her work.
July 31, 2016
Found this an interesting read. Part Crimson Petal and part Night Circus, this took me on a journey that I sometimes found a bit anxious and I had to put down. But I always had to pick back up again as I HAD to know what happened next.
April 27, 2020
Ooo errr vicar......... an absolute hoot of a book. Loved the storytelling, I was totally immersed in Tully’s life and just loved how unabashed she was. Quite sexy in places and I’m just very relieved I didn’t choose it for book club!
April 18, 2017
Crimson Petal & the White meets Tipping the Velvet with a dash of magic to spice the mix. 3.5 stars of enjoyable reading.
February 21, 2020
"Memórias de uma Cortesã" de Wray Delaney foi um livro que me agradou e desagradou tornando-me difícil classificá-lo.
O que me agradou: A história da protagonista e a ousadia da autora na inserção de elementos sobrenaturais na trama.
O que me desagradou: Achei que o livro foi todo muito superficial. Numa história sobre memórias de uma cortesã esperava mais descrições e acção nos diversos acontecimentos que nos vão sendo contados.
Não deixa de ser uma leitura agradável.
O que me agradou: A história da protagonista e a ousadia da autora na inserção de elementos sobrenaturais na trama.
O que me desagradou: Achei que o livro foi todo muito superficial. Numa história sobre memórias de uma cortesã esperava mais descrições e acção nos diversos acontecimentos que nos vão sendo contados.
Não deixa de ser uma leitura agradável.
October 24, 2020
I don't know what the hell I was thinking when I bought this book. UGH what a disgusting disaster!
June 6, 2020
Really enjoyed this book... some hilarious descriptions of body parts and acts of naughtiness. A nice easy tale that had a little bit of everything, fantasy, love, friendship and humour.
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