Historical Fictionistas discussion
note: This topic has been closed to new comments.
Ancient History (Old Threads)
>
What are you reading in 2021?
Finished Death Comes to the Village #1 Kurland St. Mary historical mystery by Catherine Lloyd. Set in 1816 England. Quick, easy, entertaining read. Rated 3 stars.
PattyMacDotComma wrote: "Polly wrote: "PattyMacDotComma wrote: "I love mysteries based in Ireland. Strange Flowers is a curious, intriguing story by the talented Donal Ryan.
is a curious, intriguing story by the talented Donal Ryan.[bookcover:Stra..."
Thank you Patty.
Coal River
1912, Coal River in Pennsylvania is a Godforsaken place where boys as young as six or seven sort coal in mines six days a week.
3.5 stars: The first half of the book is pretty interesting, even though at times I questioned if the way Emma talks is believable. The second half is where I started losing interest in this story. At times, she has too many questions in her head and it slows the pace and all those questions are not that interesting. And there is some repetition. It becomes more about her thoughts and descriptions than action. And with the murders ordered by a tyrant who runs the town it becomes some cliché story.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Hour of the Witch
In 1662 Boston divorce is almost unheard of. But under the strain of abuse, does the impossible become the plausible? Even if under the threat of death by hanging?
5 stars: It is a gripping page-turner, written with beautiful prose and enthrallingly developed characters.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Dem wrote: Finished Death Sentence: The Inside Story of the John List Murders 
My Review: www.goodreads.com/review/show/3853159779
Still on my Philippa Gregory kick. Reading The King's Curse now. Wow, Henry VIII is not coming off well in these books.
PattyMacDotComma wrote: "Polly wrote: "PattyMacDotComma wrote: "I love mysteries based in Ireland. Strange Flowers is a curious, intriguing story by the talented Donal Ryan.[bookcover:Stra..."
John Banville, aka Benjamin Black ... great Irish mystery reads
I've just finished The Willow Wren, an excellent account based on a real family , of a young boy's experience of what it was like to grow up in Germany during WW2, and afterwards in what was to become East Germany.
The Willow Wren by Philipp Schottreview: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Currently devouring Kate Quinn's brand new The Rose Code. I hit the halfway mark and went to bed at midnight. So good!!
Finished Before the Crown by Flora Harding. Rated 3 stars. Enjoyed this fictional account of the courtship of Princess Elizabeth and Philip after WWII.
Lewis wrote: "PattyMacDotComma wrote: "Polly wrote: "PattyMacDotComma wrote: "I love mysteries based in Ireland. Strange Flowers is a curious, intriguing story by the talented Donal Ryan... aka Benjamin Black ...great Irish mystery reads."Thanks, Lewis. I don't think I've read anything of his yet. I should rectify that!
A good read! Bitter Wash Road is the first of a series about a rural Aussie copshop run by a 'disgraced' ex-detective. (Moral: never ever rat on crooked cops.) Add me to the list of Garry Disher's fans!
4.5★ Link to my Bitter Wash Road review
I am starting The Rose Code
by Kate Quinn. I have liked all of Kate Quinn's books. Looking forward to curling up and reading this one.
Summer Of the Monkeys – Wilson Rawls – 4****
At the end of the 19th century, Jay Berry Lee lives with his parents and twin sister on a farm in Oklahoma. A troop of escaped circus monkeys provide a summer’s entertainment as well as the opportunity to earn a large monetary reward - if only he can capture them! Fun adventure and a charming boy-and-his-dog tale.
My full review HERE
Aussie author Susan Johnson has just released From Where I Fell. Two women from opposite sides of the world reveal more about themselves than they intended in their accidental email 'penpalship'. I loved the slightly naughty feeling of spying on them. 
4.5★ Link to my review of From Where I Fell
The Jungle Book – Rudyard Kipling – 3.5***
Of course I was familiar with Mowgli, Shere Khan, and Baloo, but I had never this classic of children’s literature. This edition had Mowgli’s tale, but also included three bonus stories: Rikki-Tikki-Tavi (the mongoose), Toomai (who watches the elephants dance), and Kotick (the white seal). They are marvelous adventure stories with a few life lessons included. The exotic nature of the setting appeals to the imagination as well.
My full review HERE
Four stars for
Finished Poppy Redfern and the Midnight Murders by Tessa Arlen. Rated 3 stars. A somewhat predictable although entertaining historical mystery set in East Anglia, England during WWII.
I'm reading Beyond the Dragonhead: A Viking Adventure by a fellow historical author I met on Facebook. There's a fair amount of historical fiction about Vikings, but most of it tends to be about the Viking invasions of Britain. This one takes its characters into Russia, which, to my knowledge, is unusual.
I am reading The Four Winds
by Kristin HannahI Set in 1930's during the Great Depression, drought etc.
Ms. Hannah writes beautifully but it is not the most exciting time to write about. Reminds me of Grapes of Wrath. Haven't decided how much I like it yet I am only 100 pages into the book. Will keep you posted. Has anyone else read it?
I have the book. I haven't read it yet.
I'll bet you've never heard of some of the great festivals in A Year Full of Celebrations and Festivals: Over 90 fun and fabulous festivals from around the world! by Claire Grace and Christopher Carr. What fun - I love any excuse to celebrate!
4.5★ Link to my review of Festivals and Celebrations
Megan Rapinoe is such a champion of soccer that it's going to be hard to top her. This is another great addition by Mª Isabel Sánchez Vegara to the Little People BIG Dream series for kids. 
4★ Link to my review of Megan Rapinoe
Finished The Rose Code by Kate Quinn. Wow! A 5 star read for me and added to my favorite shelf. Set during WWII at Bletchley Park. Unfortunately I'm having problems linking to my review as I'm on a tablet :(Will add that my review has no spoilers and I would recommend that readers not read the reviews here on Goodreads before starting this novel.
Edited to add: The author's notes at the end are fascinating!
Finished A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II
by Sonia PurnellMy Review: www.goodreads.com/review/show/3852965245
Just started Klara and the Sun. People are raving about this book, so I'm pretty excited to read it.
I read The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner which was released recently. It's had a ton of hype, and deserves some of it, but it's also clear that Ms. Penner did not do quite enough research on details of 18th century life. I admit it, I'm extremely picky about stuff like that, which is too common in the dual-time stories that are so popular right now.
3 stars to The Anatomist's Wife. It was good, but felt rather straightforward for my tastes. If I continue with the series, it will likely be in print rather than audio.
Debra Oswald is a popular Aussie playwright, scriptwriter, and novelist whose brand new 'what-would-you-do' mystery/thriller, The Family Doctor, has just been released. What a nerve-wracking read!
4.5★ rounded up Link to my Family Doctor review
Finished The Nature of Fragile Things
by Susan Meissner.My Review: www.goodreads.com/review/show/3900477680
Jayme(the ghost reader) wrote: "Finished Crank and reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"Love the Harry Potter series! Last year I listened to #1 and also Chamber of Secrets on Audio. Fun way to experience the stories.
She Doesn't Want the Worms! Ella no quiere los gusanos: A Mystery is a delightful early language book by Karl Beckstrand and talented illustrator David Hollenbach. Kids will laugh and learn Spanish (and so did I) in this cute book. 
4.5~5★ Link to my Worms review with lots of illustrations
The Sympathizer by Asian-American author Viet Thanh Nguyen won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for fiction, so I thought War + Big prize = Heavy (UGH). But I loved a preview chapter of his follow-up, The Committed, so I bought this first book and loved it! Some brutality, yes, but funny, informative and thought-provoking.
Plus, it's easy to read. You don't need a thesaurus or a history degree. 😊
5★ Link to my review of The Sympathizer
Back on my Philippa Gregory kick. Reading The Taming of the Queen now. It is about Henry VIII's sixth and last wife, Kateryn Parr. It's like Henry alternated women of character with sluts in his marriages. Catherine of Aragon: woman of character, Anne Boylen: slut, Jane Seymour: who knows, she died giving birth, Anne of Cleves: woman of character: Katherine Howard: silly little slut, Kateryn Parr: woman of character (although she was madly in love with someone else throughout her marriage to Henry, she remained faithful)
Currently enjoying Libbie Hawker's Daughter of Sand and Stone. I tried the audio years ago and didn't gel with it, so I'm very pleased to be enjoying it in ebook format.
I loved Trent Dalton's first book (Boy Swallows Universe), which was largely autobiographical. There's no question he can write.All Our Shimmering Skies is good, but I was spoiled by what I know he is capable of.
3.5★ Link to my Shimmering Skies review
Finished Poppy Redfern and the Fatal Flyers by Tessa Arlen. Another entertaining installment in the Woman of WWII mystery series. Rated 3 stars.
I just enjoyed Kopp Sisters on the March by Amy Stewart, number five in the series. It's April 1917, just before America enters WW1, and the sisters are off to army camp with another colourful character.
4.5★ Link to my Kopp Sisters review
This topic has been frozen by the moderator. No new comments can be posted.
Historical Fictionistas
Books mentioned in this topic
Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone (other topics)Dancing for Stalin: A Dancer's Story of Courage and Survival in Soviet Russia (other topics)
Little Women (other topics)
Her Hidden Genius (other topics)
For Whom the Bell Tolls (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Louisa May Alcott (other topics)Marie Benedict (other topics)
Rafael Sabatini (other topics)
C.S. Harris (other topics)
Mª Isabel Sánchez Vegara (other topics)
More...
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...