Historical Fiction – Page 4

Review: The Secret in the Tower

Title: The Secret in the Tower
Author: Andrew Beattie
Genre: Middle Grade, Historical Fiction
Publisher: Sweet Cherry Publishing
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: September 8, 2022
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

1485. Richard III is King of England. Henry Tudor’s invasion looms.

Jack Broom thinks that war and politics have nothing to do with him. He is a simple apothecary’s boy dreaming of becoming a surgeon – until soldiers mistake him for a boy of noble birth.

Narrowly avoiding being dragged to the Tower of London, Jack sets out on a perilous mission to find out who he truly is. With the help of his new friend Alice, he uncovers conspiracies, treason, and the deadly lengths people will go to for power.

Review:

1485: Jack Broom is just an ordinary boy who works at his aunt’s apothecary shop. He dreams of being a surgeon one day, so he studies hard at school. When he meets a soldier from the Tower of London who could introduce him to the famous surgeon, Dr. Argentine, Jack goes against his gut feeling and follows the soldier. However, Jack is in danger when he gets to the Tower. The Tower holds conspiracy, treason, and secrets about Jack’s past.

This was a thrilling children’s novel about the Tower of London. In the 15th century, when Richard III became King, he imprisoned two boys, who were the rightful heirs of the crown, in the Tower of London. They were never seen again, so they were thought to be murdered. This story imagines what happened if they were living in secret in the Tower. I loved the suspense of the secrets in Jack’s past, that even he didn’t know about. It kept me guessing until the end. I loved this reimagining of history.

The Secret in the Tower is a great middle grade historical story!

Thank you Sweet Cherry Publishing for providing a digital copy of this book.

Content warnings: child death, parental abandonment, death of parent, blood, vomiting

Have you read The Secret in the Tower? What did you think of it?

Review: Patience, Princess Catherine (Young Royals #4)

Title: Patience, Princess Catherine (Young Royals #4)
Author: Carolyn Meyer
Genre: Middle Grade, Historical Fiction
Publisher: Clarion Books
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: May 1, 2004
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

England anxiously awaits Prince Arthur’s betrothed—the Spanish princess who will be its future queen. But when Arthur dies not long after the wedding, Catherine of Aragon’s fate becomes uncertain. Will the king and Catherine’s parents arrange a marriage with Arthur’s brother, Henry, or will she return to Spain a widow? Through all this turmoil, the young princess’s resolve remains unshaken. She will one day be England’s queen . . . no matter how long it takes.

Review:

Spanish Princess Catherine was sent to England to marry Princess Arthur Tudor, the future King. A few months after their wedding, Arthur died, but Catherine stayed in England. For many years, her future remained uncertain. Will she go home to Spain or marry Arthur’s younger brother Henry? Catherine must be patient while she waits, determined to one day be Queen of England.

This is a great middle grade adaptation of Catherine of Aragon’s life. It told her story leading up to her marriage to Henry VIII. Each chapter began with a passage about what Henry was doing at the time and what his feelings were towards Catherine. The story focused on the big events that happened over the eight years that Catherine was left waiting to be Queen.

Patience, Princess Catherine is a great middle grade story for readers interested in history.

Other books in the series:

Mary, Bloody Mary (Young Royals #1)
Beware, Princess Elizabeth (Young Royals #2)
Doomed Queen Anne (Young Royals #3)
Duchessina: A Novel of Catherine De Medici (Young Royals #5)
The Bad Queen: Rules and Instructions for Marie Antoinette (Young Royals #6)
The Wild Queen: The Days and Nights of Mary Queen of Scots (Young Royals #7)

Have you read Patience, Princess Catherine? What did you think of it?

Review: Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord (Lady Petra Inquires #1)

Title: Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord (Lady Petra Inquires #1)
Author: Celeste Connally
Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: November 14, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Bridgerton meets Agatha Christie in Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord, a dazzling first entry in a terrific new Regency-era mystery series with a feminist spin.

When Lady Petra Forsyth’s fiancé and soulmate dies just weeks ahead of their wedding, she makes the shocking proclamation—in front of London’s loosest lips—that she will never remarry. A woman of independent means, Petra sees no reason to cede her wealth and freedom to any man now that the love of her life has passed, nor does she intend to become confined to her country home. Instead, she uses her title to gain access to elite spaces and enjoy the best of society without expectations.

But when ballroom gossip suggests that a longtime friend has died of “melancholia” while in the care of a questionable physician, Petra vows to use her status to dig deeper—uncovering a private asylum where men pay to have their wives and daughters locked away, or worse. Just as Lady Petra has reason to believe her friend is not dead, but a prisoner, her own headstrong actions and thirst for independence are used to put her own freedom in jeopardy.

Review:

Lady Petra Forsyth declares that she will never marry following the tragic death of her fiancée. She has independent wealth, but her announcement still sent a shock throughout society. While attending a ball, Petra learns that a close friend died suddenly of “melancholia” following treatment by an unusual doctor in an asylum. Petra is suspicious of this news, especially when her friend’s former footman says he has seen the woman alive. Petra uses her status in society to find out what is happening to the women who are sent to the asylum by their husbands or male relatives.

I really enjoyed this story. It started out a little humourous. Petra was a strong, independent woman, who questioned a lot of things that were assumed to be true in society. The story became quite dark as Petra investigated the asylum. Many of the women who were there were tested on with horrific treatments, just because they were women who didn’t do what the men in their lives expected of them. Those parts were hard to read, but I’m sure they were based on real experiences of women. The story ended on a cliffhanger so I can’t wait to read what happens next.

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord is a great Regency mystery!

Thank you Minotaur Books for sending me a copy of this book!

Content warnings: misogyny, murder, surgery, sexual assault (off page)

Have you read Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord? What did you think of it?

Review: Gwen and Art Are Not in Love

Title: Gwen and Art Are Not in Love
Author: Lex Croucher
Genre: Young Adult, Historical, Romance, LGBT, Fantasy
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Source: Publisher
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: November 28, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Heartstopper meets A Knight’s Tale in this queer medieval rom-com YA debut about love, friendship, and being brave enough to change the course of history.

It’s been hundreds of years since King Arthur’s reign. His descendant, Arthur, a future Lord and general gadabout, has been betrothed to Gwendoline, the quick-witted, short-tempered princess of England, since birth. The only thing they can agree on is that they despise each other.

They’re forced to spend the summer together at Camelot in the run-up to their nuptials, and within 24 hours, Gwen has discovered Arthur kissing a boy, and Arthur has gone digging for Gwen’s childhood diary and found confessions about her crush on the kingdom’s only lady knight, Bridget Leclair.

Realizing they might make better allies than enemies, Gwen and Art make a reluctant pact to cover for each other, and as things heat up at the annual royal tournament, Gwen is swept off her feet by her knight, and Arthur takes an interest in Gwen’s royal brother. Lex Croucher’s Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is chock full of sword-fighting, found family, and romantic shenanigans destined to make readers fall in love.

Review:

Hundreds of years after King Arthur’s death, his descendant, Arthur, is betrothed to Princess Gwendoline. However, they can’t stand each other. They are forced to spend the entire summer together leading up to their eventual marriage. Soon after Arthur arrives at the palace, Gwen catches him kissing a boy. After she confronts him about it, Arthur finds Gwen’s diary where she fantasizes about kissing the only lady knight. Since they both like people of the same sex, they know they aren’t meant for each other, so they decide to work together. Gwen gets to spend more time with her lady knight, while Arthur gets closer to Gwen’s brother Gabriel. They eventually have to figure out a way to get around their future marriage and be with the ones they love.

This was a fun historical romance! It isn’t a retelling of the King Arthur story. Some of the characters are descendants of King Arthur, and most of them have been named after people from that era. Gwen, Arthur, and Lancelot were some of the names that were popular in the time period in the story. Though there were some serious moments, with the characters dealing with homophobia, there were also a lot of laugh out loud moments as well. It was very entertaining.

Gwen and Art Are Not in Love is a fun queer historical romance!

Thank you Wednesday Books for providing a finished copy of this book!

Content warnings: homophobia, death of parent

Have you read Gwen and Art Are Not in Love? What did you think of it?

Review: The Blackwoods

Title: The Blackwoods
Author: Brandy Colbert
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Historical Fiction
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: October 3, 2023
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

The Blackwoods. Everyone knows their name. Blossom Blackwood burst onto the silver screen in 1962, and in the decades that followed, she would become one of the most celebrated actors of our time—and the matriarch of the most famous Black family in Hollywood. To her great-granddaughters, Hollis and Ardith, she has always just been Bebe. And when she passes away, it changes everything. Hollis Blackwood was never interested in fame. Still, she’s surrounded by it, whether at home with her family or at the prestigious Dupree Academy among Los Angeles’ elite.

When private photos of Hollis are leaked in the wake of Blossom’s death, she is thrust into the spotlight she’s long avoided—and finds that trust may be a luxury even she can’t afford. Ardith Blackwood has always lived in the public eye. A television star since childhood, she was perhaps closer with Blossom than anyone—especially after Ardith’s mother died in a drug overdose. Ever since, she has worked to be everything her family, her church, and the public want her to be. But as a family secret comes to light and the pressures from all sides begin to mount, she wonders what is left beneath the face she shows the world.

Weaving together the narratives of Hollis, Ardith, and Blossom, award-winning author Brandy Colbert tells an unforgettable story set in an America where everything is personal, and nothing is private.

Review:

Blossom Blackwoods became a star in the 1960s, and eventually was the matriarch of the famous Blackwoods family. When Blossom dies, her great-granddaughters are affected. Hollis Blackwood has never been interested in being famous, but she can’t help but accept the benefits of her famous family. When her private photos are leaked, Hollis is embarrassed and thrust into the media spotlight. Ardith Blackwood is an actress who has been on hit shows since she was a child. However, she lives in the shadow of her mother’s death from a drug overdose. Ardith faces pressure from work, family, and the public, that eventually explodes out of her. Both granddaughters have to figure out how to live in the public eye, while also discovering a big secret their grandmother kept from them.

This was a great story about a multi-generational Black Hollywood family. The story alternated between the perspectives of Blossom, Hollis, and Ardith. Blossom was starting her acting career in the 1950s and she faced a lot of racism. She was called names and really struggled to actually find work, but she persevered and was successful. Hollis and Ardith faced other challenges, involving social media and the press that weren’t around in Blossom’s youth, but are common today. I found Blossom’s chapters to be slower paced, but that may be because I could relate to the younger perspectives more.

The Blackwoods is a great Hollywood family story!

Thank you Frenzy Books for sending me a copy!

Content warnings: death of parent, overdose (off page), addiction, racism, racial slurs, underage drinking, cyberbullying

Have you read The Blackwoods? What did you think of it?

Review: The Night Raven (Moonwind Mysteries #1)

Title: The Night Raven (Moonwind Mysteries #1)
Author: Johan Rundberg, A.A. Prime (translator)
Genre: Middle Grade, Historical Fiction, Mystery
Publisher: Amazon Crossing
Source: Firefly Books Distributed
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: November 1, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Mika is not your average orphan—and she’s about to prove it.

It’s 1880, and in the frigid city of Stockholm, death lurks around every corner. Twelve-year-old Mika knows that everyone in her orphanage will struggle to survive this winter. But at least the notorious serial killer the Night Raven is finally off the streets…or is he?

Mika is shocked when a newborn baby is left at the orphanage in the middle of the night, by a boy with a cryptic message. Who is he? And who is this “Dark Angel” he speaks of? When a detective shows up, Mika senses something even more sinister is going on.

Drawn in by Mika’s unique ability to notice small details—a skill Mika has always used to survive—the gruff Detective Hoff unwittingly recruits her to help him with his investigation into a gruesome murder. Mika knows she should stay far, far away, and yet…with such little hope for her future, could this be an opportunity? Maybe, just maybe, this is Mika’s chance to be someone who matters.

Review:

Stockholm, 1880: Twelve-year-old Mika struggles to take care of everyone at the orphanage. One night, a boy drops off a newborn baby at the front door with a warning about the “Dark Angel.” After making a police report about the new baby, a detective shows up at the orphanage to enlist Mika’s help. Detective Hoff wants Mika to help him solve a series of murders, because of her observations skills. Even though this could be dangerous, Mika sees it as an opportunity to one day move out of the orphanage, so she joins him on the investigation.

This story was so good! There were some sad moments with stories about the orphans, but the story was fast paced and didn’t linger on any scene for long. The mystery was really well plotted. There were great twists and reveals throughout the story. There were also a couple of subplots introduced, which I’m excited to find out more about in the next books!

The Night Raven is a great middle grade mystery!

Thank you Firefly Books Distributed and Amazon Crossing for sending me a copy of this book!

Content warnings: death, death of sibling, death of parent, death of child, parental abandonment, vomiting

Have you read The Night Raven? What did you think of it?

Review: Don’t Breathe a Word

Title: Don’t Breathe a Word
Author: Jordyn Taylor
Genre: Young Adult, Thriller, Historical Fiction, Mystery
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Purchased
Format: Hardcover/audiobook
Release Date: May 18, 2021
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Present Day:
Eva has never felt like she belonged… not in her own family or with her friends in New York City, and certainly not at a fancy boarding school like Hardwick Preparatory Academy. So when she is invited to join the Fives, an elite secret society, she jumps at the opportunity to finally be a part of something.

But what if the Fives are about more than just having the best parties and receiving special privileges from the school? What if they are also responsible for keeping some of Hardwick’s biggest secrets buried?

1962:
There is only one reason why Connie would volunteer to be one of the six students to participate in testing Hardwick’s nuclear fallout shelter: Craig Allenby. While the thought of nuclear war sends her into a panic, she can’t pass up the opportunity to spend four days locked in with the school’s golden boy. However, Connie and the other students quickly discover that there is more to this “test” than they previously thought. As they are forced to follow an escalating series of commands, Connie realizes that one wrong move could have dangerous consequences.

Separated by sixty years , Eva’s and Connie’s stories become inextricably intertwined as Eva unravels the mystery of how six students went into the fallout shelter all those years ago . . . but only five came out.

Review:

Present day: Eva never fit in with her family or friends at her new boarding school, Hardwick Preparatory Academy. When she’s invited to join the exclusive group the Fives, she’s thrilled to join in their parties and events. However, Eva soon learns that the Fives are behind one of the darkest scandals in the school’s history.

1962: Connie volunteered to participate in the test of Hardwick’s nuclear fallout shelter so she can spend time with Craig Allenby, the popular boy in school. However, the test becomes more dangerous than they expected as their challenges become harder. Even though six kids went into the shelter, only five come out.

This was a thrilling dual point of view story! I liked the way the two perspectives were intertwined with each other. The story was fast paced. I listened to the audiobook and I really enjoyed it. The only criticism I have is the two narrators spoke at different speeds, so when I listened to it at a faster speed, one of them spoke much faster than the other.

Don’t Breathe a Word is a great story!

Content warnings: death, hazing, parental abandonment

Have you read Don’t Breathe a Word? What did you think of it?

Review: Myrtle, Means, and Opportunity (Myrtle Hardcastle Mysteries #5)

Title: Myrtle, Means, and Opportunity (Myrtle Hardcastle Mysteries #5)
Author: Elizabeth C. Bunce
Genre: Middle Grade, Mystery, Historical Fiction
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Source: Publisher
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: October 24, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

In the fifth book of the Edgar Award-winning series, Myrtle Hardcastle uncovers a string of murders during a treasure hunt on a haunted Scottish estate. When her governess inherits an estate on a Scottish island, amateur detective Myrtle Hardcastle couldn’t be more excited. Unfortunately, the ancestral castle is both run-down and haunted. Ghostly moans echo in the walls, and there are rumors of a cursed treasure lost on the island—an ancient silver brooch that may have cost the former lord his life. But who had the motive, means, and opportunity to kill him? And could this Scottish trip mean the end of Myrtle’s plans to get her father and governess together?

Then Myrtle’s investigation stirs a villain out of hiding. The estate’s boat is stolen, so there’s no escape from the island. Myrtle is forced to play a deadly game, hunting for the brooch with a thief breathing down her neck—someone who will stop at nothing to get the treasure, even if it means murder.

Review:

When Myrtle Hardcastle’s governess, Miss Judson, inherits an estate in Scotland, they both go up to visit the land. It isn’t as grand as they expected though. The large house is haunted and run down. Myrtle is certain that the former lord, Miss Judson’s uncle, was murdered, so she embarks on her own investigation. When there’s another murder, and the estate’s only boat is stolen, Myrtle is stuck there until she solves the murders.

One of my favourite parts about the Myrtle Hardcastle stories is that they are a great mystery for adult readers to solve as well. The mystery was captivating and suspenseful. It became a little confusing by the end, because there were so many characters, particularly some suspects who were only mentioned and didn’t appear on the page. However, this was a fun story for middle grade mystery lovers!

Myrtle, Means, and Opportunity is a great new mystery!

Thank you Algonquin Young Readers for sending me a copy of this book!

Content warnings: death, murder, heart condition, death of parent (mentions)

Other books in the series:

Have you read Myrtle, Means, and Opportunity? What did you think of it?

Review: Wrath Becomes Her

Title: Wrath Becomes Her
Author: Aden Polydoros
Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Fantasy
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: October 10, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Frankenstein meets Inglourious Basterds in this stunning Jewish historical horror novel from the award-winning author of The City Beautiful

Vera was made for vengeance.

Lithuania, 1943. A father drowns in the all-consuming grief of a daughter killed by the Nazis. He can’t bring Chaya back from the dead, but he can use kishuf — an ancient and profane magic — to create a golem in her image. A Nazi killer, to avenge her death.

When Vera awakens, she can feel her violent purpose thrumming within her. But she can also feel glimpses of a human life lived, of stolen kisses amidst the tragedy, and of a grisly death. And when she meets Akiva, she recognizes the boy with soft lips that gave warm kisses. But these memories aren’t hers, and Vera doesn’t know if she gets—or deserves —to have a life beyond what she was made for.

Vera’s strength feels limitless—until she learns that there are others who would channel kishuf for means far less noble than avenging a daughter’s death. As she confronts the very basest of humanity, Vera will need more than what her creator gave Not just a reason to fight, but a reason to live.

Review:

Lithuania, 1943: Ezra’s daughter, Chaya, was killed by Nazis. Since he couldn’t bring her back from the dead, he created a golem in her image to kill Nazis and avenge Chaya’s death. The golem, Vera, has many of Chaya’s memories, including the face of the man who killed her. Soon after Vera is created, their home is attacked and she is separated from Ezra. Vera meets Chaya’s old friend Akiva, and they go on a journey together to find Ezra and survive the war.

This story is a retelling of Frankenstein. It’s unfortunate that when this book was published, another war has just begun. There were many images in this story that reflected what has been on the news in the past couple of weeks. These may be triggering to some readers, but I felt like it was important to read, especially right now, to see a glimpse of what the people experiencing war are feeling. Though Vera was considered a “monster” because she wasn’t human, she learned humanity and realized that killing more people won’t bring back those that were lost.

Wrath Becomes Her is a powerful story.

Thank you Inkyard Press for providing a copy of this book.

Content warnings: war, death of child, death of parent, murder

Have you read Wrath Becomes Her? What did you think of it?

Review: In Myrtle Peril (Myrtle Hardcastle Mysteries #4)

Title: In Myrtle Peril (Myrtle Hardcastle Mysteries #4)
Author: Elizabeth C. Bunce
Genre: Middle Grade, Mystery, Historical Fiction
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Source: Thomas Allen and Son
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: October 4, 2022
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Myrtle Hardcastle—twelve-year-old Victorian Amateur Detective—returns to investigate the case of a missing heiress lost at sea, an inquiry that runs aground when a murder in plain sight has no apparent victim.

When a mysterious girl attempts to stake her claim to the Snowcroft family fortune, Myrtle Hardcastle’s father, a lawyer, is asked to help prove—or disprove—the girl’s identity. Is this truly Ethel Snowcroft, believed to be lost at sea with her parents, or a con artist chasing a windfall? Mr. Hardcastle’s pursuit of the case takes a detour when he’s hospitalized for a tonsillectomy—only to witness a murder. Or does he? With no body at the scene, Myrtle and her governess, Miss Judson, fear the so-called murder was a feverish delusion—until a critical piece of evidence appears.

But where’s the victim? And who at the hospital could be harboring murderous intent? Myrtle is determined to find out before the killer comes after her father.
With stakes this high, her sleuthing has put Myrtle, her family, and the patients and staff at the Royal Swinburne Hospital In Myrtle Peril.

Review:

A mysterious girl arrives in Swinburne to try to claim she’s the heir to the Snowcroft fortune. Myrtle’s father, Mr. Hardcastle, is hired to help prove this girl’s identity. The girl, who claims to be Ethel Snowcroft, was lost at sea with her parents as a young child, but apparently she somehow survived. Meanwhile, Mr. Hardcastle is hospitalized with severe tonsillitis. While under the influence of pain medication, he claims to have seen a murder. Myrtle and her governess, Miss Judson, are the only people who believe him, so they must conduct their own investigation in the hospital, while also trying to prove Ethel’s identity.

This is another great Myrtle Hardcastle mystery! I loved the complexity of the mystery. Though the case of the girl who was claiming the fortune and the murder in the hospital seemed like two separate mysteries, they were connected. They were cleverly woven together and everything was explained in a way that made sense in the end. I really enjoyed this middle grade mystery!

In Myrtle Peril is a great mystery!

Thank you Thomas Allen and Son for providing a copy of this book!

Content warnings: murder, carbon monoxide poisoning, death of parent, hospital visits, drowning, attempted suicide

Other books in the series:

Have you read In Myrtle Peril? What did you think of it?