EROMENOS by Melanie McDonald: Review: BLOG TOUR

SERIOUSLY GOOD BOOKS--Historical Fiction


Blurb:



What is the nature of love? Of control? These big questions without easy answers are the heart of the book, as we watch Antinous come to his own conclusions about both.

No one knows what happened to the real Antinous. All that is known is that he drowned in the Nile and then Hadrian deified him. McDonald has given us the imaginary voice of a young man whose image has been immortalized in busts and sculptures, a young man who may very well have been as haunted as his death is mysterious.

My Review:

It was extremely refreshing to read this novel. Not only because it was about a period in history that I am not very familiar with, but also because it shows a side a history that people don’t often talk about. Historical Fiction will always be my favorite, but sometimes it does get a little repetitive, especially when you’re reading novels about the same historical figure, but by different authors. One of the main reasons Eromenos is so refreshing is because it takes the genre I love, but throws a twist into it, a very good twist!

During Greek and Roman times it was acceptable for powerful men, such as Hadrian to sleep with and love young men. I love that this book gives the reader a whole new perspective on love and relationships during this time. I think there will be some readers who are too narrow minded to enjoy Eromenos, but I am definitely not one of them. It was a short, easy read but it was also full of information about the most powerful man of his time, Hadrian, who was the ruler when Hadrian’s Wall (obviously named for him) was built in England. This was during the time when Roman’s still ruled the majority of land, including most of present day England. It is about intense love and loss, and it was a fascinating read that opened my eyes to a whole new genre of literature.

 I commend the author for this book, which was exceptionally well-written, informative, and tasteful.  Not to mention one of the most original love stories that I’ve had the pleasure to read.  Open-minded readers who are interested in time period should definitely purchase this book. It’s rare to find a historical fiction novel that is open to expanding boundiaries, and changing what you thought you knew about the historical fiction genre. My only complaint is that it was so short. I wanted to know more about the lives of Hadrian and his lover, and I think it easily could have been longer and more detailed. Other than that I was pleased, and in my opinion the book deserves a four out of five stars.

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THE SECOND DUCHESS by Elizabeth Loupas: Review

Blurb:

In a city-state known for magnificence, where love affairs and conspiracies play out amidst brilliant painters, poets and musicians, the powerful and ambitious Alfonso d'Este, duke of Ferrara, takes a new bride. Half of Europe is certain he murdered his first wife, Lucrezia, the luminous child of the Medici. But no one dares accuse him, and no one has proof-least of all his second duchess, the far less beautiful but delightfully clever Barbara of Austria.

At first determined to ignore the rumors about her new husband, Barbara embraces the pleasures of the Ferrarese court. Yet wherever she turns she hears whispers of the first duchess's wayward life and mysterious death. Barbara asks questions-a dangerous mistake for a duchess of Ferrara. Suddenly, to save her own life, Barbara has no choice but to risk the duke's terrifying displeasure and discover the truth of Lucrezia's death-or she will share her fate.




My Review

The Second Duchess is one of the best historical fiction novels that I’ve read in awhile! I love pretty much any type of historical fiction, but the author, Elizabeth Loupas, added a twist to this historical fiction novel by adding the element of mystery.

Apparently the Duke of Ferrara has long been suspected of killing his first bride, the flighty Lucrezia de Medici. When his second wife, Barbara of Austria, moves to Ferrara it is immediately put into her head that the first duchess was murdered.  Those who are putting these ideas in her head are those who are against the Duke of Ferrara and Barbara of Austria's marriage. Barbara is a strong willed and intelligent woman who decides to take it upon herself to find out the truth of the suspicious death of Lucrezia. At first when the Duke of Ferrara finds out, Barbara is punished, but as he grows to respect her he gives her more freedom to ask questions and find answers. The part that I really liked is that the author has Lucrezia’s “immobila” (basically her ghost) following the action and the investigation the whole time, and giving hints here and there (to the reader) of what really happened. I was unable to guess who the murderer was until the very end of the novel! I would be set on believing that one person had been the murderer, and then another clue would come about that showed that they could not have been the person who murdered Lucrezia. I also liked that Loupas didn’t make Lucrezia’s “ghost” out to be some creepy, haunting presence. Only the reader knows that she is there, and all she does is comment on certain things that happen in the investigation and in the lives of her former husband and his new duchess.

This was the first book I have read in awhile just for me, not for a review. It was nice to sit back and read and not worry about taking notes down. Although, I find that I forget quite a few parts of books when I don’t write things down!  I would definitely recommend this book to historical fiction lovers. I knew nothing of Lucrezia de Medici or Barbara of Austria prior to reading this novel. I had heard of the Duke of Ferrara before, but not of this Duke of Ferrara, so it was very interesting to read about the history of a different group of people, with the author's amazing creative license of course!

It is definitely a book worth 5 out of 5 stars!

A Brief History of the Isle of Mull in Scotland--Interesting Article!

A brief history of the Isle of Mull (Scotland)

The general consensus agrees that the Isle of Mull has been inhabited since after the last Ice Age ended, which would be around the year 6000 BC. Inhabitants of the Bronze Age built abundant brochs, menhirs and also a stone circle, along with pottery, knives, burial cairns and other tantalizing evidence of the period.

During the time between around 600 BC and 400 BC, the inhabitants of the Iron Age were involved in the construction of defensive forts and crannogs. 563 AD saw an important and pivotal point in the Christian period, when it is thought that Christianity was first introduced to this particular area of Great Britain when St. Columba arrived from Ireland and set up a monastery close to the south western point of Mull.

Mull was to become a part of the Lordship of the Isles during the 14th century, subsequently being taken over by the MacLean clan in 1493 following the collapse of the Lordship.

There remains a legend which states that there are the remains of a Spanish vessel somewhere in the mud of Tobermory bay – laden to the gills with gold and treasure. Needless to say, the true identity of the ship and its cargo remains a mystery and the matter of dispute, but the story is nonetheless an incredibly famous local legend. 

Some believe that the ship in question is none other than the Florencia, which belonged to the defeated Spanish Armada and was known to have fled the British fleet in or around 1588, anchoring in the area to stock up on provisions. There was a dispute regarding payment and the ship was to catch fire, eventually spreading to the gunpowder reserves and causing an explosion which would sink the ship. Legend has it that the cargo hold also hid no less than £300,000 in solid gold and valuable treasures.

Others believe that the ship in question was named the San Juan de Baptista and according to records was used for carrying troops and such, rather than treasure and gold. This particular account speaks of the chief of the island at the time cutting a deal with the commander of the Spanish ship to add provisions and supplies, along with refitting the ship in exchange for their help in an ongoing feud with enemies and conspirators on the nearby islands. The tale tells that the ship was sunk during the conflict that ensued.

Whichever of the tales happens to be true, if any at all, extensive searches were carried out for the wreck and whatever it may or may not have been carrying from the 17th century right through to the end of the 20th and sadly, nothing of value or significant interest has so far been found.

At the time of the so-called Highland Clearances during both the 18th and 19th centuries, the 10,000 inhabitants of Mull were reduced to under 3,000.

During the Second World War, the entire island was to become a restricted area, with Tobermory bay becoming a naval base. The whole of the restricted area and the base within was put under the control of one Sir Gilbert Stephenson, who was known to rule from his leather furniture with such an iron fist and terrifying temper that he was donned with the nickname ‘The Terror of Tebormory’. A total of 911 ships and vessels passed through between the years of 1940 and 1945, with the base being used to train in anti submarine combat.

The Isle of Mull continues to display its rich history and boasts a number of iconic and historic buildings for the admiration of visitors, including Torosay Castle and Duart Castle which remain open to the public from the early spring until the end of the summer. There is also the remains of a small distressed castle by the name of Moy Castle which can be found on the shoreline of Lochbuie.

Visitors can also find the remains of a number of interesting chapels, including those located at Kilvickeon and Pennygown. There are also plenty of important archaeological sites, ranging from standing stones to chambered cairns. One of the most notable is that of the prehistoric stone circle located at Lochbuie and another three stone groups found close to Dervaig.

MY FIERCE HIGHLANDER by Vonda Sinclair: Review

Blurb:

Gwyneth Carswell, an English lady banished by her father to the harsh Scottish Highlands, wants nothing more than to take her young son away from the violence of two fighting clans--her own distant kin, the MacIrwins, and their enemies, the MacGraths. She risks everything to rescue the fierce MacGrath warrior from the battlefield where he’s left for dead by her clan. She only knows she is inexplicably drawn to him and he wants peace as she does. When her clan learns of her betrayal, they seek vengeance. Dare she trust the enemy more than her own family?

Laird Alasdair MacGrath is driven to end two-hundred years of feuding with the MacIrwins. But by taking in and protecting Lady Gwyneth and her son, he provokes more attacks from his mortal enemy. As the danger and conflict surrounding them escalate, Alasdair and Gwyneth discover an explosive passion neither of them expected. With the arrival of a powerful man from her past, a horrible decision confronts her--give up her son or the man she loves.

My Review:

I love reading books that are set in Scotland or Ireland, so My Fierce Highlander by Vonda Sinclair immediately appealed to me, obviously because of its title! When an author takes the beautiful terrain of Scotland, adds a love story, and historical elements I’m happy. My Fierce Highlander started off a little slow for me, and for the first couple of chapters I struggled a little bit to get into the book. However, I liked her descriptions of the terrain of Scotland’s Highlands, and the characters were believable enough for me to become involved in their story, and once I was involved in the plot the book was hard to put down.

To me Gwyneth was definitely a more believable character to me than the main male character, Alasdair. She was a woman in the 1600’s who was sensual, but yet sought to hide the sensual side of herself, and felt guilty due to it, because it was not acceptable for her to express herself sexually. It’s changed quite a bit since then obviously, but as recently as 60 or so years ago it was still not really considered acceptable for woman. The only reason Alasdair is not as believable for me, is because he seems almost too perfect. His wife had died two years previously and he had yet to remarry or to even enjoy sex. Gwyneth helps to bring him “back to life” in a way. He is the Chieftain of his clan, and I guess I just found it a little unbelievable that he had not remarried in order to have heirs to follow him. In the 1600’s it seems like that was one of the main goals of men who were noble or wealthy, and it did not matter whether love came into the equation. Alasdair does gain the reader’s sympathy though, because he comes across as such a romantic hero, willing to risk his life for Gwyneth and her son. Gwyneth definitely comes across as the one with faults, and Alasdair occasionally comes across as clingy or needy when expressing his desire to wed Gwyneth. Overall I enjoyed reading the book, and it was a quick, fun read. I definitely recommend it to those that are fans of Historical Romance 

Novels, because I doubt you will be disappointed.

I feel good about giving this novel 4 out of 5 stars.

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RELUCTANT QUEEN by Geraldine Evans: Review

Blurb:

Mary, the beautiful, younger sister of English king, Henry VIII, reluctantly agrees to marry the aged and sickly Louis XII of France for reasons of state. But before agreeing, she extracts Henry’s promise that she may please herself for her second marriage. Mary is deeply in love with the low-born Charles Brandon, her brother’s boon companion, and is determined to wed Brandon should King Louis die.

Unhappy at the French court, blonde Mary makes friends with the charming, but debauched, Francis, her aged husband’s heir and son-in-law. But Mary is dismayed when her friendly overtures are taken as encouragement for something more than friendship. Too late, Mary finds that, even at twenty, Francis is a practised seducer. He pursues her relentlessly. And with the death of her husband and Francis’s elevation to the French throne and absolute power, her situation becomes desperate. Unprotected, Mary is a captive prey to Francis’s lust for her.

Will she ever be free to go to her lost love? Because since Louis’s death, Mary has become increasingly anxious about the rumours she hears concerning her brother’s plans for her future. Did Henry intend to push her into another loveless marriage to suit himself and the State?

King Henry sends Charles Brandon to the French court on a diplomatic mission, Desperate, Mary persuades him to go through a secret marriage with her. Then they confess to Wolsey and ask him to intercede with King Henry.

Fearfully, they await King Henry’s reaction, aware that no one, not even his much-loved younger sister, defies him with impunity. 

My Review:

I’m a sucker for anything to do with the Tudors, and Reluctant Queen by Geraldine Evans was no exception. There are hundreds of novels on Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth Tudor, Henry Tudor, Henry’s daughter Mary Tudor, etc., but one of the Tudors who I have read very little about is Henry’s little sister Mary Tudor. Of course she is almost always mentioned in books that I’ve read on that time period, and we know that she defied her brother, the King of England, to marry his best friend, but beyond that I knew very little about her. Her life definitely seems to have been too short, and it doesn’t seem to have been full of a great amount of happiness, but like her older sister and brother, when she wanted something she went after it even when it went against the wishes of others.

Geraldine Evans did a wonderful job of bringing Mary to life for me. I had no idea that she even had more than one child with Charles Brandon. Frances ended up becoming another semi-infamous Tudor, so she is known in history, but not much is heard of her other two children. I love how the author allows the reader to see what was possibly going on inside Mary’s head during her life. The reader is able to see the regrets that she possibly had over her marriage to Charles, as well as her mental and physical pain during the latter years of her life. It is apparent in the books that I read on Anne Boleyn, and also in this novel, that Mary did not like her and didn’t hide it very well. It was interesting to view the demise of Henry and Catherine’s marriage through his sister’s eyes in this novel.

The only complaint I have would be on how Anne Boleyn is portrayed in this novel. I cannot tell a lie, I am an Anne Boleyn supporter. Another issue I had is a factual inaccuracy. In the novel when Mary is Queen of France and Anne is one of her little lady’s in waiting there is a line which says, “Mary felt that she and Anne shared a special bond—had they not both lost their mothers around the same age? And although Anne still had a father, he was over-ambitious for his children […]” Anne’s mother did not die until around a year after Anne had been executed by Henry VIII.

Other than those two issues I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and I learned a great deal about Mary Tudor, Dowager Queen of France and Duchess of Suffolk. During a time when women did as they were told, Mary went against the grain and chose her own destiny, which always makes for an interesting Tudor Era read!

This novel gets 4 out of 5 stars from me!

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THE DEVIL'S DAUGHTER by Suzie Grant: Review

Blurb:

A bounty hunter facing his past encounters a criminal on the run from her own.

Blaze Marie Austin is no longer the little girl forced to be an outlaw. Finding her chance at redemption, Blaze repays the man who’d saved her life. Only her savior’s estranged son accuses her of betrayal and ignites a passion she can’t deny.

Gade Ryder returned to Eden, Texas, after a twelve year absence to investigate a gang of rustlers on the family ranch. Has he accepted the job out of misplaced family loyalty or had the compelling mystery of the devil’s daughter convinced him to stay in the one place he didn’t want to be? Confronted by the memory of his mother’s suicide and the father he blames for her death, Gade seeks comfort from the one woman he couldn’t trust.

When the little criminal is accused of murder, Gade realizes his growing attraction for her could not only cost him his freedom, it may well cost him his life. 

My Review:

I loved this book! It was a great Historical Fiction Western Romance. The vivid scenes that Suzie Grant brings to mind with her beautiful descriptions of Texas, when it was still mostly ranch land, are amazing. I loved Blaze’s character as well. She was hard on the outside, but as a reader you were able to ascertain that beneath her hard exterior she is a lost soul. I was surprised when I realized she was only 19, because she seems so much older. When you continue to read you discover the reason why she seems so much older than she really is. Her life has been a series of hurt and heartaches. Anyone she has ever loved or trusted has betrayed her, including family. She was on her own at such a young age, and had committed shocking crimes when she was barely a pre-teen, because of the people that she was forced to travel with.

The reader begins to see Blaze’s vulnerability when she interacts with Gade. He’s the only man that a woman, who has spent her entire life being forced to be so strong, could ever fall for. Blaze needs a strong man who can love her and also keep her grounded, and Gade is the man. He’s definitely the perfect man for a Western Romance novel. He’s strong and fierce, but he also has baggage that he carries with him that makes him human.

I liked that this book wasn’t all about the sex and romance, yeah there were some good sex scenes, but there was a ton of action as well. The reader is able to really get to know the two main characters, and also some of the more minor characters. It’s easy to care for Gade and his family, and when misfortune befalls them, it’s easy to grieve for them. I think the author, Suzie Grant, did an excellent job at bringing the characters and the scenery in this novel alive, and I look forward to reading more novels by her in the future.

This book definitely deserves a 4 out of 5 stars.

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THE GIFTED ONES by Lisa Vaughn: Review

Blurb:

Lisa was conservatively raised in a Catholic family in no-where middle America, where excitement is scarce and dreams are for sleeping. Little did she know, at age thirteen, she would suddenly find herself on a totally different path. Through an unlikely chance meeting of a fellow classmate, she's surprisingly mesmerized, almost consumed, to befriend a girl who is obviously from the other side of the tracks...the cool side. Lisa does whatever she has to just to be accepted into this small club of coolness. Little did she realize, she was signing up for a lot more than social status. The two best friends find themselves innocently taking their relationship to a foreign level neither had experienced or saw coming. A rollercoaster ride littered with choices and challenges Lisa never fathomed facing, especially in no-where middle America. She will find out what she is made of as she faces the consequences and struggles that come along with going against the grain. Throughout their six year relationship, you will witness a touching story of human nature at it's best...and at it's worst. Showing just how far the human spirit can be challenged and pushed to a point where your “fight or flight” instincts naturally kick in. Struggling just to survive in a world where you are not like everyone else, but at the same time you really are.

My Review:

This book was such a refreshing read for me. I rarely read memoirs or works of non-fiction, so the poignant honesty of this novel was such a nice break from the norm. Lisa Vaughn definitely has lived a life worth writing about, and her insight into the experiences she had are so revealing. I had never looked at love the way it happened with her. The idea that you could be a straight woman, and spend years loving another woman and being with her, was never something that I would have thought possible. I guess I looked at things as black and white; either you’re gay, bi, or straight. I had never thought of the grey areas, or of possibly falling in love with the person inside, rather than limiting yourself by only allowing yourself to fall in love with the person’s sex that you prefer. The love that this story deals with goes beyond the normal “love story” that we see all the time.

I also enjoyed reading about the struggles between Lisa and her mother. I think many young women go through a struggle of wills with their mothers, especially when they are alike in so many ways. I know that I went through a phase where I thought my mother was purposefully out to get me, and to ruin my life. Now, looking back at it, I realize how similar we were, and how often our arguments turned into a battle of wills between us…almost a battle for “power” in some ways.

I would definitely recommend this memoir. It makes you think of and view love in a new way. I think that it would appeal more to female readers, but some men would certainly enjoy it as well.

This novel was definitely a 5 star read for me.


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