Category Archives: historical

The Convenient Marriage by Georgette Heyer

Posted on March 7, 2017 by

Synopsis (from Goodreads): When the Earl of Rule proposes marriage to her sister Lizzie, Horatia offers herself instead. Her sister is already in love with someone else, and Horatia is willing to sacrifice herself for her family’s happiness. Everyone knows … Continue reading →

Posted in book review, chicklit, classic, historical, romance | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Fires of Eden by Dan Simmons

Posted on December 20, 2016 by

Synopsis (from Goodreads): Billionaire Byron Trumbo (no, not Donald Trump although people used to mix those two a lot) wants to sell his posh Hawaiian resort to a Japanese investor. He must make it appear prosperous while the deal is … Continue reading →

Posted in book review, contemporary, fantasy, historical, meh, paranormal, rating, suspence | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Late Whitsun by Jasper Kent

Posted on November 11, 2016 by

I’ve been sent a complimentary copy of this ARC by the author in exchange for an honest review – thank you very much! Synopsis: Brighton, 1938. Charlie ‘Big Bad’ Woolf thought it would be easy money, and there’s precious little … Continue reading →

Posted in ARC, book review, historical, mystery, whodunnit | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

The Terror by Dan Simmons

Posted on November 1, 2016 by

Synopsis: The Terror is a fictional tale based on the real life experience of the notoriously doomed John Franklin Expedition. The two ships, the HMS Erebus and the HMS Terror, sailed from England in 1845. Their aim was to explore the area … Continue reading →

Posted in book review, grimdark, historical, horror, sci-fi | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Claws of the Cat (Shinobi Mysteries 01) by Susan Spann

Posted on September 27, 2016 by

Synopsis (from Goodreads): When a retired samurai is brutally murdered in a Kyoto teahouse, master shinobi (Japanese ninja) Hiro Hattori has just three days to find the killer. If he doesn’t, the dead man’s vengeful son promises to kill both … Continue reading →

Posted in book review, crime, historical, mystery | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

The Crook Factory by Dan Simmons

Posted on July 29, 2016 by

Synopsis (from Goodreads): In 1942, at the height of World War II, the famous writer Ernest Hemingway sought permission from the U.S. government to operate a spy ring out of his house in the Cuban countryside. This much is true… … Continue reading →

Posted in book review, historical, mystery, one brilliant book, thriller | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

The Etruscan by Mika Waltari

Posted on May 17, 2016 by

Synopsis: Set in the 5th century BC it is the first person narration telling the story of Turms from Ephesus a.k.a Lars Turms. We meet Turms as a young man, an exile who, after burning the temple of Kybele in … Continue reading →

Posted in adventure, book review, classic, fantasy, historical, philosophical | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

Byzantium: The Surprising Life of a Medieval Empire by Judith Herrin

Posted on May 10, 2016 by

Product description (shortened version from Goodreads): Byzantium. The name evokes grandeur and exoticism–gold, cunning, and complexity. In this unique book, Judith Herrin unveils the riches of a quite different civilization. Avoiding a standard chronological account of the Byzantine Empire’s millennium–long … Continue reading →

Posted in book review, historical, non-fiction | Tagged , , , , | 13 Comments

Reviewing a classic: Sinuhe the Egyptian by Mika Waltari

Posted on May 3, 2016 by

A quote instead of synopsis (because it is a pretty good quote and explains roughly everything): “I, SINUHE, the son of Senmut and of his wife Kipa, write this. I do not write it to the glory of the gods … Continue reading →

Posted in adventure, book review, classic, grimdark, historical, one brilliant book | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

Posted on April 8, 2016 by

Synopsis (from Goodreads): On a cold and snowy night in 1910, Ursula Todd is born, the third child of a wealthy English banker and his wife. Sadly, she dies before she can draw her first breath. On that same cold … Continue reading →

Posted in a total failure, alternate history, book review, fantasy, historical, rating | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments