The Bridled Tongue

The Bridled Tongue was an enjoyable read but I was profoundly bothered by the fact that when a woman made a truthful statement that man could not bear to hear, she was viewed as having an unbridled tongue. There were numerous references in the plot. Each time I read one it stung my heart. I am soooo glad I did not live during those times. There were just as many men with "unbridled tongues" but they never paid a price for it. This unjustness bothered me enough to affect how much I liked the book.

The publisher's summary:

Death and life are in the power of the tongue.  England 1586. Alyce Bradley has few choices when her father decides it is time she marry as many refuse to see her as other than the girl she once was - unruly, outspoken and close to her grandmother, a woman suspected of witchcraft.

Thomas Granville, an ambitious privateer, inspires fierce loyalty in those close to him and hatred in those he has crossed. Beyond a large dowry, he is seeking a virtuous and dutiful wife. Neither he nor Alyce expect more from marriage than mutual courtesy and respect. 

As the King of Spain launches his great armada and England braces for invasion, Alyce must confront closer dangers from both her own and Thomas's past, threats that could not only destroy her hopes of love and happiness but her life. And Thomas is powerless to help.

The real action in the book began at the midway point with the early part of the book setting up the plot. The author nailed it with her story idea on the dangers of the tongue. While showing both male and female characters with uncontrolled tongues, the historical fiction part of the story centered on an era when women were believed to be unable to tell the truth or were at least accused of not telling the truth.  It is not too different today than in the sixteenth century as women who accuse a man of rape are perceived to be liars by law enforcement and the courts. Our protagonist Alyce had learned to control her tongue during an 8 year stay with a family friend during her childhood. Her tongue, which she believed was bridled, was not believed to be bridled by enemies of her father and husband. Her enemies were interested in obtaining property belonging to both of them by making false accusations against her.  In addition, gossipers in her family and community added to her problems. They, too, had unbridled tongues but were perceived as being believable by men with monetary interests.

As I was reading, I thought that this shocking book would only rate 3 out of 5 stars. After reading the ending I saw that the plot was really about the dangers of the tongue and admired author Catherine Weyrick for putting together this exceptional plot. 5 out of 5 stars!

The Companion

The Companion takes place in New Hampshire in 1855 where Lucy Blunt revits the events that landed her on death row. Lucy is a young woman who has been thrown out of her home by her alcoholic father after the death of her mother and the death of her baby son. Her downfall began when she entered into service with the wealthy Burton family where she advanced from being a cook's assistant to being the mistress's maid. The balance of power in the home began to shift which set in motion Lucy's downfall.

I enjoyed this novel and could not stop reading it until I finished it.  The story alternates between Lucy's time working in the Burton home and being in prison waiting to hang. There was a Downton Abbey feel to the Burton home, especially with Cook's character. Known only as Cook, the home's cook yelled at Lucy often as Lucy learned how to be her assistant. Over time they became friends and worked well together. There is some nastiness between Lucy and Mrs. Burton's first maid Rebecca, just as you would see among the Downton Abbey characters.  While this is a historical fiction novel, it reads more like a psychological thriller, which is probably my favorite mystery sub-genre.

5 out of 5 stars. 

The Girl From Lisbon

The Girl From Lisbon is the story of Dona Gracia Mendes, the wealthiest woman in Europe. She began life as a normal girl, the daughter of the king of Portugal's personal physician. She was raised as a Catholic as were all of her friends. However, on her twelfth birthday Dona Gracia was led down into the basement of her home by her mother. Here she learned the family's secret, they were Jews. Gracia began to investigate her Jewish roots and embraced this faith tradition.

This book is 95% dialogue. Each character speaks for 10-15 pages at a time, then there is one sentence of action (usually another character making a statement) and another 15 pages of dialogue. Sometime before the midway point I got tired of this approach to telling the story. Most of the dialogue is a narrative giving the backstory on how Jews have been treated over the centuries. While the backstory was interesting, using this much dialogue seemed to be patronizing.

A 2011 article in The Editor's Blog states that when there is too much dialogue there is no action. The characters need to stop talking and act. The plot should be progressing and the conflict escalating. The dialogue should not take over the story. A writer should alternate between scenes of nearly all action or all dialogue in order to create a balance between them. "Characters who don't shut up are just an annoying as real people who don't. And readers have little incentive to keep listening when there's no payoff. Keep readers interested by your choices; don't run them off." Here, there is too much dialogue from Gracia's mother and husband as they instruct her in the history of the Jews and, later, commerce. I felt that I was reading a play, not a book.

At the 70% point in the novel the dialogue was split up with some action. However, long dialogues continued, giving the reader information on Christopher Columbus and others. At the end of the book there is a 50 page dialogue.

The Girl From Lisbon began with a great plot premise. The reader is promised the story of a girl who married and became wealthy and powerful. However, in the book Gracia has not yet married her fiance. The plot premise did not occur until the author's Afterward.  I think Gracia was an interesting historical figure. Thus, I will probably read Michal Regev's novel on Gracia, Dona Gracia's Gold Pendant. It begins with her widowhood and rise to power.

1 out of 5 stars.

The Secret Messenger

The Secret Messenger takes place in Venice during WWII. It is the story of the Resistance in Venice and begins in 1934 with Stella Jilani and her grandfather's presence at a rally where Hitler appeared with Mussolini. The book alternates between the WWII era and the present.

The publisher's summary:

"The world is at war, and Stella Jilani is leading a double life. By day she works in the lion's den as a typist for the Reich; by night, she risks her life as a messenger for the Italian resistance. Against all odds, Stella must impart Nazi secrets, smuggle essential supplies and produce an underground newspaper on her beloved typewriter. But when German commander General Breugal becomes suspicious, it seems he will stop at nothing to find the mole, and Stella knows her future could be in jeopardy. 

Years later, Luisa Belmont finds a mysterious old typewriter in her attic. Determined to find out who it belonged to, Luisa delves into the past and uncovers a story of fierce love, unimaginable sacrifice and, ultimately, the worst kind of betrayal."

I LOVED The Secret Messenger but I am not sure why Luisa Belmont was necessary to the story. Her story did not feature much into the plot.  She was necessary for the denouement but perhaps the ending could have been told in another way and her character eliminated. Stella's double life was the main focus of the book and it was exciting to read about. Her romances added danger to a story that was already rife with danger. This is one fabulous novel that all historical fiction fans will love.

5 out of 5 stars.

The Lady's Ambition

The Lady's Ambition is the third book in the Royal Court Series written by Anne Bailey. It is the first book of hers that I have read. The novel covers the life of Margaret Douglas beginning with her marriage and ending with her death in 1570. Margaret is the daughter of a queen and the niece of Henry VIII and enjoys a privileged life as Henry caters to her needs and desires.  When he dies, Margaret begins to press for her rise to the throne by building a genealogy that proves her case. This genealogy only brings her numerous stays in the Tower as Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth feel threatened by her legitimate claim to the throne. Having married beneath her status for love, she spent most of her time trying to gain land that she believed she was entitled to and the lands that her husband was entitled to. Ambition drove her actions but a life full of personal loss kept her from achieving any of her goals.

This book did not grab my attention.  I was bored while reading and couldn't wait for it to end.  If the author had concentrated on one or two of Margaret's attempts to gain the throne and showed us in detail how she maneuvered, it may have been more interesting reading. The Lady's Ambition falls flat. There certainly is no mystery in the plot and Margaret's life is not fictionalized much.  The reader only gets the bullet points of her life.

2 out of 5 stars.

Last Train to Istanbul

I was late for the train (pun intended) in reading this 2013 historical novel about Turkish and non-Turkish Jews escaping Hitler's grasp. It takes place from 1941 through 1943. The story is based on the real life efforts of Turkish diplomats to save Jews from death.

The publisher's summary of the plots is as follows:

"As the daughter of one of Turkey's last Ottoman pashas, Selva could win the heart of any man in Ankara. Yet the spirited young beauty only has eyes for Rafael Alfandari, the handsome Jewish son of an esteemed court physician. In defiance of their families, they marry, fleeing to Paris to build a new life.  

But when the Nazi's invade France and begin rounding up Jews, the exiled lovers will learn that nothing - not war, not politics, not even religion - can break the bonds of family. For after they learn that Selva is but one of their fellow citizens trapped in France, a handful of brave Turkish diplomats hatch a plan to spirit the Alfarandis and hundreds of innocents, many of whom are Jewish, to safety. Together, they must traverse a war-torn continent, crossing enemy lines and risking everything in a desperate bid for freedom."

The story has a lot of tension.  There is the tension between Selva and her father, who refuses to forgive his Muslim daughter for marrying a Jew. However, the tension concerning the advancing Nazis into France is what drove most of the plot.  While the beginning of the story was interesting, it took me awhile to get into it.  Once Selva and Rafael decided they must flee France and return to Istanbul, the plot action ratcheted up and I could not stop reading until I finished the book. All of the Turks who were on the train fleeing Hitler were tense each moment that they were on the train. Those who were Jewish were additionally tense. They not only had to fear seeing Germn soldiers when pulling into each station on the way home, they also had to fear the German soldiers who were on board conducting random inspections of each passenger's papers. Any raised eyebrow, glance or wrong accent could give them away.

The story was educational. I had never before heard about the Turks saving Jews during WWII. The author made history come alive with her captivating writing. It did not seem like I was reading a history lesson but, in fact, I was. I also liked that the setting was inside Turkey. There are few historical fiction books that take place there and it was enjoyable to read about a new (to me) country. Another interesting feature was to see how the Jews viewed the advancement of the German army throughout Europe each time it happened. Each advancement was viewed a little differently and they could only guess whether or not they were in extreme danger and needed to flee. This is a viewpoint that I had never even thought about before reading this novel.

The Last Train to Istanbul is must reading not only for historical fiction fans but also for young adults. I think it would be beneficial for younger readers to see how Europeans felt when the German army began to take over their continent.  5 out of 5 stars!

Betrayed

Betrayed is both a historical mystery and a historical romance. It takes the reader to England in the 1770s. Kate Lancaster, devastated by the murder of her parents, vows to find the killer with the help of Christopher Bradshaw.  Her heart races whenever the handsome nobleman is near her but his overbearing wife is constantly playing the matchmaker with their son, Lucas. Kate and Christopher try to resist the temptation of their mutual attraction while striving to solve the mystery of who wanted the Lancasters dead.

C. De Melo always writes a good historical novel. Betrayed, however, is one of her best. In this rare historical mystery she shows how well she can craft a mystery plot. The twists and turns and unexpected ending made the book an exhilarating read for me. I can't recall when I last read an exhilarating historical novel, if ever.  Betrayed is that special.

As usual for me, my favorite character is the villain. Claudia Bradshaw cheats on her husband frequently with different partners and is the dominant person in her marriage. We are lead to believe that in the eighteenth century only the men got away with this type of behavior. However, I think there were plenty of Claudias. People just didn't openly acknowledge strong women. Her husband, meek and mild Christopher, only married her because she was pregnant and he believed that the child was his. Claudia never told him anything about the identity of the father of her child. She played him well.  Our protagonist Kate Lancaster was also able to force him into doing whatever she asked.

While the romance is tasteful and strong in Betrayed, it is the mystery that makes this book great. I am rating it 5 out of 5 stars.

Book of Colours

I don't know why I have not read this book before because I love illuminated manuscripts.  Book of Colours is about several 14th century limners, or illuminators, who have been commissioned to create a book of hours for a wealthy woman.  The story shows the entire process that is followed when creating an illuminated book, including how colors are mixed and used.

The publisher's summary of the plot:

"In London, 1321, at a time of political upheaval, three people are drawn together in a small shop in Paternoster Row around the creation of a magnificent book, an illuminated manuscript of prayers. The book has been commissioned by Lady Mathidla Fitzjohn, as a status symbol to showcase her family's improving station. John Dancaster begins work on the manuscript along with his wife Gemma, a talented illuminator in her own right, although she must hide her skill as the guild forbids women. Into their lives walks the mysterious Will Asshe, a gifted artist, but a man hiding a shadowy past. As the baronial revolt increases tensions within London and Lady Mathilda has to grapple with her changing fortunes once her husband rides off to war, completing the book becomes a fraught task.  Even though the commission has seemed to answer the aspirations of each of these people, their own desires and ambitions threaten its completion."

As an artist I could not help but love Book of Colours. The epigraphs at the start of each chapter give the artist information on how decisions should be made for each page of a manuscript as well as how colors are mixed and should be used. These paragraphs tell the artist how they can also create an illuminated book.  They are revealed to be excerpts from a book that Gemma is writing called "Art of Illumincation." The rest of the chapter continues with the plot. I read this book slowly. I was searching for more information on creating an illumination within the text and found a few more tips. The plot itself was splendid. The characters were authentic, accurately representing the era they lived in and I enjoyed reading about their lives as the story unfolded.

Highly recommended! 5 out of 5 stars. 

Blackberry and Wild Rose

BlackBerry and Wild Rose is Sonia Velton's debut novel. She has crafted an extraordinary historical novel that takes place in eighteenth century London.  It is a tale of a household of Huguenot silk weavers who are pursuing the creation of the perfect silk design.

The publisher's summary:

"When Esther Thorel, wife of a master silk weaver, rescues Sara Kemp from a brothel, she thinks she is doing God's will, but her good deed is not returned. Sara quickly realizes that the Thorel household is built on hypocrisy and lies and soon tires of the drudgery of life as Esther's new lady's maid. As the two women's relationship becomes increasingly fractious, Sara resolves to find out what it is that so preoccupies her mistress... 

Esther has long yearned to be a silk designer.  When her early watercolors are dismissed by her husband, Elias, as the daubs of a foolish girl, she continues her attempts in secret.  It may have been that none of them would ever have become actual silks, were it not for the presence of the extraordinarily talented Bisby Lambert in the Thorel household.  Brought in by Elias to weave his masterpiece on the Thorel's loom in the attic of their house in Spitalfields, the strange cadence of the loom as Bisby works is like a siren call to Esther.  The minute she first sets foot in the garret and sees Bisby Lambert at his loom marks the beginning of Blackberry and Wild Rose, the most exquisite silk design Spitalfields has ever seen, and the end of the Thorel household's veneer of perfection."

I loved this book. As a weaver I enjoyed reading about weaving and design creation.  However, with two strong female characters I would have to say that there are two protagonists.  Both Esther and Sara are featured equally and the telling of this story alternates between them.  However, Esther is supposed to be the protagonist so I don't understand why the two women had equal roles.  I must admit, though, that Sara interested me more. Also, the author did a great job of showing us the history of this era.  The men dominated the women and the silk industry guild machinations were described in detail.  The tensions between the master weavers and the journeymen were part of the plot. The author took events that actually occurred and wove them into her plot (pun intended). The story depicts a riot by the journeymen against the master weavers when their wages were reduced.

The author states in her Note at the end of the book that the idea for the novel came from the life of Anna Maria Garthwaite, a cutting edge designer of silks in Spitalfields during the eighteenth century. Garthwaite has been credited with bringing the artistry of painting to the loom. Many of her patterns can be seen in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

5 out of 5 stars.

The Witch of Delft

The Witch of Delft is a historical fiction novel with some magical realism included.  It takes place in Holland in 1692. It has a creative plot and is another fantastic read from Christine De Melo.

The publisher's summary:

"Renowned healer, Lisbeth Vos, concots a cunning revenge against her childhood friend, Hannah Brouwer, for a wrong committed decades ago. The audacious scheme requires a marriage between Lisbeth's granddaughter and Hannah's widowed son.  Desperate for her grandmother's attention and approval, Mila agrees to wed a man she doesn't know. She begins entertaining doubts when Hannah proves to be a loving mother-in-law instead of the monster her grandmother described. Mila is thinking and acting independently for the first time, going as far as initiating an illicit affair.  Her refusal to commit a heinous act at Lisbeth's insistence results in shocking consequences. With danger looming on the horizon, Mila discovers powers that have lain dormant beneath her grandmother's oppressive shadow. Now, she must learn to use her gift and salvage her only chance at happiness."

I don't normally read books about witchcraft but was pleasantly surprised with The Witch of Delft. The book is primarily about the deceptions between the characters than the occult. My choice to read this novel was based on who the author is. I have loved reading all of Christine De Melo's other novels so I had to give this one a try. I was not disappointed.

I adored the main witch in the book, Lisbeth Vos. Her character is a nasty one and I always love the villain in a story. Lisbeth runs the lives of her daughter and granddaughter as she has a bossy personality.  While Mila becomes more assertive as she matures in life, she is not the most dominant character in the novel.  As the protagonist I would expect that she would dominate the story but Lisbeth dominates instead.  It is Lisbeth's machinations that all of the other characters need to maneuver through.  With secondary characters also being witches, the question to ask is who is the official "witch of Delft" in this novel. Read the book to find out.

5 out of 5 stars!

The Cup

The Cup takes place in Morocco in the 11th century. It is a 112 page novella that is the first historical novel in a four book series, all of them set in Morocco.  Each book focuses on a different woman.

The book begins by introducing the main character, Hela, helping her slave trader father with his sales. This first chapter was uncomfortable reading for two reasons. It was disheartening to see people bought and sold and viewed as chattel.  In addition, Hela's nonchalant attitude toward the slaves was gut-wrenching. Fortunately, this setting ended as the next chapter brought the reader a character learning her healing trade from her mother. The rest of the novel is about Hela plying her trade.

The publisher's summary:

"Hela has powers too strong for a child - both to feel the pain of those around her and to heal them. But when she is given a mysterious cup by a slave woman, its powers overtake her life, forcing her into a vow she cannot hope to keep. Trapped by her vow, Hela loses one chance after another to love and be loved.  Meanwhile, in her household a child is growing into a woman who will become famous throughout the Muslim world."

The Cup was an enjoyable read once the discomfort of the first chapter passed. I have some questions for the author about why the story was written with an initial focus on slavery.  There are the scenes with Hela interacting with her father's slaves.  One of them gives her the cup but no information is given in the story as to why this particular female slave gave Hela her cup. There are no other scenes with this slave.  While I was reading I thought that this slave would be mentioned later in the story.  She wasn't. Neither was Hela's slave-trading father's business. The theme of the story is obviously slavery as Hela later gives up having her own life to staying with and making another woman feel safe. However, there is no connection between the opening and the rest of the plot. With that said, the book was splendid reading.  It's just that as I was reading, I was expecting the people in the first chapter to be somehow connected to the rest of the story.

4 out of 5 stars.

The Land Beyond the Sea

Sharon Kay Penman's latest novel The Land Beyond the Sea was just published last month on March 3, 2020.  It is the story of King Baldwin IV of the Kingdom of Jerusalem and his defense of his kingdom from Saladin's army.  It takes place in the Middle East beginning in 1172 when Baldwin was 10-years-old and concludes in 1187, long after he has died.

The Kingdom of Jerusalem is the land beyond the sea. After the Franks captured Jerusalem from the Saracens in the First Crusade, it became a medley of different cultures that included everything except Muslims.  The young Baldwin is quite intelligent but he becomes afflicted with leprosy at an early age.  Political machinations abound as he has no heir and is expected to die at a young age. However, when Saladin starts a war to recapture the city, Baldwin has to respond in a way that shows him as a strong leader.

I felt that this story had a rough start. It was hard for me to stay interested until page 200 of this 670 page novel. There were many characters to keep track of as well as where they were from.  Many of the place names were foreign to me and it was hard to figure out who was from where. Another problem is that the story opens with 2 characters who aren't featured in the rest of the plot. One is dead and the other is his wife. This caused me to be confused as I expect that when a story begins with a character that the character will be important to the story. Around the 200th page the plot became centered on Baldwin the king.  The story then became more focused and it was easier to read and much more enjoyable.

4 out of 5 stars.

Dreamland

Dreamland is Nancy Bilyeau's latest book.  It takes place in New York City in 1911 with 20-year-old Peggy Batternberg agreeing to spend a summer with her wealthy family at the luxurious Oriental Hotel.  The Hotel is about one mile from Coney Island but because her family disapproves of that type of entertainment she is forbidden to go there.  Peggy preferred to spend her summer working at the Moonrise Bookstore in New York City instead of socializing with her controlling and snobbish family.  In order to help her sister Lydia set a wedding date with Lydia's fiancé Henry Taul, she leaves her job at the bookstore and travels with them for the summer.  A marriage between Lydia and Taul will save the Batternbergs from financial ruin.  A chance visit to Coney Island captivates her even before she meets a poor artist named Stefan in the Dreamland section of the amusement park.  It is love at first sight for both of them and Peggy agrees to meet Stefan often.  However, she has to keep this love affair a secret from her family as they would disapprove of her seeing a poor immigrant. Before long, there are murders occurring with Peggy and Stefan at the center of them.

I loved this book!  It was an engrossing read.  While the beginning was a little slow as the author set up the characters, once the family was settled at the Oriental Hotel the action increased the speed of the novel.  What sets this historical mystery apart from others is that the author addresses discrimination issues such as immigrant rights, women's rights, socioeconomic status, and privilege within the plot.  It works seamlessly with her superb writing.  If there is anything to criticize about the novel it is that the murders do not begin to occur until well into the book.  I expected a historical fiction story based upon the beginning but it turned into a mystery as well.

5 out of 5 stars!

Lilith

Christine De Melo took a big turn from her usual Italian Renaissance stories to write this novel of Old Salem, Massachusetts. The book features many historical figures such as Increase and Cotton Mather.  All twenty of the Salem citizens who were executed in 1692 are characters.  What makes this historical fiction novel unique is it's supernatural component.

The publisher's summary:

"Lily Healer is a reclusive albino with incredible spiritual power.  Mass hysteria and terror sweeps through her community in the year 1692 when the village children complain of being  tormented by witches.  The arrival of Marcus Wiseman, an intimidating Puritan nicknamed the "Hammer" (Malleus Maleficarum), strikes fear into the hearts of many.  His mission is to help the reverend find those who have signed the Devil's Book.  Lily avoids the fearsome man at all costs until a shocking dream reveals the truth.  Her life changes drastically after that fateful night, for she knows that their destinies are intertwined.  Together, they must combat the Puritanical tyranny threatening Salem Village."

I found this book to be amusing.  While the historical aspects of the book were interesting, I chuckled throughout the book when Lily Healer spiritually battled demons while young girls were screaming about witches controlling them.  SPOILER ALERT!  The demons were inside the real witches in the community - the Puritan ministers!  Instead of the twenty accused Salem residents controlling the girls, it was actually the clergy controlling them.

The world of seventeenth century Salem was well researched by the author.  She made the setting come alive through the characters as they attended the required church services, some attending in fear of the authorities, and keeping a distance from anyone and everyone who might find a reason to make a false accusation against them.  It was interesting to me that most of the citizens knew in their hearts that the accusations were false, yet they did not speak up.  Everyone feared the authorities but it seems to me that if a group of people banded together to stop these trials and executions of their neighbors, they would have been able to stop the terror that gripped their community.

Lilith was an enjoyable read.  I am rating it 5 out of 5 stars.

Song of the Siren

C. P. Lesley's Song of the Siren is the first book in her Songs of Steppe and Forest series. It takes place in16th century Poland/Russia and covers the life of Juliana Krasilska.  The publisher's summary of the plot is below:

"Since childhood Lady Juliana has depended on her allure for survival.  So when a sudden, debilitating illness robs her of her looks, her sense of place in the world is shattered.  The court that once idolized her spurns her.  Who is she, if not the siren of men's dreams? Enter Felix Ossolinski - scholar, diplomat, Renaissance man. A riding accident in his teens forced him to redirect his energies from war to the life of the mind, and alone among the men of the sixteenth-century Polish court he sees in Juliana a kindred spirit, a woman who has never appreciated her own value and whose inner beauty outweighs any marring of her face. At Felix's suggestion the Polish queen offers Juliana a way out of her difficulties:  spy for the royal family in return for a promise of financial independence.  Facing poverty and degradation, Juliana cannot refuse, although the mission threatens not only her freedom but her life. Felix swears that he will protect her. But no one can protect Juliana from the demons of her past."

I loved this novel!  Part of the attraction is that it takes place in Poland, Lithuana and Russia. There are not many historical fiction books that take place here and it added a new excitement for me. It is always enjoyable to find a new place to read about other than the usual books taking place in Italy and England. While it is my first book of Lesley's that I have read, I did not need to have read her prior books concerning the Juliana character in order to follow the plot.  In addition, Carolyn Pouncey, who writes as C. P. Lesley, is a historian by trade and her knowledge of this era was abundantly evident. She wrote into the story plenty of background information on the political climate in Poland, Lithuania and Russia. Several historical figures were also woven into the story. 

I am looking forward to reading the second book in this series!  4 out of 5 stars.

The Violinist of Venice

The Violinist of Venice is about the world renowned composer and priest Antonio Vivaldi and his fictional student Adriana d'Amato.  Forbidden to play music by her wealthy merchant father, Adriana secretly visits Vivaldi at night to ask him to teach her to play the violin. He agrees but after a few lessons they quickly fall in love and begin to make love after each lesson. Adriana has to sneak around her strict father to practice her instrument and continue to visit Vivaldi. Her father is showing her off to several noble Venetian families in hopes of arranging a marriage for her. Adriana wants Vivaldi but is he willing to give up the priesthood for her? That will mean giving up his ability to work in music as well.

While this book has been described as "a story of Vivaldi," the main character is actually Adriana. It covers thirty years of her life, most of it lived without him but still pining for him. However, his music is prevalent throughout the novel. The author has written into the plot plenty of information on violin techniques and on how to compose music. Both characters are shown playing the instrument exquisitely and the reader can hear the music coming off of the pages. Pardon the pun, it makes the book sing.

Writing a musical romance was a brilliant idea. Perhaps the author has a series here where she can feature a different musician in each novel. 5 out of 5 stars!

Ruthless

Ruthless is the story of Agata, a fourteen-year-old girl from Verona who has been forced by her father to marry Nunzio.  After a year of marriage with no child yet conceived, Agata's father-in-law, Alvino, decides to bed her himself. When he later is caught by Nunzio, Alvino defends himself by claiming that Agata is a witch. In order to avoid a witchcraft trial Agata flees to Venice where she is forced to become a prostitute in order to survive. In Venice Agata learns that in order to survive she must be ruthless in her dealings with men.

Agata's story was compelling but it did not resonate with me as much as other books that I have read by this author.  Part of the novel was about the Lord of Verona and his politics. While Agata did have a relationship with him, she was never involved with the politics of Verona or Venice.  The parts of the book concerning the Lord's political issues seemed out of place. When the story stayed on Agata's plight it was entertaining.

3 out of 5 stars.

The Spymaster's Brother

The final book in the Francis Bacon Mystery series by Anna Castle centers around the protagonist's brother, Anthony Bacon.  When the story opens Anthony has returned to England after living in France for 13 years. While he was in France Anthony built a huge intelligence network throughout Europe. He and Francis are seeking a wealthy patron and offer Anthony's services to the highest bidder. Since he is suffering with severe symptoms of gout, Anthony has trouble walking unassisted and with his self care. When a dead body is found next to Anthony's coach, Francis thinks his brother killed someone because the dead man had been spreading vicious rumors about Anthony that could ruin his reputation and the value of his network. Francis's sidekick Tom Claraday believes Anthony's secretary committed the murder and the two of them set out to find the killer.

This series has been highly entertaining. I love the two sleuths, Francis and Tom. They work well together and their different personalities do not hinder their investigations. It actually helps them determine the identity of killers. While reading the Spymaster's Brother, I became so intrigued about Anthony Bacon's life that Internet research into his life occasionally interrupted my reading of the book. His life story is fascinating. It was intriguing enough to overshadow my enjoyment of the book. I feel my independent research was more interesting than the plot. Had I not checked out Anthony's life story, the story probably would have been another entertaining read for me.

The period details are another enjoyable part of the series. The author wrote the setting descriptions well enough for me to want to visit England, especially Cambridge where Tom Claraday was at school in the early books in the series. Ms. Castle's knowledge about the Elizabethan time period shined throughout the series. I hope she continues to write historical fiction.

4 out of 5 stars. Anna Castle take note, a series based on Anthony Bacon and his assistant living in France building that spy network would be great reading. 

The Stolen Girl

The Stolen Girl is part one of The Veil and the Crown series featuring Aimee de Rivery as the heroine. Aimee is a young French convent girl who is kidnapped by pirates and given as a gift to the Sultan of Turkey for his harem.

Aimee Dubucq de Rivery and her best friend and cousin Rose Tascher de la Pagerie are born on the French island of Martinique in 1763. Their story in the book begins when they are 14 and on their way to visit an African witch in order to have their fortunes told. Both are told that they will be queens.  When Aimee is 18, she sails for France to enter a convent but also to spend a month with relatives in Paris who can help her find an aristocratic husband. Rose follows her one year later to marry an aristocrat. They both believe that they are on the path to be queens until life stops working out so well for them.

With a title promising a stolen girl, I thought the girl would be stolen early in the book. Aimee isn't "stolen" until 2/3 into the story. However, this anomaly did not affect the readability of the book. The author packed her novel with interesting historical facts such as the prediction of Euphemia David. Euphemia was the African witch who told Aimee and Rose's fortune. The prediction was published in France in 1820 because Rose eventually became Empress Josephine. The latter third of the book is erotic as Aimee gives up her Catholic training to pursue riches as a concubine. Her eyes are on the clothes and the jewels and she will do anything to get them but the truth is that she really likes sex.

The story abruptly ends at awkward place. There is no denouement. The reader is supposed to automatically begin reading Part 2 of the series, The French Sultana. I felt uncomfortable with the ending and it affected my rating of the book. As far as the sexual content is concerned, if I paid attention to the publisher's warning I probably would not have purchased the book. I am not interested in reading explicit sex but it's not the author's fault that I missed the warning. However, when I am searching for books on Amazon I only look at the listed genre. Why should I have to do an Internet search to determine if the book is X rated?

4 out of 5 stars. 

Firefly

Firefly is book 1 of the Warrior Woman of the Samurai series featuring Keiko, the female samurai.  The summary from the publisher reads "There are some who believe that the honor of a samurai is reserved for men.  But they are wrong.  Keiko was born the daughter of a samurai.  But as a mere younger sister, her future was to run errands for her lovely elder sister and obey her father.  Until the day it fell to her to defend the honor of her sister and her family..."

Let me just come right out and say it. I hated this book.  I would call it porn. I bought a kindle copy of the book as it was advertised as being a historical fiction novel but it isn't.  It contains basically one trashy sex scene after another that just happens to take place in ancient Japan. While the heroine trains to become a samurai and falls in love with a ninja, every scene in between these plot actions is sexual, whether is be gay sex, paid sex, or rape and all in glorious detail for your reading displeasure.

Can I rate this -10 stars?  OK.  I will.