Tag: biographical fiction

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Audio Books book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: Cleopatra by Natasha Solomons

Published May 8th, 2025 by Manilla Press
Historical Fiction, Biographical Fiction, Romance Novel

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

From the international bestselling author comes an unmissable new retelling of the life of one of the most captivating and misrepresented female figures in history.

Cleopatra, Egyptian Princess, grows up the favoured daughter of the Pharoah, hiding amongst the scrolls in the great library of Alexandria with her beloved slave Charmian, longing for the chance one day to write her own story.

Then when her father dies, willing that Cleopatra rule with her selfish brother Ptolemy, danger stirs. As the young Egyptian Queen sails the Nile to greet her people, he plots to destroy her and take the throne for himself.

But while Ptolemy has the power of Egypt behind him, Cleopatra has her wits. And when the great Caesar arrives from Rome, she realises he could be the key to her salvation – though courting this powerful man could cost her everything.

Can Cleopatra save her life, her throne, her beloved Egypt and finally command her own history?

A powerful, unmissable new retelling, this is a captivating story of female power and vulnerability, of love and loss, fierce friendship and terrible betrayal.

buy here

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MY REVIEW:

We’ve all heard of Cleopatra. But how much of what we know about her is true? It’s time to meet the woman behind the myth in this sensational retelling.

Egyptian Princess and the Pharaoh’s favoured daughter, Cleopatra grows up knowing one day she will rule. As a child she enjoys spending time hiding amongst the scrolls in Alexandria’s great library with her beloved slave Charmain, who had been by her side since they were infants. She vows that one day she will write her own story and be part of history. When her father dies, he wills that Cleopatra co-rule with her selfish brother, Ptolemy, so the two are married. But as the new Queen sails the Nile to greet her people, Ptolemy is plotting to take the throne for himself. The power of Egypt is behind him, but all hope is not lost. When Caesar arrives from Rome, clever Cleopatra realises he could be the key to her salvation. But he could also cost her everything. Will Cleopatra be able to save her life and her throne?

Atmospheric, immersive, enthralling and heart-poundingly tense, this is a mesmerising tale of love, loss, family, danger, betrayal and female empowerment. From the compelling opening lines I was held in Natasha Solomon’s thrall. Expertly written and meticulously researched, she brings one of the most represented women in history back to life in vivid technicolour. The time and love that has gone into this story is evident in every word and it was a joy to read. It’s a story I haven’t stopped thinking about in the months since I’ve read it, lingering long after turning that final page. 

The Cleopatra I knew before reading this book was pretty one-dimensional and her story was only told through the lens of the men in her life. When I thought of her I thought of Caesar, beauty and milk baths. But there is so much more to her and I am glad I’ve finally discovered it. She was an intelligent, fierce and complex woman who feels truly alive in this book. Natasha has breathed new life into a fabled character, showcasing her in all her splendour. I adored Natasha’s Cleopatra and feel honoured to have met her on these pages.

Phenomenal, vibrant, sensuous and transportive, this is a must-read for anyone who enjoys stories about strong women who deserve to be remembered. And don’t skip the fascinating author’s note at the end.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

Thank you Manilla Press for sending me a proof copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Natasha Solomons is the New York Times bestselling author of nine novels and her work has been translated into seventeen languages. Natasha lives in Dorset with her children. She also works as a playwright and screenwriter.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn

Published March 22nd, 2022 by Harper Collins UK
Historical Fiction, Thriller, War Story, Drama, Biographical Fiction, Spy Fiction, Holiday Ficiton

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

The brand-new historical novel based on a true story from the bestselling author of The Rose Code and The Alice Network

*Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee: Best Historical Fiction 2022*

In the snowbound city of Kiev, aspiring historian Mila Pavlichenko’s life revolves around her young son – until Hitler’s invasion of Russia changes everything. Suddenly, she and her friends must take up arms to save their country from the Fuhrer’s destruction.

Handed a rifle, Mila discovers a gift – and months of blood, sweat and tears turn the young woman into a deadly sniper: the most lethal hunter of Nazis.

Yet success is bittersweet. Mila is torn from the battlefields of the eastern front and sent to America while the war still rages. There, she finds an unexpected ally in First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, and an unexpected promise of a different future.

But when an old enemy from Mila’s past joins forces with a terrifying new foe, she finds herself in the deadliest duel of her life.

The Diamond Eye is a haunting novel of heroism born of desperation, of a mother who became a soldier, of a woman who found her place in the world and changed the course of history forever.

buy here

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MY REVIEW:

Powerful, atmospheric, immersive and intense, , The Diamond Eye is the remarkable story  of Lyudmila ‘Mila’ Pavlichenko, a Russian sniper during the Second World War who went on to become the deadliest sniper in history. It opens on  August 27th, 1942, when Mila is a Russian Envoy at the White House, before jumping back to November 1937, when she was an ordinary citizen in Kiev. Told by Mila, the Marksman, and in extracts from the diary of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, it then moves between timelines and narrators, blending fact with fiction as Kate Quinn tells the story in cinematic detail. 

Mila was a history maker and her story is one of an extraordinary life. But it didn’t start out that way. In 1937 she was 21 years old, an ordinary Russian citizen and a single mother to a five-year-old son. Vowing to be both mother and father to her son, she became an expert shooter to prove to him she could take on the male role he needed, and by the time Russia was invaded in 1941 she was an experienced marksman. Determined to defend her country, Mila joined the Red Army. And with no limits on what roles a woman can take in Russia, unlike the UK and USA, she becomes a sniper. Known to her enemies as ‘Lady Death’, Mila went on to become the deadliest female sniper in history, with 309 confirmed kills recorded. She was also the first Soviet citizen welcomed in the US when she travelled there on a goodwill tour, talking about her experiences as a female soldier and to advocate for their help opening a second front in Europe.

I loved this woman. Feisty, strong, intelligent, determined, ambitious and accomplished, she is someone I’d want on my side. She was also straightforward, with a bluntness that could sometimes come across as brusque to Americans. A staunch advocate of women’s rights, Mila was intent on demonstrating that girls can do anything boys can, demanding respect from her male peers instead of trying to impress them or being intimidated by them. She was an inspiration and a symbol of a strong woman, all whilst hiding her own heartache and trauma underneath. 

Books based on true stories are some of my favourites and I won’t forget this story of heroism, heartache, love, loss, feminism, war and self-discovery is one I won’t forget. Expertly written, meticulously researched, full of evocative imagery and richly drawn characters, Kate Quinn had me in her thrall from start to finish. And that ending! I was on tenterhooks, my heart racing, and then just when I thought it was all over…Bam! She delivers a jaw-dropping curveball that I didn’t see coming and I’m still trying to recover from. 

Action-packed, moving, suspenseful and haunting, The Diamond Eye is a breathtaking story that would be perfect on the big screen or adapted for Netflix and is a must for your TBR.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kate Quinn is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of historical fiction. A native of southern California, she attended Boston University where she earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Classical Voice. She has written four novels in the Empress of Rome Saga, and two books in the Italian Renaissance, before turning to the 20th century with “The Alice Network”, “The Huntress,” “The Rose Code,” “The Diamond Eye,” and “The Briar Club.” She is also a co-author in several collaborative novels including “The Phoenix Crown” with Janie Chang and “Ribbons of Scarlet” with Stephanie Dray, Laura Kamoie, Eliza Knight, Sophie Perinot, and Heather Webb. “The Astral Library,” releasing in 2025, is her first foray into magical realism. Kate and her husband now live in Maryland with their two rescue dogs.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: The Boleyn Traitor by Philippa Gregory

Published October 7th, 2025 by Harper Fiction
Historical Fiction, Biographical Ficiton, Political Fiction

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

She ​survives four queens. Will she fall to a tyrant?

Jane Boleyn watches from the shadows of the Tudor court. Where nothing is more powerful than a secret – or more deadly.

As the Boleyns rise, Jane rises with them. But the king’s love is a fickle thing. And when the royal gaze turns elsewhere, Jane uses the only weapon she has: her voice.

To survive in this dazzling, dangerous world she has mastered many masks: loving wife, devoted sister, and obedient spy. Now she must step out of the shadows.

She might outlive her rivals. She might know the court’s darkest secrets. But power rests on the edge of a tyrant king’s sword. Where will it fall next?

Philippa Gregory brings the Boleyn traitor into the light in an explosive story of one woman’s survival in the treacherous heart of the Tudor court.

buy the book

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MY REVIEW:

Historical storyteller extraordinaire Philippa Gregory takes on the life of Jane Boleyn, England’s most hated lady-in-waiting, in her latest epic reimagining. 

Summer, 1534. Jane is lady-in-waiting to Anne, the infamous second wife of Henry VIII. It is a tense and tumultuous time; Henry’s first wife, Catherine of Aragon, has been exiled, Henry has broken ties with the Catholic church, and Anne is pregnant for the second time, hopefully with a boy. But Jane is no newcomer to court, she’s served for many years and has learned to wear different masks to survive: wife, sister, servant, witness, liar and spy. And, as Anne’s fortunes fall, Jane’s talent for trading secrets just might be the key to her survival. But as the King becomes increasingly tyrannical, can she escape his wrath?

This is a story of family, ambition, power, tyranny and sexism that exposes the dark side of Tudor court that simmered beneath the jewels, extravagant clothes and lavish balls. Told by Jane Boleyn, this is an evocative portrayal of what life was really like at court. It was a precarious existence where your fortunes could change on the whims of the king and no one – not even his wives – were ever safe. There’s a constant sense of fear and foreboding, of trying to predict Henry’s every mood and desire. People are always trying to stay one step ahead and trade in secrets and betrayal in order to survive. It felt like a lonely existence where you can’t even trust your own spouse or family. And Jane is nothing if she isn’t a survivor. 

I’ve been a fan of Philippa Gregory ever since I first read The Other Boleyn Girl many years ago and have long been fascinated with the Tudor era, so I couldn’t wait to revisit it once again. And what a joy it was! Expertly written, meticulously researched, richly imagined and transportive, this novel is the epitome of a master at work. Ms. Gregory’s love for these characters and the time period is evident in every word and she brings history to life in such vivid detail it bursts from the pages and feels like you’re in the room with them. 

A magnificent piece of historical fiction from a legendary author, I highly recommend this book.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

Thank you to Harper Fiction for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Philippa Gregory is an internationally renowned historian and novelist. She holds a PhD in eighteenth-century literature at the University of Edinburgh and is a fellow of the Royal Historical Society and the Universities of Sussex and Cardiff, an honorary research fellow at Birkbeck University of London and she was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for her services to literature and to charity. Her novels have been adapted for stage and screen and in 2023 she published her groundbreaking history book, Normal Women – 900 Years of Making History, which was also released as a podcast, a teen edition and a series for young children.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell

Published August 30th, 2022 by Tinder Press
Historical Fiction, Biographical Ficiton

Today I’m finally sharing my review for this magnificent novel. Thank you to Tinder Press and Netgalley for sending me an eBook ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2023
A Reese’s Bookclub December Pick (2022)
An Instant Sunday Times, New York Times and Irish Times Bestseller (August 2022)
A Guardian and LitHub Book of the Year (December 2022)

‘Every bit as evocative and spellbinding as Hamnet. O’Farrell, thank God, just seems to be getting better and better’ i newspaper

‘Her narrative enchantment will wrest suspense and surprise out of a death foretold’ Financial Times

‘Ingenious, inventive, humane, wry, truthful . . . better than her last novel’ Scotsman

‘Finely written and vividly imagined’ Guardian

‘In O’Farrell’s hands, historical detail comes alive’ Spectator
Winter, 1561. Lucrezia, Duchess of Ferrara, is taken on an unexpected visit to a country villa by her husband, Alfonso. As they sit down to dinner it occurs to Lucrezia that Alfonso has a sinister purpose in bringing her here. He intends to kill her.
Lucrezia is sixteen years old, and has led a sheltered life locked away inside Florence’s grandest palazzo. Here, in this remote villa, she is entirely at the mercy of her increasingly erratic husband.

What is Lucrezia to do with this sudden knowledge? What chance does she have against Alfonso, ruler of a province, and a trained soldier? How can she ensure her survival.

The Marriage Portrait is an unforgettable reimagining of the life of a young woman whose proximity to power places her in mortal danger.

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MY REVIEW:

Italy, 1561. Lucrezia, Duchess of Ferrara, is unexpectedly taken to a remote country villa by her husband, Alfonso. As dinner is served Lucrezia begins to suspect that Alfonso has sinister intentions for bringing her here. She is sure he plans to kill her. Can this sheltered sixteen-year-old survive against her powerful, combat-trained husband?

Atmospheric, evocative, intriguing and beguiling, Maggie O’Farrell brings history to life with this mesmerising reimagining of the life of Lucrezia de’ Medici. The book opens with a historical note that Lucrezia died aged just sixteen of ‘putrid fever’, though there were rumours that her husband, Alfonso II de Este, Duke of Ferrara, had a hand in her death. The story then begins in 1561, at that meal in the remote fortress with her husband, then jumps back to her birth in 1544. It then moves between timelines, telling her story from childhood to adolescence and her ill-fated marriage to her untimely death. 

Exquisitely written and meticulously researched, this is a glorious tapestry of a novel. O’Farrell transports her reader to sixteenth-century Italy, where we are immersed in all of its opulence, art, luxury, political tension, strict social codes and expectations for women. I lost myself in its pages, savouring O’Farrell’s luscious prose. But always in the back of my mind was Lucrezia’s impending death, adding to the tension and creating a sense of dread that lingered over every page. I knew her fate, yet I couldn’t  help but hope that somehow there would be an escape, a different ending for her at the end of Ms. O’Farrell’s pen. 

Lucrezia de’ Medici is a tragic heroine, brought to life once more from the archives of history for modern readers. Lucrezia may appear to have had a charmed life since birth, with her title and upbringing in a palazzo, but there was much hardship alongside the wealth and luxury. Her conception was considered unfortunate and she was such a difficult infant that her mother removed her from the nursery and sent her to be cared for by a maid in the kitchen. There, she was placed in a laundry tub and watched over by the young daughter of the kitchen maid, her only contact with her mother being reports sent back to her mother each day. As we follow Lucrezia through her childhood sheltered in the palazzo and into adolescence, we see beyond the tragedy and it was easy to develop a fondness for this artistic, feisty and spirited girl who has always been an outsider, even in her own home. For women of Lucrezia’s era and class, their destiny was set, and she was married to Alfonso at just fifteen. But instead of a new beginning, her marriage is the beginning of the end, turning into a dark fairytale that concludes with her death less than a year later. 

Dark, alluring and suspenseful, this unforgettable novel is one that lingers long after reading. Highly recommended.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

From Maggie’s Web Page: Maggie O’Farrell, Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, is the author of HAMNET, Winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2020, and the memoir I AM, I AM, I AM, both Sunday Times no. 1 bestsellers. Her novels include AFTER YOU’D GONE, MY LOVER’S LOVER, THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US, which won a Somerset Maugham Award, THE VANISHING ACT OF ESME LENNOX, THE HAND THAT FIRST HELD MINE, which won the 2010 Costa Novel Award, INSTRUCTIONS FOR A HEATWAVE and THIS MUST BE THE PLACE., and THE MARRIAGE PORTRAIT. She is also the author of two books for children, WHERE SNOW ANGELS GO and THE BOY WHO LOST HIS SPARK. She lives in Edinburgh.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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BLOG TOUR REVIEW: Madame Matisse by Sophie Haydock

Published March 6th, 2025 by Doubleday UK
Historical Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Biographical Fiction

Today is my stop on the blog tour for this enthralling story. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part, and to Doubleday for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

This is the story of three women – one an orphan and refugee who finds a place in the studio of a famous French artist, the other a wife and mother who has stood by her husband for nearly forty years. The third is his daughter, caught in the crossfire between her mother and a father she adores.

Amelie is first drawn to Henri Matisse as a way of escaping the conventional life expected of her. A free spirit, she sees in this budding young artist a glorious future for them both. Ambitious and driven, she gives everything for her husband’s art, ploughing her own desires, her time, her money into sustaining them both, even through years of struggle and disappointment.

Lydia Delectorskaya is a young Russian emigree, who fled her homeland following the death of her mother. After a fractured childhood, she is trying to make a place for herself on France’s golden Riviera, amid the artists, film stars and dazzling elite. Eventually she finds employment with the Matisse family. From this point on, their lives are set on a collision course….

Marguerite is Matisse’s eldest daughter. When the life of her family implodes, she must find her own way to make her mark and to navigate divided loyalties.

Based on a true story, Madame Matisse is a stunning novel about drama and betrayal; emotion and sex; glamour and tragedy, all set in the hotbed of the 1930s art movement in France. In art, as in life, this a time when the rules were made to be broken…

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MY REVIEW:

Atmospheric, evocative and enthralling, Madame Matisse peels back the curtain to tell the story of the three women in the life of celebrated artist Henri Matisse: his wife, Amelie, her assistant, Lydia, and his daughter, Marguerite. Told from multiple points of view over multiple decades, truth proves stranger than fiction in this compelling story of art, glamour, love, passion and betrayal. 

The story opens in Nice, 1939. Henri’s wife, Madame Amelie Matisse, has been at his side for forty years. Now suffering from chronic pain and mostly housebound, she has employed Russian emigre Lydia Delectorskaya to assist her in her daily tasks. They had initially got along well, but recently Amelie has begun to fear that Lydia has stolen the affections of her husband and invaded her household. Desperate to regain control, Amelie issues Henri with an ultimatum: her or Lydia. Meanwhile, Henri’s daughter Marguerite is caught in the crossfires of their conflict, unsure how to help either of her parents.

First of all, can we take a moment to admire the beautiful cover, which is matched by Sophie Haydock’s beautiful storytelling. This is merged with her meticulous research and evocative imagery, bringing these historical characters to life once more. Each of the women take turns to narrate their story: first Amelie, Henri’s formidable and loyal wife, then his deviated assistant, Lydia, and finally Marguerite, the loving daughter. They are three very different women whose lives are shaped by one man. Exploring themes of identity and sexism, Haydock examines how each of the women sacrifice so much of themselves for Henri, struggling to find their place in the world other than as his wife, companion or daughter. All three women are very intelligent, but they have little opportunity to explore their own potential as they are pushed to the sidelines for Henri, making themselves smaller in order to elevate him and end up becoming part of his story instead of creating their own. Haydock finally gives them the chance to be the star of their own story and I loved learning about these fascinating women. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sophie Haydock is an author, editor and journalist (Sunday Times, Financial Times, Guardian), based in Folkestone, Kent, where she is curator of Folkestone Book Festival. Her debut, The Flames – about the women who posed for the scandalous artist Egon Schiele in Vienna a century ago – was named by the Times as one of the Best Historical Fiction Books of 2022. It was longlisted for the HWA Debut Crown Award, and the Italian translation, Le Fiamme, won the Premio Letterario Edoardo Kihlgren for debut novels. She worked for the Sunday Times Short Story Award and is associate director of the Word Factory. 

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BUY THE BOOK:

Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.

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Beat the Backlist book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2023 Squadpod Squadpod Book Club

SQUADPOD BOOK CLUB: The Maiden by Kate Foster

Published February 29th, 2024 by Mantle
Historical Fiction, Historical Thriller, Biographical Fiction, Domestic Fiction

It’s a bit late, but I’m finally sharing my review for The Maiden, which was our SquadPod Book Club choice for May. Thank you to Chloe at Mantle for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2024

‘A masterpiece’ ― Janice Hallett, bestselling author of The Appeal

‘Exceptional ― a tense, thrilling investigation, with a decidedly feminist slant‘ ― Daily Mail

Inspired by a real-life murder trial, Kate Foster’s The Maiden is a remarkable story with a feminist revisionist twist, giving a voice to women otherwise silenced by history. Winner of the Bloody Scotland Crime Debut of the Year 2023.

In the end, it did not matter what I said at my trial. No one believed me.

Edinburgh, October 1679. Lady Christian is arrested and charged with the murder of her lover, James Forrester. News of her imprisonment and subsequent trial is splashed across the broadsides, with headlines that leave little room for doubt: Adulteress. Whore. Murderess.

Only a year before, Lady Christian was newly married, leading a life of privilege and respectability. So, what led her to risk everything for an affair? And does that make her guilty of murder? She wasn’t the only woman in Forrester’s life, and certainly not the only one who might have had cause to wish him dead . . .

‘Riveting . . . the tension persists until the last page’ ― The Times

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MY REVIEW:

“I am struck by the power of it. Fury. Revenge. For look at the trouble it can wreak.” 

Whore. Adulteress. Murderess. These are the names used to describe Lady Christian after she is arrested for the brutal murder of her lover, James Forrester. These words hold weight, condemning Lady Christian to a sentence of death by beheading should she be found guilty of the crime. She protests her innocence. But there is a witness who claims to have seen her commit the crime. But can we trust the words of this other woman? A woman who may have her own motives for wishing Mr. Forrester harm. Which of them is telling the truth? And what really happened on that summer’s day under the sycamore tree?

Astonishing, alluring, bawdy and evocative, The Maiden is a mesmerising debut ablaze with tension, the threat of the eponymous guillotine hanging over every page. Exquisitely written and assuredly told, Kate Foster transports her reader to 17th Century Scotland, bringing it to life in detail so colourful and vivid that I could almost smell its putrid scent. I was in her thrall as she reimagined these real-life events, weaving them into an unputdownable tale of love, lust, scandal, and bloody murder.  

“Because, in the end, it did not matter what I said at my trial. No one believed me.”

In this telling, Foster has focused on the stories of the two remarkable women at the heart of the murder trial: Lady Christian, and Violet, a former prostitute who was working as a maid for James Forrester at the time of his murder. These very different women were more similar than they first seem. Both were strong, colourful, unusual and unforgettable characters who leaped from the pages and demanded our attention. They have been used, abused and neglected by men and are fighting for survival in a patriarchal society where they hold no power. I loved reading their stories, thankful that Foster has finally given them a voice after so many years of silence. 

Moving between timelines and perspective, the story imagines what happened to these women before that dreadful day. Snippets taken from broadsheets that talk about the heinous crime and subsequent trial appear sporadically, helping to build tension. Foster avoids the day of the murder for a large chunk of the book and even then only reveals pieces of what happened. Then, as the story begins to focus on the trial, the tension rises, building into a crescendo that culminates in a finale so shocking that it left my jaw on the floor. I loved that I could never be sure if Lady Christian was guilty, who might have killed Lord Forrester, and if the women were reliable narrators. It added to the tension and suspense, leaving me feeling like I was holding my breath the whole time I was reading. 

Bold, brave, moving, funny and surprising, The Maiden is an extraordinary debut not to be missed. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Kate Foster has been a national newspaper journalist for over twenty years. Growing up in Edinburgh, she became fascinated by its history and often uses it as inspiration for her stories. The Maiden won the Bloody Scotland Pitch Perfect 2020 prize for new writers. She lives in Edinburgh with her two children.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOKS: Mary I: Queen of Sorrows by Alison Weir

Published May 9th, 2024 by Headline
Historical Ficiton, Biographical Fiction, Historical Biographical Fiction

Welcome to my review for this compelling and riveting historical novel that I read with the SquadPod this month. Thank you to Headline for the copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘A must for Tudor fans everywhere’ Tracy Borman

‘Thrilling, captivating . . . unforgettable’ Kate Williams

‘A gripping story that’s underpinned by a wealth of research . . . this is Alison Weir at her best’ Nicola Tallis

Sunday Times bestselling novelist Alison Weir returns with the spellbinding story of Mary I.

A DESTINY REWRITTEN. A ROYAL HEART DIVIDED.

Adored only child of Henry VIII and his Queen, Katherine of Aragon, Princess Mary is raised in the golden splendour of her father’s court. But the King wants a son and heir.

With her parents’ marriage, and England, in crisis, Mary’s perfect world begins to fall apart. Exiled from the court and her beloved mother, she seeks solace in her faith, praying for her father to bring her home. But when the King does promise to restore her to favour, his love comes with a condition.

The choice Mary faces will haunt her for years to come – in her allegiances, her marriage and her own fight for the crown. Can she become the queen she was born to be?

MARY I. HER STORY.

Alison Weir’s new Tudor novel is the tale, full of drama and tragedy, of how a princess with such promise, loved by all who knew her, became the infamous Bloody Mary.

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MY REVIEW:

A DESTINY REWRITTEN. A ROYAL HEART DIVIDED.

I’m a huge history buff and have always been a fan of the Tudor era so I was very excited when the SquadPod were offered the chance to read this as one of our featured books. 

The book opens in 1525 when Mary is nine-years-old and follows her life all the way up until her death in 1588. Known infamously as ‘Bloody Mary’, Mary is a controversial figure among historians, but the last few years has seen a surge of research into her life and there has been an effort to rehabilitate her reputation. This prompted Alison Weir to revisit her past research and write a new book about one of England’s most famous queens. 

Before reading this book I thought I knew a lot about Queen Mary I and this period of history. But I soon realised there were things I didn’t know such as the close bond that she and Elizabeth shared for many years, the health issues that plagued her most of her life, or that she was the first woman to rule England. And I realised that what I did know about her was so much more complex under the surface. Most interesting for me was learning why she turned to religion so ardently. Mary’s life was not a happy one. She was embroiled in royal politics from an early age, separated from her mother at 15, declared illegitimate at 17, and made lady-in-waiting to her infant half-sister, Elizabeth, that same year. Among all of this turmoil, heartache and uncertainty, Mary found solace in her Catholic faith. She was horrified when her father broke with Rome and declared Britain a Protestant country and became increasingly zealous, even risking martyrdom to attend mass when it was illegal. But the biggest reminder of her zealousness is her religious persecution of the Protestants when she was Queen. She lives on in infamy as the monarch who sent 280 people to the stake during her short, five year reign and it earned her the nickname ‘Bloody Mary’. 

Compelling, powerful and riveting, this novel is a reminder that fact is so much more interesting than fiction. It also reminded me that one of the reasons I love history so much is that it is made up of the most spectacular and fascinating stories. Meticulously researched and expertly written, Ms. Weir brings history to life, transporting me back 600 years. I felt like I was in the room with them and could see it all vividly unfolding in front of me like I was watching it on a TV screen. Ms. Weir has been careful to write a balanced account of Mary’s life that highlights her accomplishments as well as her failures. But, for me, the good doesn’t outweigh the bad, and I didn’t find her to be a sympathetic character, even though she was fascinating, I am glad to understand her a little more. 

Mary I Queen of Sorrows is a gripping and unmissable novel that history fans won’t want to miss. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Dr Alison Weir is the biggest-selling female historian (and the fifth best-selling historian) in the United Kingdom since records began in 1997. She has published thirty-two titles and sold more than 3 million books – over a million in the UK and 2.2 million in the USA. She is now working on two concurrent series of books: the Tudor Rose trilogy of novels about Elizabeth of York, Henry VIII and Mary I, and England’s Medieval Queens, a quartet of historical works of non-fiction.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxx

Categories
book reviews

BOOK REVIEW: An Idle Woman by Wendy Parkins

Published June 14th, 2024 by Legend Press
Historical Fiction, Biographical Fiction

Welcome to my review for this powerful and moving novel. Thank you Legend Press for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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BOOK DESCRIPTION:

ONE WOMAN CLAIMS THE POWER TO TAKE CHARGE OF HER OWN DESTINY

1838, England: When eighteen-year-old Frances Dickinson impulsively marries Lieutenant John Geils, all her hopes for her future are quickly shattered as she finds there is much about her husband she did not know. A cruel and violent man, John keeps Frances in isolation on his family’s estate, while spending her fortune and preying upon their maids.

Frances yearns to break free from her marriage but the law is not on her side. Only when John’s abuse escalates can she set in motion a daring plan to secure her freedom.

A story of gaslighting, control and one woman’s fight, An Idle Woman is the true story behind one of the most sensational divorce trials of the nineteenth century.

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MY REVIEW:

Powerful, heartfelt and affecting, An Idle Woman tells the true story of one of Britain’s most sensational divorce trials. I had never heard of Frances Dickinson or this divorce trial, but as a domestic abuse survivor I felt compelled to read her story. Told in mixed media from multiple points of view, it took me a while to get into but once I’d got used to the writing style I couldn’t put it down. The addition of the historical note on marriage and divorce that the publisher enclosed with the book was fascinating, as was the author’s note at the end, and was helpful in allowing me to understand how society viewed women, marriage, and divorce at the time of this story. Wendy Parkins’ meticulous research is evident throughout the book and combines with her evocative writing to breathe life into the story and real-life people it portrays. Emotion drenches the pages and Parkin evoked such a visceral reaction from me that at times I wanted to scream at some of the characters as I witnessed the agony, manipulation and injustice that was suffered. 

Domestic abuse is not an easy subject to read about, and while this is obviously an unsettling and difficult read, it is an important one. As a fellow survivor of domestic abuse there were many times I felt like I was reading my own history on these pages. I know what it’s like to think you’re going crazy because someone is gaslighting you into believing that’s true, to walk on eggshells, and to think that if only you could be a better wife he might be a better husband. But despite all I went through, I know I was lucky. Because once I found the strength to leave my abuser I knew the law was on my side, that I could get a divorce, and that I could protect my son. Frances had none of those things available to her and I can only begin to imagine the terror and despair she must have felt, especially knowing that John would legally be entitled to their children. She was a remarkable woman and her strength, resilience and bravery were evident throughout.  The inclusion of so many of her diary entries and letters made it feel like we were really getting a glimpse of who Frances was, and it felt like she’d poured out her heart onto those pages. Frances’ story is one many of us will recognise, but what I’ve taken away from it is how she refused to lose herself, her children or her freedom and fought seemingly insurmountable odds to live a happy life. 

Captivating, moving and heartbreakingly real, this is a story that demands to be read. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

TW: Domestic abuse, gaslighting, coercive control. 

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Wendy Parkins was born in Sydney and now lives in Dunedin, New Zealand. She has held academic posts at universities in Australia, New Zealand, and the UK, where she was Professor of Victorian Literature at the University of Kent until 2018. Her memoir, Every Morning, So Far, I’m Alive, was published in 2019. An Idle Woman is her first novel.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*
*These are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxx

Categories
Audio Books book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Published March 5th, 2019 by Penguin UK
Historical Fiction, Music Biographies, Biographical Fiction, Sagas

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SYNOPSIS:
From the author of CARRIE SOTO IS BACK, THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO and the bestselling MALIBU RISING

‘I LOVE it . . . I can’t remember the last time I read a book that was so fun’ DOLLY ALDERTON

Everybody knows Daisy Jones and the Six.

Their sound defined an era. Their albums were on every turntable. They sold out arenas from coast to coast.

Then, on 12 July 1979, Daisy Jones walked barefoot onto the stage at Chicago Stadium. And it all came crashing down.

Everyone was there.

Everyone remembers it differently.

Nobody knew why they split. Until now . . .

‘The verdict: Daisy Jones steals the limelight‘ STYLIST

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MY REVIEW:

“I had absolutely no interest in being somebody else’s muse. I am not a muse. I am the somebody.” 

Daisy Jones and the Six has been on my TBR ever since it was released in March 2019. I have delayed reading it because I was worried it won’t live up to the massive hype surrounding it. But when the series was released in March, I knew it was time to finally bite the bullet and decided to listen to the audiobook after reading many reviews recommending it.

I was already a fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s writing after reading the fantastic ‘The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo’, and this book cemented my love of her work. I’ll admit, this was my second time trying to listen to this audiobook. I couldn’t get into it the first time, but I was still determined to discover what it was about this book that has garnered so many fans and so much praise. This time around, I was hooked from the start. Jenkins Reid’s masterful storytelling combined with the superb perfomances of the narrators to bring to life Daisy and her world. I was transported back to the seventies  and the heady world of this infamous band, following their journey from conception to realising their dream and then finally having it all fall apart. I lived these moments with the characters, feeling their joy, pain, heartache and triumph as they chased their dreams. It was all so well written and performed that I could almost feel the California sun beating down on me, smell the cigarette and taste the whiskey. I had to keep reminding myself that this was not a podcast about a real band, but a fictional story from the pen of a very talented author. 

“Some people, you bathe them in those lights and they disappear. But, some people, they glow.”

A story about the ugly celebrity, fame, wealth and success, Daisy Jones and the Six is narrated by an eclectic cast of characters. It is told in a series of interviews with the band and those closest to them, giving the whole thing a very authentic documentary feel. Once again Jenkins Reid showcases her talent for writing  glamorous, alluring and compelling characters who are also complex, flawed and real. She knows how to make you care about, root for them, and feel invested in every facet of their lives. Each of them are brought to life so vividly that you feel like you’re sitting in the room with them. I was completely sucked into their hedonistic world and couldn’t get enough. 
But while every character in this story has a charisma that draws you to them, it is undoubtedly Daisy Jones who shines brightest amongst this group of stars. She lights up the stage, and every room she is in. But this beautiful woman is also broken. She is damaged by indifferent parents, falls in love with the wrong men and relies upon descending into a haze of drink and drugs to get through her day. It’s a familiar but tragic story that makes Daisy feel heart-wrenchingly real. 

Glamorous, magnetic and totally riveting, I loved every moment of this wild and crazy ride. So much so that I binged the TV series straight after listening as I was not ready to say goodbye to these characters just yet. 

This is a book that lives up to the hype. If you haven’t read it then what on earth are you waiting for?! 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Taylor Jenkins Reid is the New York Times bestselling author of eight novels, including Malibu Rising, Daisy Jones & The Six, and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their daughter.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones*| Amazon* | Bookshop.org*

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxx

*These purchase links are affiliate links

Categories
Blog Tours Extract

EXTRACT: I, Julian by Claire Gilbert

Published April 13th, 2023 by Hodder & Stoughton
Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction, Biographical Fiction

For my stop on the blog tour for I, Julian I am delighted to share an exclusive extract with you all. Thank you to Rhoda Hardie PR for the invitation to take part and to Hodder & Stoughton for the gifted copy of the book.

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EXTRACT:

*This extract describes the moment when Julian, after a funeral-like service to mark her farewell to the world, is bricked up in the anchorhold attached to the cathedral where she will spend the rest of her life*

‘Stillness.
There is a quiet rustling of clothes and patter of feet as the people leave the church, then the thin cry of a baby rises, piercing the silence: is it a cry of pain or for new life or both? The cry leaves the church with the people and silence returns.

I rise and release the curtain over the squint and I turn to face my cell, my coffin, my small home.

*

I have never felt so fully alive.

*

I am not expecting this. I was expecting to feel tortured by confinement at this moment, as the portal is bricked up, the impervious walls pressing upon me like the walls of my home with Martin in the city, my breath short and shallow, and panic only just kept under control. But the panic I felt when I first kneeled has gone.
At last, at last I am alone, I am at home. My breath is deep and satisfying, like drinking delicious clean water and slaking a thirst I hardly knew I had. I stand in the vast space that feels like the cathedral, made bigger not smaller by the walls, and it is all my own. Grateful relief floods through me like a balm. At last, I can ask the world to recede, and it will. All I have to do is to close the curtain and I will be left in peace. Dona nobis pacem. So much space, just for me. And warm! A fire has been lit in the little fireplace, life in new death. I reach with careful fingertips and touch the east wall where my altar stands beneath my crucifix, towards the dawn, towards new life, towards God.
I kneel, and weep tears of joy and speak words of thanks, for the time that is granted me here, now. Time, and space, and strength, for the long, slow interior journey. I have come home.’

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SYNOPSIS:
‘So I will write in English, pressing new words from this beautiful plain language spoken by all. Not courtly French to introduce God politely. Not church Latin to construct arguments. English to show it as it is. Even though it is not safe to do so.’

From the author of Miles to Go before I Sleep comes I, Julian, the account of a medieval woman who dares to tell her own story, battling grief, plague, the church and societal expectations to do so. Compelled by the powerful visions she had when close to death, Julian finds a way to live a life of freedom – as an anchoress, bricked up in a small room on the side of a church – and to write of what she has seen. The result, passed from hand to hand, is the first book to be written by a woman in English.

Tender, luminous, meditative and powerful, Julian writes of her love for God, and God’s love for the whole of creation. ‘All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.’

‘Written with profound insight, spiritual and psychological, and a rare sensitivity to the everyday world of the fourteenth century, I, Julian is a brilliantly illuminating companion to one of the greatest works of spiritual writing in English.’ Rowan Williams, Magdalene College, Cambridge University

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Claire Gilbert grew up in London of English, Jewish, Scottish and Spanish heritage. She writes and speaks about ethics and spirituality in politics and public service, medicine, ecology and on Julian of Norwich. She is founding Director of Westminster Abbey Institute for ethics in public life. With her husband Seán she divides her time between London, Hastings and the west of Ireland.

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BUY THE BOOK:

https://linktr.ee/ijulian

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the tour.