Book Reviews
I'm lucky enough to contribute reviews to The Historical Novel Society's quarterly magazine, Historical Novels Review, as well as the HNR Online website. Each quarter's reviews are archived below. If you dig historical fiction, give the HNS a look — it's a great resource and a nice bunch of people.
I love talking about what I read — you can find my non-HNS reviews at my Goodreads page and in my LJ under the "my reviews" tag. I have a hodgepodge of tastes, a laid-back style, and a distinct lack of snobbery (and sometimes grammar). If you think I'd make a good match for your book, give me a shout.
HNS Review Archive
[February 2012]
• Getorix: Games of the Underworld by Judith Geary [YA Ancient Rome]
• The House at Tyneford by Natasha Solomons [WWII romantic]
• Secrets of the Wolves by Dorothy Hearst [prehistoric mythical]
November 2011
• April Queen: Eleanor of Aquitaine by Douglas Boyd [nonfiction biography]
• The Young Victoria by Alison Plowden [nonfiction biography]
August 2011
• An Embarrassment of Riches by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro [medieval gothic]
• The Way by Kristen Wolf [historical fantasy]
May 2011
• Ambrosius Aureliani by Leon Mintz [Arthurian cycle]
• London's Sinful Secret by Dan Cruickshank [nonfiction]
• Oscar Wilde and the Vampire Murders by Gyles Brandreth [Victorian mystery]
• Seduced by Destiny by Kira Morgan [medieval romance]
• Tom Fleck by Harry Nicholson [Tudor-era adventure]
February 2011
• The Prow Beast by Robert Low [Viking adventure]
• The Queen of Last Hopes by Susan Higginbotham [medieval biofiction]
November 2010
• The Raven and the Wolf by Christopher Spellman [Viking adventure]
• Wolf's Cross by S.A. Swann [medieval dark fantasy]
August 2010
• Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith [fantasy/horror]
• Attila: The Gathering of the Storm by William Napier [5th c. biofiction]
May 2010
• The Edge of Ruin by Irene Fleming [early 20th c. mystery]
• Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women by Harriet Reisin [nonfiction]
• No Will But His by Sarah A. Hoyt [Tudor biofiction]
• Seduced by a Rogue by Amanda Scott [medieval romance]
February 2010
• Daughter of Kura by Debra Austin [prehistoric adventure]
• Wolf Breed by S.A. Swann [medieval dark fantasy]
November 2009
• Hugh and Bess by Susan Higginbotham [medieval biofiction]
• The Myth of Bloody Mary by Linda Porter [nonfiction biography]
• The Secret Wife of Louis XIV by Veronica Buckley [nonfiction biography]
• This Time: A Novel of Richard III by Joan Szechtman [time-slip fantasy]
May 2009
• The Conqueror by Georgette Heyer [medieval biofiction]
• The Traitor's Wife by Susan Higginbotham [medieval biofiction]
• The Wild Knight by Geoffrey Humphrys [Tudor-era biofiction]
• Those Who Dream by Day by Linda & Gary Cargill [WWI adventure]
February 2009
• The Butcher's Cleaver by W. Patrick Lang [American Civil War]
• Germania by Brendan McNally [World War II literary fiction]
• Mistress of the Monarchy by Alison Weir [nonfiction biography]
• Scarlet by Stephen Lawhead [Robin Hood mythic adventure]
• The Treasure by Iris Johansen [medieval adventure/romance]
November 2008
• The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran [ancient Egyptian biofiction]
• The King's Pleasure by Norah Lofts [Tudor biofiction]
• The Queen's Tale by D.J. Birmingham [Irish historical fantasy]
August 2008
• Captain's Surrender by Alex Beecroft [Age-of-Sail gay romance]
• Class 1902 by Ernst Glaeser [autobiographical novel]
• Relief by L.E. Butler [lesbian romantic fiction]
• Shadow of Colossus by T.L. Higley [ancient inspirational adventure]
May 2008
• Song of the North by Jules Watson [Romano-British fantasy/adventure]
• Voyage of the Short Serpent by Bernard du Boucheron [literary fiction]
February 2008
• The Confession of Piers Gaveston by Brandy Purdy [biofiction/romance]
• Frankenstein's Bride by Hilary Bailey [gothic suspense]
• Najila by C.J. Illinik [Byzantine inspirational fiction]
• Ti Marie by Valerie Belgrave [colonial Caribbean romance]
• Tutankhamun's Armies: Battle and Conquest During Ancient Egypt's Late 18th Dynasty by John Coleman Darnell & Colleen Manassa [nonfiction]
• Warrior's Bride by Gerri Russell [medieval romance]
November 2007
• Bride for a Knight by Sue-Ellen Welfonder [medieval romance]
• Cappawhite by Gerald R. Tate [20th c. supernatural horror]