*[Blog Tour Review] Becoming Josephine by Heather Webb

 

Summary:

 

Rose Tascher sails from her Martinique plantation to Paris to trade her Creole black magic culture for love and adventure. She arrives exultant to follow her dreams of attending Court with Alexandre, her elegant aristocrat and soldier husband. But Alexandre dashes her hopes and abandons her amid the tumult of the French Revolution.

Through her savoir faire, Rose secures her footing in high society, reveling in handsome men and glitzy balls—until the heads of her friends begin to roll.

After narrowly escaping death in the blood-drenched cells of Les Carmes prison, she reinvents herself as Josephine, a socialite of status and power. Yet her youth is fading, and Josephine must choose between a precarious independence and the love of an awkward suitor. Little does she know, he would become the most powerful man of his century- Napoleon Bonaparte.

BECOMING JOSEPHINE is a novel of one woman’s journey to find eternal love and stability, and ultimately to find herself.

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 320 pages (Paperback)

Source: Review Copy

Available Formats: Print/E-book

Publication Date: December 31st 2013 by Plume

 

When I first started this book I hadn't read more than a couple of historical novels focusing on Josephine and those were over 10 years ago when I was 13 and devouring books by the dozens so my memory was reduced to facts I remembered about her from my grade 12 World History class and as much as I've always been curious about her, I just never found a book that made me want to delve into her history even in a fictional sense until I got the invite for this tour that is.

 

Heather Webb created an amazingly real historical back drop for her novel. Even though it's a work of fiction based on fact I can honestly say that she brought the figures in her book to life in a way that really engaged me as a reader and made me want to keep reading for hours on end (which I did and I have no shame in saying that I ignored my Mister for quite a few hours while I was reading).

 

I love books that make me feel for the characters, I love when the emotions on the page jump off and I laugh when they do in the book, or when they express anger and sadness I feel it as if I were that character and that is exactly what I found and exactly what I needed when I read Becoming Josephine and for a debut author to do that really surprised me, but Heather Webb has earned a fan for life in me because of that.

 

I enjoyed the learning curve in the book. I may love history and historical fiction but whenever I read a new book in the genre I always find myself learning things about the time period and the people thanks to the authors doing what can be nothing short of amazing research and I love that about this genre. I always walk away with a new or renewed spark of interest and reading Becoming Josephine  was no exception because now I want to go out and read as much as I can about Josephine and Napoleon.

 

The book as a whole was fabulous. I loved the author's writing style. It was elegant and strong and dramatic and everything I want when I dive into a historical novel like this. I love soaking up the culture, the history and the emotions of the character and I'm glad that I chose to read this one for the tour.

 

I would recommend this to everyone but I know historical fiction buffs will appreciate it most of all. The author has a wonderful talent for bringing her words to life and creating characters (based on real people) that make you feel for them and has an exceptional ability to transport her readers to another time and place.

 

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my free and honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are 100% my own.

 

Loved It!
★★★★★

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The Secret History: A Novel of Empress Theodora by Stephanie Thornton

Summary:

Where Theodora went, trouble followed…

In sixth century Constantinople, one woman, Theodora, defied every convention and all the odds, and rose from being a common theater tart to become empress of a great kingdom, the most powerful woman the Roman Empire would ever know. But the woman whose image was later immortalized in glittering mosaic was, in fact, a scrappy, clever, conniving, flesh-and-blood woman full of sensuality and spirit whose real story is as surprising as any ever told…

When her father dies suddenly, Theodora and her sisters face starvation on the streets. Determined to survive, Theodora makes a living any way she can—first on her back with every man who will have her, then on the stage of the city’s infamous amphitheater in a scandalous dramatization of her own invention. When her daring performance grants her a back-door entry into the halls of power, she seizes the chance to win a wealthy protector—only to face heartbreak and betrayal.

Ever resilient, Theodora rises above such trials and by a twist of fate, meets her most passionate admirer yet: the Emperor’s nephew. She will thrive as his confidant and courtesan, but many challenges lie ahead. For one day, this man will hand her a crown. And all the empire will wonder—is she bold enough, shrewd enough, and strong enough to keep it?
Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com
Length: 448 pages (Paperback)
Source: Toronto Public Library
Available Formats: Print/E-book
Publication Date: July 2nd 2013 by NAL Trade


This was another one of the novels that I finally had the chance to read while I was on vacation. I've had the book on my TBR pile since January when I first saw the cover on GoodReads and I had to wait awhile to get it from the library and the waiting almost did me in but it was well worth the wait.

Stephanie Thornton created an exceptionally well written novel set in Constantinople in the 6th century. The novel centers around Theodora the lowly street urchin who rose from meager beginnings to go on to be come one of the most influential women in all of history when she became Empress.

I started The Secret History at around 10 p.m. one night and stayed up until 3 a.m. to finish it. It was written so beautifully that it sucked me into the story from the very first page. I've always been a fan of historical fiction especially those that center around strong female characters and I'm a firm believer that the quote "Well behaved women seldom make history" is true. While The Secret history is a fictionalized account of Empress Theodora's life, the amount of research the author did to write the story really showed, and she tried to be as historically accurate as much as possible but still took a creative license with it as well.

I loved how as soon as I began reading the book I felt that I was transported into the actual story. The way that Stephanie wrote the story and created such a rich historical back drop it was as though I could see the places that were being described as though I was there along with Theodora through out the entirety of the novel. For a debut author to bring a story to life as much as Stephanie did with this one I was really surprised and impressed.

I thought the way the characters in this story were just perfect. Good, bad and ugly I loved reading about all of them and I loved just how realistic they were. Their good qualities and their bad qualities as well as their personalities were really well developed, and they seemed as though I was watching living, breathing people interact.

Full of plot twists, adventure, and emotions The Secret History is a masterpiece of historical fiction. Theodora was a true underdog and I was rooting for her the whole time. Her ups and downs were triumphant and tragic. Stephanie Thornton made a fantastic debut with this novel and I can't wait to see more written by her and thanks to her I have a newfound obsession with historical fiction based on Theodora. This is definitely one of my top 10 favourite books of the year.

I would recommend The Secret History to fans of historical fiction that is equally character and plot driven as well as an immensely strong female character based on a real historical figure and one of the world's most prominent and important women.

I read this book for the following reading challenges:

 

2013 150+ Reading Challenge

2013 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

 

Loved it!
★★★★★

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I, Claudia (Claudia Seferius #1) by Marilyn Todd

 

Summary:

 

First in the Claudia Seferius mystery series, set in 13 B. C. and available for the first time in ebook format!

Claudia Seferius has successfully flattered her way into marriage with a wealthy Roman wine merchant. But when her secret gambling debts spiral, she hits on another resourceful way to make money - offering her “personal services” to high-ranking Roman Citizens.

Unfortunately her clients are now turning up dead - the victims of a sadistic serial killer.

When Marcus Cornelius Orbilio, the handsome investigating officer, starts digging deep for clues, Claudia realizes she must track down the murderer herself - before her husband discovers what she's been up to.Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 336 pages(Kindle)

Source: Review Copy

Publication Date: May 29th 2013 by Untreed Reads (first published 1995)  

 

I love a good mystery, and I love a good historical novel but I love it even more when the two come together which is why I was so excited to have the opportunity to read and review I, Claudia by Marilyn Todd. Reading books set in the ancient world is one of my favourite things to do especially when they're both witty and require a bit of brain power to read.

 

I, Claudia is the first novel in Marilyn Todd's Claudia Seferius series of historical mysteries, and am I ever glad I got the chance to read it since it was only released in E-book format this past May. Right away I was sucked into the story that Todd wrote.

 

Claudia Seferius is not your cuddly housewife, she is not soft nor kind. She's actually quite bitchy, which would usually irritate the hell out of me but in this case I loved it! It was so refreshing to read about a character who wasn't all nicey-nice. I liked her fire and how riled up she would get but I mostly loved her snarky attitude. She was conniving and plotting and I thought that those were really rare qualities to come across in a main character in a mystery novel where she herself is solving the crimes.

 

I loved the way the novel was laid out. It was fast paced, full of cynicism, wit and intrigue and I found it completely and utterly addictive. Besides our heroine Claudia we were introduced to a wide cast of characters that had both good and bad qualities and many of them along with the murderer took some time to figure out just who was who in terms of the series of murders that Claudia and Marcus Orbilio are trying together (very reluctantly I might add).

 

The dynamic between Claudia and Marcus was intriguing, as Claudia is a married woman and Orbilio an officer of the law and he isn't entirely too sure about Claudia's claims of innocence or about who she says she is. Whilst Claudia isn't so sure that the crimes are the real motivation behind Orbilio's interest in her, but boy oh boy is there chemistry.

 

I loved the way that Todd infused the perfect amount of mystery, and intrigue into her novel while balancing it with a historical atmosphere that I thought was both rich and authentic. Finding out who the murder was in the end really caught me off guard because I didn't see it coming at all, and I loved that Todd kept me guessing right up until the very end.

 

Overall, I found I, Claudia to be a really great read and I'm most definitely looking forward to reading the other books in the Claudia Seferius mystery series in the near future depending on whether or not I can get my hands on them.

 

I would recommend I, Claudia to fans of historical mysteries with a strong female lead who isn't your average heroine, set in a time and place that is unique and well written and for those who enjoy reading mysteries that will keep them guessing the identity of the murderer right up until the very end.

 

 

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my free and honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are 100% my own.

 

I read this book for the following reading challenges:

 

2013 150+ Reading Challenge

2013 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

 

Loved It!
★★★★★

 

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*[Blog Tour Review] Astor Place Vintage by Stephanie Lehmann

 

 

Summary:

 

When a vintage clothing store owner in New York City discovers a journal from 1907, she finds her destiny at stake as the past and present collide. The past has a seductive allure to Amanda Rosenbloom, especially when it comes to vintage clothing. She’s devoted to running her shop, Astor Place Vintage, but with Manhattan’s rising rents and a troubled economy, it’s tough to keep the business alive. Meanwhile, she can’t bring herself to end an affair with a man who really should be history. When Amanda finds a journal sewn into a fur muff she’s recently acquired for the shop, she’s happy to escape into the world of Olive Westcott, a young lady who lived in New York City one hundred years ago.

As Amanda becomes immersed in the journal, she learns the future appeals to Olive. Olive looks forward to a time when repressive Victorian ideas have been replaced by more modern ways of thinking. But the financial panic of 1907 thrusts her from a stable, comfortable life into an uncertain and insecure existence. She’s resourceful and soon finds employment, but as she’s drawn into the social circle of shopgirls living on the edge of poverty, Olive is tempted to take risks that could bring her to ruin. Reading Olive’s woes, Amanda discovers a secret that could save her future and keep her from dwelling in the past.

It’s Olive, however, who ends up helping Amanda, through revelations that come in the final entries of the journal. As the lives of these two women merge, Amanda is inspired to stop living in the past and take control of her future.

Summary & cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 416 pages (Paperback)

Source: Review Copy

Available Formats: Print/E-book

Publication Date: June 11th 2013 by Touchstone

 

Astor Place Vintage was one of those books that kind of snuck up on me when I read it. I love novels like this one told in alternating points of view but sadly I haven't read that many novels with a historical back drop featuring writing like that. Astor Place Vintage really showcased how applying that writing style can be used to create a wonderfully complex and heartfelt novel full of detail and  character.

 

When I was reading Astor Place Vintage I was immediately struck by how much detail and research went into writing the novel. There was a real richness to the writing and I could tell that the author really put a lot of love, effort and imagination into getting the setting of 1907 and I really felt like Stephanie Lehmann really brought the story of Olive and Amanda to life.

 

The novel focuses on two very different yet very similar women, Amanda and Olive both from New York and both incredibly well created. I loved the realism that the author used in creating them and how original both characters were. I can't even begin to chose which character I loved the most so I'm really going to have to say I loved and related to both of them equally.

 

The plot of the novel was really interesting to me. I don't know much about New York at the turn of the 1900's so this one gave me a nice insight into that time period and makes me want to read more about the era so I really have to commend Stephenie Lehmann for sparking my interest. I liked the way Amanda grew as a character through her reading of Olive's Journal and how a woman from a different time was able to change her in so many ways.

 

Overall, Astor Place Vintage has made it on to my favourite books of 2013 and all time. With engaging characters and two stories of love, loss, triumph and personal growth I loved both of the characters so much and found myself laughing, crying and feeling a whirlwind of other emotions while I read the novel. With a fast pace, beautiful writing and a unique way of telling her story I think I can safely say that Stephanie Lehmann has gained a new die hard fan.

 

Astor Place Vintage is a novel I would recommend to all fans of historical fiction, especially those readers who enjoy historical fiction that has splint points of view between two different characters and two different eras. This book is one of those books that'll sweep you off your feet and remind you that we can all be inspired by those who have come before us if we just take a chance.

 

 

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my free and honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are 100% my own.

 

I read this book for the following reading challenges:

 

2013 150+ Reading Challenge

2013 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

 

Really It!
★★★★

 

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To visit Astor Place Vintage's  Website CLICK HERE

To purchase the book via Chapters Indigo CLICK HERE

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To purchase the book via The Book Depository CLICK HERE

To purchase the book via Barnes & Noble CLICK HERE

 

 

Author Bio:

 

 

 

Stephanie Lehmann received her B.A. at U.C. Berkeley and an M.A. In English from New York University. She has taught novel writing at Mediabistro and online at Salon.com, where her essays have been published. Like Olive and Amanda, she lives in New York City.

 

*[Blog Tour Review] The Immortal American (The Immortal American Series, #1) by L.B. Joramo

 

Summary:

 

As black clouds gather for America in 1775 Violet Buccleuch transforms from simple colonial farmer to become the Immortal American.
While Boston roars with protests, Violet Buccleuch fights to survive. The lone provider for her mother and sister, Violet knows that soon enough she must surrender to the only option a woman of 1775 has: marriage.

For two years she's delayed a wedding to Mathew Adams, her fiancé. He’s loved her since they were children, and Violet knows he will be a good husband. But he’s gone and committed the most dangerous mistake a man can make: He’s introduced her to his friend, Jacque Beaumont, a Frenchman and a spy, a dark, dangerous man Violet can’t stop herself from wanting.

Then Violet’s life is shattered--brutality, death, and the threat of debtor’s prison surround her. Both Jacque and Mathew come to her aid--one man rescues her farm, the other rescues her heart. As the Battle of Concord rages at her door, Violet is entangled between her loyalty to Mathew, even as she's drawn further into Jacque's shadowy, mysterious world – perhaps a world from which there's no return.

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 304 pages (Paperback)

Source: Review Copy

Available Formats: Print/E-book

Publication Date: April 1st 2013 by Sunshine Boys

 

The Immortal American is the first novel I've read set during the Revolutionary War which is an era that I'm not all that familiar with seeing as I'm Canadian and I know the bare minimum about the time period and when I say bare minimum I think I know all of 5 facts about it. That being said it's no surprise that I went into reading this one with an air of enthusiasm wanting to learn about a time and place I know next to nothing about.

 

The Immoral American was a strong debut by author L.B. Joramo and one that I'm very glad to have signed up to read for the blog tour. Joramo took me back in time with her writing and let me experience a different era alongside her strong, intelligent main character Violet who is dealt more than one cruel twist of fate. Violet wasn't afraid to stand up for herself and prove that she's just as spirited as any wild animal and I absolutely loved that about her she was so realistic it was as though I could actually see her next to me while the story was going on.

 

Apart from Violet, the other characters were equally as well developed and interesting. We all know that North America in 1775 was no picnic and both the land and the people were rougher and the author showed that people had a lot more to lose back in those times and that added to the whole atmosphere of the novel one thing that I really noticed was how easy the dialogue flowed when the characters were talking to each other as it can be hard to make characters "sound" a certain way to fit the time period.

 

The plot was engaging and enthralling. The fast paced nature of the novel suited the story well. It was neither too fast nor too slow but just the speed I enjoy my novels to be. It kept me on my toes because I didn't really know where the author was going with it which was great for me since predictability in historical fiction is a big no no for me. I was also surprised by the fact that I did not mind the love triangle that features prominently in the story as much as I usually would.

 

Overall, I very much enjoyed this novel from debut author L.B. Joramo. The fact that she was able to whisk me away to another place, connect so well with not just the characters but their own stories and the main plot line overall.

 

I would recommend The Immortal American to fans of historical fiction set in the 1700s. Theirs romance, a wee bit of mystery and if you're looking for a novel to read that is both plot and character driven I highly suggest giving this first book in The Immortal Americans series a try and I am anxiously awaiting book two in the series.

 

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my free and honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are 100% my own.

Really Liked It!
★★★★

 

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Author Bio:

 

I live in the Big Sky state, where I write, research, and love watching my son grow. I do live a bit of a fairy tale right now. Even with all the stress of deadlines, I live in a home where birds serenade me every day, my son amazes me with his humor, and I am doing exactly what I want—writing.

 

 

*[Blog Tour Review] Cascade by Maryanne O'Hara

 

Summary:

 

A novel of art and desire in the 1930s

It’s 1935, and Desdemona Hart Spaulding has sacrificed her plans to work as an artist in New York to care for her bankrupt, ailing father in Cascade, Massachusetts. When he dies, Dez finds herself caught in a marriage of convenience, bound to the promise she made to save her father’s Shakespeare Theater, even as her town may be flooded to create a reservoir for Boston. When she falls for artist Jacob Solomon, she sees a chance to escape and realize her New York ambitions, but is it morally possible to set herself free?

Fans of Richard Russo, Amor Towles, Sebastian Barry, and Paula McLain will become engrossed in this transporting novel about the eternal tug between our duties and our desires, set during in New York City and New England during the Depression and New Deal eras.

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 384 pages (Paperback)

Source: Review Copy

Available Formats: Print/E- book/Audio

Publication Date: April 30th 2013 by Penguin Books (first published August 16th 2012)            

 

 

When I first got the tour invited for Cascade by Maryanne O'Hara I was so excited to finally be reading the novel as it had been on my TBR shelf since June of last year when I was perusing Goodreads and came across the stunning cover of this book that had an equally alluring summary.

 

While I'm a lover of historical fiction I don't read books set after 1900 very often since I don't find them historical enough for me to enjoy but there was something about Cascade that really caught my eye and made me want to give the book, and the era it was set in a chance, one that I'm glad I gave it since it turned out to be better than I could have hoped for.

 

Desdemona's story really struck a chord with me. Her struggle with learning and striving to be the woman she wants to be yet stuck in a loveless marriage with a good, honest but passionless man Asa Spaulding. Her struggle with the towns people of Cascade, dealing with her father's death and legacy as well as her feelings for Jacob Solomon. I loved how this was such an amazingly emotional and realistic struggle of searching for one's sense of self and the consequence one has to deal with because of the choices we make.

 

The plot enthralling, there's no other word to describe it. Maryanne O'Hara did an excellent job making the words leap off the page and whisk me away to Cascade in the 1930's. I loved the atmosphere of the story and thought that the pacing of the novel was just right. It was neither too fast or too slow and it flowed seamlessly from one scene to the next for the most part. For me my only real issue with the book was that I thought it wrapped up a little to quickly for me and would have liked to see it build up a wee bit more but that's perhaps just me.

 

I thought that Maryanne O'Hara's character development was very good. My favourite was Desdemona, she could be a little self centered and high strung but I really enjoyed reading her story. The other characters like Asa and Jacob were interesting and I liked seeing their dynamics with Desdemona play out but the most enjoyable thing about them was that they were all very realistic and I thought that added a lot to the over all story.

 

Overall, I found Cascade by Maryanne O'Hara to be even better than I had hoped it would be. The plot was compelling and made me read into the wee hours of the early morning and had me totally invested in the characters and I can't wait to see what the author comes out with next because I'll be buying it as soon as it hits the shelves.

 

I would highly recommend this novel to fans of historical fiction set in the 1930's who enjoy character driven plots as well as novels that deal with personal growth and hard choices.

 

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my free and honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are 100% my own.

 

I read this book for the following reading challenges:

 

2013 150+ Reading Challenge

2013 Historical Reading Challenge

Loved It!
★★★★1/2

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Author Bio:

 

 

Maryanne O’Hara was the longtime associate fiction editor at the award-winning literary journal Ploughshares. She received her MFA from Emerson College fifteen years ago, and wrote short fiction that was widely published before committing to the long form. She lives on a river near Boston.

 

 

The Perfume Garden by Kate Lord Brown

 

Summary:

 

The Perfume Garden combines the gripping storytelling of Kate Morton with the evocative settings of Victoria Hislop to tell this sumptuous story of lost love and family secrets set between modern day Valencia and the Spanish Civil War. High in the hills of Valencia, a forgotten house guards its secrets. Untouched since Franco's forces tore through Spain in 1936, the whitewashed walls have crumbled, the garden, laden with orange blossom, grown wild. Emma Temple is the first to unlock its doors in seventy years. Guided by a series of letters and a key bequeathed in her mother's will, she has left her job as London's leading perfumier to restore this dilapidated villa to its former glory. It is the perfect retreat: a wilderness redolent with strange and exotic scents, heavy with the colours and sounds of a foreign time. But for her grandmother, Freya, a British nurse who stayed here during Spain's devastating civil war, Emma's new home evokes terrible memories. As the house begins to give up its secrets, Emma is drawn deeper into Freya's story: one of crushed idealism, lost love, and families ripped apart by war. She soon realises it is one thing letting go of the past, but another when it won't let go of you.

‘Brown’s pacing is exquisite, revealing each twist slowly and deliberately, leaving you gripped to the end.'
We Love This Book (The Bookseller)
‘If I could have given this book 11/10 I would have done so.’ Novelicious
‘Sweepingly romantic … heartbreaking at times; a vivid, gripping read’
Katherine Webb, author of The Legacy

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 479 pages (Paperback)

Source: Review Copy

Available Formats: Print

Publication Date: June 1st 2012 by Atlantic

 

The Perfume Garden was first read by Kate Lord Bron and it was the first novel I've read set (in part) during the Spanish Civil War which I absolutely loved reading about. I haven't seen many historical fiction novels set in that time period so now that my interest is piqued I'm looking forward to reading more books like this one.

 

I enjoyed how this novel was told using two different story lines. I know that using this method is more complex and harder for authors to pull together and make cohesive yet still have some relative independence from each other but I really think the author did a bang up job bringing it all together and the way the chapters alternated was great.

 

The characters were interesting but I really loved Emma's character the best. She had so much going on emotionally in the book that it was so hard not to feel for her but I was glad to see her come into her own so I could see her grow as a character and finally learn how to set herself free and I felt while the other characters were well developed she was my favourite from the beginning.

 

The plot was very well paced and I liked the perfume element to the story played out. As a lover of perfumes myself I enjoyed learning a little bit about them and I enjoyed Emma's love for them and the story made me want to go out and visit Spain and get lost in the beauty of the country.

 

Overall, I thought that The Perfume Garden was an excellent read and I'm glad I was able to escape to a place I haven't read many books set in during a time period that I'm not all that familiar with. There were so many emotions captured in the book it was like an emotional roller coaster through time and it's one that I will be reading over and over again and I can't wait to read more by Kate Lord Brown.

 

I highly recommend The Perfume Garden to fans of historical fiction, novels that are told in alternating points of view and time periods as well as those interested in reading a book set in Spain during the Spanish Civil War that will break your heart and make you smile.

 

About the Author

Kate grew up in the wild and beautiful Devon countryside. After studying philosophy at Durham University and art history at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London, she worked as an international art consultant, curating collections for embassies and palaces in Europe and the Middle East. She is married to a pilot, and lives with her family in Qatar. Her debut novel ‘The Beauty Chorus’ was inspired by the many hours she spent on airfields in the UK, and the experiences of pilots in her family during WW2. Her second novel about the Spanish Civil War, ‘The Perfume Garden’, draws upon the years she lived in Spain, and will be published in paperback in April 2013 by Atlantic.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my free and honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are 100% my own.

 

Loved it!
★★★★★

 

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