Review: Crimson Throne

 

Summary from publisher:

Samson Calthorpe’s curse has isolated him from everyone he has ever cared about. So, when the opportunity arises to break the curse, he grabs it. All he has to do for his freedom is risk his life and become a royal spy, using every bit of the skills and resolve he’s picked up on the streets of London to infiltrate the court of the Scottish Queen and uncover a plot to assassinate Queen Elizabeth.

For years, Alyth Graham has been protecting Mary Queen of Scots from threats both physical and magical, including the Queen’s own husband, Lord Darnley. Alyth is more than meets the eye though, the child of a fae prince and a human mother, she is among the most powerful protectors in Scotland: guardians sworn to defend against the Red Caps, a bloodthirsty fae clan . . . that Lord Darnley is in league with to overtake Scotland.

As Alyth and Samson circle each other in the volatile and glamorous Scottish court, both seek to uncover threats to their own countries. They have one unifying link: their shared hatred and suspicion of Lord Darnley…and their undeniable pull towards each other. Using secret codes, hidden messages, and a little bit of magic, Alyth and Samson unravel a plot centuries in the making. Lord Darnley is only a pawn, and in this game, the queen takes all.

My Thoughts: Be warned - this is the start of a story that ends just at the climax of the book. I'm already looking forward to the next installment because there was a twist at the end that I did NOT see coming. I really enjoyed the historical figures in this story.  I loved the setting, the wilds of Scotland. One day, I hope to travel there. I like the power struggles between Alyth and Queen Mary; they had an interesting relationship. I enjoyed the banter between Alyth and Samson. I'm curious to see where the next book will take readers.

If you haven't read this yet, it has the same vibe:

Review: Gilded Girl

 

Emma Harris is late to learning about magic. But her father drops her off at Miss Posterity's Academy for Practical Magic where she hopefully has time to catch up before the kindling ritual. Emma's father spares no expense for his father. As such, she becomes a favorite amongst the other students.

Until, an accident claims the life of her father. Now penniless, Emma's forced to work at the school. Gone are her fancy clothes and belonging. Gone is her comfortable room and days filled with lessons. Now she's a scullery maid and shares a room with Izzy.

Emma can tell that Izzy's not thrilled at having to show her the ropes. But gradually they begin to talk. Izzy lets it slip that she's not interested in having here magic eliminated because she's not from the higher society. She means to perform the kindling ritual. But, she'll need Emma's help to complete the task. Emma's not sure she wants to. However, reluctantly, they come up with a plan. And they cross their fingers that everything comes out they way they need it to...

My Thoughts: This delightful novel is The Little Princess meets magic. It's charming. I loved the bits about magic and learning about the kindling ritual with Izzy and Emma. I loved how Emma learned more about the world - but I also wanted to give her a great big hug. I really loved the house dragon, the way the house moves rooms, the library, Emma's new friend Tom and his family, and of course, the magic. This novel touches on true friendship, class and society, snobbery and bullies, and kindness. And I loved the ending - simply magical. This book soothed my heart and made me believe in goodness in the world again.

Cover Thoughts: Charming

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: Highly recommended for school and public libraries.

And I'm ever so happy there's a follow up book out next year!

Review: Magic Murder and What We Wore

Annis's father just died, leaving her with little money. She and her aunt must make their own way in society. Before she even thinks about becoming a governess, she dreams of opening up her own dress shop. But Annis has plenty of questions about her father's death.

Why was he traveling alone on such a dark night? Why was his truck headed in the opposite direction? Did his death have something to do with him being a spy? Annis needs those questions answered and she's not above going directly to the source to uncover the truth.

There's someone who doesn't want the truth to come out and he's willing to do almost anything to prevent it.

My Thoughts: It took me a while to get into the book, but then I was hooked. I loved the action and the danger. I loved the double life Annis led and of  course the problems that created. I loved the spy thoughts and how that changed over the course of the story. This historical fantasy (set in 1818) was fun - lots of action and danger plus lots of fashion and society. It's the best of both worlds. Add in a dash of magic and it's a winning combination. 

Cover Thoughts: Gets the dress right, but not the danger element
Source: Book sent for review

Top Ten Tuesday: Upcoming Historical Fiction

This week's topic is  Top Ten Historical ... - I changed mine to the top historical reads I'm looking forward to this year. Of course there are others, but for once, I stopped at just 10. I love historical books - probably because my dad is a retired high school history teacher and I grew up in a historical household. 

- meme from The Broke and the Bookish

Ice Age: 

Renaissance:

Age of Enlightenment:

Regency (one of my favorite time periods)

Victorian:

Imperial Russia:

Early 1900s

Throughout history: