The Rossetti Letter - Christi Phillips

An easy read that is reminiscent of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code, an adventure in the modern day solving a historical mystery. The writing is pretty good, and both story lines (Past and Present) work well together, no part to long no part to short. I would recommend this to anyone who liked the Da Vinci Code and is looking for a light read.

Wolf Hall - Hilary Mantel

This novel is a fantastic look at history if you like that sort of thing. It has great depictions of historical figures, whom I have heard about but never thoroughly researched, giving them personalities that are very memorable. I also enjoyed the descriptions of art and architecture and all that went into acquiring the raw materials that made these beautiful paintings and buildings which we can still see today. Much research went into the writing of this novel; that said it can get a bit bogged down in details and a bit repetitive, it is a long read but I do not regret my time spent with it.

The White Princess - Phillipa Gregory

one sentence summary:
Elizabeth of York must marry the King of England but can she ever love him??

review:
I am a real sucker for historical novels based mostly on fact with nicely added flourishes and this fits that bill. I have read the other novels in this series and this does not let me down, beautiful descriptions of clothing, an intricate understanding of "position" in the royal court and so many historical details it had me running to google to see who actually married whom and what alliances lasted etc. This is a great read for anyone who enjoys romance and historical fiction.

9/10

The Poet Prince - Kathleen McGowan

one sentence summary:
the third book in a series that follows the bloodline of Jesus to today's world with a paranormal twist.

review:
Not as good as the first book in the trilogy but better than the second. The story was a bit slow and in my opinion the best part is the historical flashes. I enjoyed the whole story, but found the parts from the perspective of the female lead to be a bit dry and frustrating because there was romantic turmoil and her character did not handle it the way her character (from the prior books) would have. I found it very frustrating how much the character changes without any actual character development.

8/10

The Last Wife Of Henry XIII - Carolly Erickson

one sentence summary:
Catherine Parr is the last wife of Henry VIII

review:
this may not be the most historically accurate novel ever but it is historical fiction so don't go into it expecting too much fact. It is a great story full of intrigue that will draw you in and not let you go, you will walk away from this wanting to know more about Catherine Parr and her family (only to Google her and find out a large portion of the book was totally made up). The romance is steamy and the antagonists easy to hate, all in all it is a well written historical romance.

6/10

The Delaney Christmas Carol - Kay Hooper, Iris Johansen and Fayrene Preston

one sentence summary:
many generations of the Delaney family have looked into the magic mirror and seen a glimpse of the future, these are three of those stories.

Review:
none of these stories were particularly well conceived or well written. Iris Johansen's was the best in my opinion and the other two weren't much worse. All three felt rushed and without strong plots. The Delaney family, however, does seem like a family worth writing about and I will probably seek out more of their stories.

4/10

Girl with a Pearl Earring - Tracy Chevalier

one sentence summary:
A sixteen year old servant is painted by her master.

review:
A very successful delve into the historical era of the Dutch Painters. Full of detail and personality I really enjoyed this novel, it is well written and highly entertaining. A really good glimpse into seventeenth century, the story doesn't really have an arch to it, but it is a good read none the less. It is a solid story. A lot of research went into the writing of it, and the prose flow beautifully. I recommend it to anyone who thinks they might enjoy a bit of historical reading.

8/10

The Outlander Series - Diana Gabaldon

Disclaimer: I have only read book one and two and three in this series and I LOVE IT... so far

One Sentence Summary:

A WWII nurse gets sent back in time and falls in love.

10/10
10/10

Outlander (Outlander #1)

One Sentence Summary:
While on her second honeymoon in 1945 ex-combat-nurse Claire is transported back in time to 1747.

Review:
I loved this book. LOVED I say! It depicts both 1945 and 1747 very well, historically accurate and the characters attitudes fit with the eras perfectly. I loved all of the historical detail, and the use of prose. Gabaldon did an amazing job of research and got everything right. She made the characters feel very authentic from every time period and even more impressively had no noticeable flaws in the reaction of the WWII nurse to all of the people of 1747. She is officially one of my favourite epic authors.

10/10
10/10

Notable Quotes:

“I can bear pain myself, he said softly, but I couldna bear yours. That would take more strength than I have.”

“My father liked me, when I wasna being an idiot. And he loved me, too -- enough to beat the daylights out of me when I was being an idiot."

“For where all love is, the speaking is unnecessary”

"It's as though knowing that everything is possible, suddenly nothing is necessary.”

“Overall, the library held a hushed exultation, as though the cherished volumes were all singing soundlessly within their covers.”

“Ma chère, I serve a man who multiplied the loaves and fishes”—he smiled, nodding at the pool, where the swirls of the carps’ feeding were still subsiding—“who healed the sick and raised the dead. Shall I be astonished that the master of eternity has brought a young woman through the stones of the earth to do His will?” Well, I reflected, it was better than being denounced as the whore of Babylon.”
Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander #2)

one sentence summary:
Claire has returned to her own time and twenty years has passed, she has a 19 year old daughter and in this novel tells her the story of her adventures with Jamie.

Review:
Another home run for Gabaldon, the details, the language, the characters - all wonderful! Once you get over the wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stuff it is a brilliant continuation of the original story. The way Gabaldon frames the past with Claire's current time line is a stroke of genius  and the way she brings in characters from the past to line up with their modern day counterparts is another ace in the hole.
8/10
8/10

Memorable quotes:

"I stood still, vision blurring, and in that moment, I heard my heart break. It was a small, clean sound, like the snapping of a flower's stem."

"For if you feel for me as i do for you - then I am asking you to tear out your heart and live without it."

"Torn between the impulse to stroke his head, and the urge to cave it in with a rock, I did neither."

"Could it be possible that he really did have enough imagination to be able to grasp the truth?"
Voyager (Outlander #3)

One Sentence Summary:
Clare goes back in time and finds Jamie, they journey to the New World on an adventure and run into old "friends" there.

Review:
I loved this one more than Dragonfly. Gabaldon brings back characters that we haven't seen since the first novel and does it in a really believable way. I really enjoyed the descriptions of the New World and am very much looking forward to reading the next in this series. I did wish that there was at least a bit about what is going on in the 1968 reality.
8/10
10/10

Memorable Quotes:

"I shook so that it was some time before I realized that he was shaking too, and for the same reason. I don't know how long we sat there on the dusty floor, crying in each others arms with the longing of twenty years spilling down our faces."

"He was dead. However, his nose throbbed painfully, which he thought odd in the circumstances."
Drums of Autumn (Outlander #4)

Keeping up with her own high standards Gabaldon does an amazing job with this fourth instalment. I was blown away with the story of Roger and Brienna. This is by far the best book in the series. I love it when series get better as they keep going along. I hope Gabaldon keeps telling us these stories and keeps them as exciting as they have been!   Also I love young Ian and Rollo.
10/10

The Fiery Cross (Outlander #5)

Another hit for Gabaldon. Another page turner. I am a fan of the series now and I can see how this book would cause fans to be lost as it is not as fast as the prior four. I, however, loved it for the detail and further back story it gave to all of the characters.
6/10

A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander #6)

Have not read yet. 

An Echo in the Bone (Outlander #7)
Have not read yet. 

Written In My Own Heart's Blood (Outlander #8)

Have not read yet. 

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