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[[Category:Historical Fiction|*]]
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|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary=Alice Ware Gracetown, Florida. June 1950. After a scuffle with a white boy, twelve year-old Robbie Stephens Jr is finally returning home sentenced to Yorkshiresix months at the Gracetown School for Boys, after an extended stay otherwise known as the Reformatory. It's a place with friends in Francea brutal and dark reputation. Much has changed since she leftBut the segregated reformatory is a chamber of horrors, but haunted by the most exciting development has been boys that have died there. In order to survive the school governor and his Funhouse, Robert must enlist the arrival help of the school's ghosts – only they have their own motivations...|isbn=1803366532}} {{Frontpage|author=Katherine Howe|title=A True Account|rating=4.5|genre=General Fiction|summary=Hannah Masury is living in Boston, having been sent to live with a family who run an elegant new neighbourinn, Emma Cheevey, who has inherited the estate next and being made to their homework there from a young age. Alice When she hears there is particularly thrilled by to be a hanging of some pirates in the arrival of Emmatown, she decides to go and watch. Enthralled and horrified in equal measure, Hannah finds herself embroiled in a young boy's handsome soldier sons: death at the serious but self confident Steven hands of two vicious pirates. She hides away, so that they don't find and his gentlekill her too, and then to escape them completely she runs away to sea, easygoing younger brother Matthewdressing as a boy and joining the notorious Ned Low's pirate ship as a cabin boy. Both men She soon finds herself in the thick of things when there is a mutiny on board, and from there we are keen to win caught up in her heart, but which one holds rip roaring tale of life on the key to her future?ocean waves.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0349407320</amazonuk>0861547438
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Anne O'BrienSarah Marsh|title=The Queen's ChoiceA Sign of Her Own|rating=43.5|genre=Historical General Fiction|summary=Joanna After a bout of scarlet fever as a child, Ellen Lark loses her hearing. Suddenly plunged into a world of silence, everything about her life changes. Living in a time when the use of Navarre may be married sign language was seen as something only savages do, Ellen is sent to John IVth Duke of Britany but a school where she has views of her own and isn't afraid is taught to voice themlip read, even to Charles the French Kingbut physically restrained from signing. When From here, she defends exiled English noble Henry Bolingbroke at ends up in another school studying under Alexander Graham Bell who has been teaching the French court she does so as deaf and using a friend not realising what the future holdssystem called Visible Speech. For Bolingbroke At the same time, Bell is the future Henry IV working on other inventions and fate will decree that Joanna will become his queenideas, roles that will take their toll on both and Ellen finds herself unwittingly caught up in a complicated tangle of them as a couple and individualsespionage.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1848454074</amazonuk>1035401614
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Ian RossClaire North|title=Battle For Rome (Twilight House of Empire)Odysseus
|rating=5
|genre=Historical Literary Fiction|summary=''Be warned - spoilers ahead for the first two books…''Aurelius Castus, tribune in Emperor Constantine's army is preparing for the battle everyone (including us) has been waiting for: the fight against Maxentius, Tyrant of Rome. Meanwhile Castus' marriage to the aristocratic Sabina has borne him a beloved son but coldness lurks between man and wife where there was hot passion. Castus' suspicions are further fed by his wifeWhat could matter more than love?'s name being on the lips of a dying officer; truth or pre-death ramblings? Meanwhile Sabina has bought a new slave and Castus swears he's seen her somewhere before…|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1784081205</amazonuk>}}
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{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Mary GibsonB0C7J9D21B|title=Gunner Girls and Fighter BoysA Captive in Algiers (Muhammed Amalfi Mysteries)|author=A J Lewis
|rating=4.5
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary=When we first meet our hero, his name is Ettore and he lives at The House of Beautiful Swallows. Idyllic as this might sound, it''Gunner Girls s a bordello and Fighter BoysEttore's mother died when he was born. He' is the latest book s not been short of mothers, though - but for someone of his background in Mary Gibsonlate-eighteenth-century Amalfi, it's Bermondsey seriesdifficult to obtain decent employment. This time, The stint working with the Lloyd family take centre stage: Mum, Dad, son Jack preparation of anchovies didn't work out and daughters May and Peggybastards are considered bad luck on fishing boats. War is raging in Europe and Bermondsey is Ettore was nothing if not immune from daily onslaught of bombs. A tragic event one night changes everything resourceful - and home-bird May decides to fly the nest in order to participate in the war effort. The war will leave nodetermined -one unscathed; the strongest hearts can be paralysed by fear and the unlikeliest of people can emerge it was not long before he had a successful business as heroesa guide for visitors. He was even saving some money.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>178185596X</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Frances BrodyEssie Fox|title=Sisters on Bread StreetThe Fascination
|rating=4
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary=Julia and Margaret are The Victorian era is incredibly over-romanticised as a setting for historical fiction (matched only, perhaps, by the Wood sisters, struggling Second World War) which has often led to hoist themselves out of more than a few writers mishandling it. There's such a life glut of poverty media set in Leeds just before the outbreak era that the hallmarks we've come to associate with it are familiar to the point of the first world warbeing cliched, hackneyed even. Well, Julia All this is struggling. Margaret sees her way out as being through marriage simply to illustrate that it would be an easy thing to a rich suffragette's son, Thomasdo poorly. She's an apprentice milliner and beautifulBut despite that, but both sisters have a disadvantage something about it still grabs me – and itsomething about this book's one which grows bigger description did as war approaches: their father is Germanwell.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0349410704</amazonuk>1914585526
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Antonia SeniorNicole Jarvis|title=The Winter IslesA Portrait in Shadow|rating=4.5
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary=Scotland 1122: A son is born ''I want all of Florence to a warlord on the Scottish Islands. The warlord GilleBrideknow my name'' Cast out from Rome, is Artemisia Gentileschi arrives in Florence seeking an oasis in which her art can find a man who doesn't realise his glory is recedinghome and where her future can thrive rather than stagnate. One day But as some as she enters Florentine society she faces great opposition from the realisation does hit himpowerful Accademia, along with a Viking raid. In the heat self-proclaimed guardians of invasion his son, although only 15, must take the healing magics that through paintings have the power to protect the city and its citizens from plagues and curses. The all-male Accademia has hoarded power overart and architecture for centuries and guard it above all else. Can a lad actually lead a people? History will tell To them, Artemisia – an ambitious young woman who promises trouble and legend will embellish for that boy is Somerled change – has no place amongst them and this is his storytheir society.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1782396586</amazonuk>1803362340
}}
{{Frontpage
|author=Thomas D Lee
|title=Perilous Times
|rating=3
|genre= Fantasy
|summary= ''Hate is the path of least resistance''
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Conn IgguldenG K Holloway|title=Wars of In the Roses: Bloodline: Book 3 (The Wars Shadows of the Roses)Castles|rating=4.5
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary=The Wars of We begin after the Roses continue. Margaret of Anjou becomes a catalyst for what lays ahead momentous battle in 1066 and then rescues her husband, on the debilitated Henry VI, from the forces day of Richard Neville, Earl William of Warwick and the recently executed Richard Normandy's coronation as King of YorkEngland. However YorkWilliam's last words weren't empty rhetoric: by killing position is not secure and the father Margaret new king has indeed unleashed many challenges. Imposing authority through a coronation is important. And William is right to worry. While the sons. Edward previous king, Harold, is dead and the likelihood of March for one more pitched battles is out for revenge; a fact that throws over, the English throne rebels are stirring and much of the safety of Queen's spymaster Derry Brewer into grave doubtcountry does not wish to recognise a new overlord.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>071815987X</amazonuk>1800422466
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{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn= Jennifer Wallace3949666079|title= Digging Up MiltonNoema|author=Dael Akkerman|rating= 34.5|genre= Historical General Fiction|summary=Digging Up Milton appealed ''This is a story about some things that happened to me because from about twelve thousand years ago.'' Maya is a young girl living in a hunter gatherer village during the description it sounded like something a little bit differentMesolithic era. I like that it Climate change is dark but yet not entirely seriousoccurring, the Sea of Grass encroaches further and I always appreciate it when an author tries further into Maya's forest home, and food is becoming more and more scarce. What to write do? Can the law givers in the federation of villages muster peaceful ways to cope? Can the Traveller, a different wayspiritual figure who interprets the wisdom of All Life, or give a book an individual voice.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1909776106</amazonuk>provide solutions?
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Lesley J Nickell1529125898|title=Sons of York: Volume 2 (The Sprigs of Broom)Godmersham Park|author=Gill Hornby|rating=4.5
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary=15th Century London: Through a quirk ''If it were not for the casual dereliction of fate young widow Janet Evershed finds herself running her late husbandthe odd gentleman's cloth businessduty, far from her York homethere would no women to teach well-bred daughters at all. It's in this very shop that she meets Richard Neville, Duke of Warwick and his ward Edward, Earl of March. They may be much higher than commoner Janet but she has caught Edward's eye and what Edward wants, he gets, be it a woman or, indeed, the crown of England.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1861514603</amazonuk>}}
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Julia Franck and Anthea Bell (translator)Melissa Fu |title=WestPeach Blossom Spring
|rating=3.5
|genre=Literary Historical Fiction|summary=Put yourself in I loved the shoes of a young mother prelude to two childrenPeach Blossom Spring, who declares her intention to leave the Communist East Germany for West Berlin, and thus loses her scientist joba short chapter entitled ''Origins''. What would you expect on Unfortunately it is the other side – shops full only truly poetic part of attainable products, pleasant neighbourhoods, nice neighbours, an active and busy new life, where things might feel alien but at least you speak the same language? Well, for Nelly Senff, this is hardly the casea book that I expected more from. Once past the depressing Eastern exit procedures she is confronted with more desultory interrogations Covering Chinese history from those 1938 to 2005 as viewed through one family'welcoming' her to s perspective. When their home city is set ablaze during the Westwar with Japan, beyond which she a young mother (Meilin) and her children four-year-old son (their father, whom she never married, is long assumed dead by the authorities, if nobody elseRenshu) are practically left in a shared accommodation in a transit campamong those who flee. The shops are full of what is still unobtainablestory follows them on their journey across China, the children hate their new school – and people still look down on them as being foreign, even if they have only moved across a cityin Renshu's case eventually to America. |amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0099554321</amazonuk>1472277538
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{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Gregory Dowling1916072038|title=AscensionThe House in the Hollow (The Talbot Saga)|author=Allie Cresswell
|rating=4.5
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary=Alvise Marangon is an artist 'resting' between commissions We meet part of the Talbot family in Yorkshire in November 1811. Twenty-seven-year-old Jocelyn Talbot and so using his guile and enterprise as a tour guide her mother have travelled in some discomfort from their home at Ecklington, to those taking the European Grand Tour house in 18th century Venicethe hollow. Everything has The two women are angry with each other and Jocelyn is well aware of her mother's strengths and weaknesses: ''She is practiced at subterfuge, at concealing, beneath a business as usual feel to it for Alvise until he notices a fellow gondolier paying his friend not to take a couple facade of English tourists. Thenrespectability, as the new Doge deplorable truth''. Hester is inaugurated a manfurious about Jocelyn's head is thrown into refusal to do as she was asked, which has precipitated ''this violent and unexpected removal''. Then we are told of the crowdbirth of a child and, soon after, Hester Talbot departs, leaving Jocelyn in shame and isolation in Yorkshire. Showing people around a typical Venice is becoming increasingly hard for Alvise – Venice is not behaving typically!|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846973139</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Lisa HiltonAnnabel Abbs|title=The Stolen QueenLanguage of Food
|rating=5
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary=Nine-year-old Isabelle of Angouleme is betrothed to Hal, son of Hugh de Lusignan. She doesn't like him much but she's learning to gently manipulate those around her so she feels life will be interesting and rewarding. Howeverwith England's King Richard the Lionheart all changes. Isabelle will marry King John instead – a totally different prospect for all concerned. This Eliza Acton is a match that will not only be a challenge for poet who has never had the young girl but will show her the true heart of her mother and the true art of political manoeuvringslightest inclination to boil an egg. Isabelle may be the pawn in all this but it's not When tasked with writing a role cookery book, she takes to willinglyrecruits Ann Kirby, despite the nightmares of the horned man and the occurrences of a certain May night that will haunt the rest of her local woman with a troubled home life.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1848874693</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Anthony Quinn|title=Blind Arrows|rating=4.5|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=1919: A cohort of British spies meet in the depths of Dublin CastleTogether, the prison and British intelligence hub. Their main focus is the infiltration of the IRA in a bid to neutralise their leaderthey test, Michael Collins. However there is a distraction from their usual agenda: an increasing number of IRA women are escaping, only to be found murdered shortly afterwards. Martin Kantcraft, an English journalist in Ireland is charged with investigation refine and reporting back to reshape the government powers as well as his newspaper editor. Meanwhile Lilly Merrinworld of domestic cookery, a Dublin Castle employee has also gone missing. Her loyalty to reinventing the Crown seems beyond question in recipe book and changing the eyes face of her boss, but others would argue with that..cookery writing forever.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1843445352</amazonuk>1398502227
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Sven Hassel and Jordy DiagoFreya Marske|title=Wheels of Terror: The Graphic NovelA Marvellous Light
|rating=4
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary=It has been three years since Hew was banished from Scotland and manoeuvred Robin Blyth is nudged into working for Elizabeth I's spymastera job in the Civil Service, Walsinghammuch to his chagrin. His loyalties remain with the Scottish Queen Mary but he must hide them as well as he can lest There he becomes a victim of the conspiracy fever cutting through England meets Edwin Courcey and keeping learns that the hangman busystreets of London are threaded with magic. There's also another fever cutting through Scotland – the plagueDesperate to remove a curse that threatens to swallow him, providing even more reason for Hew Robin follows Edwin to worry about the wellbeing of his sistercountryside, brother in law where the hedgegrows bristle with incantations and nephewthe people shimmer with power. If he could but go home he'd have There they uncover a surprise for them. When he gets there, there's a surprise for him sinister plot that threatens the lives of all magicians in the form of a death prophesy picture, followed by a murderBritish Isles.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1846973120</amazonuk>1529080886
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=John RightenB09F4CTKJR|title=Churchill's Rogue: Volume 1 (Rogues Trilogy)|rating=5|genre=Thrillers|summary=Sean Ryan grew up in Ireland during the 20th century's first quarter and so understands death and loss. He learnt to defend what he felt right during his time as a bodyguard for Michael Collins. Therefore when Winston Churchill called upon his services in 1937 to bring a mother and child out of Germany, Ryan doesn't say no. However Ryan soon discovers this is no easy escort duty. The mother and child in question are Flights for some reason being hunted by an elite German force led by Cerberus, a code name for a sadist incarnate. On the plus side, Ryan soon discovers he's not alone. There are more like him across Europe; those with pasts that forged them into violent defenders of the vulnerable in an increasingly dangerous world. These are the Rogues and, this time, Ryan needs their help.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1492320242</amazonuk>}}{{newreviewFreedom|author=Erin Knightley|title=The Duke Can Go to the DevilSteven Burgauer|rating=4.5
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary=As Regency ladies go, Mei-li Bradford is anything but conventional. For most It's the later stages of her life, she World War I and the United States has travelled just entered the world with her sea-captain father and seen exotic sights and locations that others could only dream ofconflict. Her upbringing amongst sailors Petrol Petronus is a young American who has clearly rubbed off on her, howeversigned up and joined the 17 Aero Squadron. Mei-liThis company was the first US Aero Squadron to be trained in Canada, or May the first to be attached to her friends, can drink the RAF and curse like a man and has no respect for propriety and conventionthe first to be sent into the skies to fight the Germans in active combat. She may look like a well-bred ladyBut before that can happen, Petrol has to master flying the notoriously difficult but certainly does not act like one. Therefore, disaster surely beckons when an uptight Duke shows an interest in her. His stuffy ways and conventional habits are anathema to May's free-spirited naturemajestic Sopwith Camel.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0349410674</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Benjamin JohncockChristophe Medler|title=The Last PilotMadrigal: A Closely Guarded Secret
|rating=4
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary=1566: Brothers Pierre and Samson de Siorac have been sent from their Perigore home to further their education at MontpellierSet against the backdrop of the English Civil War, a secret plan (code-named Madrigal) is discovered by Sir Robert Douse in the summer of 1642. During their time there they learn more than their ascribed logicAs a loyal servant of the King, philosophy and medicine. Indeed PierreHead of the Secret Service, it is Robert's focus is on his stomach duty to uncover the details of the plan and follow the affairs clues to uncover one of the heart, as befitting a lusty 15 year old. Not all of most guarded secrets in history—especially since the plot could affect the adventures are learned, culinary or romantic though; some lessons are a lot more dangerousKing.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1782271244</amazonuk>B095HY8SXQ
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Jemima Brigges1471187179|title=Brothers at ArmsA Beautiful Spy|author=Rachel Hore
|rating=4
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary=Certain decisions are pivotal points Minnie is an 'ordinary' girl living an unexciting life in time; key moments that define everything that follows a leafy provincial suburb. The book is set in the 1930s and create waves that ripple with repercussions for years Minnie is expected to live up to her mother's expectations and find a nice young man to come. Kindly squire Tom Norberry could never have foreseen marry, produce children and spend the impact that taking in two orphaned relatives would have on his future happinessrest of her days looking after her husband and their home. This single Unfortunately, altruistic act of kindness would set in motion this isn't what she wants to do at all and neither does she want to continue working as a secretary. As a chain result of events that would eventually cause a deep household rift chance meeting, she finds herself drawn into espionage, working for the secret service and threaten effectively living a double life - attempting to sully infiltrate the good family name that he had worked to hard to upholdCommunist Party of Great Britain. Minnie finds herself torn between what she perceives as her duty and the friends she has made - and likes - whilst working for the Communist Party.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1784624454</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author= Kevin SandsAfonso Cruz and Rahul Bery (translator)|title= The Blackthorn KeyKokoschka's Doll|rating= 2.5|genre= Confident ReadersLiterary Fiction|summary= Seventeenth century England isn't always a comfortable place to live. Apart from the obvious differences from the modern day – no National Health ServiceWell, no laws to protect orphans this looked very much like Christopher from cruelty and exploitation, and a constant foul smell book I could love from poor sanitation the get- fear go, which is why I picked my review copy up and suspicion are a daily fact flipped pages over several times before actually reading any of lifeit. In 1665 Charles II has been back I found things to potentially delight me each time – a weird section in the middle on darker stock paper, a chapter whose number was in the throne for several years20,000s, letters used as narrative form, but not everyone is happy about his extravagant and luxurious life-style, even among those who found so on. It intrigued with the Puritan rules subterranean voice a man hears in wartorn Dresden that what little I knew of Cromwell's time excessively strict. There are spies everywhereit mentioned, and rumours of conspiracies fill the streetstoo. It But you's a time to keep your head down ve seen the star rating that comes with this review, and avoid attention from the authoritiescan tell that if love was on these pages, it was not actually caused by them. So what happened?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>014136064X</amazonuk>1529402697
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Alexander CordellChristina Hammonds Reed|title=Rape of the Fair CountryThe Black Kids|rating=4.5|genre=Historical FictionTeens |summary=When we meet Iestyn Motymer it's 1826 and he's just eight years old, but starting work at the Garndyrus furnaces near Blaenavon. His father sees it as the right thing to do and his mother knows that the money will be needed as thereChristina Hammonds Reed's another child on the way, but Iestyn's older sister, Morfydd, debut novel is adamant that it's wrong for women and children to work in either the mines or the ironworks. She believes in set against the aims backdrop of the Chartist movement whilst her father1992 Los Angeles riots, Hywel Mortymer, is loyal a reaction to the ironmastersabsolution of four police officers for beating a black man, but events involving his own family will later force him to question this loyalty. The Mortymers are better off than many in BlaenavonRodney King, but they're still at the mercy of the ironmaster and the agent: suspension or blacklisting (which can extend nearly to relations) can leave any family penniless and starvingdeath.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>B00OTY1SVI</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Ian Ross|title=Swords Around The Throne (Twilight of Empire)|rating=5|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=Centurion Aurelius Castus' time in Britain is over but not his propensity for being on Told from the wrong side perspective of danger. Due to an adventure on Ashley Bennett, the journey he comes to the notice novel follows her evolution from a silent bystander when confronted with matters of Emperor Constantinerace, and is promoted to his elite bodyguard – the swords around the throne. The multiple emperor model that has evolved to govern the Empire is shaky to say the least, riven by plots, conspiracies a woman finding her voice and worseembracing her heritage. Therefore Castus' new job is neither safe nor easy but it's not something he can refuse… unfortunately!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1784081167</amazonuk>1471188191
}}
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