Bookreview: The Serpent and the Eagle

"Wonderful historical fiction"  

Summary

Tenochtitlan, 1519, pale -skinned people have arrived on the coast of
One World. They hail from a far away land called Spain and fight for
the mysterious Hernando Cortés. To confront Cortés' army would be
dangerous, but inaction may be even more dangerous. 

The Mexica are the most powerful people in all the One World and
regard the uncouth interlopers with a mixture of curiosity and 

distrust....

My Review

History, especially royal history, always has fascinated me.

This book is about the Spanish conquest of native Mexica, mostly
known as the Aztecs.

The writing of this book is clear, structured and the characters are
detailed as well. 

It also must be clear that the author knows a lot about this subject
which is interesting to read.

I would recommend this book to people who love historical fiction.

Therefore I would like to give a five star rating. 

The Author

Ever since Edward Rickford was young, he has enjoyed writing. 
College gave him the chance to combine his interest in history with his
passion for storytelling and he mainly writes historical fiction now.

He won several Prizes for his writings. More interested, check his
site on this link. 

BookSirens

I've received a free copy from BookSirens to make an honest review of
the book. Thank you very much for this great opportunity. 

Source picture: Book cover 

Bookreview: Living the Quieter Algarve Dream

 Living the Quieter Algarve Dream

written by Alyson Sheldrake

"A sunny memoir for anyone who likes Portugal"

Summary

Have you ever longed for a quieter life? Ever wanted to escape the crowds,
walk on deserted beaches, and experience all that a different country has to
offer? 

Alyson and her husband Dave Sheldrake moved to the Western Algarve far
from tourists, to live in a rural market town. 

In this part guidebook, mostly memoir, find out why the Algarve is a favourite
destination for so many, and why this couple has made it their home. 

My Review

Portugal always has fascinated me. Till now, I only visited Lisbon, Sintra and
Porto, however I really want to discover more from this lovely country. So, I
was very pleased to receive a free copy via We Love Memoirs on Facebook. 

I immediately was into the story, which is a splendid mix of a memoir and
a guidebook. I particularly liked the fact that the author wrote so much about
history. I also learned something about moving.

"Living the Quieter Algarve dream" offers a glimpse about the couple's live
in the Algarve. It was very interesting and it gave lots of information.

I also noted that "Living the Quieter Algarve dream" was written very 
fluently and that the chapters were clear and structured. I really liked
the colourful pictures in the book. 

To conclude: I would recommend this book to all people who love 
Portugal and to them who want to move to that lovely country. Therefore,
I give with lots of pleasure and without no hesitation a 5 star rating!

The Author

Alyson Sheldrake was born in Birmingham in 1968. She has always loved
art and painting, although she found little time for such pleasures, working
full time after graduation. She joined the Devon and Cornwall Police in 
1992 and served there for thirteen years, before leaving to work in the
field of education. She became the Director of Education for the Church
of England in Devon in 2008.

Once her husband Dave retired from Police, their long-held dream of 
living in the sun could become a reality. Alyson handed in her notice and
with her dusty easel and set of acrylic paints packed and ready to move,
they started their new adventure living in the beautiful Algarve in 
Portugal in 2011.

Alyson is the author of the award-winning and popular Algarve Blog and
has also been a keynote speaker for several years at the annual
'Live and Invest in Portugal' international conference. She is also a 
feature writer for the Tomorrow Algarve magazine.

She is an accomplished and sought-after artist working alongside her
husband Dave, a professional photographer.

Her first book Living the Dream - in the Algarve was full of useful
advice, enjoyable adventures and humorous accounts of their Algarve
life in the sun. 

The sequel, Living the Quieter Algarve Dream continues their story. 

She also has a website, check this link. 

Check also her wonderful Algarve Blog on this link.

We love Memoirs 

I've received a free copy of Living the Quieter Algarve Dream
via the We Love Memoirs group. 

We Love Memoirs is the friendliest, most caring group on Facebook.
It is the place where memoir readers and authors can chat together.

I really like that group. 

Source picture: Book Cover

Bookreview: True Crime Chronicles

True Crime Chronicles 

is written by Mike Rothmiller

The interesting other part of history: crimes!

Summary

What do Jack the Ripper, Jesse James, The Texas Servant Girl Annihilator,
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and Jack the Kisser have in
common?

They were all subjects of true crime newspaper reporting in the 1800's. And
now these stories and that of many others are brought together in their original
form in a two-volume set: True Crime Chronicles. 

My Review

History, especially Royal History, always has fascinated me very much. 
But murder and crime also is a part of the society, sadly.

So, it was very interesting to read all these stories with a fresh look
from the author.

I learned many things from this book, reading it was very easy and
interesting!

I would recommend True Crime Chronicles to people who are interested
in all aspects of history. I want to give a 5 star rating! 

The Author

Mike Rothmiller is a New York Times Bestselling Author, nominee for the
Pulitzer Prize, historian, former cop and Army medic. He's also served as a
TV reporter, an award winning documentary producer and television host
for ESPN, PBS and other international television markets. He's written and
produced over 25 television documentaries, numerous TV and radio ads and
has authored movie scripts. 

He's authored 23 books. Readers of his books include; the former First Lady
Laura Bush and even Queen Elizabeth II. 

BookSirens

I received an advance copy for free by BookSirens and I'm leaving this
review voluntarily. Thank you for giving me this excellent reading 
chance! 

Bookreview: Manopoly!?

 Manopoly!?

"A splendid mix of suspense and drama"

written by James Philip "Phil" Jones

Summary

Jackson Reynolds and Beau Benoit are two men with unknown pasts. Jackson
hires Brooke Benoit as his university assistant, Brooke is Beau's sister. Beau
is a Harvard MBA that begins in the private sector on Wall Street. He quickly
 moves up into the Federal Reserve. Jackson and Brooke work to develop
Jackson's dream, to alter the game of Monopoly into a real time predictor
of any micro or macro economy. Beau's position at the Fed creates the
opening to move the MANOPOLY Project into the mainstream federal government.

Bad actors within the university are nefariously connected with the Iranian
government. They plant a bug in the project. Once discovered, an
international trail of espionage ensues. As the story unfolds,
it is discovered that the events in the Middle East have become
very intertwined with the project. This event pits the NSA and the
CIA against the IRGC and the Quds Force fighting to control the
information. The top actors in this drama are President Trump and
The Supreme Leader of Iran who are directly involved. The actions
escalate until international assassination is sanctioned. The assassination
is answered by a retaliatory strike considered by the civilized world
to be a war crime.

Jackson and Beau both find love and happiness in a story of human
achievement and redemption. Follow them on their journeys of personal
discovery and growth. All while creating a world of very believable
business espionage, political suspense, and technological innovation
that will run long through future novels. This story is pulled right from
today's headlines and will keep you on the edge of your seat.

My Review

Can a board game change the world? I was immediately into the
novel and the characters were described very well! Sometimes I
even was thinking: is this history or is this fiction? It's full with 
suspense and drama. 

To conclude, it is a good book and very easy to read, and I wanted
to know the end. So I give the book a 5 star rating! 

The author

Phil has a Bachelor's degree in Computer Sciences and History
and an MBA.  He is a world-class sculptor and has pieces from coast
to coast across America.  He also teaches high school Art. 
You can view his work at www.philjonessculptures.com.  

This is Phil’s second book.  In 2009 he published Beneath the Meniscus,
a comprehensive history of keeping freshwater and saltwater aquaria.
Additionally, Phil authored two issued United States Patents in water
purification. He has been published numerous times in periodicals
including Tropical Fish Hobbyist, Taekwondo World, and
Sports Illustrated.  Phil is also a World Record Holder
and Black Belt in the ATA.

Phil grew up in Jefferson City, Missouri. He has two living children. 
His son Jeremy passed away in 2017.  Phil and his wife Donna
share twelve grandchildren whom they enjoy tremendously. 
Phil is active in the local arts scene and his work can be seen
all over his home town. Phil plays guitar and loves to draw, paint and write.

GENRES:

Political Thrillers

BookTasters

I received an advance copy for free via BookTasters and I'm leaving this
review voluntarily. Thank you BookTasters for giving me this great
opportunity. 

Source picture: Book Cover

Author in the picture: Lally Brown

Since 2012, I have a Twitter account. Almost from the beginning I met some lovely authors such as Lally Brown. 

She always posts very interesting tweets. She also has written three fantastic books:

- The Countess, Napoleon and St. Helena,

- The Volcano, Montserrat and Me,

- High and Dry in the BVI.

Here books are a splendid mix of personal memoirs and history as well,
written in a style I like. 

When I started this book blog, I really wanted her to ask some interesting?
questions for my author page. 

So here is the Author in the picture interview of Lally Brown. 

The Interview

Since when did you start writing stories and books?

I think I must have been born with the urge to write and tell stories Kathleen! Apparently I wrote my first ‘poem’ (about three naughty bears) when I was six and I’ve been writing all sorts of stuff ever since. My sister was an invalid and I would sit beside her bed and make up stories as I went along, something I now enjoy doing with my four grandsons. I was a journalist for a while and this enabled me to play with words - great experience for a wannabe writer!

Do you keep a diary?

Not anymore, but when I first lived abroad my parents demanded to know every little detail of my exciting new life. They insisted on long weekly letters, which they carefully saved. These became known in the family as ‘Lally’s Journals’ and later formed the foundation of my memoirs.

You’ve lived in lots of places around the world. Where was/is your favourite place?

Oh my goodness that’s a hard one to answer. I’ve loved every home I’ve ever had, from a pretty little house in an English village (one church, one shop, three pubs, primary school and village green) to the remote and isolated island of St Helena in the middle of the South Atlantic. Exiled Napoleon may have hated the island but I loved the peace, scenery, and the fabulously friendly people.

On reflection I can see that I am obviously devoted to islands, Caribbean islands in particular. Even the smallest island has a fascinating history when you begin to dig. Add sunshine, beautiful deserted beaches, shimmering sapphire sea, spectacular scenery, and you have a winning combination. Of course nature can and does throw in a wobbly now and again, an erupting volcano or a hurricane for instance.

Truth be told though I adore where I live now. The Isle of Wight is tucked into a dimple off the south coast of England. We have everything. Slow pace of life, history coming out of our ears, wonderful sandy beaches, nice climate, lovely walking and cycling. No volcanoes and no hurricanes and I can see my grandsons whenever I like. I feel well blessed to be living here. Our island motto sums it up perfectly … “All this beauty is of God.”

Have you inherited certain habits from places you’ve lived?

Definitely …for instance I am amazingly careful with water, a precious commodity when you have to collect the rain from your roof into a cistern built under the house and that’s all you’ve got to last you through the dry season. I’ve also collected some terrific recipes which I use often. For instance Jamaican banana bread and St Helena fishcakes, tomato paste sandwiches and the traditional island ‘Plo’ are regulars in my kitchen. When I lived in St Helena I edited and published a book of island recipes for my neighbour who was a great cook, and now I use this myself all the time.

Do you listen to music while writing?

No I don’t, which is odd considering I’m a huge fan of classical music (especially Mozart) but when I write I’m in  my own little world, totally cut off from whatever is happening around me. Music would just be a distraction.

Do you have other interests? I know you have a great knowledge about roses. But what else do you like or are you interested by? Inspired by?

Ha ha … roses are my husband’s pride and joy and I’ve absorbed knowledge of them through a sort of osmosis. But I thoroughly enjoy cooking, making my own cakes, bakes and jams. And when the elderflower blooms I can be found early morning gathering bunches of blossom to make elderflower cordial.

Also I thoroughly enjoy walking, especially up on the cliffs and down by the beach, the sound of the sea is so soothing and the breeze blows away any cobwebs in my head.

In a later e-mail Lally added:

 I realised afterwards I'd forgotten to mention my love of photography ... can't imagine how i could have omitted that since I've been developing and printing my own images since I was 12 ..... digital camera's are just so easy these days!

 I liked the way you stayed calm and busy during the volcano eruption. Are you always so cool and calm?

 Oh if only I could say ‘yes’ to this question Kathleen! I’d describe myself as a worrier, but it does seem that when my back is to the wall something deep inside just takes over and helps me cope and I can appear cool, calm and collected in a crisis.

Which other authors do you like and do you recommend?

Far too many to mention, unless you can give me a couple of blank pages and I’ll happily list them for you. Way back during my adolescence, author Dervla Murphy was an inspiration to me, what a woman, ‘Full Tilt – Ireland to India with a bicycle’ made me dream of being a free-spirit wandering the globe, I blame her for my lifelong love of travel.

But my current absolute favourite authors include two lovely ladies, Valerie Poore and Beth Haslam. Both have given me so much pleasure through their writing, I am forever grateful.

Do you have new writing plans?

Well I’m supposed to be finalising my new memoir ready for launch very soon. It’s called ‘Treefrogs Can’t Sing’ and chronicles a return to the British Virgin Islands with a baby and a toddler. It is the sequel to my first BVI memoir ‘High and Dry in the BVI’ but stands alone.

Breaking news! 

There is more.... Lally has allowed me to reveal ....

the first cover of her newest book! What a beauty! 

 

To conclude

I only read two of the three books of Lally Brown. I really liked them both so I hope to read the
two books about the BVI. 

If you want to know more about Lally Brown check these links:

Goodreads on this link

Twitter on this link 

Of course her books (with the exception of the latest one) are available on Amazon. 

Bookreview: Lamlash Street

Lamlash Street: A Portrait of 1960's Post-War
London through One Family's story

written by J.M. Phillips

"A very nice trip to memory lane" 

Summary

Explore a world that can't be visited anymore-South East London, 1963.
On Lamlash Street, Cockney families have more life and character than money,
living among the bombed out and condemned buildings. Post WWII London
will evolve swiftly into the era of The Beatles, Twiggy, and modern, swinging London.

Experience the lively true story of a girl on her way to being a young woman,
coming-of-age at a moment in London's history unlike any other.
Jill Phillips tries to capture her first kiss while navigating a world turning
upside down and the trauma that her parents and uncle experienced during the war.

It's a time when a local factory shutting down could mean more than just job loss.
As families are torn apart, they rely on questionable yet quirky neighbors and find
inventive ways to survive-like pay cigarette machines in the house and Christmas
presents "special ordered" for a fraction of the cost.

Seen-but-not-heard by the adults in her life, Jill looks for young love and
how to define herself. Stories of Nazi aircraft on the walk home from school,
watching Doodle bugs (flying bombs) drop on London from rooftop perches,
and her uncle's many unsettling stories of war as young merchant mariner give
her a unique lens of the world and what a better future could look like for her family.

Lamlash Street: A Portrait of 1960's Post-War London Through One Family's Story
is a heartfelt and funny historical memoir. If you like non-stereotypical women
characters, working-class endurance, and a biography about rallying from abundant
loss, then you'll adore Jill Phillips' moving recollection.

Buy Lamlash Street to take an emotional and touching trip down memory lane today!

My Review

Readers of my blog(s) already know that I do like (royal) history. However London
also attracks me very much. 

It was a nice trip to the author's memory lane and the book was written very clearly.

However I missed some structure in the story. 

Nevertheless, it is a wonderful story. That's why I want to give a 4 star on 5 rating. 

The Author

J.M. Phillips is an author and retired Occupational Therapist. Motivated
by the retelling of family stories, she wrote Lamlash Street, which is about
navigating family life in London after World War II. She is a storyteller with
a passion to inspire families to connect through the telling of their past.

Growing up in the UK, J.M. emigrated to Canada after working in a London
solicitor’s office for a few years. She spent 30 years working as an
Occupational Therapist and Hospital manager before retiring.

Rather than slowing down the pace of life as she neared retirement,
J.M. refocused her efforts enjoying each day with a zest for life.
 A technology and sci-fi fan with a thrill-seeking streak, she’s been
cave swimming in Mexico and hopes to swim with dolphins.

During one of her many trips to visit her family in Bexleyheath,
she was inspired to capture their memories of a way of life that is
cherished by many. Pulling from her uncle’s World War II stories and
her memories of her young life in the 1960’s, she aims to carry on his
legacy with her books.

She spent many years working in health care. She is currently splitting
her time between the UK and Canada, maintaining close contacts with
family, and at the same time discovering more fascinating family stories.
Learn more at her website on this link. 

BookSirens

I received an advance copy for free via BookSirens. I'm leaving this review
voluntarily. Thank you very much for giving me the chance for reading this
memoir. 

Lamlash Street is published by 'Red Damask Publishing' in 2020. It is 
available on Amazon.com in Kindle version and in paperback. 

Source picture: Book cover

Author in the picture: Millie Thom

Recently, I read and reviewed three books of the series Son of Kings written by
Millie Thom. I gave them all a 5 star on 5 rating, because I liked them so much.
That's why I wanted to know more about this lovely author and lady! I asked 
if she wanted to do a small interview for the author page of this blog. Luckily
she said yes! I hope you'll enjoy the interview! The link of this blogpost will 
be posted on the author page of Mycrazylifefullwithbooks blog with the
links of Millie Thom's social media & Amazon.

The Interview

First of all, I would like to say a big Thank You to Katheen for inviting me
to do this interview. I really appreciate it and it’s good to be here.

 

Why did you want to write a series?

Even before I started writing my novels about Alfred the Great, I knew it would
take more   than a single book to tell the story of his entire life.
It wasn’t that I particularly wanted to write a series as much as the fact that
necessity called for it. At first, I hoped that two books would be enough,
but then I added my second protagonist, Eadwulf, and the story massively
expanded. I ended up with a four-book series which tells the stories of two
members of Anglo-Saxon royal families but from different kingdoms:
Alfred of Wessex and Eadwulf of Mercia.

 

How do you create the different characters in your books?

When writing historical fiction many of the characters’ names are already
there, and there is no way an author can change those names, even if they
are difficult for readers to pronounce, as with the Anglo-Saxon names.
When naming my fictional characters, I have to make sure they are also
Anglo-Saxon or Danish (Viking) names that were in use during the time
period of my series. For example, it would be idiotic to name an Anglo-Saxon
male as Charlie, Alex or Callum because they weren’t in use then.
There are several online sites which have lists of names from a number of
cultures and time periods, so are useful for all authors

There are a lot of characters in my books because of the different stories
of the two protagonists that run concurrently. I try to create characters of
different appearances, temperaments, abilities and ambitions to add variety
to the story. I have also tried to ensure my books are not male dominated,
 as many Viking themed books tend to be. I wanted to give a look at the period
from the POV of both men and women.

How was your passion for (royal) history and writing started?

I have loved history since I was a child, and in the UK at that time most
history in secondary schools tended to focus on events involving royalty.
I learned a lot about many famous British kings and queens like Henry VIII,
Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria. Only in relatively recent years has history
broadened its approach to include more about the everyday people of those
times in both British and other cultures.

As for writing, I have been a keen story writer most of my life.
I was fortunate enough to have teachers who encouraged creativity in writing
and steered me in the right direction. However, with six children to bring up
and a teaching career, I didn’t start writing novels until I’d retired.

 

Do you have any other interests?

I have always loved creating things, from making clothes
(dressmaking/sewing) to embroidery, knitting and baking. Having had six children
to feed and clothe, these are all things I’ve done a lot of over the years. Besides
writing novels, I also love writing flash fiction pieces, which are very short stories
ranging from six to a thousand words. I have one book of such stories on Amazon,
titled A Dash of Flash.

 

Which other authors or things inspire you?

I mostly read historical novels, so authors like Wilbur Smith, Bernard Cornwell
and Susannah Gregory, as well as several others, have inspired me to write my
own books. My interest in history has also meant that I have loved many of the
Classics, written by so many well-known authors, from Charles Dickens, the
Bronte sisters, Jane Austen and Lucy Maud Montgomery to Daniel Defoe and
Harper Lee and Mark Twain. The list could go on for ever, so I’ll stop here.

Visiting historic sites can also be inspirational. We visited many sites in
England and Wales, as well as Denmark, France and Andalucia before and while
I was writing the Sons of Kings series. It helps a great deal when describing events
set in those places. Such places can also give ideas for books not yet written.  

 

You work together with BookTasters. Are reviews important to you?

Reviews are immensely important to all authors, and it’s a shame
that so many readers don’t think of leaving them. Reviews help authors
to know what readers like about their books as well as pointing out what
they didn’t like, or what didn’t work for them. In other words, reviews
can help authors in the development of their writing. A review can be as
little as a sentence, which wouldn’t take long to write and would mean
so much to the author concerned.

BookTasters is an excellent site and offers free books to readers in
exchange for honest reviews. As such, it does not break Amazon’s rule
regarding authors paying for reviews. Authors simply pay for the
service provided by BookTasters, which helps to get books ‘seen’
by potential reviewers.

 

Do you have other writing plans?

I am currently writing an historical fiction novel (a one-off this time)
set in the early 17^th century. It is set in another village we once lived in,
so is another story I’ve known about for some time – and is quite different
to my King Alfred and the Vikings novels. Once I’ve finished that,
I would like to try my hand at writing a ‘whodunnit’ or murder mystery.
Of course, it would have to have an historical setting. There are several
time periods I’m interested in, but I would not choose anything later than
the 1950s or further back than the Roman period. I will probably also put
together another book of flash fiction pieces at some stage.
I already have almost fifty pieces written but I’m aiming
for eighty-five in order to match A Dash of Flash.

Thank you very much for this interview Millie Thom!!!

Millie Thom's Social Media links:

Amazon Com: link

Goodreads: link

Blog/Website: link

Twitter: link

Instagram: link

My Bookreviews:

Here are my bookreviews of Millie Thom's books:

Shadow Of The Raven on this link

Pit of Vipers on this link

Wyvern of Wessex on this link

Bookreview: Wyvern of Wessex

 

Wyvern of Wessex

written by Millie Thom

"Brings back the history to life!"

Summary

Eadwulf is back  on the Sea Eagle with Bjorn and his crew on a quest to discover 
if Eadwulf’s father, King Beorhtwulf of Mercia, is still alive after twenty years as 
a slave. Bjorn’s great dragonship carries them down to the searing 
June temperatures and strict laws in the Moorish lands of al-Andalus. 
But searching for Beorhtwulf proves more difficult than they’d expected, 
causing them more trouble than they'd bargained for…

In Wessex, King Aethelred is now dead, leaving his twenty-one-year-old brother, 
Alfred, to succeed to the throne. Though his succession was agreed by the witan, 
Alfred must now prove himself worthy of the kingship, or lose it. But Wessex is in 
turmoil, besieged by Viking Danes intent on subjugating the kingdom – and knowing 
that the new king is young and inexperienced. Alfred must use all his wiles if he is to 
outthink and outmanoeuvre Guthrum, the Dane who nearly becomes his nemesis.

Alfred’s victories and defeats take him on a journey of learning, during which he
gains experience and strength. We share his highs and his lows, and how he 
rises from the depths of despair to save his beloved kingdom from total conquest.

And at his side in his greatest time of need is his new ally and friend, 

Eadwulf of Mercia.

My Review

Wyvern of Wessex is the third book of the series Sons of Kings, written
by Millie Thom. I'm very happy I've started with the first book of the 
series and I'm more happier that there is a fourth book too 😃.

The book cover is as always very well chosen and  really cool!
It's clear it's about a King! 

Although the third book is about King Alfred of Wessex, it's great to
see how the characters are developed. 

I like the writing style, the story telling and the good amount of
dialogues too. It's very nice to read how Millie Thom brings back the
history of the old English kingdoms to live. 

The Wyvern of Wessex, just as all the books of the series the 
Sons of Kings are a must-read for royal history lovers and historical
fiction. 

To conclude, I give this with lots of pleasure a 5 star rating on 5 and

even more!  And I certainly want to read the fourth book of the
series too because I'm so curious to know the end of the stories! 

The author

Millie Thom is a former geography and history teacher with a degree in geology 

and a particular passion for the Anglo-Saxon and Viking period. Originally from 
Lancashire she is a mother of six grown up children and now lives with her husband 
in a small village in Nottinghamshire, midway between the town of Newark and the lovely 
old city of Lincoln. When not writing, Millie enjoys long walks and is a serious fossil hunter. 
She is also an avid traveller, swimmer and baker of cakes!

Booktasters

I received a free copy via Booktasters and Millie Thom. Thank you so much for
this great chance to read this fantastic history book!!

Source picture: Book Cover 

Bookreview: The Heretics' Revenge

The Heretics' Revenge

A final search for the Holy Grail

written by Martin Barrett

"A Nice story with exciting jumps in time"

Condemned as heretics by the Catholic Church, the 13th-century Cathars are persecuted, 

tortured, and finally burned alive at Montségur. But according to legend they hide their 

riches  and relic beyond the castle walls on the eve of their demise.

In the 1930s, Otto Rahn dedicates his life to recovering the long forgotten relic, 

and coerced by Himmler joins the SS to find the ‘Holy Grail’ for the Nazis. Exposed 

as both Jewish and homosexual, Rahn commits suicide. But not before he entrusts his 

notes to his niece. Notes that have never been found.

Seeking a challenge after retiring early, businessman Steve Jackson embarks on a 

modern-day search for the fabled Cathar cache. With French girlfriend, 

Manon Lubin, they locate Rahn’s abandoned clues in the Black Forest. 

The notes become a key to locating a religious discovery even greater than the 

Dead Sea Scrolls, and unleash a 750-year old time-capsule of revenge that threatens 

to shake the Church of Rome to its foundations.

The massacre of the Cathars and the true story of Otto Rahn are interweaved and then 

continued with the fictional search for the treasure and relic. Rich in historical detail, 

this fascinating and absorbing story, set in France and London, climaxes with a 

thought-provoking and controversial conclusion that brings The Heretics’ Revenge.

My review

History and especially royal history always had fascinated me a lot. That's why I 
decided to read the book "The Heretics' Revenge" written by Martin Barrett.

It is a very interesting story with a good mix of history and fiction, which I like.
I immediately was into the story due to the strong characters.

Some chapters made a jump forwards in time and this was mentioned well except
with the present time. So, It was a bit confused, but due to the new characters, I
realized soon, the story was in another time, the present.

I enjoyed reading the book "The Heretics' Revenge" because the way of living of
the characters was described very well.

Although the plot "looking for the Holy Grail" isn't that original, the way Martin
Barrett told the story - in a novel - transformed it into a real treasure. 

I certainly will recommend this book to others who are interested in historical
fiction. 
So, I give this book a 4 star on 5 rating. 

BookSirens

I received an advance review copy for free by BookSirens and I am
leaving this review voluntarily. 

Source picture: Book cover

Bookreview: Shadow Of The Raven

 written by Millie Thom

Summary

By the mid ninth century, Danish raids on Anglo-Saxon kingdoms have escalated. Several bands even dare to overwinter on the coastal islands, particularly those at the mouth of the Thames, where the kingdoms of Wessex and Mercia border each other. The kings of these lands must put past hostilities aside and take the first steps towards unity; steps they see as vital in the face of this newfound threat to their lands.

Alfred of Wessex and Eadwulf of Mercia are the sons of kings, whose futures have been determined since birth. But the turbulent events in their childhood years change the natural progression of things and shape the characters of the men they will become. Their roads to manhood follow vastly different routes, but both learn crucial lessons along the way: lessons that will serve them well in future years.

Discovering that the enemy is not always a stranger is a harsh lesson indeed; the realisation that a trusted kinsman can turn traitor is the harshest lesson of all.

Review

I 'met' Millie Thom via Twitter and via BookTasters. Immediately the

book series about the Anglo Saxon Royal History attracted me. 

While reading books, I always put some key words on paper,

in case I forget, what I want to write down. These are my key words to 

describe this wonderful book:

* Beautiful cover : The cover is very attractive with amazing pictures and colors. 

* Large list of characters : The characters were very well  and clearly defined. 

* fascinating : It was so fascinating to read this book and especially about the 
society during the Anglo Saxo time

* good story teller : Millie Thom is a fantastic author. She can tell a story and 
make it her own. 

* A page turner : I wanted to know what was going to happen. 

* very emotional : I immediately empathized with the characters (mostly 
with the women) 

* Great historical royal family drama

So, if you like to read about historical royal family drama, don't hesitate to buy
this amazing book. I give it a 5 star on 5 rating. It's sad that I can't give even
more stars.

The Author

Millie Thom is a former geography and history teacher with a degree in geology and a particular passion for the Anglo Saxon and Viking era. She was born in Southport, Lancashire, in 1947, and happily admits to being a 'boomer'.

After completing a teacher training course in Liverpool in 1968, she moved to Yorkshire to take up her first teaching post. This was at a secondary school in a small mining village, where most of the children - and more than a few of the staff - spoke in a dialect riddled with 'thees', 'thous', 'hast thas' and wilt thas'. She also met her husband to be at this time, a teacher at a rival school - the rivalry always being in the not-so-gentle sport of rugby!

In 1970 Millie and her husband moved down to Wantage for six years. Wantage is known a King Alfred's town, since it is the place where he was born. In 1976 she moved up to Nottinghamshire, and still lives there with her husband, midway between Lincoln and Newark. Their six grown up children all live close by.

Since retiring from teaching, Millie has been writing the trilogy about King Alfred that has been screaming to be born for so many years. Book 1, 'Shadow of the Raven' is already published on Amazon, and Book 2, 'Pit of Vipers' is presently nearing completion.

I 'met' Millie Thom - as I mentioned before - on Twitter. She really is a very nice and interesting lady, who knows lots about history. She also is very interactive with other authors and reviewers. 

Booktasters

I received an advanced copy for free by Booktasters and by the author @MillieThom.

I'm leaving this review voluntarily and I really enjoyed reading this splendid book. So,

thank you very much for this fantastic chance. 

Source picture: Book Cover

Bookreview: Forget Russia

Forget Russia 

written by L.Bordetsky-Williams 

"A fascinating Story"

"Your problem is you have a Russian soul," Anna's mother tells her. In 1980, Anna is a naïve UConn senior studying abroad in Moscow at the height of the Cold War-and a second-generation Russian Jew raised on a calamitous family history of abandonment, Czarist-era pogroms, and Soviet-style terror. As Anna dodges date rapists, KGB agents, and smooth-talking black marketeers while navigating an alien culture for the first time, she must come to terms with the aspects of the past that haunt her own life. With its intricate insight into the everyday rhythms of an almost forgotten way of life in Brezhnev's Soviet Union, Forget Russia is a disquieting multi-generational epic about coming of age, forgotten history, and the loss of innocence in all of its forms.

Review

Russia and its history always have fascinated me very much. That's why
I really wanted to read this novel. 

'Forget Russia' is written very fluently and has strong characters. It is nice to 
feel their emotions and the story - 

about how choices from the past have influences on your present -  

it will touch you very strongly! The book is written with lots of dialogues
that's why I give it a 4.5 rating on 5.

If you like stories about Russia and its history, don't hesitate to buy this book,
it's certainly worth to read. 

The Author

L. Bordetsky-Williams (aka Lisa Williams) grew up in New York City. She is also the author
of The Artist as Outsider in the Novels of Toni Morrison and Virginia Woolf
(Greenwood Press, 2000) and has been inspired by both of these towering authors. 

In 2005, she published a book of creative nonfiction, Letters to
Virginia Woolf (Hamilton Books). 

She is also a poet and has published three poetry chapbooks: 

Sky Studies (Finishing Line Press), 

The Eighth Phrase (Porkbelly Press), 

and In the Early Morning Calling (Finishing Line Press). 

She is a Professor of English and Literary Studies at  Ramapo College of New Jersey. 

She also has a site, check this link. 

BookSirens

I received an advanced copy for free by BookSirens and I'm leaving this
review voluntarily. So, thank you very much for giving me this
splendid opportunity. 

Source picture: Book Cover 

Bookreview: All Things Georgian

All Things Georgian 

written by Joanne Major and Sarah Murden

Summary

Take a romp through the long eighteenth-century in this collection of 25 short tales.

Marvel at the Queen’s Ass, gaze at the celestial heavens through the eyes of the past and be amazed by the equestrian feats of the Norwich Nymph. Journey to the debauched French court at Versailles, travel to Covent Garden and take your seat in a box at the theater and, afterwards, join the mile-high club in a new-fangled hot air balloon.

Meet actresses, whores and high-born ladies, politicians, inventors, royalty and criminals as we travel through the Georgian era in all its glorious and gruesome glory.

In roughly chronological order, covering the reign of the four Georges, 1714-1730 and set within the framework of the main events of the era, these tales are accompanied by over 100 stunning color illustrations.

Review

On Twitter, I already follow Joanne Major and Sarah Murden for years.
They are the creators of the wonderful blog: AllThingsGeorgian,
 which you can check on this link. 

I was very willing to read "All Things Georgian" and luckily the book was available
as eBook on the Kobo reader. 

As a royal history lover, I really enjoyed the book very much. It was written very
 fluently in clear chapters and chronological as well (which is important for me).

There were stories about known and less-known people. I also liked the old pictures
in the book from inter alia London. 

So, don't hesitate to buy and to read this excellent book! I give it a 5 star rating
because due to interesting people and subjects, the layout of the book and their

fantastic writing style. 

The Authors

Joanne Major and Sarah Murden are two genealogists and great historians.
You can read more of them on their blog (which is mentioned before). 

source picture: Book cover