The King's Agent by Donna Russo Morin

Synopsis:

The King’s Agent is based loosely on the life of Battista della Palla-a patriotic plunderer, a religious rogue-of the 16th century, a lifelong friend to the great Michelangelo. 

As the cloistered ward of the Marquess of Mantua, Lady Aurelia is a woman with a profound duty, and a longing for adventure. In search of a relic intended for the King of France, Battista and Aurelia cross the breathtaking landscape of Renaissance Italy. Clues hide in great works of art, political forces collide, secret societies and enemies abound, and danger lurks in every challenge, those that mirror the passages of Dante's Divine Comedy. It is an adventurous quest with undercurrents of the supernatural, powers that could change the balance of supremacy throughout Europe

The Three Reasons Review is a simple way to get your thoughts out there about a book.  The reasons are as follows complete with fancy button:

1.) Reasons you chose this book

Historical Fiction is one of my favorite genres of all to read. I thought the book sounded interesting and the time period is one that I know very little about!

2.) Reasons you liked or disliked this book

I had a really hard time getting interested in the story that the author was trying to tell. It had nothing at all to do with her writing style, but instead for me the first half of the book was too heavy and weighed down by so much information that it was difficult to keep my concentration on the novel.  Around halfway through the book the two main characters were really able to get the story going and that is when I found myself enjoying the their interaction and where their adventure would take the reader.

3.) Reasons you are recommending this book or not.....

I am on the fence with this one only because so many of my fellow readers have loved this book, but there have been a few that felt like I did. Some of us really get into all the nitty gritty details of a particular time period, while others just like a story that doesn't need too much background information and is a fast read. I think the author has a great writing style and it is very evident that she does her homework. I would certainly try another book from her in the future even though this one just didn't click for me!

Please make sure you visit the other blog's hosting The King's Agent to read more reviews!

Donna Russo Morin was born in Providence, Rhode Island in 1958. Her writing endeavors began at age six and covered such timely topics as The Pink Pussy Cat for President and The   Numbers 2 and 4 are in Love.

After graduating from the University of Rhode Island, Donna worked in marketing and advertising for large corporations and small non-profit arts organizations. When she had her children, she knew with a certainty that she needed to show them, by example, that if you believe in yourself, anything is possible.

Donna lives peacefully, close to the beautiful shoreline of Rhode Island that she loves so much, with her two sons, Devon and Dylan, her greatest works in progress.

Disclaimer:Thank you to Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for sending me a review copy. I was not compensated for my review. My thoughts on this book were in no way influenced by the author or publicist.They are my personal reflections based solely on MY experience while reading this novel.

Review Book #12
© 2011, Staci of Life in the Thumb. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Life in the Thumb or Staci's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.  

The World of Downton Abbey- Bookish Thoughts #23

Why I wanted to read it: Because I am hopelessly addicted to the series and can not get enough about this time period, location, and these fascinating people!

Source: Public Library


The pictures are beautiful and this is an absolutely gorgeous book to behold! But even more important than stunning eye candy, this book is filled with wonderful historical stories, ephemera from the time period, and suggestions for further reading and viewing. Let's take a look inside, shall we?

• Family Life- the author allows the reader an inside glimpse into the lives of all that call Downton Abbey home. I enjoyed reading a bit more of these characters that I feel I have come to know very personally. You also learn more about titles and the roles of each of the privileged family members. I liked reading about the kitchen life and what it may have been like below stairs.
• Society- I found this chapter very enlightening and highly entertaining! I had to laugh at how it was perfectly acceptable to be married and have affairs, but so scandalous if you were not married and succumbed to a night of passion, like our dear Mary did!
• Change- what a pivotal era in history. So much change occurred between 1913 and 1919 that if you really thought about it would have been mind boggling! I loved this chapter and really thought there was some great information to be gleaned.
• Life in Service- amazing insight into what it meant to be a servant in a great house! But if you were the cook, butler, lady's maid, you really had no life! Could you imagine only having a few hours off each Sunday and that's all??? This chapter really fascinated me because of how familiar the rich became with some of their staff at the end of the day!
• Style- I loved looking at all of the glamorous outfits and the fashion from the day. So many of the garments that the actors wear are original and delicate. Amazing attention to detail and the fabrics were scrumptious! The corsets though are one that I would not have been able to abide! I fear I would have been a rebel like Sybil and went for the trousers!
• House & Estate- This chapter brought with it a greater appreciation for the pressure the Earl of Grantham was under in order to keep Downton Abbey a viable estate. There is quite a bit that goes into keeping up this grand palace and none of it is cheap or without many, many servants.
• Romance- Well, isn't this what keeps many of us coming back for more? The romance, the subtle flirting, the endless parade of potential grooms??? I have to say that I'm so glad that I wasn't a rich, young, eligible woman during this time period. How much time the matriarch's of the family spent trying to make a "suitable" marriage for their daughters! How exasperating to be pushed upon old, feeble men just because they had title and wealth!
• War- I learned so much! Honestly, I did and this chapter had me glued to the pages! Fascinating stuff that reads so much better at times than fiction!
• Behind the Scenes- I loved getting a glimpse into all the various aspects of bringing one show to viewers like myself. It's mind boggling how much time goes into each production.

I will be ordering my own copy of this wonderful book! It's truly a work of art and there's so much to explore within the pages that one read simply doesn't do it justice! I have added several books and movies to my must-read/must-view list and I'm sure that perusing it again would only continue to further add to my collection. This is well-worth the money and will bring you hours of entertainment long after closing the final page.

List of movies/shows to watch: 

Howard's End

Gosford Park

Upstairs, Downstairs

The Jewel in the Crown

Brideshead Revisited

Books to read:

Howard's End

House of Mirth (reread)

Three Weeks by Elinor Glyn

Favorite piece of information (p. 146 from the chapter of Style)

This is about the evening gown which was worn between five and seven o'clock, it gave rise to the french phrase 'cinq a sept.' This referred to the hours when lovers were received, the only time of day when a maid wouldn't need to be there to help you undress and therefore discover your secret. 

Lady Colin Campbell's divorce hinged on the fact that her clothes had clearly been fastened by a man who didn't know what he was doing; when her lady's maid saw her for her next change, the fastenings were higgledy-piggledy. 

Could you imagine getting caught in an affair because your maid squealed to the court that your dress was fastened all wrong???!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This made laugh big time!

Bookish Thoughts #23

© 2012, Staci of Life in the Thumb. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Life in the Thumb or Staci's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission. 

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros

Every Tuesday, Diane @ Bibliophile by the Sea

 posts the opening paragraph (maybe two) of a book

 she decided to read based on the opening paragraph (s).

 Feel free to grab the banner and play along!

My selection comes from the book Thrush Green by Miss Read. I have been visiting Nan's blog Letters From a Hill Farm for a while now and I just love her conversational style of book reviews. She often reads books that sound enchanting and after her Sunday post about the passing of this author I just knew I had to read at least one book by Miss Read. I have a feeling though that I will be back for more!

Here's a snippet from Nan's book review:

The very name of this book is magic. I think the song of the thrush is just about the sweetest sound in the world. You may hear it at this site. And green makes us think of the greening of the year, rebirth, as well as a village green. Perfect, just perfect.

As soon as he opened his eyes the child remembered, and his heart soared. This was the day he had waited for so long--the day of the fair.

Would you continue reading this one

 based on the opening paragraph?

Mailbox Monday and It's Monday...What Are You Reading?

Mailbox Monday 

is a gathering place for readers to share the books that

came into their house last week and explore great book blogs. 

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

April Host is :

Cindy's Love of Books

The Wilder Life by Wendy McClure- review copy courtesy of Heather @ Riverhead. 

------------------------------------------------

Hosted by

 Sheila @ One Person's Journey Through a World of Books

We discuss the books that we've read 

and what we're planning to read for the week.

Last Week's Bookish Thoughts:

The Song Remains the Same- loved it! 

The Snow Child- a favorite for the year!! Stellar read!

Books I will talking about this week:

The World of Downton Abbey- Wednesday

The King's Agent- Thursday

In My Book Box:

When All That's Left of Me is Love

Girl With the Dragon Tatto

Wolf Who Loved Me

Saturday Snapshot- There's that smile!

Saturday Snapshot

is hosted by Alyce of At Home With Books.

It’s easy to participate – just post a picture

that was taken by you, a friend, or a family member and add your link on Alyce’s site.

This photo is of my oldest son Mitch and was taken during his stay in Washington D.C. when he was a bone marrow donor. He felt pretty good after the procedure so we headed to the mall and checked out some of the sights! This is on our walk over to the Lincoln Memorial.

P.S. - He hates to smile for pictures!! I have plenty where he looks very grumpy!

The Snow Child- Bookish Thoughts #22

What The Snow Child is about:

Watch the trailer...it's short, only 1:31......

Why I wanted to read it:

I kept seeing this book everywhere and thought okay what's up with this one?? I spotted it while browsing the shelves at my library and had to bring it home.

Source: Public Library

• This book was completely and utterly magical and lovely. At times it was so sad that I could feel my heart break along with Mabel and Jack, but at other times I rejoiced in the resiliency of the human spirit!
• I don't often read books based on fairy-tales but obviously I have been missing out on some wonderful stories. I enjoyed reading about the Russian folk tale that this story is based upon.
• All of the characters have something to give in this book and the author has deftly woven their stories tightly together to make this one of the most compelling novels I've read this year.

I can't believe that this is a debut novel! I am blown away by Eowyn Ivey's creative writing and how she drew me into the story with just the opening paragraph. I found it hard to put this book down and was ever anxious to get back to it. I have to admit that I delayed reading the final chapter by a whole day...I wouldn't allow myself to read it! I just couldn't bear to have the story end. I wasn't ready to say goodbye to Jack, Mabel, Fiana, Garrett and Alaska!

Bookish Thoughts #22

© 2012, Staci of Life in the Thumb. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Life in the Thumb or Staci's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission. 

The Song Remains the Same by Allison Winn Scotch

What The Song Remains The Same is about:
 One of only two survivors of a plane crash, Nell Slattery wakes up in the hospital with no memory of the crash - or who she is, or was. Now she must piece together both body and mind -- with the help of family and friends who have their own agendas. She filters through photos, art, music and stories, hoping something will jog her memory, and soon - in tiny bits and pieces - Nell starts remembering...It isn't long before she learns to question the stories presented by her mother, her sister and business partner, and her husband. In the end she will learn that forgiving betrayals small and large will be the only true path to healing herself -- and finding happiness.

I have pretty much loved everything that Allison has written and her newest book is no exception. I identified so much with Nell and embraced her as a woman. She is so vulnerable and even though she can't remember her mother and sister, she's allowed herself to be open to their version of how she "used" to be. One of the things that really struck me while reading this book was how often Nell doubted her "inner voice" and it made me sit back and take stock of how many times I have done the exact same thing. Nell comes through this tragedy with a much better understanding of who she is as a person and what she really wants out of life. There are plenty of bumps and deceptions along the way, but that is what makes this a stellar read. It felt real! I thought it was genius as to how music plays a vital role in Nell's self-exploration and how intricately linked our memories are to songs that we listened to during pivotal moments in our lives. I was sad to let Nell's story go, but I was so happy to see that Allison didn't make the ending the typical cliche' of a Happily Ever After.

Recommend? If you're looking for a compelling story about a woman who essentially has to start all over again and a character that you can really root for, then I highly recommend the newest release from Winn-Scotch. You will not be disappointed and if you're anything like me, it will leave you anxiously awaiting her next book!!

Source: Lydia @ G.P. Putnam's
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Pages: 320
Published:  April 12,  2012

*Uncorrected ARC

Disclaimer: Thank you to Lydia and G.P. Putnam for sending me a review copy. I was not compensated for my review. My thoughts on this book were in no way influenced by the author or publicist.They are my personal reflections based solely on MY experience while reading this novel. 

Book Review #11
© 2012, Staci of Life in the Thumb. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Life in the Thumb or Staci's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.