The Queen's Vow by C.W. Gortner- Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tour Stop

What The Queen's Vow is about:
From the glorious palaces of Segovia to the battlefields of Granada and intrigue-laden gardens of Seville, The Queen’s Vow sweeps us into the tumultuous forging of a nation and the complex, fascinating heart of the woman who overcame all odds to become Isabella of Castile.
 
I know that I've been swept away into a wonderful story when my dreams are filled with the characters from the book that I'm currently reading and this was the case while I read The Queen's Vow. As soon as I would wake up in the morning I grabbed my book and raced through the pages anxious to find out if Isabella would succeed as Queen of Castile. Her story intrigued me and Gortner made her so real to me that it was hard to put the book down until I was finished. While not everything is historically accurate, I felt that the author created a tale that brought to light the tenacity and perserverance of a woman who many underestimated and thought would fail as ruler of Spain. I took away a better understanding of the pressures that she was under and how she did allow her unwavering allegiance to her religion to influence how she dealt with the Jewish population of Castile at the time. I loved how the author encapsulated her life and really took the time to flesh out her story; how she grew up, the hardships she endured, the love she felt for her husband, children, and close friends.
 
Recommend? To all historical fiction fans...YES! I enjoyed this book so much and will be reading Gortner's other two novels for sure. His writing flows easily and he has a gift for creating a story that captures your interest and imagination!

Click on the button above for lists of tour stops

Source: HFV Book Tour and the publisher

About C.W. Gortner
C.W. Gortner is the author of The Last Queen, The Confessions of Catherine de Medici and The Tudor Secret. He holds an MFA in Writing with an emphasis in Renaissance Studies from the New College of California.
In his extensive travels to research his books, he has danced a galliard in a Tudor great hall and experienced life in a Spanish castle. His novels have garnered international praise and been translated into thirteen languages to date. He is also a dedicated advocate for animal rights and environmental issues.
He's currently at work on his fourth novel for Ballantine Books, about the early years of Lucrezia Borgia, as well as the third novel in his Tudor series,The Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles (US) or Elizabeth's Spymaster (UK).
Half-Spanish by birth, C.W. lives in Northern California.
 
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 #20
© 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.
 
 

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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 Book of Lost Fragrances by M.J. Rose- Blog Tour Review

What "The Book of Lost Fragrances" is about:

Jac L'Etoile has always been haunted by the past, her memories infused with the exotic scents that she grew up surrounded by as the heir to a storied French perfume company. In order to flee the pain of those remembrances--and of her mother's suicide--she moved to America. Now, fourteen years later she and her brother have inherited the company along with it's financial problems. But when Robbie hints at an earth-shattering discovery in the family archives and then suddenly goes missing--leaving a dead body in his wake--Jac is plunged into a world she thought she'd left behind.  Back in Paris to investigate her brother's disappearance, Jac  becomes haunted by the legend the House of L'Etoile has been espousing since 1799. Is there a  scent that can unlock the mystery of reincarnation - or is it just another dream infused perfume?  The Book of Lost Fragrances fuses history, passion, and suspense, moving from Cleopatra's Egypt and the terrors of revolutionary France to Tibet's battle with China and the glamour of modern-day Paris. Jac's quest for the ancient perfume someone is willing to kill for becomes the key to understanding her own troubled past.                                                                                                            

 First thought after finishing: "Why is this the first time I've ever read this author??? I love her writing!"

I was instantly and I mean INSTANTLY intrigued and pulled into the story with the very first page. I have always been curious about reincarnation and the whole idea of a scent evoking memories of a former life is one of the most original plots that I've read in the past few years. I love stories that involve Egypt on any level and Rose has certainly done her research. I thought this was a wonderful mixture of adventure, mystery, thriller, and  love story! The characters were well developed and each one brought something important to the story!

Recommend? ABSOLUTELY!  This is probably one of the most enjoyable reads that I've experienced in a long time because the author brought so much to the table with the fascinating countries and cites, the complexity of the story, the intricate weaving of perfume making and how scent can become very deeply rooted in ones memory, and a cast of characters that kept me turning the pages!

Source: Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours/Atria Books/NetGalley
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 416
Published:  March 13, 2012

Click here for tour schedule

M.J. Rose is the international best selling author of eleven novels and two non-fiction books on marketing. Her next novel THEBOOK OF LOST FRAGRANCES (Atria/S&S) will be published in March 2012.  Her fiction and non-fiction has appeared in many magazines and reviews including Oprah Magazine. She has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, Time, USA Today and on the Today Show, and NPR radio.  Rose graduated from Syracuse University, spent the '80s in advertising, has a commercial in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and since 2005 has run the first marketing company for authors -Authorbuzz.com.  The television series PAST LIFE, was based on Rose's novels in the Renincarnationist series. She is one of the founding board members of International Thriller Writers and runs the blog- Buzz, Balls & Hype.  She is also the co-founder ofPeroozal.com and BookTrib.com.

Rose lives in CT with her husband the musician and composer, Doug Scofield, and their very spoiled and often photographed dog, Winka.

For more information on M.J. Rose and her novels, please visit her WEBSITE. You can also find her on Facebook.

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 #7
© 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.