Review: I, Eliza Hamilton by Susan Holloway Scott

Release date: September 26, 2017

This novel about the wife of Alexander Hamilton felt like it was missing something. I think it was the fact that there was no real antagonist or any main trial or obstacle for the protagonists to overcome. There were interesting events and hardships that cropped up but they were quickly resolved. I understand real history doesn't always lend itself to a clear antagonist or the arc of a good story line, but it's still necessary for a captivating novel.

I also felt there was too much "telling" and not enough "showing" which I felt made it more difficult to really connect with the characters.

It was well written though, and there were some very good scenes I enjoyed. I also couldn't help but picture Eddie Redmayne as Alexander for some reason, I guess because he had red hair in Pillars of the Earth, which certainly helped increase the enjoyment factor. But ultimately, I felt like portions of the book dragged, and the duel with Burr wound up rather anti-climatic.

Advanced review copy from publisher via NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

Review: George Washington's Secret Six: The Spy Ring That Saved the American Revolution by Brian Kilmeade

If you love the AMC TV show TURN: Washington's Spies, you'll love this non-fiction account of the same topic. I know the show was actually created from Alexander Rose's history book "Washington's Spies: The Story of America's First Spy Ring" but they were both on sale on Kindle and I couldn't decide so I just got both and wound up reading this one first. And honestly, I'm not sure how or why the show claims to be based on a non-fiction book when a non-fiction book is factual... so really, it's just based on history, and this is also a non-fictional book about that history.

I honestly had no idea just how important espionage was during the Revolutionary War. When I thought of this topic, I thought of what I learned in school: founding fathers, minutemen, Paul Revere, etc. But now I know it's so much more than that, and there was so much more going on in the background. They don't teach this in schools, but they should, maybe kids would pay attention.

Never boring or dry, this book really pulls you into the spy ring and let's you get to know each individual involved. At the end, it also explores who female agent 355 might have been. Sometimes, it's so juicy, I can't believe it really happened. It was interesting to compare and contrast it with the show too, which did add some fictional elements and make some changes, but not so much that it draws away from the real history, which makes me love the show even more.

This is precisely the kind of history book I would recommend to people who (wrongly) think history is boring, but it's also thrilling for those who already appreciate history. I don't think I've ever blown through non-fiction this fast.

Hawkwood (Matthew Hawkwood #1) by James McGee

A former army Captain and sharpshooter who is now a Bow Street Runner investigates a highway robbery and several murders which plunge him back into the conflict between Britain and Napoleon.

An interesting enough plot with interesting enough characters, and yet at times it sort of dragged. It was like all the parts in between the action scenes felt like filler, and although the characters had good backstories, they still seemed superficial or artificial at times. I also didn't find McGee's portrayal of female characters very believable, I don't think he understands real women very well.

I thought it had real potential at first, but it never really seemed to take the next step to something that makes me want to carry on the series. It was lacking the sort of wit or cleverness it seemed to promise. It's not a terrible read, and I can see how some would enjoy it, but it just wasn't as captivating as I was expecting.

Review: The Dutch Girl by Donna Thorland

Advanced review copy from publisher via NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

Release date: March 1, 2016

Donna Thorland just keeps getting better and better. While each of her novels involves new main characters and can be read independently, there are some common elements which link them all, and this one takes place soon after Turncoat ended. Kate Grey, the protagonist of Turncoat, has a minor role in The Dutch Girl as she takes up the Widow's work and recruits the reluctant Anna Winters into her network of spies.

One of the main themes of Thorland's stories which has always prevented me from giving them five stars, is the "love at first sight" element. The instant attraction I can understand, but the instant love was hard to get on board with. The Dutch Girl finally makes a change from this as the two main characters share a history, but society's class-ism and subsequent events kept them apart. Now, political events and Anna's role as a spy for the Rebels within the Dutch community will divide them.

Thorland's novels are so much fun, because there's always so much going on in them. It's hard to go wrong with clever characters, witty dialogue, and a multi-dimensional plot. One of the things I love about them is that Thorland always picks a different setting for each book. I don't just mean geographical locations, but also the cultural setting. Philadelphia Quakers, Boston pirates, Manhattan theater and Native Americans, and now, Dutch New York. You can be sure that the historical setting does not get neglected in the fast-paced story line. Whatever setting she goes with next, I can't wait to read it.

Review: The Turncoat by Donna Thorland

Set in colonial Philadelphia, a sheltered Quaker girl turns worldly spy for Washington after her brief encounter with a British officer.

Let me preface this by saying I love Philadelphia history. I am from the Philly area myself and I have a long family history there dating back to early colonial times (like the founding of Germantown... like one of my ancestors immigrated along side Francis Daniel Pastorius). So I am going to be bias for any novel set in colonial Philadelphia. But that doesn't mean I don't have some criticism.

My main criticism was of the initial characterization of Peter Tremayne. He is self-admittedly a former plundering rapist until he meets our heroine and does a complete 180. And this is all based on spending one evening with her. I just found it hard to believe. At least in Thorland's other novels, the hero may be a bit of a rogue but he's not a rapist who is immediately reformed after one day with the heroine. Maybe it's because this was her first novel, maybe she learned from this and went on to form more believable main characters.

That aside, I loved everything about this novel. As usual, the historical politics, espionage, and historical figures really bring it to life. Easy to read with great dialogue and a fast paced plot, I am finding I can always rely on Thorland for a quick, fun novel that is steeped in local history.

Review: Ross Poldark: A Novel of Cornwall, 1783-1787 by Winston Graham

After being wounded while fighting in the American Revolutionary War, Ross Poldark returns home to Cornwall, England to find his father dead, his sweetheart engaged to his spoiled cousin, his estate in ruins, and that everyone believed him dead in Virginia. But it takes more than that to keep Ross Poldark down, and he determines to rebuild his life almost entirely from scratch.

The BBC love Poldark - they made a TV series of it in 1975 and now they are remaking it (aired on PBS in the US), and the publishers are reissuing the books along with it. I have been watching the new series and it inspired me to pick up the books. Surprisingly, I have to say this is one of those rare moments when the "movie" is better than the books.

It's a great story with great characters and that is owed to the books, but the narrative of the books is a little stilted at times, which is something I find is common with books written and originally published in the 1940s and 1950s. Maybe it was just a different style of writing that isn't easy for modern readers to appreciate but regardless it takes getting used to.

It also seems the TV series follows the books fairly closely, so that there is not a huge amount of difference between them. Such a rarity means that while it may be enjoyable for people who have already read the books to watch a visual enactment of it, the reverse doesn't hold much for viewers who read the books after watching it. I tend to read the book after seeing the movie because I like to see everything the movie wasn't able to cover. In this case, because it so closely follows the books, reading them doesn't really give you anything the show doesn't. There's a little bit more to Jinny and Jim's story and we get to see more of Demelza's endearing, childlike antics which were mostly removed from the TV show, I think in order to make her seem older (she is only 13 at the start of the books). However, the internal dialogue doesn't really tell us anything the show isn't able to convey. At least, that was the case with the first book. I will likely carry on with the rest of the book series, especially if the TV series doesn't make it all the way to the end (though it likely will), but not right now.

I'm not saying the book wasn't enjoyable, just that it would perhaps have been more enjoyable to read it first, then watch the TV show, but unfortunately I've done it the other way around.

Review: HFVBT Presents Donna Thorland’s Mistress Firebrand Blog Tour, April 6-May 8

Publication Date: March 3, 2015
NAL Trade
Formats: eBook, Paperback
416 Pages

Series: Renegades of the American Revolution (Book 3)
Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance



British Occupied Manhattan, 1777. American actress Jenny Leighton has been packing the John Street Theater with her witty comedies, but she longs to escape the provincial circuit for the glamour of the London stage. When the playwright General John Burgoyne visits the city, fresh from a recent success in the capitol, she seizes the opportunity to court his patronage. But her plan is foiled by British intelligence officer Severin Devere.

Severin’s mission is to keep the pleasure-loving general focused on the war effort…and away from pretty young actresses. But the tables are turned when Severin himself can’t resist Jenny Leighton…

Months later, Jenny has abandoned her dreams of stage glory and begun writing seditious plays for the Rebels under the pen name “Cornelia,” ridiculing “Gentleman Johnny” Burgoyne and his army—and undermining the crown’s campaign to take Albany. With Jenny’s name now on the hanging list, Severin is ordered to find her—and deliver her to certain death. Soon, the two are launched on a desperate journey through the wilderness, toward an uncertain future shaped by the revolution—and their passion for each other…

My Review

It amazed me how much Thorland was able to pack into only about 400 pages, and I don't just mean the plot, but also the character development, politics, history, etc. There is so much attention to detail and yet even with all that, it never gets bogged down and instead remains a fun, quick read.

While it's told from the third person points of view of the two, very likable and believable main characters, Jenny and Severin, the side characters are never neglected. Fully developed with interesting background and individual personalities, the side characters help make this novel richer and fuller. Weaving historical events into the plot, and with the inclusion not only of historical figures but also fictional characters inspired by or loosely based on other historical individuals, really helps bring the history to life.

Thorland is obviously an expert on colonial history, not just political but also cultural, working them both effortlessly into a story of two people struggling to find themselves and survive in the political unrest and upheaval of the American Revolution.

With politics, espionage, romance, and action, it's sure to please a wide range of readers.

Buy Mistress Firebrand

Amazon (Kindle)
Amazon (Paperback)
Barnes & Noble
Books-a-Million
iTunes
IndieBound
Powell's

About the Author

A native of Bergenfield, New Jersey, Donna graduated from Yale with a degree in Classics and Art History. For many years she managed architecture and interpretation at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, and wrote and directed the Witch City’s most popular Halloween theater festival, Eerie Events. She later earned an MFA in film production from the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Donna has been a sorority house mother, a Disney/ABC Television Writing Fellow, a WGA Writer’s Access Project Honoree, and a writer on the ABC primetime drama, Cupid. Her screenwriting credits include episodes of the animated series, Tron: Uprising. Her short fiction has appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine and Albedo One. The director of several award-winning short films, her most recent project, The Night Caller, aired on WNET Channel 13 and was featured on Ain’t It Cool News. Currently she is a writer on the WGN drama SALEM. She is married with one cat and divides her time between the real Salem and Los Angeles.

For more information visit Donna Thorland's website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Mistress Firebrand Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, April 6
Excerpt at What Is That Book About
Excerpt & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages

Tuesday, April 7
Review & Giveaway at Flashlight Commentary

Wednesday, April 8
Interview at The Maiden's Court

Thursday, April 9
Guest Post & Giveaway at Susan Heim on Writing

Friday, April 10
Spotlight at Broken Teepee

Sunday, April 12
Review at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book

Monday, April 13
Spotlight, Excerpt, & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Thursday, April 16
Review at Caroline Wilson Writes

Friday, April 17
Spotlight at I'd So Rather Be Reading

Saturday, April 18
Excerpt & Giveaway at A Dream Within a Dream

Monday, April 20
Review at Book Nerd

Tuesday, April 21
Guest Post & Giveaway at Book Babe

Wednesday, April 22
Guest Post & Excerpt at The Lit Bitch

Thursday, April 23
Spotlight & Giveaway at So Many Precious Books, So Little Time

Friday, April 24
Review at Back Porchervations

Monday, April 27
Review at Just One More Chapter

Tuesday, April 28
Review at Historical Readings & Reviews

Wednesday, April 29
Review & Giveaway at Unshelfish
Guest Post at Boom Baby Reviews

Thursday, April 30
Review at Bookramblings

Friday, May 1
Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway at Drey's Library
Spotlight at Genre Queen

Sunday, May 3
Review at Forever Ashley

Monday, May 4
Review at A Chick Who Reads
Guest Post & Giveaway at To Read, or Not to Read

Tuesday, May 5
Excerpt at CelticLady's Reviews

Wednesday, May 6
Review at Unabridged Chick

Thursday, May 7
Spotlight at A Literary Vacation

Friday, May 8
Interview at Scandalous Woman

Review: The Rebel Pirate by Donna Thorland

Sarah Ward, daughter of an infamous pirate, wants nothing to do with piracy or the rebels. James Sparhawk, established British naval captain, wants only to get revenge on his father. When their paths collide amid the beginnings of a revolution, they find themselves reassessing their priorities and which side of the oncoming war they will be on.

Unlike some romance novels, this one is actually fleshed out with a complex story, interesting characters, and descriptions that make the historical setting come alive. The only thing I initially had trouble getting on board with (no pun intended) was the romance. The attraction between the two main characters is instantaneous, before we even really know enough about each character to understand why they are so attracted to one another. I prefer to see a romance grow as two people bond and get to know each other. It seemed a little unrealistic that two people who just met days ago would be risking so much to help one another. But the good thing about this book is that there is plenty more going on in the story than just the romance so it didn’t bother me nearly as much as it could have if there wasn’t more to keep me interested. And by the end, I was on board with the romance, it just took some time to get passed the initial “love at first sight” idea.

I really enjoyed the atmosphere of a building rebellion and reading about the characters who got caught up in it.

Review: Empress of the Night by Eva Stachniak

Received ARC from publisher via NetGalley. My opinions are my own.
Release date: March 25, 2014

Told in third person present tense, this is Catherine the Great’s story from her own point of view, following the novel of her story told from her servant and spy Vavara's point of view. It covers the same time period that the first book did and then some, which means some scenes we have already seen before, from Varvara's point of view.

While it was good to see Catherine's take on things, I couldn't help but feel this follow up novel wasn't quite as good as the first. It is told as Catherine lay dying from a stroke which meant that often, her thoughts and memories are very erratic and there’s nothing to ground the story. Catherine jumps between the present moment and her memories with no indication and her memories are often very random and hard to link together (though they do seem to at least go somewhat in chronological order). It hurries over much of the content that we already saw in the first book, sometimes making only vague references to events in the assumption that the reader has read the first book. So if you haven’t read the first book, this will probably be hard to follow.

I also wasn't expecting it to be in present tense since the first book was not. I'm not a huge fan of present tense and while I do think it added to the feeling of being in Catherine's dying head as she is going over her life, I still don't love it.

However, I do think it was worth reading and seeing Catherine's thoughts and emotions which we didn't really get to see in the first book, and also more of Catherine's later life which we previously didn't see at all. There is a lot more about Catherine's son and grandchildren in the second half of this second installment, though only through Catherine's eyes, it added dimension to the story and was worth reading.

This is definitely more of a companion book than a sequel and it almost could have been trimmed down and integrated into the first book instead, to alternately show Varvara's and Catherine's point of view at the same time. So it's definitely not a stand alone book and I don't recommend it if you haven't read the first book but if you have, I do think the second is worth reading.

Review: The Winter Palace by Eva Stachniak

This is an excellently written novel about Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia, told from the first person point of view of a palace maid, Varvara, a fictional character from Poland. After being orphaned, Varvara becomes a ward of the Empress Elizabeth of Russia where she is forgotten about within the Winter Palace until she is discovered by the Chancellor as a potentially good spy. He trains her to spy for him and the Empress, who places her in an ideal position as a maid to her nephew, the Grand Duke and heir to the Russian throne, but when Catherine (initially known as Sophie) arrives to be married to the Grand Duke, Varvara's loyalties are thrown into question.

This is as much Varvara's story as it is Catherine's and truth be told, Catherine is absent for portions of the novel and yet, that doesn't detract from the story. It's so well written and the characters are so well developed that the fictional plot lines are every bit as interesting as the historical ones and only add dimension to the story. However, for those disppointed that the focal point was not more centered on Catherine, the sequel Empress of the Night is told from Catherine's point of view.

From Varvara's point of view, Catherine seemed a little whiny and immature at times, though she would have been in her 20s by the time the scene I'm thinking of in particular would have occured. In fact, Catherine's character sort of regresses; in the beginning, she is shrewed and cautious but as the book goes on, she becomes reckless and immature. I think this was an attempt to show how unhappy she became in the situation she was in and how she reached a point when she just didn't care anymore about the things which she previously thought of the utmost importance.

For a spy novel, the politics sometimes take a back seat to the court gossip but I think it's important to remember that during this time period, court intrigue and politics were so often linked.

I was surprised to learn the author is Polish, because this is so well written in English, I can't believe that it's not the author's first language. It really brings the scenes to life and forms the characters so well, it was hard to put down and I look forward to the sequel.