The ninth century is coming to a close and England is at a major crossroads. King Alfred the Great is dying and England being unified is still a long-term goal. The only hope for a united England lies in the hands of his son and successor Edward. However, the road to the throne will be challenging as other Saxons and Viking warriors desire the throne. Only one man can help the young king, but which side will Uhtred of Bebbanburg choose? The fight for England’s future continues in book six of the Saxon Stories, “Death of Kings” by Bernard Cornwell. We begin with Lord Uhtred as he works hard to ..read more

I am pleased to welcome Stella Riley to my blog today to share an excerpt from her novel, “A Splendid Defiance.” I would like to thank Stella Riley and the Coffee Pot Book Club for allowing me to be part of this blog tour. Abby storms the castle Considering that he had left his bed to dress hurriedly and come straight downstairs, the Captain’s room was remarkably tidy. A lot tidier, thought Abigail, with a faintly shocked sideways glance, than he was himself. It was also larger than she had expected, being situated at the top of the south-east turret and reached by means of a narrow spiral sta ..read more

I am pleased to welcome Malve von Hassell to my blog today to share a spotlight for her novel, “The Falconer’s Apprentice.” I want to thank The Coffee Pot Book Club and Malve von Hassell for allowing me to be part of this blog tour. Blurb: THE FALCONER’S APPRENTICE is a story of adventure and intrigue set in the intense social and political unrest of the Holy Roman Empire in the thirteenth century. “That bird should be destroyed!”  Andreas stared at Ethelbert in shock. Blood from an angry-looking gash on the young lord’s cheek dripped onto his embroidered tunic. Andreas clutched the handl ..read more

The year is 1584 in Florence and a test is about to take place, but it is different from your typical test. It involves a Prince whose wife can only give him daughters and an attractive orphan girl who will be given a dowry and a husband when the task is done. The stories of these young women have been lost to the past, but the story of orphan Giulia is now coming to light. Katherine Mezzacappa tells the tale of the orphan who took back her life from the most powerful men in Italy in her novel, “The Maiden of Florence.” I want to thank Fairlight Books and NetGalley for sending me a copy of th ..read more

The Wars of the Roses, a conflict that engulfed English politics for over 30 years and heralded a new dynasty, the Tudors. While there were battles and political intrigue galore during this period of unrest, there were also births, marriages, and deaths of powerful figures. Each day during the Wars of the Roses holds significance to nobles and commoners alike. Dan Moorhouse has compiled his years of research into this conflict into his book, “On This Day in the Wars of the Roses.” I would like to thank Dan Moorhouse for sending me a copy of this book. I have been studying the Wars of the Roses ..read more

Like many other countries, England has been through growing pains when it comes to reforming its political, military, and judicial systems. None more so than the pains of the medieval period, specifically from 1199 to 1399. In those two centuries, there were six Plantagenet kings, each with a different style of being king and a different way of changing England with each reign. We often think that the biggest change to England’s political history during this time was the Magna Carta, but in fact, that was only just the beginning. Caroline Burt and Richard Partington have combed the archives to ..read more

The 16th century was known for its dramatic changes in religious issues. None more so than during the late Tudor dynasty especially during the reign of Elizabeth I. However, France also saw the religious pendulum swing between Protestantism and Catholicism. Many families from all walks of life were caught in religious squabbles, like the Montgomery family. Lady Gabrielle Roberda Montgomery found herself in the middle of the drama and was forced to marry into a prominent Devon family in Elizabethan England, far from her native France. Roberda’s extraordinary story is told masterfully in Rosemar ..read more

England is in the midst of chaos in a conflict known as the Wars of the Roses. The Yorkist cause is formulating a case to take the throne’s power from Henry VI and the Lancastrians and replace the king with Richard, Duke of York, whose claim to the throne is a bit stronger. Caught in the middle of the Wars of the Roses was one strong and courageous woman who would fight tooth and nail for her family and the Yorkist cause. Her name was Cecily Neville, Duchess of York, and her story is masterfully told in Anne O’Brien’s novel, “The Queen’s Rival.” A few years ago, I hosted Anne O’Brien to discus ..read more

I am pleased to welcome Eric Schumacher to my blog today to share a spotlight for his novel, “Riddle of the Gods.” I would like to thank Eric Schumacher and The Coffee Pot Book Club for allowing me to be part of this blog tour. Blurb: Riddle of the Gods is the riveting fourth novel in the best-selling series chronicling the life and adventures of one of Norway’s most controversial kings, Olaf Tryggvason. It is AD 976. Olaf Tryggvason, the renegade prince of Norway, has lost his beloved wife to a tragedy that turns the lords of the land he rules against him. With his family gone and his future ..read more

When we think about the Tudor dynasty, we often think about the famous men and women who defined the era. An era full of change in all aspects of life, from religious and political, to the arts and literature. Throughout these changes, we tend to focus on how they affected the lives of Tudor men, but there is a growing field of interest in the lives of the average Tudor women and how their lives were affected. In her latest book, “Women’s Lives in the Tudor Era,” Amy McElroy explores women’s life stages in 16th-century England and how their roles changed. I want to thank Pen and Sword Books an ..read more