#BookReview THE REVOLT by CLARA DUPONT-MONOD @QuercusBooks #historical #TheRevolt

ABOUT THE BOOK

It is with a soft voice, full of menace, that our mother commands us to overthrow our father . . .

Richard Lionheart tells the story of his mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine. In 1173, she and three of her sons instigate a rebellion to overthrow the English king, her husband Henry Plantagenet. What prompts this revolt? How does a great queen persuade her children to rise up against their father? And how does a son cope with this crushing conflict of loyalties?

Replete with poetry and cruelty, this story takes us to the heart of the relationship between a mother and her favourite son – two individuals sustained by literature, unspoken love, honour and terrible violence

PUBLISHED BY QUERCUS

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon

hive.co.uk

Blackwell’s

MY REVIEW

Royals sure know how to do family feuds well don’t they!? And what a story Richard Lionheart has to share in this book as he tells the story of his mother, Eleanor of Aquitane. I’m ashamed to say I knew very little of her story, only the very basics, but this book has made me want to research this remarkable and resilient woman even more as what an amazing character she was.

I wasn’t sure how it would work with her son telling her story, but I found it to be an intriguing viewpoint as he watches his family torn apart by power and greed, and having to pick sides when your mother and father are so headstrong wasn’t the easiest for them all. What did make it easy was the way their father seemed to despise them all which is why so many took their mothers side and helped her fight the battles ahead.

And Eleanor herself was such a powerful woman, even before she married Henry, as she was Queen of France for 15 years. No wife had ever left a King before so when she left King Louis she made people sit up and take notice – she was pretty ruthless and suffered no fools gladly! 2 months after she left Louis, she married Henry who was set to be King of England!! She was a woman who knew what she wanted, and got it!!

Even at her lowest points she seemed to have the belief that all would work out in her favour in the end and I loved that about her and the journey that she went on. She went through some emotional times as a mother, but refused to wallow and always seemed ready to bounce back.

I really enjoyed how this book made history more accessible. It’s not just a list of names and dates but brilliantly tells the pulsating story of a family divided – the ultimate dysfunctional family!! With so many strong characters, it’s inevitable there was going to be trouble and I found it to be a really enjoyable read! Highly recommended for all historical fans!!

My thanks to Elise at Quercus for the advanced reader copy in return for a fair and honest review.

★★★★

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#BookReview The Daughter of River Valley by Victoria Cornwall #publicationday

About the book

Cornwall, 1861

Beth Jago appears to have the idyllic life, she has a trade to earn a living and a cottage of her own in Cornwall’s beautiful River Valley. Yet appearances can be deceptive …

Beth has a secret. Since inheriting her isolated cottage she’s been receiving threats, so when she finds a man in her home she acts on her instincts. One frying pan to the head and she has robbed the handsome stranger of his memory and almost killed him.

Fearful he may die, she reluctantly nurses the intruder back to health. Yet can she trust the man with no name who has entered her life, or is he as dangerous as his nightmares suggest? As they learn to trust one another, the outside threats worsen. Are they linked to the man with no past? Or is the real danger still outside waiting … and watching them both?

Publisher  Choc Lit

Publication Date – 17th July 2018

Purchase Links

iBooks

Amazon UK

Kobo

Google Play

MY REVIEW

I found this story to be such an engrossing historical romance, beautifully brought to life by the author with some striking settings and vivid descriptions.  And in Beth Jago, a wonderful character who is strong, independent and stubborn in equal measures!

Since the death of her grandfather she has carried on living on her own in an isolated cottage in the River Valley. Happy to keep to herself, she gets the feeling she is being watched and has to take action when a strange man turns up at the cottage.  Her actions lead to this stranger losing his memory, although she is unsure at first if he is making this up.  But guilt, and a caring nature, gets the better of her and she takes responsibility to nurse him back to health and try to help him discover who he is, and what he was doing visiting the cottage in the first place.

She gives him the name ‘Luke’ and their relationship is an uneasy one from the start, despite having very similar traits!  They are both very stubborn characters and reluctant to rely on others for help but as they spend time together they gain a greater understanding of each other.  Luke begins to have flashbacks, and Beth hears his nightmares and it is enthralling to watch their story develop as they try and work out where he came from with just an engraved watch as a reference point as to an identity.

Beth is a  proud woman and has thrived on the security of living at the cottage, but when that is threatened she begins to fear the worst and wonders if all her work at the cottage will be for nothing.   She is determined to seek  answers from the source of the letters she receives in the hope a compromise can be reached.

I loved Beth and Luke in this.  Their stories weren’t straightforward and there were plenty of obstacles along the way for them both to navigate, and it became more than just a romance story with the added twists and turns along the way! Highly recommended!!

☙☙☙☙☙

Book Blogger Insider Tag

I spotted this tag over at KristinKravesBooks and wanted to be part of the fun! So here goes!

    Rules:

1. Answer the questions below
2. Credit the creator Jamie https://alittlesliceofjamie.wordpress.com/
3. Tag at least 5 people
4. Have fun!

Where do you typically write your blog posts?

In the spare room! There’s a comfy futon with lots of blankets on it and it seems perfect for lounging on with my laptop!

How long does it generally take you to write a book review?

 Half an hour is probably the average time – some take longer (annoyingly!), others can be summed up in a few lines!

When did you start your book blog?

May 2016! I had to look to check though as I had no clue!

What is the worst thing about having a book blog in your opinion?

The time it takes to set up posts as that takes away from reading time! I also feel guilty if I’ve been sent a book and it takes me a while to get to!

What is the best thing about having a book blog in your opinion?

Books!! And the Blogging community who are so supportive and also so evil in leading me astray in wanting more books!  I also love the variety of books I’ve discovered whilst blogging. I’m sure if I’d not set this up I wouldn’t have discovered half of the books I have been lucky enough to read – either through others’ reviews or review copies being sent by publishers

What blog post have you had the most fun writing so far?

Not sure to be honest! I always have fun doing cover reveals as it feels so cool getting to be one of the first people to see a cover before it is released into the bookish world!

What is your favourite type of blog post to write?

Reviews! It’s why I set this blog up – as I have a lousy memory and wanted to help myself remember what each book I read was about! – and I’m sure it helps me notice more whilst I’m reading

When do you typically write?

No real set time! Sunday afternoons are normally quite a good time for me though!

Do you review every book you read?

I try to review most of them! I try and review books I think others would be interested in finding out about. And I don’t tend to waste time writing big reviews of books I end up not enjoying so just put a few lines on GoodReads for those. Thankfully these are very far and few between as I seem to be getting quite good now at choosing books that suit me!

How do you write your book reviews? With a cup of coffee or tea? With Netflix? Cuddled with your fur baby?

Any excuse to have a cup of tea by my side! Or a double choca mocha!  I like to listen to music too while I’m reviewing so have my Ipod on shuffle by my side!

When do you write your book reviews? Right after finishing the book? Two weeks after finishing the book?

Normally straight after finishing the book as I’d be awful trying to remember things a couple of weeks later! I like the instant reactions of having read a book and what it has meant to me!

How often do you post?

No set routine! Whenever I finish a book, or whenever I notice a post put up by someone else that I’d like to join in with! And whenever I get the emails about cover reveals or Blog Tours – so I apologise for the randomness of my Blog posts! SORRY!!

 

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So much fun in doing this!! Will tag anyone who reads this and fancies sharing their Blogging thoughts!