What: Back to History Challenge
When: 1 January – 31 December 2008
Who: Shannon
Rules: Read 12 historical books. Can be historical fiction as well as memoirs and biographies. See Shannon’s site.
Of all the challenges this year, this was the one I thought I could complete. It turned out to be the one I did the worst in.
In one aspect, it wasn’t a complete failure. I have no problem reading historical-set novels. Eighteen books — nineteen if I get one more Christmas anthology in before the 31st — were historicals. Only two of the books were on my lists for the challenge.
The real failure was that I did not read more books outside my “norm”. The majority of the books fell into either the Regency period or the Victorian Era, two time periods I’ve read regularly over the years. However, the two books that were on my list happened to be set in time periods I don’t read regularly: American Colonial and Medieval.
Would I do this challenge again? No. Since I like historicals in general, reading them isn’t a challenge. Only way I’d do a historical challenge again is if I only had to read 6 books or less.
My list (Books in RED are on more than one list/alternate list):
- Crusader’s Lady by Lynna Banning ** (Medieval) {18 Jan 08} (REVIEW)
- Rising Wind by Cindy Holby {28 Mar 08} (REVIEW)
The unread and DNFs:
- Duchess: A Novel of Sarah Churchill by Susan Holloway Scott
- The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B. by Sandra Gulland
- Through the Glass Darkly by Karleen Koen
- Shadows and Strongholds by Elizabeth Chadwick
- Roselynde by Roberta Gellis
- The Warlord’s Mistress by Juliet Landon ** (Roman)
- A Notorious Woman by Amanda McCabe ** (European)
- His Rebel Bride by Helen Dickson ** (Restoration)
- The Rogue’s Kiss by Emily Bascom ** (Georgian)
- The Defiant Mistress by Claire Thornton (1st in the City of Flames trilogy) ** (Restoration)
Alternatives:
- The Christmas Wedding Wager by Michelle Styles ** (Victorian)
- Forbidden Lady by Anne Herries ** (Medieval) {10 Jan 08} (DNF)
- The Maid of Lorne by Terri Brisbin ** (Medieval)
- The Harlot’s Daughter by Blythe Gifford ** (Medieval)
- The Black Sheep’s Bride by Paula Marshall ** (Elizabethan)
- Rowan’s Revenge by June Francis ** (Medieval)
- Tempted by Innocence by Lyn Randal ** (European)
- His Duty, Her Destiny by Juliet Landon ** (Medieval)
- Her Rebel Lord by Georgina Devon ** (Georgian)
- A Most Unconventional Courtship by Louise Allen ** (Regency/Corfu)
- Rogue’s Widow, Gentleman’s Wife by Helen Dickson ** (Victorian)
- TBA — Leaving it open for new find/buried treasure
Rising Wind
Author: Cindy Holby
Copyright: 2007 (Leisure); pgs. 338
Series: N/A
Sensuality:
Warm
Violence: scalping, torture, fighting
Who: Caroline “Carrie” Murray and Connor Duncan
Summary: Leaving behind the Highlands for the New World at the tender age of ten, Connor Duncan quickly learned that only the fit and the fortunate survive. He was both, becoming a scout and an expert marksman. . .a man to be reckoned with. He knew his way through the backwoods as well as any Shawnee, but he was far less comfortable in the drawing rooms of Williamsburg. What was a rough-hewn frontiersman like he to do with a sheltered beauty like the governor’s niece? But there seemed to be no way to avoid the “Virgin Widow,” especially when she insisted on accompanying him on a dangerous mission through the wilderness to Fort Savannah. Neither capture, nor torture, nor the violent birth pangs of a young nation could keep them apart or stop the founding of a brand new dynasty of Duncans.
Comments: Rising Wind is another book I picked up based on the All About Romance review. American Colonial is not a subject I read much of despite the fact that I enjoy history in general.
Despite the sensuality ranting given by AAR, the romance is low-key, almost secondary to the story. I say almost because much of Connor’s and Carrie’s thoughts and actions are dictated by their feelings for each other. Connor loves Carrie, but because he’s a Scot and she’s Lord Dunmore’s niece, he feels he is unworthy of her. Likewise, Carrie is drawn to Connor, and tries to make him understand that she is willing endure the hardships on the American frontier to be with him. And Carrie’s conduct throughout demonstrates that she’ll probably be fine. Even during the most harrowing events in the book, Carrie doesn’t lose it. She’s a strong person and I liked her a lot.
There are some squeamish scenes in the last third of the book that effected my enjoyment of the book. The scenes are necessary to convey the dire situation, and I can’t fault the author for including them for that and for historical accuracy. Even so, I still found the book to be worth reading, and I enjoyed the author’s writing to pick up other books by her, even though the American frontier isn’t my favorite sub-genre.
I understand this is a prequel to her other Wind books. I don’t think it’s necessary to read this first — considering that the other books were written prior to this one. It works as a stand alone.
Started: 16 March 2008
Finished: 28 March 2008
Enjoyed it!
Rating:
service
Crusader's Lady
Author: Lynna Banning
Copyright: 2007 (Harlequin); pgs. 293
Series: Harlequin Historical #842
Sensuality: Kisses/Warm
Violence: nothing worth mentioning
Where & When: Jerusalem, 1192
Who: Soraya al-Din and Marc de Valery
Summary: King Richard has chosen Marc de Valery to be his escort/protector on his return trip to England. Accompanying them is Soraya al-Din, disguised as the boy Soray. Marc killed her mentor, a man who was trying to deliver a message to the king. Soraya vows revenge and finds herself accompanying Marc with the hopes of fulfilling that vow. She expects to return to Jerusalem and finally deliver the message to the king, not knowing that the monk Marc travels with is Richard.
Comments: The book blurb is somewhat misleading, so I chose not to use it. It implies that Soraya holds a grudge against Marc throughout the book. Fairly early, Soraya comes to realize that she can’t bring herself to kill Marc when the opportunity arises. The knight is kind to Soray, even when “his” behavior as a servant would have evoked harsh treatment from a master. Marc is a honorable man, and she comes to refer to him in her mind as her knight.
For his part, Marc has grown fond of the mischievous “boy”. Soray’s antics make him laugh, in spite of himself, something that the war-weary knight hasn’t done in a long time. Soray’s slight build and seemingly innocent nature makes Marc protective of “him”, though Marc witnesses Soray standing up to a group of servants — and proves that “he” doesn’t need protecting.
Marc learns the truth and is doubly mad at Soray/Soraya. He feels his lost a friend. Soraya is a woman and it doesn’t occur to him that Soray’s personally was really Soraya, and not an act. The reveal was nicely done and not in the obvious way. They keep the truth from their traveling companions and Marc continues to behave honorably, hence the double sensuality rating. For most of the book, they are traveling as fast as they can to get to England, enduring hardships along the way. They fall in love, but do not act upon it until they are safely in England — which is almost the end of the book.
I really liked Marc and Soraya. Soraya knows, and understands, that she may never be Marc’s. She accepts that Marc must honor his betrothal and doesn’t carry on like a child. Her acceptance and understanding makes him love her all the more. Of course, Marc finds a resolution to their problem.
The author includes a note regarding what historical facts she tampered with, and which characters were fictional and which were real people.
Started: 10 January 2008
Finished: 18 January 2008
Enjoyed it!
Rating:
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