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Posts labeled Historical

book cover for The Voice of Wild Places

Review - The Voice of Wild Places by Noah Hawthorne

My rating: * * * * *

Watt and Annie were best friends as children, when Watt and his well-to-do family spent summers on the Michigan shore where Annie lived. One day, when the friends were in their teens, Watt’s father forbade him from ever seeing Annie again. Watt’s family left and never returned. Years later, Watt is now an anthropologist. The wife of his mentor, who went missing in South America, asks Watt to undertake a mission to find her husband, and she wants him to help enlist the aid of an eminent archaeologist, Cornelius Sawyer.

Tags: Trans* Historical


book cover for The Pillar

Review - The Pillar by Kim Fielding

My rating: * * * * *

Faris is the village herbalist. He dispenses the teas, tinctures and salves he makes to help cure the various ills of everyone in the town. Faris was taught by the previous healer who has since passed away. Among his most distasteful duty is tending to those punished in the town square, where criminals and misbehaving slaves are tied to a stone pillar, lashed mercilessly, and left to die. Some are beyond saving and the most Faris can do is help ease their way.

Tags: Historical


book cover for Heart of Stone

Review - Heart of Stone by Johannes T. Evans

My rating: * * * *

Vampire Henry is several hundred years old. Over the centuries, he has turned his hand to many things. Now, in the mid-eighteenth century, he is in publishing, but he needs a new personal secretary. His mind wanders too much to keep track of everything that needs to be done. Theophilus comes highly recommended, and Henry is instantly taken with the handsome yet reserved young man. Theophilus doesn’t know his employer is a vampire.

Tags: Historical Vampires


book cover for Dead Egyptians

Review - Dead Egyptians by Del Blackwater

My rating: * * * * *

While touring Egypt as a young boy with his archaeologist father, Albion sees his first spirit. It’s not the last ghost the boy will encounter, but the memory of that first one sticks with him. More than a decade later, Albion has graduated from Cambridge and is determined to return to Egypt in search of answers. However, the first person of note he encounters in Cairo is a young Aleister Crowley.

Tags: Paranormal Egypt Historical


book cover for Fever

Review - Fever by Jordan L. Hawk

My rating: * * * * *

Colin and his older brother Doug have been making a living as con men since they left home to escape from their abusive father. They’re in Seattle when the first miners return from the Klondike, laden with gold from the newly discovered strike. Doug instantly sees an opportunity for a new con and soon the brothers are on their way with a new mark. Getting to the Yukon as winter closes in proves harder than expected, but Colin makes friends with Steve and his family, who are also out to strike it rich.

Tags: Thriller Supernatural Historical Nineteenth Century


book cover for The Curse of the Blue Scarab: A Monster Mashup

Review - The Curse of the Blue Scarab by Josh Lanyon

My rating: * * * *

In this retelling of the original 1912 classic “The Mummy”, Dr Quentin Armiston is a middle-aged physician whose Edwardian-era London practice consists mainly of the cooks, chauffeurs, housekeepers and other assorted servants of the upper classes. He is single, but has never really felt lonely, and besides, his true desires are the kind that could land you in jail. One day, a young gentleman comes to get Armiston to attend the death of his friend.

Tags: Thriller Mystery Historical


book cover for Games of Rome

Review - Games of Rome by J.P. Kenwood

My rating: * * * *

This second book of the five-part Dominus series picks up exactly where the first installment left of: with the death of Gaius’ old friend, and sometimes lover, Lucius. The mystery of who killed Lucius, and why, is a major theme of this book, although the relationship between Gaius and Allerix remains the core of the story. Allerix seems resigned to his fate as Gaius’ slave, although he still plots his revenge against the Roman emperor, and Dominus takes steps to protect his slave’s true identity, a secret that could mean death for both of them if it becomes known.

Tags: Historical Ancient Rome


book cover for If I Were Fire

Review - If I Were Fire by Heloise West

My rating: * * * *

Kindly note: a proof copy of this book was supplied by the author in exchange for a review. A world-weary adventuring count trying to salvage his family estate, a bad boy who wants to be good, a local gangster, and a search for hidden treasure. All this is packed into this very short novelette, running less than 60 pages. Salvesto is the rather down-on-his-luck count. He has returned to Siena upon the death of his father, hoping that the acts which forced him into exile have been forgotten.

Tags: Historical Novelette


book cover for The Pirate Witch

Review - The Pirate Witch by Damian Serbu

My rating: * * * *

Alexander is born at the worst possible time and place for someone to be different, in early seventeenth century Salem, Massachusetts Colony, where the Puritans are still on the hunt for witches. Alexander’s mother is brutally murdered by the townspeople, who think she’s a witch, and his father dies of the shock of it. The thing is, she really was a witch, and so is Alexander. His mother’s dying wish is that Alexander survive, hiding his powers from prying eyes.

Tags: Historical Fantasy


book cover for Dominus

Review - Dominus

My rating: * * * *

General Gaius Fabius returns to Rome in triumph from the Dacian wars, but soon finds himself restless for a new challenge. Somewhat bored with his current stable of pleasure slaves, Gaius finds his challenge in the form of Allerix, a Dacian prisoner put up for auction. Gaius decides to make Allerix his new boy toy, but taming the young man may be more of a challenge than Gaius bargained for.

Tags: Historical Ancient Rome


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