A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende was published this year and it was picked for the Goodreads Choice Awards. Seeing that it’s connected with the Spanish Civil War, I was curious about it. Luckily (or not) I could find it at the…
For whom the bell tolls by Ernest Hemingway is one of the classic books I wouldn’t have read if it wasn’t for me studying the Spanish Civil War. Well, I’m glad I read it. It has so many vivid descriptions, which are accurate even if…
A friend recommended The Seamstress by María Dueñas when she heard that I’m studying the Spanish Civil War. This is a historical fiction novel, with the action taking place in the 1930s and 1940s Spain and Morocco. It is a story about a woman’s survival…
I read the whole Matthew Shardlake series and enjoyed it. Winter in Madrid by C.J. Sansom is a stand alone novel, its history happening after the Spanish Civil War, in 1940. I had a short chat about the book with my tutor and he knows…
Sacred treason by James Forrester is the first book in the Clarenceux trilogy, a mystery series. I wanted to read this book for two reasons. First of all, I finished Sansom’s Shardlake series and this one seemed similar. Secondly, James Forrester is the pen name…
Tombland by C. J. Sansom is the seventh book in the Matthew Shardlake series and so far the last one. The story takes place in 1549 and Shardlake is in Norfolk, at the time of Kett’s rebellion. So far I’ve enjoyed all his books and…
Lamentation by C. J. Sansom is the sixth book in the Matthew Shardlake series. Henry VIII is vacillating between Protestantism and Catholicism, while England is torn between these two factions at the court and their power struggle. Catherine Parr had a Protestant leaning and she…
Heartstone by C. J. Sansom is the fifth book in the Matthew Shardlake series. The story takes place in the Summer of 1545, when Henry VIII had to defend the southern coast from a French invasion, after his attempt to invade northern France was unsuccessful.…
Revelation by C. J. Sansom is the fourth book in the Matthew Shardlake series. The story happens in 1543, when King Henry VIII is wooing Catherine Parr. Archbishop Cranmer and Protestant faction at court are hoping the match is a success, as she is known…
Sovereign by C. J. Sansom is the third book in the Matthew Shardlake series. The story takes place in 1541, when King Henry VIII made his Progress to the North. Shardlake was hired by Archbishop Cranmer to transport a conspirator back to London for interrogation,…
Dark Fire by C. J. Sansom is the second book in the Matthew Shardlake series and the story takes place in 1540, just before Thomas Cromwell’s downfall. I didn’t hear about Dark Fire or Greek Fire before reading this book and that was very interesting.…
Dissolution by C. J. Sansom is the first book in the Matthew Shardlake series. I saw a review on Kelly’s blog on the last book in the series and it sounded interesting. I reserved the book, but, following Kelly’s advice, I got the other one…
I finished Queen of the North by Anne O’Brien yesterday. It took much longer to read it than I initially would have thought. I read recently The Scandalous Duchess by her, in which she tells the story of John of Gaunt, father of Henry of…
The Scandalous Duchess by Anne O’Brien is about the love story between Lady Katherine Swynford and Duke John of Gaunt. It is historical fiction and O’Brien keeps her story as close to reality as she can and I love that. I gave the book 5…
I’ve had The People’s Queen by Vanora Bennett on my book shelves for a while, but only now I’ve read it. This is the second book I read about Alice Perrers, the first one was The King’s Concubine by Anne O’Brien. It’s quit befitting that…