The Red Lily Crown - Elizabeth Loupas

The Red Lily Crown: A Novel of Medici Florence by Elizabeth Loupas
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

There are some parts of this that I enjoyed - the alchemy, the dogs, the relationship between the two main characters. But, it's a very brutal book. So many deaths. The sadistic prince's viewpoint was especially disturbing, and any revenge or happiness that is achieved comes at a very high cost. I'm afraid the brutality overshadows the book for me.

An Officer and a Spy - Robert Harris

An Officer and a Spy by Robert Harris
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An Officer and a Spy is a nail-biting espionage/legal thriller set in France at the turn of the 19th Century, and is slightly outside my comfort zone. I love Historical Fiction, but thrillers are... uncomfortable. They make me tense. I spend a lot of effort trying not to be anxious in real life, so to chase that feeling purposely is maybe a bit silly. I have to knock off a star because "enjoyment" isn't a word I can use in relation to such emotions.

That said, this is a fantastically written story that probably actually deserves 5 stars if I could get beyond my emotional response to it. What horrifies me the most is that it's a true story. Reality can truly be more cruel than fiction. I felt the despair, the sense of being stamped out by a government for knowing the wrong information, and the outrage at crimes uncovered and injustices committed. Great stuff. I recommend it if historical spy thrillers are your thing. And even if they're not.

Child of Flame - Kate Elliott

Child of Flame by Kate Elliott
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A rich and vibrant world, fascinating peoples, creatures, histories, religions, magics, and wonderfully nuanced characters... I'm loving this series, even as I'm wishing for a faster pace. It's truly epic and detailed in its sprawl, which at times means it drags.

I'm realizing that I have to take breaks in my reading so I can continue to enjoy the world without growing too impatient. When I start willing it to go faster, I take a break and read something else. Then at other times, I fail to notice the hours flying by.

This is really a series to be savored. With its scope and the weight of each installment, it simply won't allow you to rush through. So far, the end of each book has been rewarding, and I miss the world and characters once I'm done. I guess I'm just going to be living there for a while.

The Zig Zag Girl - Elly Griffiths

The Zig Zag Girl by Elly Griffiths
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed the setting of this historical mystery. It's set in the British seaside town of Brighton in post World War II, and the main characters are a policeman and his wartime friend, a performing magician. We get a fascinating glimpse of the variety show world in the times when TV was just about to take over entertainment. That's what really helped to set this apart from other historical mysteries.

I did have my suspicions about the murderer quite early on, but there was plenty of doubt to keep me questioning, so the mystery was satisfying enough.

I always find that it's being able to invest in the characters that really makes a mystery for me, and that was definitely the case here. I found myself growing quite attached to the policeman and his magician friend. Ultimately, I cared what was going to happen to them, and that's what will bring me back to the series again in the future.

Murder for Greenhorns - Robert Kresge

Murder for Greenhorns by Robert Kresge
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I loved the idea of a historical mystery in the old West, but it's clumsily executed, and boring to boot. A lot of detailed descriptions could be trimmed. I really don't need to know the exact steps a character takes to get dressed.

I'm also just not buying the premise, and the characters don't appeal, or even ring true to me. I don't think I have the gumption to finish this one. It's not one-star bad, but I'm just not interested enough.

The Maid of Fairbourne Hall - Julie Klassen

The Maid of Fairbourne Hall by Julie Klassen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this one much more than the last couple of Julie Klassen novels I've read. It may be because the heroine wasn't being punished for being a "fallen woman." Thankfully, this one was much less heavy and preachy, not so full of judgment and condemnation. At the most, some Bible verses and a few quick prayers were all that reminded me that this was a Christian romance, thank God. I do like to read a good romance that focuses more on the emotional aspect of love rather than sex scenes, but also doesn't preach at me. Believe it or not, that's hard to find.

Mainly, this was a story of a selfish, proud woman who finds herself in the position of a servant and learns what it's like to be on the other side. The upstairs-downstairs aspect was interesting. I do tend to enjoy how Klassen's romances explore aspects of the time period that you don't often get in a romance, making them closer to the Historical Fiction end of the spectrum. Although some of it might have been a bit far-fetched, that's often true of Regency romances.

I was able to sit back and enjoy this one. I'm glad I decided to pick it up. I almost didn't after the bitter taste the last couple books had left me.

Restoration - Carol Berg

Restoration by Carol Berg
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a fantastic conclusion to the trilogy! From almost the first page, I was holding my breath. There was no slow build here. It just jumped right in and punched me in the gut, then ran away. Seyonne goes through so much. More than ever before. Aleksander too. The empire undergoes some upheavals that bring him into his own transformation. I loved that he is much more prominent than he was in the second book. Seyonne and Aleksander's friendship... just wow. Heartwrenching at times, but also so worth it.

This book built on both the first and the second of the series, but wasn't just a continuation. It was a synthesis of everything that came before, and a new height of revelation. Each part of the trilogy stood so well on its own, but together they're so much more. And just in case you're reading the description for the first book and thinking it's all about demons, it's really not. Not even close. Nothing is ever quite as it seems.

I feel as if I've been hollowed out and filled back up. Fantastic.