Book review : Veil of Lies by Jeri Westerson | A Gripping Medieval Noir Masterpiece

Veil of Lies
Crispin Guest Book 1
A Medieval Noir by Jeri Westerson

GENRE: #HistoricalMystery #MedievalNoir
📍 Setting: London ( England) | ⏳ Era: 1383 (14th Century)

My rating: ★★★★☆
(Actually 4.5 but IT COULD BE 5 of 5 stars)

I give it 4.5 stars and indeed I won't round it up as usual, but down to 4 on Goodreads, because there is one specific thing that really disappointed me and I simply cannot forgive the author for it (I will explain further below, right next to the word SPOILER... so you can choose whether to read it or not!).

I will start by saying that the protagonist has already become one of my absolute favorite characters and that I will definitely continue with this series until the 15th and final book (alternating it with other reads, so that this pleasure will last much longer) where I truly hope our tormented hero can finally find the happiness he so rightly deserves.

| 📜 THE PLOT: FROM KNIGHTHOOD TO THE LONDON SLUMS

Crispin Guest is a former knight, deprived of his noble title and all his worldly possessions, and banished from King Richard II's court. He was estranged from his girlfriend and his friends because of a foolish, but for that era, grave mistake of youth—considered high treason—dictated entirely by passion and affection towards the lord who had made him his pupil, none other than the uncle of the King himself.

In 14th-century London, Crispin has now spent 8 years living in the city's slums, surrounded by the very people he used to look down on from the top of his horse and to whom he would occasionally throw a coin for charity.

Today, Crispin makes his living finding missing things, which is why he is called the "Tracker". Being casually entangled in a murder, he finds himself investigating the case, partly by personal choice and partly under duress from the sheriff.

| 🤗MY THOUGHTS

⚔️ AN INTRICATE MIX OF MYSTERY AND REAL HISTORY

I thoroughly appreciated this book from the very first lines, and I think it is remarkably well written. Within its pages, we have:

1) An intricate mystery to solve.
2) A fascinating, credible protagonist paired with equally believable supporting characters.
3) A rich historical background, featuring a meticulously described setting and the theme of actually existing historical relics + the legends developed around them.
4) An unexpected hint of a romantic plot that develops beautifully in parallel.

🔍 THE MYSTERY TO SOLVE: BEYOND THE LOCKED ROOM

The mystery begins with a murder, and at first glance, it might seem like "the usual crime in a locked room"—a theme that has been read and reread. However, the truth behind this heinous act is much more complicated, touching upon multiple aspects of the victim's life, the people related to them, and the complex political life of the English kingdom. The more our main character, Crispin Guest, investigates, the more the mystery expands in an intricate and engaging way.

The plot is tight and believable, never boring—never! The dialogues are sharp and there is an incredible emotional intensity throughout. The feelings of each character are beautifully described or can be easily guessed through the reactions of the characters themselves.
There are surprising twists and turns, and the background of a dark, damp London, with its cobblestone streets and alleyways filled with strong smells, comes to life as if we were actually on the scene.

🃏 MEDIEVAL NOIR: CRISPIN GUEST VS. SAM SPADE

The author defines her book (and the entire series) as a medieval noir, a "hard-boiled mystery set in the Middle Ages," and she clearly states at the end of the book that Crispin Guest is a bit like Sam Spade. Personally, I don't like hard-boiled books or movies, and after reading The Maltese Falcon (which I consider to be complete bullshit), I haven't read any others. But luckily, I didn't find that annoying hard-boiled vibe here, and Crispin Guest is MUCH BETTER than Sam Spade!

The only thing that comes close to a "noir" is the slightly dark setting (which you can also find in gothic fiction) and... ____ WARNING: SPOILER [one of those endings that leaves a bit of a bad taste in your mouth, much like the ending of Casablanca, the famous movie with Bogart and Bergman. And here is precisely why I didn't give it 5 stars: I simply cannot stand a bitter ending!] SPOILER END _____

🎭 OUR TORMENTED HERO: NOBLE IN THE SLUMS

Crispin Guest, as you can easily guess, is a deeply tormented man who is unable to accept his new life condition—so different and difficult compared to what fate had initially offered him by birth. It is easy to go from the worst to the best, but accepting the opposite transition is not easy at all.

It is also difficult for him to change his way of seeing the world. Despite having become poor, he cannot fully conceive the concept of equality between men; he was born a nobleman and still feels noble despite having been stripped of his title. He lives among people who work hard for a single loaf of bread, and he owns even less than them; however, he still feels "different... superior" because that is the education with which he was raised, and it is hard to eradicate an ideology you believed in all your life...

But Crispin is fundamentally a good guy with strong ideals of justice. Without even realizing it, he takes the side of the weak and those he believes to be innocent. He falls in love with a former chambermaid and keeps a young boy with him whom he saved from prison, who was left all alone in the world and to whom he tries (with many difficulties) to teach honesty.
Crispin is fiercely loyal; he even gets beaten up in order not to reveal secrets that would get a woman into trouble—a woman he doesn't even fully trust yet! He makes decisions that do not suit his own interests just to do what he thinks is the right thing.

I almost fell in love with him, and I cannot wait to spend more time with him and his wonderful assistant, Jack (the little boy he saved, smart and intelligent, who by his own choice acts as his servant just to live with him). I can't wait to experience their next adventures between the cobblestones of London and its thick fog, the murmur of the Thames, the crowds of the taverns, Crispin Guest's clashes with the sheriff (who actually existed!), and his melancholy when thinking about the past.

💞 A HINT OF ROMANCE: NO HAPPY ENDINGS HERE

In this first book, in addition to the investigation into the crime (more than one, actually), a little love story develops in the background, which I didn't expect... it's just a hint, actually, but I liked it and it also made me a little emotional.
____ WARNING: SPOILER [ ... Maybe that's where the noir lies: our hero cannot be happy... or doesn't want to be happy... there is no happy ending in this romantic side of the novel.
Browsing through the back covers of all 15 books in the series and among the reviews, it is clear that in the distant future, the paths of the protagonist and the woman he loves will cross again, but many years will have passed and she will still be married.
...and I don't like that either.
The fact remains that Crispin conquered me, and I want to be in his company through all the books until the very end of the story! ] SPOILER END _____

📜 HISTORICAL NOTIONS: THE VEIL OF VERONICA

As regards the historical part, the charm of this book is not only the suggestive description of the scene, but also the introduction of ancient relics and the legends that surround them.
This first adventure talks about the Veil of Veronica, a cloth imprinted with a face believed to be that of Jesus.
In the book, the author tells some versions of the story and explains all the historical and legendary details even better in the epilogue.
I find these historical introductions very interesting; in my opinion, they give a wonderful added value to the book.

🕵️‍♂️ IT'S NOT A COZY MYSTERY

The writing is smooth and engaging, and if you are a lover of historical thrillers, I highly recommend it.
It's more or less suitable for all ages starting from 17/18. It doesn't have gruesome scenes, but I must warn that there are some bad words here and there, and a curse that the author wrote in Italian (because there are Italians involved in the case) and she probably, writing it as a single word, didn't realize that it's a curse against God... that is, a blasphemy, and I didn't like it; it could have been easily avoided or replaced with another bad word.
There are a couple of kisses and a sex scene, but it's not described in detail, so nothing shocking or dirty.

💫 FINAL VERDICT

A fast-paced, action-packed mystery with an interesting historical backdrop.
The right read for those seeking entertainment, suspense, and knowledge as well!

Thank you all for stopping by and reading my opinion! :-)

With love,
Tizi 🐾😽

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📚 DISCOVER THE NEXT ADVENTURES IN THE SERIES:

If you want to know more about BOOK #2, BOOK #3, and BOOK #4, you can read my honest reviews here:
BOOK #2: "Serpent in the Thorns"
BOOK #3: "The Demon's Parchment"
BOOK #4: "Troubled Bones"

Join me on FACEBOOK: Tizi Cozy Corner,

to stay updated on my latest reviews and bookish news! ✨

FOLLOW ME or SEND ME A FRIEND REQUEST ON GOODREADS

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LIBRO disponibile anche in EDIZIONE ITALIANA, leggi la mia recensione !

La misteriosa morte del ladro di pergamene
Crispin Guest LIBRO #1 - Giallo Medievale di Jeri Westerson

GENRE: #GialloStorico #AmbientazioneMedievale
📍 Ambientazione: Londra (Inghilterra) | ⏳ Epoca: 1383 (14° secolo)

Il mio voto: ★★★★☆ (Un solido 4.5 arrotondato a 4 su Goodreads)

🚨 PICCOLA NOTA POLEMICA RIGUARDO AL TITOLO ITALIANO: Probabilmente chi sceglie i titoli delle edizioni italiane non legge i libri! Nel romanzo non c'è nessuna pergamena, bensì si parla di una sacra e preziosa reliquia con il volto di Cristo. Ma tant'è...

⚖️ IL VERDETTO SULLE STELLE: UN ARROTONDAMENTO DI RISPETTO

Ho votato questo libro 4 stelle. In realtà sono 4.5, ma mentre solitamente arrotondo per eccesso, questa volta ho deciso di arrotondare per difetto su Goodreads (dove purtroppo non esistono i mezzi voti). Questo libro avrebbe potuto essere un 5 stelle pieno per me, perché è stupendo, se non fosse per un piccolo ma importante particolare che mi ha lasciato un po' d'amaro in bocca (spiego meglio più sotto, vicino alla parola SPOILER... scegliete voi se leggerlo o no!).

Comincerò col dire che il protagonista è già diventato uno dei miei personaggi preferiti e che proseguirò sicuramente con questa serie fino al 15° e ultimo libro (ovviamente alternando con altre letture) dove spero che il nostro eroe tormentato trovi finalmente la felicità che si merita.

|📜 LA TRAMA: DA CAVALIERE DI CORTE AI BASSIFONDI DI LONDRA

Crispin Guest è infatti un ex cavaliere, privato del suo titolo nobiliare e di tutti i suoi averi, bandito dalla corte di Re Riccardo II. È stato allontanato dalla fidanzata e dagli amici a causa di uno stupido ma, per i tempi di allora, grave errore di gioventù, considerato alto tradimento e dettato interamente dalla passione e dall'affetto verso il signore che ne aveva fatto il suo pupillo, nientemeno che lo zio del Re stesso.

Nella Londra del XIV secolo, Crispin vive ormai da 8 anni nei bassifondi della città, circondato da persone che prima guardava dall'alto del suo cavallo e alle quali gettava una moneta per carità. Oggi si guadagna da vivere trovando cose scomparse, motivo per cui è chiamato il "Tracker" (il Segugio). Trovandosi coinvolto casualmente in un omicidio, si ritroverà a indagare sul caso, in parte per scelta personale e in parte sotto costrizione dello sceriffo.

| 🤗 IL MIO PENSIERO

⚔️ UN INTRECCIO PERFETTO TRA REALTÀ E LEGGENDA

Ho apprezzato il libro sin dalle prime righe e penso che sia davvero scritto bene. All'interno delle pagine troviamo:
1) Un mistero intricato e avvincente da risolvere.
2) Un protagonista affascinante e credibile, affiancato da personaggi di contorno altrettanto azzeccati.
3) Un background storico solido, con un'ambientazione minuziosamente descritta e il tema di reliquie storiche realmente esistenti, circondate da storie e leggende.
4) Un accenno di trama romantica che si sviluppa magnificamente in parallelo.

🔍 IL MISTERO: OLTRE IL DELITTO DELLA STANZA CHIUSA

Il mistero comincia con un omicidio, e all'apparenza può sembrare "il solito delitto nella stanza chiusa", un tema ormai letto e riletto. Tuttavia, la verità che sta dietro questo efferato atto è molto più complicata e tocca molteplici aspetti della vita della vittima, delle persone a essa correlate e dello stesso regno inglese. Più il protagonista indaga, più il mistero si espande in maniera intricata e coinvolgente.

La trama è serrata e credibile; i dialoghi sono nitidi e carichi di intensità emotiva. I sentimenti di ciascun personaggio sono ben descritti o facilmente intuibili attraverso le reazioni dei personaggi stessi. Ci sono colpi di scena sorprendenti e lo sfondo di una Londra scura e umida, con le sue strade e i suoi vicoli dagli odori forti, prende vita come se fossimo realmente sulla scena.

🕵️‍♂️ "NOIR" MEDIEVALE: CRISPIN GUEST VS. SAM SPADE

L'autrice definisce il suo libro (e l'intera serie) come un noir medievale, un "hard-boiled ambientato nel Medioevo", e dice chiaramente nell'epilogo che Crispin Guest è un po' come Sam Spade. Personalmente non mi piacciono gli hard-boiled e dopo aver letto Il Falcone Maltese (que giudico un'emerita stronzata) non ne ho letti altri. Ma per fortuna io non ho trovato quell'atmosfera fastidiosa qui, e Crispin Guest è MOLTO MEGLIO di Sam Spade!

Di noir vedo solo l'ambientazione un po' cupa (che si può trovare anche nel gotico) e... __ ATTENZIONE: SPOILER __ uno di quei finali che ti lascia un po' di amaro in bocca, proprio come il finale di Casablanca, il famoso film con Bogart e Bergman (ecco il vero motivo per cui non do 5 stelle, non sopporto i finali amari!). __ FINE SPOILER __

🎭 IL NOSTRO EROE: L'ORGOGLIO DI UN NOBILE DECADUTO

Crispin Guest, come potrete intuire, è un uomo profondamente tormentato. Non riesce ad accettare la sua nuova condizione di vita, così diversa e difficile rispetto a ciò che per nascita il destino gli aveva inizialmente offerto. È facile passare dal peggio al meglio, ma accettare il contrario non lo è per niente. Per lui è difficile anche cambiare modo di vedere le cose e, nonostante sia diventato povero, non riesce a concepire il concetto di uguaglianza tra gli uomini: è nato nobile e si sente ancora nobile, nonostante sia stato privato del titolo.

Egli ora vive tra la gente che lavora sodo per un tozzo di pane, possiede meno di loro, tuttavia si sente ancora "diverso... superiore" perché quella è l'educazione con cui è stato cresciuto ed è dura sradicare un'ideologia nella quale si è creduto per tutta la vita... Ma Crispin è un bravo ragazzo, ha degli ideali di giustizia e, senza rendersene conto, prende le difese dei deboli e di chi crede innocente. S'innamora di una cameriera e tiene con sé un ragazzino che ha salvato dalla prigione, rimasto solo al mondo, al quale tenta (con non poche difficoltà) di insegnare l'onestà. Crispin è leale, si fa persino pestare pur di non rivelare segreti che metterebbero nei guai una donna della quale ancora non si fida, e prende decisioni che non gli convengono pur di fare quella che lui ritiene la cosa giusta.

Mi sono quasi innamorata di lui e non vedo l'ora di passare altro tempo insieme a lui e al suo simpatico assistente Jack (il ragazzino che ha salvato, solo al mondo, sveglio e intelligente, che per propria scelta gli fa da servitore per poter vivere insieme a lui). Non vedo l'ora di vivere le loro prossime avventure tra i ciottoli di Londra e la sua nebbia, il mormorio del Tamigi, la folla delle taverne, i suoi scontri con lo sceriffo (realmente esistito) e la sua malinconia legata ai ricordi del passato.

💞 UN PIZZICO DI ROMANTICISMO: IL DRAMMA DI UN FINALE AMARO

In questo primo libro, oltre all'investigazione sul delitto (più di uno, in realtà), si sviluppa in secondo piano anche una piccola storia d'amore che non mi aspettavo... È solo un accenno, in realtà, ma mi è piaciuta e mi ha fatta anche un poco emozionare.
___ ATTENZIONE: SPOILER ___ ... Forse è qui che sta il noir: il nostro eroe non può essere felice... o non vuole essere felice... Non c'è il lieto fine in questa parte romantica. E dal momento che non mi piacciono i finali tristi, ho tolto al libro mezza stella, e per forza di cose ho dovuto arrotondare per difetto su Goodreads.

È una cosa che detesto sia nelle serie TV che nei libri, quando lo scrittore delude i lettori inserendo un finale amaro. La scrittrice scrive in modo da imputare la colpa a Crispin; in realtà, per come l'autrice ha sviluppato i fatti, finisce per rendere "sciocchi" entrambi i protagonisti, che rovinano una storia che avrebbe potuto renderli felici: lui non fa la proposta come lei avrebbe voluto... ma lei avrebbe potuto aspettare almeno un poco di tempo, invece di sposare immediatamente un altro solo perché ricco! L'autrice avrebbe potuto far proseguire la storia, magari con alti e bassi per mantenere la suspense nei prossimi volumi, regalarci un matrimonio a metà serie e continuare con le avventure, fino a un figlio nell'ultimo libro.

Curiosando tra le quarte di copertina di tutti i 15 libri della serie e tra le recensioni, si evince che in un lontano futuro le strade del protagonista e della donna che ama si incroceranno nuovamente, ma saranno passati molti anni e lei sarà comunque ancora sposata. So anche che nel quindicesimo libro forse potrò perdonare l'autrice, ma saranno passati 20 anni... trooooppo tempo! E anche questo non mi piace. Resta il fatto che Crispin mi ha conquistata e voglio stare in sua compagnia attraverso tutti i libri, fino alla fine della storia! ___ FINE SPOILER ___

📜 LA PARTE STORICA: IL FASCINO DEL VELO DELLA VERONICA

Per quanto riguarda la parte storica, il fascino di questo libro non risiede solo nella suggestiva descrizione della scena, ma anche nell'introduzione nel mistero di antiche reliquie e delle leggende che le circondano. In questa prima avventura si parla del Velo della Veronica, un panno nel quale è impresso un volto che si ritiene sia quello di Gesù.

Nel libro l'autrice racconta alcune versioni della storia e spiega ancora meglio tutti i particolari storici e leggendari nell'epilogo. Trovo queste introduzioni storiche molto interessanti: secondo me danno un grandissimo valore aggiunto al romanzo.

🕵️‍♂️ UN GIALLO AVVINCENTE MA NON PER TUTTI

È un libro che si legge in maniera davvero scorrevole e, se siete amanti dei gialli storici, ve lo consiglio caldamente. Più o meno è adatto a tutte le età a partire dai 17/18 anni; non ha scene raccapriccianti, però avverto che c'è qua e là qualche parolaccia e un'imprecazione che l'autrice ha scritto in italiano (perché ci sono degli italiani coinvolti nel caso). Probabilmente, scrivendola in un'unica parola, l'autrice non si è resa conto che si tratta di una vera e propria imprecazione contro Dio... Una bestemmia che non mi è piaciuta affatto e che poteva essere tranquillamente evitata o sostituita con un'altra parolaccia.

Io ho letto il libro nella versione originale inglese e, onestamente, non saprei dire se l'edizione italiana abbia eliminato o meno questa imprecazione. A mio avviso non avrebbe dovuto esserci per niente, neanche nell'edizione inglese. Ci sono anche un paio di baci e una scena di sesso, ma non è descritta nei particolari, quindi niente di scioccante o di poco pulito.

💫 VERDETTO FINALE

Un mistero dal ritmo incalzante e ricco di azione, incorniciato da un affascinante background storico.
La lettura perfetta per chi cerca intrattenimento, suspense e, al tempo stesso, anche un pizzico di conoscenza!

Grazie a tutti per essere passati di qui e per aver letto la mia opinione! :-)

Con affetto,
Tizi 🐾😽

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📚 SCOPRI LE PROSSIME AVVENTURE DELLA SERIE:

Se vuoi saperne di più sul LIBRO #2, #3 e #4, puoi leggere le mie recensioni oneste qui:
LIBRO #2: "Serpent in the Thorns"
LIBRO #3: "The Demon's Parchment"
LIBRO #4: "Troubled Bones"

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per non perdere neanche un post! ✨

MI TROVI ANCHE SU GOODREADS

Giveaway : Free Printable September 2023 Calendar

Monthly freebie for you: printable September 2023 calendar

Hello my friends ! :-D

Summer is almost over and September has arrived bringing with it some fresh air and many beautiful autumn colours.

As for last months I created a coloful monthly planning that you can download, by simply clicking on the image preview and save as computer desktop or print it and then use it as a bookmark

@TizianaFragnerGraphic
September 2023 Calendar
Size 1634 x 1264

Just click on the image to get the bigger one and then download it.

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Book review : You Belong to Me by Johanna Lindsey

You Belong to Me - Historical romance by Johanna Lindsey

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I simply loved it !! I loved it from the very first word to the last one ! It's 5 full stars well deserved :-)
I was looking for light entertainment, fun and romance and I had it !

I'm not used to reading romance novels, yet every now and then I too feel the need to read about courtship and some ardent kisses (which I can't find in cozy mysteries and classic mysteries, my usual kind of reading) and if there are love scenes (but not vulgar or exaggeratedly explicit), I'm even happier.

The story, set in Russia in the early decades of the 1800s , is very funny and full of adventure during a journey that will last for almost the entire book.

As often happens in brilliant comedies, the two protagonists can't stand each other, especially because they suddenly discover, despite being two complete strangers, to be betrothed by a contract stipulated by their fathers about 15 years earlier.

Actually this is just the plot of a desperate father who tries to find a husband for his tomboyish, rebellious and reckless daughter who use to reject every suitor.
The betrothed, cousin and personal guard of Cardinia's King, for his part is a consummate libertine who feels great in the role of a single man and who has never experienced the effect of a rejection from a woman.

Both he and she are bound to the contract by family honor, so he have to collect his bride in Russia and take her with him to Cardinia, but both of them are hoping that by pretending to be an unbearable person, the other one will decide to break the contract.

What emerges is a set of small mutual teasing, provocative jokes in which each of the two will try to win over the other, embarrassing and funny situations, witty and lively dialogues, a couple of kisses that make you dream and the moment in which they make love in a passionate overwhelming way (but there are no vulgar or too explicit descriptions).

Personally I hate libertines, but what I liked about the male character is that in fact, after having made love with her, he never touched another woman again despite claiming that he didn't want that marriage.
In the story, the female protagonist threatens several times all women who throw themselves at her betrothed's feet, but it is true that if he really wanted to sleep with another woman he could have found more than one way.
Another thing I really liked about him is that he falls in love with her by accepting her even with what seem to be her flaws (actually a fiction, but this is important to me).

I really liked her because unlike many women she was able to show so much determination and fortitude, never once did she cry or use her tears to convince someone of her will, the only time she shows tears is in a touching moment with her father.

The pride of each was of course the main obstacle to their love, but in this reverse courtship their quarrels have nevertheless led them to share experiences together and to get to know each other, even if only partially glimpsing the best part of their way of being.

I also loved all side characters.
Both our hero and heroine are accompanied on the journey by an entourage of friends or people in their employ, to whom they are bound by deep affection and who assist with heartfelt participation in the two betrothed skirmish.

If in addition to dreaming of a love story with a happy ending, you are also looking for a good mood, I assure you that with this book you'll get it.

I really like the setting of this romance, however I must warn you that in this novel you will not find historical research by the author, you only need to know where and when the story is set to mind the costumes of the characters, scenes backgrounds and of course the habits and customs of that time and way to think of that era.

Maybe the only little thing I wished was different ___ WARNING : SPOILER [ it is the fact that they will get married knowing that they are now in love with the other, but without having openly declared it to the partner, thus both thinking that they will not be reciprocated.
Only on their wedding night will they say "I love you" and I would have liked them to say it when he finds her after having chased her across half of Europe. ]__ SPOILER END

---> FINAL NOTE ABOUT THE BOOK : This is the second book in a series of 2, but you can read it as a stand alone.
Although in the second book there are some of the same characters of the first one, they are 2 independent stories (the protagonists of the first book are the future King of Cardinia and his future bride, who in this second book are only marginal characters.)

If you read this book, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did and if you found any errors in my review, please forgive me, I'm Italian and therefore English is not my language

Join me on FACEBOOK: Tizi Cozy Corner,

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Il LIBRO è disponibile anche in EDIZIONE ITALIANA, leggi la mia recensione !


Titolo: MI APPARTIENI. recensione in italiano:

Mi è piaciuto molto !

L'ho semplicemente adorato!! Mi è piaciuto dalla prima all'ultima parola!
5 stelle piene :-)
Stavo cercando intrattenimento leggero, divertimento e romanticismo e l'ho avuto!

Non sono abituata a leggere romanzi rosa, eppure ogni tanto sento anch'io il bisogno di leggere di corteggiamento e di qualche bacio ardente (che non riesco a trovare nei cozy mysteries e nei gialli classici, il mio genere di letture abituali) e se ci sono scene d'amore (purché non volgari e troppo esplicite), sono ancora più felice.

La storia, ambientata nella Russia dei primi decenni del 1800, è molto divertente e ricca di avventure durante un viaggio che durerà per quasi tutto il libro.

Come spesso accade nelle commedie brillanti, i due protagonisti non si sopportano, soprattutto perché scoprono all'improvviso, pur essendo due perfetti sconosciuti, di essere fidanzati secondo un contratto stipulato dai loro padri circa 15 anni prima.

In realtà questo è il complotto di un padre disperato che cerca di trovare un marito per la figlia maschiaccio, ribelle e spericolata che rifiuta ogni corteggiatore.
Il promesso sposo, cugino e guardia personale del re di Cardinia, dal canto suo è un consumato libertino che si trova benissimo nel ruolo di un uomo scapolo e che non ha mai sperimentato l'effetto di un rifiuto da parte di una donna.

Sia lui che lei sono legati al contratto dall'onore familiare, quindi il promesso sposo deve andare a prendere la sua sposa in Russia e portarla con sé a Cardinia, ma entrambi sperano che, fingendosi una persona insopportabile, l'altro decida per rompere il contratto.

Ciò che ne emerge è una schermaglia di prese in giro reciproche, battute provocatorie in cui ciascuno dei due cercherà di dare il peggio di sé e vincere sull'altro, situazioni imbarazzanti e divertenti, dialoghi spiritosi e vivaci, un paio di baci che fanno sognare e il momento cedono l'uno all'altra in modo travolgente e appassionato (ma è una lettura pulita, non ci sono descrizioni volgari o troppo esplicite).

Personalmente odio i libertini, ma quello che mi è piaciuto del personaggio maschile è che infatti, dopo aver fatto l'amore con lei, non ha mai più toccato un'altra donna nonostante affermasse di non volere quel matrimonio. Lui ha una tentazione, ma più che altro per di mostrare a se stesso che ha ancora pieno potere decisionale sulla sua vita.

Nella storia, la protagonista femminile minaccia più volte tutte le donne che si gettano ai piedi del suo promesso sposo ed esse scappano spaventate, ma è vero che se lui avesse davvero voluto andare a letto con un'altra donna avrebbe potuto trovare più di un modo e qualsiasi altra donna che non avesse ricevuto minacce.
Un'altra cosa che mi è piaciuta molto di lui è che si innamora di lei accettandola anche con quelli che sembrano essere i suoi difetti, quindi prima ancora di scoprire che i modi poco signorili di lei in realtà erano una finzione, anche se era criticata e non accettata dalla madre di lui e dalla società del "bon ton", il che è importante.

Anche la protagonista femminile mi è piaciuta molto perché a differenza di molte donne era capace di mostrare tanta determinazione, forza d'animo e capacità di reazione ad ogni imprevisto o difficoltà.
Mai una volta questa ragazza ha pianto o usato le lacrime per persuadere qualcuno alla sua volontà come soesso fanno le altre ( come detesto le donne frignone ), l'unica volta che mostra le lacrime è in un momento toccante, di riconciliazione con suo padre.

L'orgoglio di ciascuno è stato ovviamente l'ostacolo principale al loro amore, ma in questo corteggiamento al contrario i loro litigi li hanno comunque portati a condividere insieme esperienze e a conoscersi, anche se intravedendo solo in parte il lato migliore del loro modo di essere.

Ho amato anche tutti i personaggi secondari.
Sia il nostro eroe che la nostra eroina sono accompagnati nel viaggio da un seguito di amici o persone alle loro dipendenze, ai quali sono legati da profondo affetto e che assistono con sentita partecipazione allo scontro tra i due promessi sposi.

Se oltre a sognare una storia d'amore a lieto fine, cerchi anche il buon umore, ti assicuro che con questo libro lo otterrai, è una storia davvero divertente!

L'ambientazione di questo romance mi piace molto, però devo avvisarvi che in questo romanzo non troverete ricerche storiche dell'autore, vi basterà sapere dove e quando è ambientata la storia, per immaginare i costumi dei personaggi, gli sfondi delle scene e ovviamente gli usi e costumi di quel tempo e il modo di pensare di quell'epoca.

Forse l'unica piccola cosa che desideravo fosse diversa:
___ ATTENZIONE SPOILER : [ è il fatto che si sposino sapendo che ormai sono innamorati dell'altro, ma senza averlo dichiarato apertamente al partner, pensando quindi entrambi che non saranno ricambiati. Solo la prima notte di nozze diranno "ti amo" e mi sarebbe piaciuto che lo dicessero quando la ritrova dopo averla inseguita per mezza Europa. ] ___FINE SPOILER

NOTA FINALE SUL LIBRO: questo è il secondo libro di una serie di 2, ma puoi leggerlo come stand alone ( non serve leggere il primo per godersi la storia ).
Anche se nel secondo libro sono presenti alcuni degli stessi personaggi del primo, si tratta di 2 storie indipendenti (i protagonisti del primo libro sono il futuro re di Cardinia e la sua futura sposa, che in questo secondo libro sono solo personaggi marginali. )

Se leggete questo libro, spero che vi piaccia tanto quanto è piaciuto a me, ma ovviamente ogni gusto è soggettivo e ricordate che non è un "romanzo storico", ma una storia romantica e divertente di puro intrattenimento.

Book review : Vienna Waltz by Teresa Grant | A Ballroom of Deceptions: When Marriage is the Ultimate Spy Game

Vienna Waltz
Malcom and Suzanne Rannoch Historical Mysteries BOOK 2
by Teresa Grant

GENRE: #HistoricalMystery #HistoricalFiction
📍 Setting: Vienna (Austria) | ⏳ Era: November 1814 (The Congress of Vienna)

My rating: ★★★★☆ (3.8 rounded up to 4)

Cinderella? No, this is a dangerous ballroom of political mirrors. 💃🎻🕶️

The start of this book was a bit boring to me, and it took some endurance to push through the initial chapters. However, as the music of Vienna grew darker, after a while I truly got into the intricate story and I really liked it. It turned out to be a surprising historical puzzle.

THE REASONS I WAS BORED IN THE BEGINNING:

1) The prologue was definitely too long and dense. It was filled with unnecessary details that didn't serve the core mystery.
Coming off a fantastic previous reading in the series, wading through a boring prologue made me ill-disposed towards the book. After finishing the very first chapter, I honestly thought this novel wasn't for me and I even contemplated abandoning the series entirely.

2) The first two chapters failed to capture my interest because of the victim. The murder of Princess Tatiana—a despicable, manipulative woman—felt uninspiring at first. I simply didn't care whether her murder was solved or not. While every character in the book seemed inexplicably attracted to her, the truth is that from the very beginning, she displays a selfish personality entirely devoted to power. She was a ruthless blackmailer, showing no mercy even toward those who genuinely loved her.

3) The relationship dynamic felt incredibly cold. The two protagonists are married, but apart from the fact that they have a young son and get along well in bed, they seem like perfect strangers. There is a constant, heavy air of embarrassment and unspoken secrets between them. They felt detached, and I couldn't find a strong reason to root for them.

Despite these initial flaws, I was still under the spell of the first book (which I absolutely loved), so I decided to trust the author and continue. After all, the premise on the back cover promised a grand historical stage:

| 📜 THE PLOT IN A NUTSHELL

November 1814, the glittering Congress of Vienna. The elite of Europe—sovereigns, ambassadors, princes, and even the Tsar himself—have gathered to negotiate and carve up the fate of the Continent after Napoleon Bonaparte's exile to the island of Elba.

But the diplomacy is shattered one night when Princess Tatiana, the most beautiful and scandalous woman in Vienna, is found murdered during an ill-timed rendezvous with three of her most powerful conquests.

Suzanne Rannoch has been trying hard to ignore the persistent rumors that her new husband, Malcolm, was one of Tatiana's lovers. When both Suzanne and Malcolm are summoned to the scene and it turns out he was the one who discovered the bloody body, they have no choice but to launch their own investigation into the high-stakes world of international espionage...

| 🤗 MY THOUGHTS

WHY I CHANGED MY MIND AND APPRECIATED THE BOOK:

As the investigation deepens, the reader uncovers that there are many hidden, layered motives behind this murder—dangerous secrets that husband and wife are desperately keeping from each other.

1) Investigating together, facing constant dangers, and literally saving each other's lives forces the two main characters to slowly drop their guards. Malcolm and Suzanne begin to open up, and we discover that actually they are deeply in love with each other. They simply dare not admit it openly due to the trauma of their pasts and their deep-seated fears.

As the secrets are revealed little by little, the characters finally exude a beautiful warmth that makes the reader's heart melt. This vulnerability gives rise to a newfound trust in the partner and the fragile hope of being truly loved back.

2) The historical realism is outstanding. The characters revolving around Malcolm and Suzanne are numerous, and many of them really existed in history, playing decisive roles in 19th-century European society.

At the beginning of the book, the author provides a full list of characters, marking the real historical figures with an asterisk. This feature was incredibly useful and entertaining for me! As I met these figures in the text, I thoroughly enjoyed looking up their real-life summaries on Wikipedia. It gave me a broader, richer view of the Congress of Vienna and those impressive, larger-than-life historical personalities.

Here's a sneak peek at the real people you'll meet in this gripping mystery:

• Prince Talleyrand, the brilliant and clever French foreign minister who represented Louis XVIII at the Congress of Vienna from September 1814 to June 1815.


• Dorothée de Courlande (Princess Dorothea of Courland, later Duchess of Dino), accompanied her great-uncle by marriage, Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, to the Congress of Vienna in 1814–1815, acting as his political confidante and the brilliant hostess of the French delegation at the Kaunitz Palace.
  Her charm and intelligence captivated major figures of the era, helping Talleyrand navigate the social webs of the Austrian court and influence the rival delegations of the Quadruple Alliance.


• Prince Klemens von Metternich, the Austrian foreign minister, chaired and hosted the Congress of Vienna. Metternich hosted lavish parties and balls to keep visiting monarchs entertained and distracted while statesmen handled the real political negotiations behind closed doors.
  He worked with British Foreign Minister Viscount Castlereagh to block excessive territorial expansion by Russia and Prussia.


• Viscount Castlereagh served as the British Foreign Secretary at the Congress of Vienna in 1814, where he shaped a stable European balance of power after the defeat of Napoleon.


• Tsar Alexander I of Russia was one of the most powerful and central figures at the Congress of Vienna in 1814, arriving as the victorious conqueror of Napoleon to help reshape the map and political future of Europe. Alexander directed his own country's delegation, using personal charm, religious idealism, and political stubbornness to push his agenda.


• Wilhelmine, Duchess of Sagan (Dorothée's sister), was a leading social and political figure at the Congress of Vienna (1814–1815), where she ran a famous salon at the Palais Palm that hosted Europe's most powerful monarchs and diplomats.
  Like her rival Princess Katharina Bagration (also among the characters in the book), the Duchess used her social standing and salons as a hub for political maneuvering, acting as a central node in the social-political web of the Congress.

In addition to these, we find their wives, brothers, sisters, and other delegates, ministers, princes, and sovereigns.
Each character, through their dialogue (even if the latter stems from the author's imagination), perfectly reflects the role they actually played at the congress.
It's not difficult for the reader to imagine intrigues and subterfuges, both political and romantic, in that brazenly lavish and frivolous atmosphere, where appetites revolved around power and lust.

• Speaking of appetite: the book also praises the cuisine of a great real-life chef, Marie-Antoine Carême, who used his position as chef to Talleyrand during the Congress of Vienna in 1814–1815 to charm foreign diplomats and help restore France's political influence through gastrodiplomacy.
  Carême, who originally studied architecture, created massive, intricate edible sculptures out of pastry, sugar, and marzipan. These centerpieces represented classical temples, ruins, and fortresses, captivating the foreign monarchs and leaving them in awe of French genius.

3) Talking about all characters ( both fictional and real ) part of the allure of the mystery lies in the fact that everyone is lying. Although for most of the book I didn't care about the libertine princess's killer, I became utterly fascinated by the secondary mysteries. Throughout the story, EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER has dark secrets to hide. In the end, the resolution of the murder mystery was not obvious at all!

In the final chapters, I was completely convinced I had guessed the culprit, but the reality was much more intricate and grand. The author was truly ingenious, and the ending genuinely surprised me!

4) The Congress of Vienna (1814–1815) was a monumental turning point where hard-nosed geopolitics collided with the height of Romantic-era excess. While statesmen redrew the map of Europe after the fall of Napoleon, they did so against a backdrop of non-stop balls, theatrical fireworks, and scandalous love affairs. This dual nature earned it the famous nickname: "The Congress dances, but it does not march" ( i.e. the leaders at the Congress of Vienna used to spend most of their time partying instead of making political progress).
I firmly believe that this kind of atmosphere has been brilliantly portrayed by the author. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

HISTORICAL NOTES AT THE END OF THE BOOK:

This always increases my appreciation for an author and their novels. Unfortunately, such notes are not a given, as not all authors choose to write them.

At the end of the story, don't forget to read the author's historical notes. They will clarify exactly where she took liberties with date changes and provide a wonderful guide to the true events, should you want to delve deeper into history by searching for specific books (which are also listed) and exploring online.

FINAL VERDICT

Initially, I was going to rate this book a mediocre 3 stars, thinking I would close the chapter on this series. But the complex web of lies, the historical depth, and the emotional growth of Suzanne and Malcolm won me over.
I've grown genuinely fond of them and I really wish to spend more time in their company by reading book #3 in the series (though perhaps not right away). Therefore, I've rated the novel a solid 3.8 stars, happily rounding up to 4 stars.
Wandering through the glittering, deceptive halls of the 1814 Congress of Vienna via Wikipedia while reading was pure magic. Teresa Grant managed to weave fiction and history so tightly that, by the final page, I felt like a spy myself, exhausted by the lies but deeply under the spell of the era.

I hope reading my review has helped you decide whether or not to read this book next. Thank you all for stopping by.

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Giveaway : Enchanting Autumn Desktop Wallpaper

A freebie for you : a cute desktop wallpaper suitable for next Autumn

Hello dear friends ! :-D

Since I started today creating graphic design to print on demand, I want to share here with you, for free, my first creation, named Enchanting Autumn.

I created this design to be printed on breakfast placemats, but in a smaller size (1920 x 1344) I also find it nice to use as a desktop wallpaper on your computer.

If you prefer, you could print it on postcard format to use it between the pages of your books as a bookmark!

@TizianaFragnerGraphic
Enchanting Autumn Desktop Wallpaper
Size 1920 x 1344

Now you may see the blurry image, but if you click on it, the clear image will open.

Of course the image I made for the placemats is much bigger (otherwise the print wouldn't look good), but here I couldn't upload it with those measurements, but it's good enough to print a postcard or to use it on your computer screen.

I hope you will enjoy it. :-)

Thanks for stopping by and have a nice day !


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Book review : A Splendid Defiance by Stella Riley | The 6-Star Masterpiece You Can't Miss

A Splendid Defiance
by Stella Riley

GENRE : #HistoricalFiction #AdventureRomance

My rating: ★★★★★ + a SPECIAL 6th GOLDEN STAR! 🌟

5 stars well deserved! I absolutely loved it—this is an incredible historical adventure romance! 🌟⚔️

II finished the book this morning and I am already suffering from a major book hangover. I miss the characters so much, and I desperately want to keep being part of their world!
Without exaggeration, this is definitely the best book I have read in recent years (according to my own parameters, of course).
It completely captivated me from the very first page to the absolute last. There wasn't a single moment where I felt bored; I simply couldn't put it down and even neglected many of my other hobbies because I was so deeply engaged by this story!

To give you some context, this is a historical novel featuring two fictional main characters embedded within a rich cast of secondary characters who actually existed during the English Civil War (1642–1651).

It is a tale that masterfully weaves together war and love. However, contrary to what you might expect, it is not your typical romance novel where everything solely revolves around love or explicit scenes. There are no hot sex scenes here—which, to be honest, really isn't my genre anyway (I'm looking at you, Diana Gabaldon, and similar styles!).

___ **** PLOT IN SHORT **** ___

Justin Ambrose is a dashing Royalist cavalier who is quite bored with garrison life—until he crosses paths with Abby, the sister of a local merchant. Justin is famous for his romantic conquests, but he has never truly let a woman touch his heart before.

But Abby is different. She is not only beautiful but incredibly brave. She is also young and living in constant fear of her brother, a religious fanatic who fiercely hates all Royalists.

When the rebel army launches a massive attack on the castle, Justin fights tirelessly to break the siege, hiding a deep, secret torment even from his closest friends. Meanwhile, Abby is forced to sit at her brother's table surrounded by rebel commanders, daydreaming about the one man she knows she must not love...

___ **** MY THOUGHTS **** ___

| ⏳ THE SLOW-BURN ROMANCE & THE CAST

The love story begins with a beautifully slow-burn pace, developing against a rich backdrop of fierce battles, intense sieges, heroic deeds, political compromises, and the rigid limits of the bigoted world of that era.

|⚠️ A WARNING TO DIE-HARD ROMANCE READERS:

Our two main characters meet only a few times in the first half of the book. This might be disappointing if you are looking for a fast-paced, pure romance novel.
Instead, we actually see the gritty historical events unfold. But I promise you, it is never boring!
The war is described in such an enthralling way that I found myself deeply passionate about those historical moments. (And believe me, battles usually bore me to death, but not in this book!).

| 🎭 THE CHARACTERS:

The cast is incredibly vivid. There are highly likable characters with a brilliant sense of humor who completely cheer up the scene, contrasting sharply with narrow-minded, malicious antagonists who will literally make your skin crawl!

| 💞 MAIN COUPLE:

During the first half of the novel, we get a deep look into the separate lives of the two protagonists. We learn to truly care for them, savoring every fleeting moment they share as they gradually get to know one another and develop a strong, deep bond.

Our hero and heroine are Justin and Abby, and they belong to two opposing sides of this brutal war.
Justin is a Royalist officer holding Banbury Castle under siege, while Abby is the sister of a local shopkeeper—a puritanical, fanatical despot who makes her life an absolute living hell.

• Justin is a fascinating young man, not just in his looks, but in his charming behavior.
  His quick winks, his easy smile, and his raised-eyebrow glances are simply irresistible.
  He is brilliant, constantly sharing ironic, lighthearted jokes with his fellow officers—who are also his close friends—and later with Abby, while saving his sharp, sarcastic wit for despicable people.
  
  Justin is brave and independent, accustomed to fending for himself since the age of sixteen. We don’t learn about his past until three-quarters of the way through the book, but we can easily sense that he carries deep, unhealed wounds. Although he is incredibly successful with women, he is no unprincipled libertine; he is a man of honor who deeply respects others and keeps his promises, earning the love and respect of everyone around him.
  
  
• Abby is only eighteen at the start of the novel. She lives subjugated by her tyrant of a brother, knowing nothing of the outside world and denied even the smallest joy. Her only comfort is her younger brother, her close friend and accomplice, who will also become entangled in the war, though in a very different way.
  
  Given her background, it is only natural that Abby starts as an insecure and fearful girl. Yet, she possesses a fierce desire to truly live.
  Justin will open the doors to a beautiful new world for her—a world where she can sing and dance without feeling blasphemous, where admiring a dress or having lovely hair is not a sin, and where kind gestures exist instead of blows and prayers for forgiveness.
  
  As the story unfolds, a caterpillar transforms into a stunning butterfly. Abby develops a resilient character, becoming fully aware of what she wants and ready to fight until the very end to achieve it.
  
  

From mutual esteem and affection, a great love will blossom, though not without immense difficulties and heartbreak.

🚨 WARNING: SPOILER AHEAD! (Skip to the next paragraph if you want to stay completely in the dark)

[ I must admit, every now and then, I was terrified that there wouldn't be a happy ending. But even when I finally realized that things were going to turn out well, the author handed me a beautiful, unexpected final surprise that I genuinely did not see coming! ]
🚨 END OF SPOILER

Despite the tragic nature of the war, the overall atmosphere of the novel remains incredibly pleasant. As I mentioned before, the witty dialogues and sharp humor will make you smile several times throughout the journey!

The character development in this novel is absolutely flawless. Even the secondary characters surrounding the two protagonists are so incredibly well-described that you can easily guess their true nature and perfectly imagine their faces and expressions just from the tone of the dialogues.

| 🖊️ WRITING STYLE:

The author is a true master, both in her meticulous historical research and in her ability to completely immerse the reader in the story. I felt as if I were standing in the very same rooms as those people. I could visualize everything as if I were watching a high-budget movie, entirely losing myself inside it, as if I were living right there alongside them.

| ⚔️ THE HISTORICAL HOOK:

Being Italian, I didn't know much about English history; my knowledge was limited to the fact that there was a Civil War and a brief Republic between the reigns of Charles I and Charles II. However, I never felt confused or lost for a single moment. On the contrary, it was an absolute pleasure to learn about historical facts that were completely new to me, which even inspired me to expand my knowledge with some fun web research afterwards!

| 🏆 MY FINAL VERDICT:

The slowness with which the love story develops doesn't take away anything from the beauty of the book; on the contrary, it makes the slow-burn journey infinitely more sensual. And when we finally get a couple of intimate scenes toward the end, everything is written in such an intuitive, delicate way—not vulgar at all.

Every now and then, I stumble upon a book that I thoroughly enjoy, one that I know I will definitely reread and happily award 5 stars. But no book has ever enraptured me quite like this one.
If my favorite books so far have earned 5 stars, I am officially breaking my own rules and awarding this masterpiece my highest honor: MY 6th GOLDEN STAR! 😀🌟👑✨

I highly recommend this masterpiece to all historical fiction and adventure-romance lovers out there!

This was my very first book by Stella Riley, and while I will certainly try more of her work in the future, I won't do it right away—simply because this kind of reading magic rarely repeats itself twice in a row. 😉 The only real problem now? Any forthcoming reads won't hold a candle to it!

Thank you so much for stopping by and reading my thoughts! I truly hope they will be useful when choosing your next historical adventure-romance escape! ❤️✨

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Book review : Secrets on the Cote d'Azur by Neil Richards

Secrets on the Cote d'Azur by Neil Richards
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

A nice cozy mystery for those looking for pure entertainment.

The authors are an American and an Englishman, both are used to writing for cinema and TV and we see it here, in fact, both the plot and the dialogues, and the scenes are typical of brilliant detective comedies, where action, humor and great feeling between 2 partners mix in a well balanced way.

Harry and Kat, spouses very much in love and with a past as spies during the First World War, are traveling on the Train Blue that will take them on a mission-holiday on the French Riviera, the renowned Côte d'Azur.
Once they arrive, Harry's aunt asks them to help an old friend of her who is involved in a nasty and indecorous case of blackmail.

We are in the 30s and of course, as in the best Hollywood couple films of those years, here too we have a husband and wife who are handsome, rich highly intelligent, and smarter than any other villain or operative agent. Of course they are madly in love and practically perfect as a couple.

The compliment of a partner in love and the funny joke (classics of the infallible protagonists) are served with regular cadence without being too many and too few.

So if you have ever seen The Thin Man movies ( starring William Powell and Myrna Loy ) and you were a fan ( and the movies were far better than the books ), you'll be not disappointed by this series ( Mydworth Mysteries).
If you are younger and have never seen the old black and white movies, perhaps you might have seen the '80s TV series " Hart to Hart " where the protagonists are equally 2 handsome, rich and very much in love spouses, naturally smart and intelligent ... this is to give you an idea of the protagonists of this book.

The book is not as long as a novel, but not as short as novellas usually are, therefore it is readable in a short time, but it is more enjoyable than a short story.

The writing is smooth, the atmosphere light and fully describes the sparkling air that reigns in the luxurious vacation spots of the 1930s.

If everything is so perfect, then why have I only gave 3.5 ( necessarily rounded to 4 )?

1)__ Because it's "everything too perfect" and if I liked this as a young girl, now in adulthood this bothers me.
I've probably lost my ability to dream of perfection, which clearly doesn't exist.

2)__ Also the book picks up on the usual clichés and while the first 'obvious suspect' was found to be only half guilty, the second 'obvious suspect' was the real villain behind the blackmail.

---> Recommended for fans of cozy mysteries and for those seeking leisure, light reading with pure entertainment, without strong emotions or important historical references.

( Warning : English is not my mother tongue, I hope you have managed to understand the meaning of what I wanted to express, sorry for form or grammatical errors.)

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Book review : The Splendour Falls by Susanna Kearsley | Contemporary Mystery

The Splendour Falls
by Susanna Kearsley

GENRE: #ContemporaryMystery

My rating: ★★★☆☆

This book 'could have been' a truly beautiful novel ...But something went wrong and I still wonder how I managed to read it until the end.

I admit it: I was captured by the cover, and the elements plot also seemed so captivating:

• a castle,
• a story dating back to Queen Isabella and John Lackland (Richard the Lionheart's brother),
• another tragic story back to World War II,
• a kidnapping,
• a love story at present time,
• a group of friends working on investigations

Wow! It sounded like an incredible, engaging premise.
I didn’t rest until I tracked down a copy of the 1992 edition with the original cover (the new edition’s cover is so gloomy and unappealing). After a month of searching, I finally found it, and I was thrilled.

However, the long prologue—which details characters from the past, specifically Queen Isabella locked in the tower at Chinon, hoping for rescue by her husband, King John, is misleading.
It suggests this history will be central to the plot, but that isn't the case.
Chapter by chapter, the author introduces disparate historical episodes and legends that feel entirely unrelated. None of the characters are truly brought to the foreground—not even the protagonist!

The problem is that the author had too many ideas and struggled to focus on developing any of them with passion. It feels as if she started at least ten different subplots , introducing far too many characters, many of whom were insignificant. While reading I felt like she jumped from one idea to another one and then to another one again, and so on...So much confusing !
Kearsley, the author, naturally tried to find a way to connect all the characters to each other, but she did so ineffectively, and the whole thing felt forced and devoid of passion, with flat characters with whom I was unable to empathize.
Such a pity ! In my opinion if she had eliminated at least 4 characters (better still 5) and had developed the others more thoroughly, making them more vivid and impressive, the book could have been a spellbinding novel.

Nothing of importance happens until halfway through the book. Even then, characters who were essential in the beginning are completely ignored later on.
It’s as if the author changed her mind a thousand times while writing, constantly shifting the path of the plot.
I wonder how an editor could have approved a book that feels like a closet stuffed with items that have nothing to do with one another.

😔👉 I would not recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a mystery, nor to anyone seeking a romance.
There is practically no romance at all, save for a few lines at the very end.
The dialogue was flat, especially in the first half, which consisted mostly of silly chitchat. It improved slightly in the second half, but not enough to save the experience.

__ ABOUT THE CHARACTERS ___

I can’t even begin to define them. They weren't well-developed; some were only hinted at (even the romantic interest), while others, like the cousin the protagonist is searching for, were totally absent for almost the entire book.

The only TWO INTERESTING CHARACTERS:

The author makes a very frustrating choice regarding the only two characters I actually found interesting. It felt like a missed opportunity that left me more annoyed than surprised.

The protagonist is completely overshadowed by the situations and chatter of those around her; she comes across as an apathetic young woman.
I’m sure the author intended to portray her as sensitive and suffering, but what emerged was just an uninteresting character.

😔👉 I would not recommend this to anyone who loves history and legends.
While there are many historical details included, none are explored in depth or in a fascinating way.
The setting itself is charming, but the author was so eager to fit every historical tidbit into the narrative that she failed to let the reader actually enjoy the atmosphere.

Perhaps she should have written a travel guide to Chinon instead! It would have allowed her to share those facts without creating such a disjointed, messy soup of a story.

👉👉 I truly wish another author would take this basic concept and rewrite it, developing it with more emotion and making the characters feel like real, interacting human beings.

The only thing that shines through is how much the author loved the location. She should have either written a guide to the area or perhaps a saga of several novels, giving each mystery its own room to breathe.



I’m sorry to give this 2.5 stars (rounded to 3, only because I have read worse books and there was clearly potential here), but the author did a poor job of balancing her ideas.
The ending was meant to be sensational, but that too was really ill-conceived.

Thank you all for stopping by and reading my opinion. 🤗


-- Italian Edition: NOT available --

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Giveaway : Free Printable August 2023 Calendar

A freebie for you : August 2023 calendar to download and print

Hello everybody ! :-D

As for last month I have prepared my planning to print for next month: August.

@TizianaFragnerGraphic
August 2023 Calendar
Size 1634 x 1264

I usually print them on sheets of paper to keep on my desk to mark my most important commitments or dates to remember and sometimes I like to print them on cardboard in a smaller format, to use as a postcard-bookmark.

If you like it, you can freely download it and print it in color. Just click on the image to get the bigger one and then download it.

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Book review : The Winter Queen by Boris Akunin

The Winter Queen
Book 1 Erast Fandorin mystery series
by Boris Akunin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I liked it very much !

I chose this book for its setting.
Most of the mysteries I read are set in England or America, the old Europe of the ancient empires exerts a disruptive fascination on me and when I manage to find a mystery that brings me back to that suggestive atmosphere, I can't resist.

___ THE PLOT___ Moscow, 1876: in a crowded park, a young man shoots himself in front of the eyes of a girl, a stranger to him, to whom he had just asked for a kiss.
An inexplicable suicide that leads to other equally inexplicable deaths.
Is there perhaps an international intrigue hatched outside of mother Russia behind those absurd gestures?
Investigating the case is Erast Fandorin, a novice investigator, but full of enthusiasm and keen intelligence.
Although he is only a rookie, from the beginning he decides to investigate further on his own and the clues will lead him to a series of daring adventures through a journey to the capitals of Europe up to England and then back to St. Petersburg.
The truth that will emerge will be shocking and full of always unpredictable events and characters.

The mystery is well thought out and both the protagonist and the characters that revolve around him are captivating, described so well in their ways that I could imagine the scenes as in a movie.

I didn't expect a "cozy mystery" from a Russian author, I approached this reading thinking about a dramatic crime, instead the whole plot and the dialogues are expertly enriched with irony and lightness, without ever being out of place.
The reading was really smooth, I read the book in its English edition and at each chapter I reread it in its Italian edition, to better understand if the feelings given to me by the 2 translations were different or the same (the original book is in Russian and sometimes the translations change the perception of the reader).

Despite the tangled mystery, some villains ( yep ! "some" not "all" ) are known from the beginning, however, each chapter reserves the reader an unexpected surprise and the action and twists follow one another without respite keeping the reader's curiosity alive.

Maybe I was expecting something more in the setting, I would have liked more descriptions of Russian scenarios in the tsarist period, descriptions of the city, palaces and ballrooms, snow and horse-drawn carriages and bells... all that part that makes you dream.
This actually didn't exist and it's for this reason that I don't recommend the book to that part of the female audience that instead seeks dances, palaces and passionate loves.
There is no background romance as is often found in cozy mysteries written by women.
I liked it a lot anyway, because adventure and fast pace are that extra something I look for in an investigative story.

There's only point I hated in the book : ___WARNING SPOILER[the twists really follow one another up to the last page and I would have much preferred that the author would spare me the last unexpected event ...
the book could have ended really well and given the lightness of the mystery, it was what I expected. The author instead preferred to play a dirty trick on both the protagonist and the reader and this disturbed me a lot! ]_SPOILER END__

As I always write in my reviews: please be understanding of my bad English, it's not my native language.

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____________ LIBRO DISPONIBILE ANCHE IN ITALIANO !

Titolo: LA REGINA D'INVERNO. recensione in italiano:

La regina d'inverno
I misteri di Erast Fandorin Libro 1
di Boris Akunin

Mi è piaciuto davvero molto !

Ho scelto questo libro per la sua ambientazione.
La maggior parte dei mystery che leggo sono ambientati in Inghilterra o in America, la vecchia Europa degli antichi imperi esercita su di me un fascino dirompente e quando riesco a trovare un mystery che mi riporta a quell'atmosfera così suggestiva, non posso resistere.

___ LA TRAMA ___ Mosca, 1876: in un parco affollato, un giovane si spara davanti agli occhi di una ragazza, a lui estranea, alla quale poco prima aveva chiesto un bacio.
Un suicidio inspiegabile che porta ad altre morti altrettanto inspiegabili.
Dietro quei gesti tanto assurdi si nasconde forse un intrigo internazionale, ordito al di fuori della madre Russia?
A indagare sul caso è Erast Fandorin, un investigatore alle prime armi, ma pieno di entusiasmo e acuta intelligenza.
Sebbene sia solo un novellino, sin dall'inizio decide di investigare più a fondo da solo e gli indizi lo porteranno ad una serie di avventure rocambolesche attraverso un viaggio nelle capitali d'Europa fino in Inghilterra e poi nuovamente a San Pietroburgo.
La verità che soprirà sarà sconvolgente e ricca di avvenimenti e personaggi sempre imprevedibili.

Il mistero è ben congeniato e sia il protagonista che i personaggi che si avvicendano attorno a lui sono accattivanti, descritti così bene nei loro modi di essere ceh riuscivo ad immaginare le scene come in un film.
Non mi sarei aspettata un "cozy mystery" da un autore russo, mi sono approcciata a questa lettura pensando ad in crime drammatico, invece tutta la trama e i dialoghi sono sapientemente arricchiti di ironia e leggerezza, senza mai risultare fuori luogo.
La lettura è stata davvero scorrevole, ho letto il libro nella sua edizione inglese e ad ogni capitolo lo rileggevo in italiano, per capire se le sensazioni date dalle 2 traduzioni erano diverse o le stesse ( il libro originale è in russo e talvolta le traduzioni cambiano la percezione del lettore ).
Mi sono piaciute entrambe le traduzioni, anche se ho trovato quella italiano con un linguaggio più obsoleto, ma forse è dovuto al fatto che è una vecchia edizione, mentre di quella inglese ne avevo una più recente.

Nonostante il mistero intricato, alcuni cattivi li conosciamo già dall'inizio, tuttavia, ogni capitolo riserva al lettore una sorpresa inaspettata e l'azione e i colpi di scena si susseguono senza tregua tenendo viva la curiosità di chi legge.

Forse mi aspettavo qualcosa di più nell'ambientazione, avrei voluto maggiori descrizioni degli scenari russi nel periodo zarista, descrizioni della città, palazzi e sale da balli, neve e carrozze trainate da cavalli e campanellini... tutta quella parte che fa sognare.
Questo a dire il vero non c'è stato ed è per questo motivo che non consiglio il libro a quella parte di pubblico femminile che invece cerca balli , palazzi e amori appassionati.
Non esiste una storia d'amore di sottofondo come spesso si trova nei cozy mystery scritti da donne.

A me è piaciuto molto ugualmente, perchè avventura e ritmo veloce son quel quid in più che io cerco in una storia investigativa.

Unico punto che ho detestato nel libro ___ ATTENZIONE SPOILER
i colpi di scena si susseguono davvero fino all'ultima pagina e avrei tanto preferito che l'autore mi risparmiasse l'ultimo evento inatteso ...
il libro avrebbe potuto terminare davvero bene e data la leggerezza del mystery, era ciò che mi aspettavo. L'autore invece ha preferito giocare un tiro mancino sia al protagonista che al lettore e questo mi ha disturbato tantissimo !
FINE SPOILER

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Book review : Kurt Seyt and Shura by Nermin Bezmen

Kurt Seyt 'n' Shura
by Nermin Bezmen
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I wanted to give this book 5 stars, but I have to give it 2!

I read also, at the same time, the 3rd sequel SHURA (the third book completes the scenes of the first, while I avoided reading the 2nd book because it is about Seyit and his life with his wife Murvet and I want to avoid it ) , so I'll write the same review in the 2 books, indeed it'all concerning the same story and characters.

I start by saying that I fell in love with this love story and its protagonists by watching the 2014 TV series, which I have seen several times in the original language with English subtitles and which I am currently watching with Italian dubbing.

(view spoiler)[ The ending isn't at all a happy ending and I won't deny that I was hurt in the past and that I suffer even now for how it ended badly, (hide spoiler)] but while the writers presented a truly romantic, passionate and sincere love story, staged by actors very good, as well as beautiful, the book, from which I expected something even bigger and more profound, completely ruined my pleasure from the TV series.

They say that books are better than movies or TV series, but I have learned never to read books whose characters I love from the series, because everything is different and they have often disappointed me .
This only applies if you first read the book and love it, if instead you first watch stories on the screen and love what you see, the book in 70% of cases will disappoint you because of the many differences about characters and scenes.

Yet this time I was so obsessed with this romance that I longed for more, to know more.
I wanted to have even more descriptions of this beautiful and pure love.... SPOILER:
This is where the disappointment comes in!
(view spoiler)[ I loved the characters on the screen and suffered with them for their misunderstandings (due to characters plotting against them) and their consequent mistakes, but in the book I find myself a very selfish Seyit, the grandfather of the writer from whom she inspired the book), taken by physical attraction to Shura and sex. A boy dedicated to women before Shura, but also during the story with Shura (any occasion is good) and after Shura (even during his marriage to Murvet, grandmother of the author), who expects to be able to betray but that his woman don't look at anyone else, who has never even vaguely thought of marrying Shura and not because his father wanted a Turkish bride, but because he really didn't think about marriage!!

Throughout the book the scenes between Shura and Seyit are great physical attraction and hunger for each other in terms of sex, which is never vulgarly described, but there is nothing else.

If there is devotion, this is from Shura, who truly believed in this love, but was disappointed across the board.
After the discovery of the betrayal, Shura's mistake is to do the same, after which the story that is remembered in the book on Shura is made up of clandestine meetings between the 2 protagonists and continuous betrayals to each other. (hide spoiler)]
It really disgusted me. This is not love.

I'd like to make a more complete review, I've tried, but there's too much to write, and I can't... but I want to say 2 things:
1) I didn't have a book in English or in my own language, I did a Google translation, from Turkish to Italian, but it's neither this nor the author that disappointed me, it was the characters as they are behave meanly in reality.
I have not seen a strong big love, but only physical passion without anything else from Seyit and the first crush and first experience of Shura that turn into dedication, hope and love for a man who will always disappoint her and which then lead to other wrong relationships.

2) I desperately wanted to believe that it had really been a great and true love despite everything and Seyit's letter to Shura (view spoiler)[before committing suicide (never sent but left to a third person_ you'll find the letter in Shura's book ) (hide spoiler)], for an instant made me believe that deep down he too had always regretted her and regretted having sent her away... but after reading so many interviews with the author and finding many contradictions... I wonder if this letter is not just a mere invention.

Forgive my English, I'm Italian and besides the difficulty in writing in a foreign language, I'm too negatively shocked by what I've read... so I probably wrote worse than usual.

Book review : Death of a Bookseller by Bernard J.Farmer

Death of a Bookseller:
The 100th British Library Crime Classic
by Bernard J. Farmer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It wasn't bad, I liked it enough to get to the end, but I wouldn't suggest it to a friend and for certain it will not be among the books I will read a second time.

Sergeant Wigan, escorts a drunk man home one night to keep him out of trouble and the man introduces himself as Michael Fisk and explains that he deals in rare books. He has been out celebrating his last discovery : a John Keats’ personal inscribed copy of Endymion.

The two become friends and the book collector teaches Wigan all the tricks to discovering and collecting rare editions.
But one day Mike Fisk, the collector, is found dead and despite the arrest of a person, Sergeant Wigan wants to find out who, according to him, is the real killer.

The first half of the book flowed well, but it wasn't totally engaging for me, I didn't feel the unbridled desire to resume reading every time I had to interrupt.

In the second half of the book the mystery thickens and becomes more engaging, however I must admit that there are some rather absurd contradictions :
________ WARNING : SPOILER ! __
1) a good and nice man who however wants to summon the devil... well, for me it is a contradiction that is not acceptable.
2) a psychopathic person who often tries to kill his brother and who hides sadomasochistic books, but then in the end after having hosted an old lady, she burns all those horrendous books.. has she suddenly become normal and sane? Come on !
3) a villain who confesses to a murder because if he doesn't confess the devil will be summoned and the devil will turn his mother into a rat ... hey come on ! The book is set in the 50's and not in the middle ages, who can believe such threats?
4) a collaborator of the detective, suddenly disappears and Wigan doesn't care too much about what might have happened to him ... not seeing him, he thinks he will wait a few more days to look for him, even though he knows that the situation could be dangerous ... and then in reality he doesn't even look for the man!
Wigan learns of the collaborator's death only when in the end the killer confesses to the second crime (which he does spontaneously, in fact Wigan only investigates the first murder), inconceivable!
________ END OF THE SPOILER __

Also, though it is nice that the detective in question finds external collaborators...well, there are some chapters where the protagonist does nothing or almost nothing and it is the others who carry out the real detective work.
Even in the finale, the most decisive work is done by another character.

In any case, the reading is smooth and the book can be read in two or three days.

I gave 3 stars because Wigan is a pleasant main role character and the mystery, overall, is interesting since there are several suspicious characters and until the end you can't guess who really could be the murderer.

I apologize for my English, it's not my native language :-)

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____________ LIBRO ORA DISPONIBILE ANCHE IN ITALIANO !

Ecco la mia opinione:
Non è stato male, mi è piaciuto abbastanza per arrivare alla fine, ma NON lo consiglierei ad un amico e di certo non sarà tra i libri che rileggerò una seconda volta.

Il sergente Wigan, una notte accompagna a casa un uomo ubriaco per tenerlo fuori dai guai e l'uomo si presenta come Michael Fisk e spiega che si occupa di libri rari. È uscito per celebrare la sua ultima scoperta: una copia personale di John Keats del suo Endymion ( poema del 1817) con tanto di iscrizione dell'autore.

I due diventano amici e il collezionista di libri insegna a Wigan tutti i trucchi per scoprire e collezionare edizioni rare. Ma un giorno Mike Fisk, l'esattore, viene trovato morto e nonostante l'arresto di una persona, il sergente Wigan vuole scoprire chi, secondo lui, sia il vero assassino.

La prima metà del libro scorre bene, ma per me non è stato molto coinvolgente, non sentivo la voglia sfrenata di riprendere la lettura del libro ogni volta che dovevo interrompere...mentre quando un libro ti prende, non vedi l'ora di rituffarti nella lettura.

Nella seconda metà del libro il mistero si infittisce e si fa più avvincente, tuttavia devo ammettere che ci sono delle CONTRADDIZIONI piuttosto ASSURDE:
________ ATTENZIONE : SPOILER ! __
1) la vittima viene descritta come un uomo buono e simpatico, che però vuole evocare il diavolo... beh, scusate, ma per me è una contraddizione INACCETTABILE. Ma quale persona buona d'animo vorrebbe evocare il diavolo?
Se come il protagonista, facessi amicizia con una persona che "sembra" buona, ma che mi dice che adora i libri dell'occulto e di magia nera e sta cercando di evocare il diavolo, quella persona non mi vedrebbe più.
2) uno dei personaggi è una psicopatica, che spesso cerca di uccidere il fratello e che nasconde libri sado-masochisti, ma poi alla fine dopo aver ospitato un'anziana brava signora, brucia finalmente tutti quei libri orrendi.. è improvvisamente diventata normale e sana di mente? Ma dai !
3) il cattivo che confessa un omicidio perché sotto minaccia...si ma la minaccia è :se non confessa verrà convocato il diavolo e il diavolo trasformerà sua madre in un topo... ehi andiamo! Il libro è ambientato negli anni '50 e non nel Medioevo, quale assassino avrebbe confessato sotto tali minacce?
4) un collaboratore del detective, improvvisamente scompare e a Wigan non importa molto di quello che gli può essere successo... non vedendolo, pensa che aspetterà ancora qualche giorno per cercarlo, anche se sa benissimo che la situazione è pericolosa per chi sta indagando... e poi in realtà non cerca nemmeno l'uomo!
Wigan viene a sapere della morte del collaboratore solo quando alla fine l'assassino confessa il secondo delitto (cosa che fa spontaneamente, Wigan infatti indaga solo sul primo omicidio e della scomparsa del suo collaboratore non gliene importa poi tanto, nessuna preoccupazione in proposito) e dopo aver saputo della morte del collaboratore, il Sergente Wigan non fa una piega... inconcepibile!

________ FINE DELLO SPOILER __

Inoltre, per quanto sia piacevole che il l'investigazione sia svolta non da un solo personaggio, il detective in questione, ma altri personaggi da lui coinvolti nelal caccia al vero assasino... beh, ci sono dei capitoli in cui il protagonista, che fa parte delal polizia, non fa assolutamente nulla o quasi nulla e sono gli altri personaggi a svolgere il vero lavoro investigativo.

Anche nel finale, il lavoro decisivo ( scoprire e far confessare il colpevole ) viene svolto da un altro personaggio...ma che senso ha ? In ogni caso la lettura è scorrevole e il libro si legge in due o tre giorni.

Ho dato 3 stelle perché Wigan, tutto sommato, è un personaggio principale piacevole e il mistero, nel complesso, è interessante poiché ci sono diversi personaggi sospetti e fino alla fine non puoi davvero indovinare chi potrebbe essere davvero l'assassino.

Per quanto mi riguarda , comunque, Bernard J. Farmer è un autore che non leggerò più.