Book Review: King of the Woods

Following my successful published book review in David Young’s debut novel (yup, still on a high from that see here, soz, not soz) here is the latest active book review for the Romaunce Book blog:

Valerie Anand draws readers into the mysterious tale of a lesser-known religious cult, all the while masterfully capturing the chaos and passion of a turbulent time within Kings of Woods.

Stepping through time back to A.D 1100, the novel opens with the death of King William Rufus, son of William the Conqueror before the audience are taken back and introduced to the young Norman, Ralph des Aix, a fine huntsmen and horsemen who is eager to win his knight’s fee from the new English King.

King William Rufus embraces Ralph and is immediately taken by him but Ralph soon discovers that being the King’s favourite is complex and not always pleasant – although it is clear that the King cares deeply for Ralph, it is not without consequences.

For his endured service, King Rufus rewards Ralph with what he has been holding out for; Ralph is offered the land of Chenna’s Tun. Many feel that the King has rundown holdings of Chenna’s Tun and deep in the New Forest, Ralph and his wife, Sybil of Fallowdene, are drawn deeper into the growing conflicts between the Norman court and the world of the Saxon forest.

Soon enough, Ralph becomes involved with the Saxon cult where he becomes a lord in his own right, yet a net of danger is cast over all. In order to be a lord of his own manor, Ralph learns that he must bear the ancient title; King of the Woods, with all its cryptic and barbaric responsibilities…

Valerie Anand is a fantastic novelist whose talent for bringing the past back to the present shines through in King of the Woods. An imaginative style of writing is observed throughout. It is full of mystery, danger and scandal: suspense that keeps the pages turning.

The characters are slow moving but the descriptive nature pulls the reader into every scene. Exceptional praise is given to how Anand handles the relationship between King Rufus and Ralph, thus exploring the nature of homosexual liaisons in the eleventh century and the consequences of the King’s open and honest actions.

Although at first, the novel appears full of unrelated subplots and characters who are just padding through the story, Anand skilfully pulls them all together, tying the loose ends, leading the reader towards that fateful day when the King was shot dead by one fruitful arrow.

Anand’s speculation of who shot the King is perfectly executed with validated purpose – interesting and exciting. King of the Woods is a brilliant must-read historical novel and is once again available for readers everywhere to enjoy, thanks to Romaunce Books.

You can purchase a copy through Amazon, available in both a paperback and ebook format.

Book Review: Sons of York

The second instalment in the ‘Sprigs of Bloom’ series
by
Lesley J Nickell

History crosses the borders of fact and fiction within Sons of York as Nickell hints to things that ‘could have been’ during the epic War of Roses.

The second instalment to Nickell’s captivating ‘Sprigs of Bloom’ series, Sons of York is here, following the life of Janet Evershed, the Mayor of York’s daughter.

Life for Janet does not follow the usual pattern for a well brought-up girl in the fifteenth century. Due to a series of surprising events, she becomes a young widow running her own growing business in London, later to become the mistress of the charismatic king and an exile in the Low Countries with her life inextricably entwined with those of the Princes in the Tower.

Edward IV, Richard III and their brother George – with their children, make up the Sons of York, but Janet is not part of this elite court; she is merely a bystander, observing their lives from the shadows.

A budding attraction is made apparent almost immediately between Janet and the Earl of March, later to become Edward IV within Sons of York, and although Janet battles her attraction at first, Edward remains persistent and she soon succumbs to her desires.

Lesley Nickell’s imagination and passion for writing shines through in the second part of this series as characters from the first reappear. They are just as charismatic and just as well written as before. Unlike the main protagonist in The White Queen of Middleham,  Nickell has created a fictional character in the eyes of Janet Evershed for the second novel in the series.

Even though Janet is a fictional character, she does not take away the historical facts or the atmosphere of the fifteenth century. In fact, her character increases the mystery of the unknown, creating an area of uncertainty beyond what is documented as fact throughout English history.

The subplots within the novel also keep the story flowing along at a steady peace, with close attention to the relationship between Edward IV and Janet, making it a romantic page turner at best. Each of the elite characters remain true to their historical stance and Janet is an added bonus, with highly believable qualities that do not demise the fifteenth century truths.

Sons of York is s a beautifully engaging tale about a fictional character that may or may not have existed once upon a time. The magic of this time period is revived once more with the immensely rich details and Nickell’s gift for retelling the lives of the elite court, as before, do not disappoint. A must read.

This novel has been re-printed in both paperback and e-book edition by Mereo Books, an imprint of Memoirs Publishing. It can be purchased through Amazon, here.

Note: This book review was written and intended for use by the Romaunce Books blog, a blog for the fictional imprint of Memoirs Publishing.

Book Review: The White Queen of Middleham

by
Lesley J Nickell

History meets Romance and time travels through the eyes of one historical icon as love is tested in the midst of a ferocious battle to reign.

Not to be confused with the 2009 novel titled The White Queen written by Philippa Gregory, The White Queen of Middleham is the first in ‘The Sprigs of Bloom’ series written by Lesley J Nickell and was first published in 1978. Since its original publication date, it went out of print only to be revived by Mereo Books in September 2014.

The White Queen of Middleham documents the life, love and loss of Anne Neville, daughter of Richard Neville before becoming Princess of Wales as wife of Edward of Westminster and finally reigning as Queen of England as the wife of King Richard III.

Within the novel Anne is a timid child constantly ignored by her mother, patronised by her eldest sister and bullied by her formidable farther Warwick the Kingmaker. She is forever a pawn in the games of politics as the Houses of Lancaster and York fight for the throne.

As her father’s fortunes continue to turn, Anne faces hardship and is moved from one refuge to the next. She is forced to marry Edward, Prince of Wales but upon his death, is placed in the hands of George, Duke of Clarence. Upon arrival, Anne is hidden away as a London kitchen maid for fear of posing a threat to George’s upcoming Warwick inheritance.

Of course, every Damsel in Distress needs a Knight in shining armour and the third son of the ambitious Duke of York, later Richard III, becomes that hero. Though their love is almost wrecked by the War of Roses, it culminates in great happiness; they marry and become the last Plantagenet reign in England .

In the midst of a ‘happily ever after’, the novel soon descends into heartbreak. The death of Anne’s only son is followed shortly by her own which rocks the reader from the inside. Lesley’s writing, especially towards the end is beautifully descriptive and heartfelt and in places, extremely lyrical.

There is no doubt that a remarkable amount of research has gone into the writing of this novel. The depth of passion the author feels for this time period is observed through the beautifully well written story that follows. Through a third person narration, the audience are captivated and extremely moved by the living life of Anne. Although not much is documented about her in historical archives, Lesley Nickell has managed to capture Anne in immense detail.

Nickell has surprisingly challenged Shakespearean characteristics of Richard, Duke of Gloucester within the novel too – turning him from vicious monster to a heroic soldier and a saving grace for Anne. This is one of the highlights to the novel as a whole.

So, whether you’re a romance fan, historical fan or are just willing to pick up something different, The White Queen of Middleham is the perfect book for all. A great pleasure to read; educational and extremely enjoyable.

This novel has been re-printed in both paperback and e-book edition by Mereo Books, an imprint of Memoirs Publishing. It can be purchased through Amazon, here.

Note: This book review was written and intended for use by the Romaunce Books blog, a fictional imprint of Memoirs Publishing.