Historical Fiction Book Reviews

★★★★½

William the Conqueror vs King Harold, by Jesse Lee Vint, according to the blurb is “The story that has never been told!”

In 1066, Halley’s Comet made an appearance. The same year, in England, three undefeated warrior kings who believed they had a legitimate claim to the crown clashed. Quitting wasn’t in their vocabulary so when events sent them on a collision course it made the perfect scenario for exciting history. Even though Normandy’s William and England’s Harold Godwinson, crowned King Harold II in January of 1066, were friends before the fateful events, the lure of being crowned […]

Lily’s Story, by Don Gutteridge, shows the power of teaching history through the eyes of one woman.

Lily, born in the backwoods of Lambton County, Ontario, enters the world in 1840. Frontier living isn’t for the weak. But life has much more in store for Lily. During her long lifetime she witnesses the rise of railroad rivalries, the discovery of oil at Petrolia, the Prince of Wales’ grand tour in 1860, the Underground Railroad sending liberated slaves to Canada, the Riel Rebellions, the birth of a nation, World War I, and the influenza pandemic. Over the decades, she marries […]

Giuliana’s Way, by Albert M. Parillo, is a delightful and moving historical fiction novel about an intelligent and gifted Italian girl.

In 1941, when Giuliana Landini was only eleven, she emigrated from Italy to the United States to live with her aunt and uncle in New Haven, Connecticut. Her grandmother and teacher in Italy thought the child was too bright to settle for a normal life in Amalfi and wanted her to have the opportunity to advance her education and opportunities.

Italy left a permanent mark on Giuliana, especially when it comes to cooking. At a young age it’s […]

Pit of Vipers: Sons of Kings Book 2, by Millie Thom, continues the exciting story of Alfred of Wessex and Eadwulf of Mercia.

Eadwulf has returned to his homeland and has his heart set on exacting revenge on those who wronged him and his family. When the Danish invaders return, he is put in the middle of fighting for his homeland and the loyalties to the friends he made while a slave. Alfred is honing his leadership abilities at the courts of his successive brothers. Before he desires, Alfred’s abilities are put to the test when the Vikings invade […]