Historical Fiction Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Lily’s Story by Don Gutteridge ★★★★★

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 […]

T B Markinson2021-01-20T06:15:12+02:00August 4th, 2015|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Major Frog by J. Albert Griffiths ★★★★

Major Frog, by J. Albert Griffiths, whisks readers back in time to the Vietnam War.

Charlie Albright had a short stint in the air force when he was younger. He’s older now, but is he wiser? He signs on to an Army contract and ends up in Vietnam during the war.

Two North Vietnamese sisters are secretly employed by the enemy. Both enter Charlie’s life and entangle the American into their nefarious schemes.

Charlie, a good guy who understands the shades of gray, knows the Army CID and local police are watching. That doesn’t stop him from entering dangerous territory […]

Review: Giuliana’s Way by Albert M. Parillo ★★★★

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 […]

T B Markinson2015-08-04T04:08:32+02:00July 2nd, 2015|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Pit of Vipers by Millie Thom ★★★★★

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 […]

T B Markinson2017-03-24T10:44:13+02:00May 5th, 2015|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: In the Blood of the Greeks by Mary D. Brooks ★★★★★

In the Blood of the Greeks, Intertwined Souls Series Book 1, by Mary D. Brooks, is an amazing story set against the horrors of World War II.

In Larissa, Greece, the town’s occupants are living in fear. World War II is raging in Europe, but in their small town, they are living under Nazi tyranny. Zoe Lambros, a young Greek woman, has suffered much due to the war. Her hardened heart desires one thing: revenge. Eva Muller, the daughter of a German Major in command of the occupying force, is living with her own fear. When the two […]

T B Markinson2019-01-22T15:49:16+02:00April 28th, 2015|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews, LGBTQI+ Book Reviews|

Review: Rupert’s Parchment by Eileen Cameron and Doris Ettlinger ★ ★ ★ ★★

The award-winning team of Eileen Cameron and Doris Ettlinger have collaborated once again to create Rupert’s Parchment: Story of Magna Carta. June 15, 2015 marks the 800^th birthday of the Magna Carta and this story is a wonderful way to introduce and bring to life the momentous event to young readers.

Rupert’s father is the local parchment maker. When a bishop’s clerk requests some parchment from Rupert’s father, an unforgettable opportunity arises for Rupert. He’s given the chance to be a messenger. This allows Rupert to witness firsthand the sealing of Magna Carta at Runnymede meadow in England […]

T B Markinson2019-01-22T10:45:56+02:00April 1st, 2015|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Children's Book Reviews, Historical Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Trapped in Time by Clay Brandenburg

Trapped in Time, by Clay Brandenburg, is a page-turning time travel novel that transports the reader to 1944 in Nazi Germany.

In 2013, John Cleary, a high school history teacher, is trying to put his life back together. His wife was killed in a car accident. During a camping trip with two of his childhood friends, John is caught in the midst of a meteorological phenomenon that mysteriously transports him to wartorn Germany. He’s trapped in 1944.

Klara Bock, a widow, lives alone on a rural farm. Her only companion is her dachshund, Bratwurst. Klara’s father didn’t support the […]

T B Markinson2015-02-02T09:02:48+02:00January 27th, 2015|Categories: Lead Story|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews, Science Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: The Black Orchestra by JJ Toner ★★★★

The Black Orchestra, by JJ Toner, is a mesmerizing spy thriller set in Nazi Germany during World War II.

Kurt Muller, an Abwehr signalman, shows up to work and finds that his coworker is dead at his radio receiver. The police barely investigate the death and quickly determine it was a suicide. Kurt doesn’t agree. He begins his own investigation, but not many want him to. Kurt’s inquiry leads him to a German resistance group. Kurt has to choose between his conscience and duty.

Historical fiction thrillers have a lot of moving parts that need to be grounded with […]

T B Markinson2015-02-02T09:43:15+02:00January 21st, 2015|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews|