Author: Sherry Christie
Publication: April 15, 2016 by Bexley House Books
Genre: Historical Fiction
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | IndieBound
Rating: 5/5
READ EXCERPT
Marcus Carinna hears a voice whisper, “Your turn,” as he rides past his family tomb. An unseen presence also startles the Germanic priestess Aurima, whom he is bringing to Rome. But hardheaded Romans scoff at ghosts, and Marcus can’t believe it’s a warning from his brother, who killed himself three years earlier.
37 AD: To great acclaim, 25-year-old Caligula Caesar has become Rome’s new master. No one is more pleased than Senator Titus Carinna, who helped him succeed to the throne. It’s a shame the Senator’s older son–Caligula’s closest friend–committed suicide after being charged with treason. But that still leaves Marcus, his second son.
Headstrong and hot-tempered, Marcus would rather prove his courage by leading legions against Rome’s enemies than take his brother’s place. Yet when his father orders him to befriend Caligula, he has no choice.
Caught in a web of deceit, conspiracy, and betrayal, he will uncover a secret that threatens his family, the woman he desires, even his life… and may bring chaos to the young Roman Empire.
“The first installment in a page-turning saga that revisits the heroes and villains of the grandest city of the ancient world…. Comes alive with the long gone characters who were its lifeblood” -Kirkus Reviews
‘‘Combines current political concerns, the wide lens of the serious historical novel, and emotional maturity and realism with an utterly splendid grasp of what it must have been like to live in Rome under Caligula’s reign.” -Sarah Smith, Agatha Award winner and New York Times Notable author
This book takes place during the reign of one of the most infamous Roman emperors, Caligula. It is written in the point of view of Marcus Carinna who's older brother (and Caligula's closest friend) commited suicide after being charged with treason. Marcus' father tells him to befriend Caligula and earn his trust. It's then that Marcus starts to unravel a lot of secrets and conspiracy involving his family.
I loved reading about Marcus. He was strong-willed and all he wanted was to lead legians against the barbarians but obviously his father had other plans for him. I was in awe of his devotion to find out what exactly happened that lead to the accusation of treason against his brother. I also liked the scenes between Marcus and his father. They had they had a lot of differences but his father clearly loved him.
One of my favorite characters aside from Marcus himself was the Germanic priestess Aurima. I really liked her relationship she eventually has with Marcus. Their chemistry was off the charts. But more than that I loved how strong she was and knew what she wanted. She really stood out. And I also just have to say that I really enjoyed reading about everything related to Harman a.k.a. Arminius because I've been quite intrigued by this historical figure and the people around him.
Another female character that I really liked was the sister of Marcus, Nina, because in the story she really wants her voice to be heard but as a woman in ancient Rome, she didn't really have much of a chance for that since women in this era basically only could be heard through their husband or other men. But she did get her voice out in the world in the story so this felt really important to me.
Overall, Roma Amor by Sherry Christie really had it all. Historical fiction at its finest.Obviously this era was very well-researched. It had a lot of mystery, especially concerning Marcus' brother. There was action and drama too and a bit of romance as well. The writing was also superb. Really, I couldn't have asked for a better book.
About the Author:
After earning a Phi Beta Kappa creative award in college for an early draft about a nobly born charioteer, Sherry Christie spent many years of research and revision developing ROMA AMOR into the story about fathers and sons that it wanted to be. It’s a joy to immerse myself in the lives of first-century Romans–and a distinct change from my day job as a . In addition to writing, Sherry is a professional copywriter. She lives on the coast of Maine with a native-born Viking and two cats.
For more information, please visit Sherry Christie’s website. You can also connect with her on Twitter, and Goodreads.
Blog Tour Schedule
Monday, October 24
Tuesday, October 25
Wednesday, October 26
Friday, October 28
Monday, October 31
Tuesday, November 1
Wednesday, November 2
Friday, November 4
Monday, November 7
Wednesday, November 9
Thursday, November 10
Friday, November 11
Giveaway
To win a paperback copy of Roma Amor: A Novel of Caligula’s Rome by Sherry Christie, please enter via the Gleam form below. 2 copies are up for grabs!
Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on November 11th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US residents only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.
– Giveaway is open to US residents only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.
Okay, it looks like I need this one!!! :D
ReplyDelete