Review: The Odyssey: A Modern Retelling by Liv Albert

 

Title: The Odyssey: A Modern Reteling
Author: Liv Albert
Illustrator: Hazem Asif
Publication: June 23, 2026 by DK Children
Genre: Greek Mythology, Middle Grade
Find it on: Amazon | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Waterstones
Rating: 5/5★

Voyages across the sea, man-eating monsters, witches, gods, and goddesses: The Odyssey is the ultimate adventure story.

Take a journey across the sea and follow the heroic, catastrophic, and sometimes downright gruesome tales of the Greek king Odysseus in this modern retelling of Homer’s The Odyssey. A story of trickery, lies, and perseverance, watch as Odysseus is tested to the limits by the Cyclops; sirens; and lots of meddling, angry gods.

Written by self-proclaimed Greek myth nerd, and host of the Let’s Talk About Myths, Baby! podcast, Liv Albert brings this ancient Greek Epic to life. Liv’s version of The Odyssey portrays Odysseus as he really was: a complex man who did many great things … and just as many bad. Littered with historical facts, maps, and family trees, Liv brings all of her knowledge and expertise to this future classic, making it the only version of The Odyssey you’ll ever want to read.

The Odyssey: A Modern Retelling by Liv Albert is now one of my favorite Odyssey adjacent books. It had it all: writing that was accessible to the reader, illustrations that were beyond stunning and since it's marketed toward younger readers (middle grade), slightly simplified but definitely not dumbed down. We stil got the author's trademark wit that we know and love her for. As the synopsis says, Liv's version does really portray Odysseus exactly as he is, the good and the bad.

If you listen to Liv's podcast "Let's Talk About Myths, Baby" (sing it in your head, if you know you know), you know that with this book you not only get The Odyssey retold by someone who knows the story well but also someone who's truly passionate about Greek mythology.

The book wasn't just a retelling of The Odyssey, it also had several maps, character guides and tidbits about life in ancient Greece which I truly loved. These facts were all really refreshing and fun to read about.

Now I obviously can't end this review without talkined about the illustrations. They're made by Hazem Asif and they are absolutely gorgeous. I think they're some of the most beautiful I've seen in a book about mythology. And they definitely fit all the characters and the story really well.

About the author:

Liv Albert is the host, creator, writer, editor, and producer of Let’s Talk About Myths, Baby!, author of several books including the bestselling Greek Mythology: The Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes Handbook, and founding member of Mnemosyne: The Memory Collective. Liv is a giant nerd for a great many things, though most notably, Greek & Roman mythology. Liv has a degree in English Literature & Classics (Classical Civilizations) from Concordia University in Montreal where she studied ancient Greece and Rome broadly. 

Liv began her career working for prestigious publishing houses and institutions, including Penguin Random House and Kobo. With a deep love of literature and appreciation for storytelling, the natural evolution of Liv’s educational and professional background (along with her undying love of ancient Greece) led to the creation of Let’s Talk About Myths, Baby! along with several published works (and more on the way soon…). 

Originally from the west coast of BC, Liv currently resides in Toronto along with her two cats, Squid and Anchovy, who were each adopted from a place near and dear to Liv’s heart (Vancouver Island and Greece, respectively).

Website | Instagram | Facebook | Goodreads

 

 

Review: A Curse of Beasts and Magic by Jeaniene Frost

Title: A Curse of Beasts and Magic
Author: Jeaniene Frost
Series: Beautiful and Beastly #1
Publication: May 26, 2026 by Bramble
Genre: Romantasy, Paranormal Romance
Find it on: Amazon | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Waterstones
Rating: 5/5★

New York Times bestselling author of The Night Huntress series Jeaniene Frost returns with a brand-new series! It’s Beauty and the Beast meets The Witcher, except Beauty IS the Beast, and he’s the Warden keeping mythical beings in check in our world and beyond.

Raine Stone is living a nightmare. Ever since she survived the attack that killed her family, she's been hiding a terrible secret--and a Beast inside her.

It feeds on violence and chaos, but she restrains its urges by playing vigilante on the city streets. Until one night, Raine uses the Beast’s energy to heal an elderly gentleman from a seemingly random attack and discovers a new world of danger—literally.

Remington “Remy” Byrne knows the wall between a realm of deadly mythic creatures and our own world is very fragile. After all, he’s the Warden who guards the gateways between them. Raine’s Beast contains power that could tip the scales in a sinister plot against Remy’s rule—if she allies with him.

Will they be friends or foes…or will their dangerous attraction turn into something else? And can our world be saved by their explosive alliance?

A Curse of Magic and Beasts is Jeaniene Frost's newest fantasy book. And since I'm a longtime fan of her work I was obviously very excited to read it. My only regret is that I wasn't able to start the book sooner. I was hooked right from the start and ended up loving the story and characters so damn much!

We meet Raine, who's an ER nurse and carries a dark secret with her. For the last eleven years a terrible and violent beast has hidden inside of her. It craves violence and pain and when the beast comes out Rain can't stop it from turning it's victims into nothing but ash. This is why Raine goes after bad people to satisfy the creature so she won't hurt any innocents. Her way of life is lonely and doesn't allow for any close relationships but Raine will do anything to make sure she won't hurt anyone that doesn't deserve it. 

One day she ends up rescuing a confused older man from unknown creatures thanks to her beast. The man claims to know what she is but Raine chalks it up to dementia. Until the man's grandson shows up to have a little chat with her. Turns out he is no one less than Remmington "Remy" Byrne, billionaire mugul extraordinaire. But he isn't just that. He's a Warden. And Raine is trespassing on his lands. So he strikes a deal with her. Try to heal his grandfather's mind that has been magically altered and erased and he'll help her with her beast. The catch? They'll need to spend a lot of time together and be in a fake relationship. 

The story was a great ride. It has action, mystery, spicy romance and a fantastic cast of charactrs. I loved getting to know Raine. She was a bit closed off to other people due to everything that she went through in her life, but even so she had a huge heart and would do everything to help another person. Remy, on the other hand was dark, hard to pin down and full of secrets. He and Raine has sparks flying right away and these turned into a full on blaze the more time they spend together and the more danger they walked into.

One of my favorite things about this book was how it had a bunch of various types of paranormal creatures. We're talking dragons, selkies, fae, sirens and so many more. I enjoyed this aspect so much and it made me curious as to which other creatures there are. I also loved how it was a portal fantasy with access to other worlds different from the earth that Raine knows. The possibilities seem endless! There were a few twists and turns in the story that i hadn't seem coming, which is something I always love. The ending also took me by surpirse. I think that I literally went "what?!" when it ended so I absolutely can't wait to see where things go next.

A Curse of Beasts and Magic was an amazing pageturner that I couldn't put down. Jeaniene Frost's trademark strong and witty heroine didn't let me down one bit. That combined with a strong plot, a steamy romance and a bunch of intriguing characters made this a favorite of mine instantly.

About the author:

Jeaniene Frost is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of fantasy romance. Her works include the Night Huntress series, the Night Prince series, the Night Rebel series, the Broken Destiny series, and the Beautiful And Beastly series. Jeaniene’s novels have also appeared on the Publishers Weekly, Wall Street Journal, ABA Indiebound, and international bestseller lists. Foreign rights for Jeaniene’s novels have sold to twenty-two different countries.

Jeaniene lives in Maryland with her husband, who long ago accepted that she rarely cooks and always sleeps in on the weekends. Jeaniene also enjoys reading, writing, poetry, watching movies, exploring old cemeteries, and traveling – by car. Airplanes, children, and cook books frighten her.

Website | Instagram | Goodreads | TikTok | Bookbub

 

Review: The Cleansing by Victoria Alvear

Title: The Cleansing
Author: Victoria Alvear
Publication: January 20, 2026 by Hypatia Press
Genre: Historical Fiction
Find it on: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Waterstones
Rating: 4.5/5★

Based on a true story, this is not the enlightened Rome of myth. This is a city choking on fear, where blood flows on both the battlefield and altar, and where generals and politicians alike are desperate to appease rageful gods.

When 50,000 Romans fall in a single day at the Battle of Cannae, priests claim there can be only one reason the gods abandoned Rome: a Vestal Virgin has broken her vow of chastity. And they accuse Opimia (Mia), the strongest, most defiant of the six sacred Vestal priestesses.

Forced as a child into serving Vesta, the goddess of fire, Mia has always chafed against Rome’s control of her every move—especially after being separated from her childhood love, Attius. Now, accused of a crime she did not commit, she must defend herself in a hostile court to avoid being buried alive for her “crime.”

Betrayed by the high priestess, hunted by Rome’s political and religious elite, Mia must either accept her fate — or join with the Sybil of Cumae to expose the truth behind a world built on superstition, fear, and lies.

A story of personal awakening amid public catastrophe, The Cleansing is a haunting journey through a city at war with itself — and a woman who risks everything to survive it.

Set in ancient Rome and inspired by true events, The Cleansing by Victoria Alvear explores female resilience, religious control and the violence men justify in the name of fear.

After the catastrophic Battle of Cannae, where 50,000 Romans lost their lives fighting Hannibal, Rome’s priests condemn Opimia, a defiant Vestal Virgin they claim has angered the gods. Opimia a.k.a. Mia has been bound to temple of Vesta, goddess of the hearth and home as a Vestal Virgin since she was a young child. She has long rebelled against the temple's tight restrictions and the high priestess that dislikes her. After being falsely accused, Mia must face a hostile Roman court to escape the sentence of being burried alive.

I've never read a book featuring the Vestal Virgins (at least none that I can think of right now) so I absolutely love that Victoria Alvear chose to write one. Despite tackling heavy themes like patriarchy suppressing women’s power, sexual assault, slavery, and suicide (among other themes), Ireally enjoyed Mia’s story and watching her grow into her strength. Watching her reclaim her voice and agency was one of the most satisfying parts of the book.

I also can't end this review without mentioning how timely this novel also felt with what's happening in today's time and age. By this I mean the connection between declining women’s rights and religious purity culture. Victoria Alvear explains more about this in the author's note so definitely don't skip that, as it's written in a way I never could. I will quote this: "Why does this kind of Bronze Age thinking persist in an age when we are capable of sending robots into space and onto the surface of Mars?"

Overall, The Cleansing by Victoria Alvear was a gripping historical novel about female resilience, power, and one woman’s fight against a society determined to silence her. Obviously I would highly recommend it as it was a really amazing read!

About the author:

Vicky Alvear Shecter/Victoria Alvear writes about the ancient world and the often disturbing parallels with today's political unrest and misogynistic backlash. She writes as Victoria Alvear for adults. Her latest book is THE CLEANSING, based on the true story of an ancient Roman Vestal Virgin falsely accused of having sex and fighting in court to keep from being buried alive for her so-called "crime." Midwest Book Reviews called the book, "Original, exceptional, deftly crafted and a simply riveting read from cover to cover."

For nearly twenty years, she has served as a docent at the Michael C. Carlos Museum of Antiquities at Emory University, where she regularly engages the public on the fascinating aspects of ancient life and politics.

Website | Goodreads | Instagram

 

 

Review: The Year 1000 by Valerie Hansen (From the Archives)

 

This post is part of my new From the Archives series, where I revisit past reviews. Some will be unchanged, others will have a bit more added perspective.
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Title: The Year 1000: When Explorers Connected the World – and Globalization Began
Author: Valerie Hansen
Publication: April 13, 2021 by Penguin
Genre: Nonfiction, History
Find it on: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Libro.fm | Waterstones
Rating: 4/5★

When did globalization begin? Most observers have settled on 1492, the year Columbus discovered America. But as celebrated Yale professor Valerie Hansen shows, it was the year 1000, when for the first time new trade routes linked the entire globe, so an object could in theory circumnavigate the world. This was the 'big bang' of globalization, which ushered in a new era of exploration and trade, and which paved the way for Europeans to dominate after Columbus reached America.

Drawing on a wide range of new historical sources and cutting-edge archaeology, Hansen shows, for example, that the Maya began to trade with the native peoples of modern New Mexico from traces of theobromine - the chemical signature of chocolate - and that frozen textiles found in Greenland contain hairs from animals that could only have come from North America.

Moreover, Hansen turns accepted wisdom on its head, revealing not only that globalization began much earlier than previously thought, but also that the world's first anti-globalization riots did too, in cities such as Cairo, Constantinople, and Guangzhou.

Introducing players from Europe, the Islamic world, Asia, the Indian Ocean maritime world, the Pacific and the Mayan world who were connecting the major landmasses for the first time, this compelling revisionist argument shows how these encounters set the stage for the globalization that would dominate the world for centuries to come.

So I randomly bought this book when I was browing a bookstore one time because the cover drew me in and the title was also something that jumped out at me. It was kind of a sponaneous buy for me. And I decided to save it for this year's Nonfiction November. I'm very glad I did so because it was a perfect nonfiction to dive into. Sometimes you just connect with a book, whether it's fiction or nonfiction and I really did connect with this one. It was so good!

The author, Valerie Hansen is a professor of History at Yale University so obviously she really knows her stuff and this really shows in the book. It's very well-researched as a book about history should be. There are also some amazing photographs of artifacts included in the book which I always love because you can actually look at some of the things mentioned in the book. I especially enjoyed taking a look at the blond men on the Chichen Itza murals, which may or may not be actual vikings. It gives a lot of food for thought, that's for sure.

I loved all of the chapters and even wished some were a little longer like the chapter about the vikings. I haven't read much about vikings in general but I'm even more interested in them after reading this book. As far as early exploration goes, they were some of the greatest. It was probably my favorite chapter out of them all, even though they were all really great to read. Consider me now a viking fan!

The Year 1000: When Explorers Connected the World – and Globalization Began was as fascinating as I hoped it would be. It was super engaging and written in an easy-to-read way. In short: it was quite the page-turner. I would love to read more of Valerie Hansen's work.

About the author:

Valerie Hansen teaches Chinese and world history at Yale, where she is professor of history. In the course of writing The Year 1000, she traveled to some twenty different countries and was a visiting scholar at Xiamen University in China, University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom, and the Collège de France in Paris.

Having lived in China for six plus years, Valerie has visited at least 300 temples, climbed the Great Wall multiple times (once during a lightning storm), and posed next to the Terracotta Warriors eleven times. (All this in the company of her husband and three children)

Her books include The Silk Road: A New History, The Open Empire: A History of China to 1800, Negotiating Daily Life in Traditional China, Changing Gods in Medieval China, 1127-1279, and Voyages in World History (co-authored with Kenneth R. Curtis).

Website | Goodreads

 

Review: The Temptation of Charlotte North by Camilla Bruce

Title: The Temptation of Charlotte North
Author: Camilla Bruce
Publication: May 19, 2026 by Del Rey
Genre: Gothic Fantasy
Find it on: Amazon | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble | Google Play | Kobo | Libro.fm
Rating: 5/5★

A rebellious young woman desperate to escape her predetermined life joins forces with an unlikely ally—a sinister spirit—in this dark gothic fantasy from the acclaimed author of At the Bottom of the Garden .

Be careful what you wish for. It might come true....

In 1910, on a small, remote island that boasts more sheep than people, life does not hold a lot of promise for spirited Charlotte North. Her only escape from both this insular community and a family who does not understand her seems to be through marriage—an institution she is not at all eager to join, given the unhappiness of her parents' own union. Plus, eligible suitors are few and far between, which is why Charlotte has fallen hard for one the few outsiders to join their community in recent the handsome—and likewise unhappily married—new priest.

And then an ancient tower once rumored to have imprisoned a witch—or an unfaithful wife—crumbles, and releases . . . something. A restless spirit that knocks inside the walls and sends household objects flying. A spirit that seems to have an affinity for Charlotte herself. Though many on the island are terrified of this new interloper, Charlotte sees in it potential. Power. And perhaps even a way to get everything she has most wanted out of life.

In The Temptation of Charlotte North, a defiant young woman forms a dangerous bond with a dark spirit to escape her doomed life.

In 1910, Charlotte chafes against the rigid confines of her mother’s home on the isolated island of Margaret’s Keep. Misunderstood and restless, she also holds a torch for Jasper Hill, who's not only a married man but also the town's new reverend.

When an ancient tower collapses after an earthquake, it releases a demonic force long held captive. Soon, something begins knocking within the walls of the North household. And Charlotte answers its call and befriends the mysterious knocker.

The story is told through the point of views of Charlotte North, Jasper Hill and Ruth Russel, the island's school teacher. I loved reading every POV since each one offered a unique perspective on the story. What I perhaps loved the most about the book was the prevailing mood. The remote island setting felt foreboding, with a rich and eerie gothic atmosphere. Camilla Bruce wrote this so very well. I really couldn't get enough of it.

My absolute favorite character was Ruth. I loved her drive and how she gained confidence as the story continued. She was determined to uncover the mystery of the ominous knocker, joined by a mainland geologist who arrives after the earthquake and, unknowingly, becomes entangled in the spirit’s path. I loved their duo very much and wouldn't mind reading about them again in the future.

Overall, The Temptation of Charlotte North by Camilla Bruce was a strong hit for me. It was a creepy and haunting gothic fantasy, had intriguing characters that I loved reading about and a tight plot with incredible writing. What more could a reader want?!

About the author:

Camilla Bruce is a Norwegian writer of speculative and historical fiction. She has a master’s degree in comparative literature and has co-run a small press that published dark fairy tales. Camilla currently lives in Trondheim with her son and cat.

Website | Instagram | Goodreads

 

 

Review: Cleopatra by Saara El-Arifi

 

Title: Cleopatra
Author: Saara El-Arifi
Publication: March 3, 2026 by Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Find it on: Amazon UK | Amazon US | Barnes & Noble | Waterstones | Libro.fm 
Rating: 4/5★

Cleopatra tells her own story in this evocative and sensuous historical epic from the bestselling and award-winning author of Faebound and The Final Strife.

“Enchanting, smart, and subversive—this is El-Arifi’s masterpiece.”—R.F. Kuang, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Katabasis

This stunning edition includes designed endpapers and a custom case stamp.

YOU KNOW MY NAME, BUT YOU DO NOT KNOW ME.

Your historians call me seductress, but I was ever in love's thrall.

Your playwrights speak of witchcraft, but my talents came from the gods themselves.

Your poets sing of my bloodlust, but I was always protecting my children.

How wilfully they refuse to concede that a woman could be powerful, strategic, and divinely blessed to rule.

Death will silence me no longer.

This is not the story of how I died. But how I lived.

"This is not the story of how I died. But how I lived."

Cleopatra by Saara El-Arifi took me by surprise in the best way possible. When I started the book I didn't realize how in love I would fall with this novel. Not only was it one of the best retelling of Cleopatra's life, it also ended up as one of my favorite books of the year. I can't recommend it enough!

Cleopatra is one of my favorite figures from history and I've read my fair share of both nonfiction and fiction books about her life so not every fictionalized story about her has been a hit for me in the past. With Saara El-Arifi’s Cleopatra, it felt as though she revitalized the queen who has been portrayed countless times. The story was told in a way that felt refreshingly new and original. Another thing I loved about Cleopatra was how El-Arifi portrays her with deeply human emotions. She had her flaws, she made mistakes, she was ruthless at times but also had the capacity for love as is shown in her relationships with her children and her lifelong trusted companion Charmion.

The one minor point was the ending. Anyone knowing how the life of Cleopatra ended knows how tragic it was. I was fully prepared to cry my eyes out and I nearly did. However, the story ended with some fantasy elements. The author's choice (which is her full right of course!) to end the story in this way wasn't my favorite ever. It took me a little out of the story and I was a little confused, to be honest. This is just my personal preference and in the end this was only minor compared to my love for the entire book.

The audiobook was narrated by the incredible Adjoa Andoh and she did an amazing job at voicing pharaoh Cleopatra as well as the other characters.

About the author:

SAARA EL-ARIFI is a No. 1 Sunday Times bestselling author of fantasy and historical fiction. El-Arifi knew she was a storyteller from the moment she told her first lie.

After a decade of working in marketing and communications, she returned to academia to complete a master's degree in African studies specialising in Cleopatra's myth and her impact on Black women.

She currently resides in London as a full-time procrastinator.

Website | Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads

 

From the Archives — Review: Few Are Angels Kindle Edition by Inger Iversen

This post is part of my new From the Archives series, where I revisit older reviews. Some will be unchanged, others will have a bit more added perspective.
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Title: Few Are Angels
Author: Inger Iversen
Series: Few Are Angels #1
Publication: May 28, 2012 by Inger Iversen
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance
Find it on: Amazon
Read in: May 2012
Rating: 5/5★

War is raging between the Immortals and the Dark Prince’s army of half-breed vampires — and gifted Ella finds herself at the center. Can renegade half-breed vampire Kale keep her safe as their forbidden love awakens? After a fatal hit and run accident, Ella Monroe fears that she’s lost more than her beloved parents. Horrifying visions of a past life and a disturbing voice in her head have psychiatric professionals convinced that she’s lost her sanity as well. But when Kale--a dark and handsome stranger with a mysterious past--reveals the true meaning of her visions and the tremendous power she wields through them, Ella must come to terms with the devastating truths of her own past, while eluding an ancient Dark Prince who seeks to control not only her future, but all of mankind’s, by means of abilities that Ella is only beginning to understand. This paranormal romance told from the heroine’s perspective builds in intensity and intrigue to a finale you won’t see coming. Heart pounding action mixed with heartwarming friendships and heartbreaking romance will leave you breathless and begging for more.

Few Are Angels by Inger Iversen is one of the best books I've read lately. I loved every page of it. The book caught my attention right from the prologue all the way to the epilogue. It was that good. Beautifully written, with interesting dialogue and equally interesting characters. Iversen created an impressive world in her book that I would love to know more about. I felt myself not being able to stop thinking about Few Are Angels after I finished it. 

The story is about nineteen-year-old Ella Monroe, who after the death of her parents starts hearing a voice in her head and starts having visions she doesn't understand. Everyone thinks the loss of her parents is to blame. But we learn the visions as well as the voice are very real. When she meets the dark and mysterious Kale her world is thrown upside down. Through Kale she finds out what exactly the visions are and who she is and how the Dark Prince, Laurent is after her and her powers to use for evil. Enter Jace, an immortal who wants to bring Ella to the council to protect her and a best friend who develops feelings for her and wants to know what Ella is hiding exactly.Throw in some memories of a past life and you got an amazing story full of mystery, danger, new friendships and romance.

Few Are Angels was really well written and I could clearly picture all the characters and their surroundings which I think is really important in a novel. I loved reading about Ella. I could relate to her and wonder with her about what was going in her world.  She just wants to live a normal life without the visions and the voice in her head. She's cares for the Carltons, the people who she lives with now. And she tried her best not to hurt them with everything that's going on. One of the side characters I really liked was Sarah. She and her husband Eric used to be best friends with Ella's parents. So when they died, of course they took Ella in, which I thought was really nice of them. They have two other children. The younger Lea and Alex, who is Ella's best friend, but he's away at college in the first part of the story until he comes home for Thanksgiving. Alex. I really really liked him. He just sounded so cute and very protective over Ella. Of course you can guess how he develops feelings for her, which she doesn't know about. Typical best friend, unrequited love trope. I can't wait to see where that'll go in the next book. 

And then we have Kale Grey. Mysterious and dark Kale, who seems to have a lot of secrets. I fell in love with him from the start. How could I not? He's amazing. He keeps fightng his feeling for Ella but we all know he can't. They are meant to be together. Him, being a vampire also gives him that dangerous edge we see a few times in the story. I also was quite interested in Jace Vesco. He's incredibly sexy in my mind. He's kind of more a side character but I feel there's so much more to him. The way Jace and Kale can't stand each other is sort of funny. And I loved how Jace and Mia kept flirting. I liked Mia too. She seems vain and not nice at first but I bet that there's also more to her. The book also had a few POV's with Laurent. I loved them. To read what he is thinking and doing to get closer to Ella. There wasn't as much about him in the book of course but I have a feeling that might change in the second one.

The end I had seen coming from miles away. I don't know why I knew it would end like that but I don't really minded the predictability. I was freaking out too much for that. This is one of the reason I couldn't stop thinking about it. I keep wondering what's going to happen now, with not only Ella but all the characters. Alex, Mia, Jace, Kale...

The romance between Ella and Kale seemed a little bit rushed in the beginning, because after maybe two days Ella had serious feelings for the guy, but thinking about how they share a past it kind of fits for them. The romance wasn't overdone in anyway and I loved seeing them together.

I can' t say anything negative about this book because it was so good, other than that it ended to soon. It made me want more. All in all the book was wonderful. I enjoyed reading it so much even that I went back to reread a few scenes. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves books about vampires, immortals and people who just love paranormal books with a good romance.

From the Archives — Review: In a Treacherous Court by Michelle Diener

This post is part of my new From the Archives series, where I revisit older reviews. Some will be unchanged, others will have a bit more added perspective.
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Title: In a Treacherous Court
Author: Michelle Diener
Series: Susanna Horenbout and John Parker #1
Publication: August 2, 2011 by Gallery Books, Simon & Schuster
Genre: Historical Fiction
Read in: October 2012
Rating: 5/5★

Henry VIII’s most lethal courtier and his newly appointed artist become the only thing keeping him on the throne—and if they survive, neither will ever be the same.

John Parker is one of Henry VIII most useful courtiers—utterly merciless and completely loyal. But one small favor for his king will pull Parker into a deadly plot against the throne, one that will test his courage, his resolve, and most especially, his heart.

A commission from Henry VIII should have been the crowning achievement of Susanna Horenbout’s career, but before the beautiful and talented artist even sets foot in England, she finds herself in possession of a secret that could change its history.

With Parker as her only protection against killers who will stop at nothing to silence her, Susanna has to trust the dangerous, enigmatic courtier.

She’s used to fighting in a man’s world, but she never expected to be fighting for her life.

Susanna was send by her father to become Henry VIII's new painter. When she arrived, it wasn't long before there was an attempt on her life. John Parker, one of the King's most dangerous courtiers, was then charged to keep her safe. More attacks follow and slowly a conspiracy against the throne is revealed. The more Susanna and Parker find out about the secret plot, the more deathly it becomes.

I loved In a Treacherous Court right from the start. Susanna was a great heroine. Strong, witty, talented and beautiful. I loved her voice and the way she handled herself against all the attacks she had to endure. I'm pretty sure most people would crack under the pressure but she always held herself standing straight. Of course, Susanna being Flemish helped me like her a lot too since I'm Flemish as well. Parker... oh I just loved him. Michelle Diener really has a knack for creating not only amazing female characters but also swoon-worthy and protective men. I loved how they used to call him "Parker the Cold, Parker the Merciless and Parker the Lone Wolf" before he met Susanna.

This book was so exciting! It really, truly was. Lots of attacks and fighting so there never was a boring moment. The mystery and suspense were killing me, especially at the last part. I was so afraid everything wouldn't turn out okay in the end. And the author's writing! That must be my favorite thing about In a Treacherous Court. Michelle Diener truly is my new favorite writer. It was so fast paced and amazing that when I had only 100 pages left, I forced myself to stop reading because I didn't want it to be over so soon. I absolutely got sucked in. When I did finish the book, I actually felt really sad. I need more, way much more! Luckily for me there's an ebook and another novel after this one so once I get my hands on them, I'll be good.

The romance between Susanna and Parker was perfect. They were attracted to each other pretty much right away but this isn't a bad thing. In this novel it worked perfectly. They knew from one another that they wanted each other, also a thing I loved. No confusion or anything about their feelings for each other except that Susanna thinks she wouldn't make a very good wife, but we'll see. I think Parker can handle her artistic ways perfectly.

In a Treacherous Court by Michelle Diener is an exceptional debut. The historical information as well as the romance and suspense meshed so well together. It was beautifully written, fast paced and just a really enjoyable read. This novel will grip the reader so fast, never letting go, until the very end.

In a Treacherous Court was rereleased in 2023 with a beautiful new cover by Daisey Crown Press. I have yet to buy myself a copy of it (I need to own that cover!) but I hope I can do it soon. 😍

About the author:

Michelle Diener is the bestselling, awardinning author of historical fiction, fantasy and science fiction romance novels. Having worked in publishing and IT, she’s now very happy crafting new worlds and interesting characters. 

Michelle was born in London and currently lives in Australia with her husband and children.

When she’s not writing, you can find her on her author Facebook page, interacting with readers on her Facebook Readers’ Group, on Instagram or Threads.