Clarissa is almost seventeen when the spell of her childhood is broken. It is 1914, the beginning of a blissful, golden summer – and the end of an era. Deyning Park is in its heyday, the large country house filled with the laughter and excitement of privileged youth preparing for a weekend party. When Clarissa meets Tom Cuthbert, home from university and staying with his mother, the housekeeper, she is dazzled. Tom is handsome and enigmatic; he is also an outsider. Ambitious, clever, his sights set on a career in law, Tom is an acute observer, and a man who knows what he wants. For now, that is Clarissa.

As Tom and Clarissa’s friendship deepens, the wider landscape of political life around them is changing, and another story unfolds: they are not the only people in love. Soon the world – and all that they know – is rocked by a war that changes their lives for ever.

The first thing that struck me about this book was the vivid descriptions; Judith Kinghorn succeeded in immediately transporting me to another time and place with her depiction of Deyning, the Granville family and their friends in the summer of 1914. The story is told from Clarissa’s point of view; The Last Summer is her coming of age story. As readers we follow her as she develops from sixteen year old ingenue to grown woman and as her world changes more than she could ever have imagined.

I loved Clarissa as a character from the start with her enthusiasm, optimism and hope for her future. Despite her cosseted life, she came across as fun and not afraid to take a risk and as the story progressed I admired her strength of character and determination. She tells the story in the past tense from a future point so not only do we hear of events first hand but she is able to give her own perspective on her actions, thoughts and feelings and the reminiscent style suited the story perfectly.

Clarissa meets Tom and the attraction is immediate. I’ll willingly admit to being a little in love with the handsome Tom Cuthbert myself as I was reading. But Tom is not of Clarissa’s class and therefore their relationship cannot be. I found it fascinating to see the impact of the war on the traditional class distinctions and in particular on Tom and Clarissa’s lives. I don’t want to give out any spoilers but to say that the course of their love doesn’t run smoothly would be a major understatement. Kinghorn has created a sweeping story of love and loss which kept me guessing to the very end.

Judith Kinghorn has beautifully captured the thoughts and feelings of a particular group in a lost generation. From an historical perspective, Kinghorn has clearly done her research which is illustrated in the small details that capture the war and post-war periods, making The Last Summer entirely believable and often shocking. This is a very visual novel and I could easily see it translating to television or film. There is also an intriguing element of mystery as the story is punctuated with extracts from letters that hint at another love story.

Told in four parts, I thought the pace of this novel was excellent and I was surprised a number of times by the swiftness of the twists and turns to the plot which covers a period of sixteen years in total. I liked the fact that the story didn’t end with the war and homecoming and goes on to examine the consequences and lives of the survivors.

Despite the themes of loss, grief and change, The Last Summer is above all a wonderful and heartbreaking love story. As you can probably tell, I was completely caught up in Clarissa’s life and thoroughly enjoyed Judith Kinghorn’s debut. Highly recommended!

5/5

The Last Summer is out now in hardback and as an ebook and will be released in paperback on 26th April. I’d like to thank Helena at Headline for sending me a review copy.

You can find out more about Judith and her writing at: http://judithkinghorn.blogspot.com/

Today I’m delighted to welcome Eva Stachniak to One More Page as part of her blog tour to celebrate the release of The Winter Palace. Eva was born in Wrocław, Poland and now lives in Canada. Her career has included time as a radio broadcaster and English and Humanities lecturer. An award-winning author, The Winter Palace is Eva’s third novel and tells of the rise to power of Catherine the Great. Welcome Eva!

You’ve written both historical and contemporary novels previously, what drew you to the historical fiction genre?

My passion for history, and the belief that history illuminates the present. And also the need to tell the forgotten stories from beyond the former Iron Curtain—bring them back to our collective memory.

The Winter Palace tells the story of the rise of Catherine the Great; why did you choose to tell Catherine’s story?

Catherine fascinated and tempted me since my second novel Dancing with Kings, where she appears for a brief moment. Her story is astounding. A petty Prussian princess who became a powerful Russian empress. An immigrant to Russia who made her adopted country one of the most powerful empires of the world.

Also it is important to remember that the 18^th century Russia was a vast and multicultural country. Under Catherine’s rule one-third of Poland became part of the Russian Empire, and remained so until the end of World War I. When I was growing up in Poland, Catherine was considered to be a rather sinister figure, the empress who dashed Polish hopes for independence. My own family, both on my mother’s and my father’s side were subjects of the Russian Tsars. My grandfather was even drafted into the Russian army.

And once I started researching Catherine’s life I found her irresistible.

I love historical fiction that focuses on strong female characters and there are several in this novel; who was your favourite character to write and why?

I have to confess that I was captivated by all three powerful women who make the core of the plot, Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, Catherine who through most of the novel is Grand Duchess of Russia, and of course, my narrator, Varvara/Barbara. Elizabeth absorbed me because she was so unpredictable, so sensuous, so spontaneous and so full of contradictions: A sinner and a devout Christian repenting her sins as soon as she stopped enjoying them. A woman delighting in sex, food, music and dancing. Catherine, on the other hand, impressed me with her sense of purpose, her serious dedication to her goals, and her ability to attract loyalty from all quarters. And Varvara? She was my key to the two empresses. She was my eyes, my ears, and my guide.

There is a wealth of fascinating detail about the 18th century Russian court in the novel; how did you go about your research and what was the most interesting area for you?

I read diaries, letters, memoirs. I visited archives. I travelled to St. Petersburg and looked at every painting I could find that portrayed scenes from the 18^th century life in Russia. One of my all time favourite sources are The Russian Journals of Martha and Catherine Wilmot, compiled from many letters that the Wilmot sisters wrote from Russia to their family in Ireland. For several years, they were cherished house guests of Princess Dashkova herself, the youthful friend of Catherine, and as foreign visitors to Russia they kept their eyes wide open and reported on everything that amused or intrigued them: funeral customs, the abundance of servants in Russian palaces and manor houses, the sights in the streets. They also heard many personal stories about Catherine from their hostess, and I used many of them in the novel.

It was the researching of the everyday details of life in a Russian palace that I found most fascinating.

The story is told through the eyes of Vavara, a young Polish girl serving at the court; why did you decide to tell the story from her point of view?

The Russian imperial court was home to many foreigners, including Catherine herself, who came to Russia from a small German princedom of Zerbst. Foreigners, immigrants are good observers, and I wanted my narrator to have this outsider’s point of view.

Another reason for wanting to tell Catherine’s story from outside was the need to understand the essence of Catherine’s power over people. I wanted the reader to experience Catherine’s power over those around her, show how this Prussian Princess managed to command the hearts of so many.

And then, of course, Varvara is a spy, able to see beyond closed doors, the best narrator an author can imagine.

If you could live during any historical period which would you choose?

Right now, it would be the 18^th century Russia, because I’m still working on the second Catherine book. If I could find myself at the Winter Palace, I’d want to know what people talked about in their most mundane, every day conversations. I would want to know, for instance, what Catherine’s servants made of the kangaroos their empress kept in the Taurida Palace gardens. The animals came as a gift from King George III. Someone had to feed them. Take care of them. Did they seem merely odd? Or frightening, perhaps?

When you’re not writing and researching, what do you like to read?

I’m a voracious reader.  Many writers sustain and inspire me. Lately I’ve been reading Kate Grenville’s marvelous historical novels set in Australia, and the unsurpassable Hilary Mantel. But I don’t particularly look for historical fiction. Any well written book will seduce me.

You are currently working on a second novel about Catherine the Great, can you tell us a little more about what we can expect next?

The Empire of the Night, the second Catherine novel, will be told from Catherine’s point of view. It will cover the pivotal points of her thirty-four years rule. If The Winter Palace is the story of Catherine’s fight for power and her own survival, The Empire of the Night examines the consequences of wielding absolute power for so long. Together, I hope, the two novels will complement each other, and give the reader a fuller picture of this remarkable empress and a captivating woman.

Thank you Eva – I’m already looking forward to The Empire of the Night.

You can find out more about Eva and her novels on her website at: http://www.evastachniak.com/

Eva continues her blog tour tomorrow with a guest post at: www.curiousbookfans.co.uk and please look out for my review of The Winter Palace next week.

The Winter Palace by Eva Stachniak is one of my historical fiction hotpicks for 2012 and was released today. The novel tells the story of the early years and rise to power of Catherine the Great and is a wonderfully detailed depiction of life at the Winter Palace.  I’m very excited to be part of Eva’s blog tour to mark the launch of the book and I’ll be publishing an exclusive interview with Eva on Saturday so please stop by for that. The full tour line up can be found below starting with an extract from the book on the gorgeous History Tellers website.

London, 1914. Belle Reilly finally has the life she’s dreamed of thanks to a devoted husband in Jimmy and the hat shop she’s wanted to own since she was a child. But as the storm clouds of World War One begin to gather, Belle’s already turbulent life is to change in ways she never imagined possible.

When Jimmy enlists in the army and leaves for the battlefields of Ypres, her world is shattered and she realises she can no longer stand by and watch, she must volunteer to help the wounded. But her work as a Red Cross ambulance driver in France throws her into the path of Etienne, the enigmatic man who played a significant role in her childhood, and Belle finds herself torn agonisingly between forbidden passion and loyalty to a good man.

But the past returns to haunt her present in other – more unpleasant – ways and Belle’s character is put to the test like never before. Can she survive this most brutal of wars with her spirit intact? And will destiny finally lead her to lasting happiness even while war rages all around?

The Promise is Lesley Pearse’s twentieth novel and sequel to her number one bestseller Belle. Firstly, I’d like to say, don’t worry if you haven’t read Belle – I haven’t and The Promise works perfectly well as a standalone novel. There are plenty of references to the past, but any blanks are filled in as the story is told. I certainly don’t feel I suffered for not having read Belle but because I enjoyed The Promise so much I’ve already downloaded Belle to my Kindle!

The Promise tells the story of Belle Reilly’s life from 1914-1919, set against the backdrop of the First World War and had me gripped from start to finish. This is the first of Lesley’s books that I’ve read and I can’t believe it’s taken me until now to discover her! I love sagas like this and in Belle, Lesley has created a character that I liked and cared about immediately. From the beginning it’s clear that Belle hasn’t had the easiest of starts in life but as the novel opens we find that she’s happily married with her own business and a well thought of member of the community in Blackheath where she lives. Circumstances soon conspire to thwart Belle’s happiness and she displays amazing strength and perseverance as she copes with the hand she’s been dealt and this was one of the traits that I liked most about her as a character.

At over five hundred pages, this is a substantial read that will draw you in to Belle’s world and leave you sad to say goodbye at the end but despite the length, I found it a quick and engrossing read. Pearse is a skilled storyteller and The Promise is an emotional read with some surprising plot twists. I loved the historical aspect to the book and the experiences of Belle, Jimmy and the rest of the cast of characters made the impact of the war and the changes in society because of it feel very real and personal. I’m not a fan of battle scenes in books but there was just the right amount of detail to gain my empathy and understanding and I found Belle’s experiences as a volunteer ambulance driver fascinating.

The Promise is very much a love story and alongside a lot of heartbreak there are plenty of romantic moments in the book and I loved the romantic sub-stories – especially Belle’s friend Miranda’s. As the war ends and the novel draws to a close Belle is still only in her early twenties which leaves plenty of scope for Lesley Pearse to revisit the character in future and I very much hope she does as I’d love to know what happens to Belle next.

4/5

The Promise is released today and I’d like to thank Emma at ed public relations for sending me a review copy.

You can find out more about Lesley Pearse and her books at: http://www.lesleypearse.com/

Last year I wrote a post on my top five most anticipated chick lit books of 2011 and it was the most popular post on the blog for the year. This year I’ve decided to expand on my list with lists for the three genres I read most, starting today with historical fiction. Here are the books that I’m most looking forward to over the next twelve months (there are seven because I just couldn’t narrow the list down any further!)

The Winter Palace by Eva Stachniak (Doubleday 19th January)

I love reading about strong historical female figures and discovering new areas of history so this book really caught my attention and it has a beautiful cover too.

When Vavara, a young orphaned Polish girl, is brought to serve at Empress Elizabeth’s glittering, dangerous court in St Petersburg, she is schooled by the Chancellor himself in skills from lock-picking to love-making, learning above all else to stay silent – and listen. Soon, she is Elizabeth’s ‘tongue’ – her secret eyes and ears.

Then Sophie, a vulnerable young princess, arrives from Prussia as a prospective bride for Elizabeth’s heir. Set to spy on her by the Empress, Vavara soon becomes her friend and confidante, and helps her navigate the illicit seductions and the treacherous shifting allegiances of the court. But Sophie’s destiny is to become the notorious Catherine the Great. Are her ambitions more lofty and far-reaching than anyone suspected, and will she stop at nothing to achieve absolute power?

The last summer Judith Kinghorn (Headline 2nd February)

Judith Kinghorn’s debut novel set against the background of the First World War sounds like a great read.

Clarissa is almost seventeen when the spell of her childhood is broken. It is 1914, the beginning of a blissful, golden summer – and the end of an era. Deyning Park is in its heyday, the large country house filled with the laughter and excitement of privileged youth preparing for a weekend party. When Clarissa meets Tom Cuthbert, home from university and staying with his mother, the housekeeper, she is dazzled. Tom is handsome and enigmatic; he is also an outsider. Ambitious, clever, his sights set on a career in law, Tom is an acute observer, and a man who knows what he wants. For now, that is Clarissa.

As Tom and Clarissa’s friendship deepens, the wider landscape of political life around them is changing, and soon the world – and all that they know – is rocked irrevocably by a war that changes their lives for ever.

The Gods of Gotham by Lyndsay Faye ( Headline 15th March)

I first heard of this book at a Headline blogger event way back in May 2011. I love New York and this sounds like a fantastic piece of historical fiction.

August 1845 in New York; enter the dark, unforgiving city underworld of the legendary Five Points…

After a fire decimates a swathe of lower Manhattan, and following years of passionate political dispute, New York City at long last forms an official Police Department. That same summer, the great potato famine hits Ireland. These events will change the city of New York for ever.

Timothy Wilde hadn’t wanted to be a copper star.  On the night of August 21st, on his way home from the Tombs defeated and disgusted, he is plotting his resignation, when a young girl who has escaped from a nearby brothel, crashes into him; she wears only a nightdress and is covered from head to toe in blood. Searching out the truth in the child’s wild stories, Timothy soon finds himself on the trail of a brutal killer, seemingly hell bent on fanning the flames of anti-Irish immigrant sentiment and threatening chaos in a city already in the midst of social upheaval. But his fight for justice could cost him the woman he loves, his brother and ultimately his life…

The Perfume Garden by Kate Lord Brown (Atlantic 1st April)

Kate’s debut The Beauty Chorus made my top books of 2011 so I have high hopes for her second novel!

High in the hills of Valencia, a forgotten house guards its secrets. Untouched since Franco’s forces tore through Spain in 1936, the whitewashed walls have crumbled, the garden, laden with orange blossom, grown wild. Emma Temple is the first to unlock its doors in seventy years. Guided by a series of letters and a key bequeathed in her mother’s will, she has left her job as London’s leading perfumier to restore this dilapidated villa to its former glory. It is the perfect retreat: a wilderness redolent with strange and exotic scents, heavy with the colours and sounds of a foreign time. But for her grandmother, Freya, a British nurse who stayed here during Spain’s devastating civil war, Emma’s new home evokes terrible memories. As the house begins to give up its secrets, Emma is drawn deeper into Freya’s story: a story of crushed idealism, of lost love, and of families ripped apart by war. She soon realises it is one thing letting go of the past, but another when it won’t let go of you.

Tigers in Red Weather by Liza Klaussmann (Picador August)

I only heard about this book recently but it was fought over by eight publishers at auction and sounds brilliant!

The epitome of East Coast glamour, Tiger House is where the beautiful and the damned have always come to play in summer, scene of martinis and moonlit conspiracies, and newly inherited by the sleek, beguiling Nick.

The Second World War is just ending, her cousin Helena has left in search of married bliss in Hollywood, and Nick’s husband is coming home. Everything is about to change.

Their children will suprise them. One summer, on the cusp of adolescence, Nick’s daughter and Helena’s son make a sinister discovery that plunges the island’s bright heat into private shadow.

Magnificently told by each of the five characters in turn, Tigers in Red Weather is a simmering tale of passion, betrayal and secret violence beneath a polished and fragile facade.

Citadel by Kate Mosse (Orion 13th September)

I loved Kate’s previous books Labyrinth and Sepulchre so was very excited to see that she is bringing out a third novel set in the same part of France.

Set during World War II in the far south of France, Citadel is a powerful, action-packed mystery that reveals the secrets of the resistance under Nazi occupation. While war blazed in the trenches at the front, back at home a different battle is waged, full of clandestine bravery, treachery and secrets. And as a cell of Maquis resistance fighters, codenamed CITADEL, fight for everything they hold dear, their struggle will reveal an older, darker combat being fought in the shadows. Citadel is a story of daring and courage, of lives risked for beliefs and of astonishing secrets buried in time.

Ravenscliffe by Jane Sanderson (Sphere 27th September)

Jane Sanderson’s debut, Netherwood was another of my top ten reads of 2011 and I can’t wait for the sequel.

On Netherwood Common, Anna Rabinovich shows Eve Williams a house: a large Victorian Villa, solidly built from Yorkshire stone, with wide bay windows that look out over the rugged landscape. This is Ravenscliffe, and it’s the house Anna wants them to live in. It’s their house, she says. It was meant to be. As Anna transforms Ravenscliffe, an attraction grows between her and mineworker Amos. But when Eve’s long-lost brother Silas returns, a rift begins to open up between the two women. Meanwhile, things at Netherwood Hall are changing. Below stairs, the staff struggle to preserve the dignity of the old order but Tobias Hoyland and his young bride Thea Stirling seem to have different ideas.

Stop by later in the week for my top chick lit and paranormal picks for 2012!

As you probably know by now, A Discovery of Witches was one of my favourite books of 2011 and along with many of you I’m eagerly anticipating the release of the sequel Shadow of the Night in July. I was very excited to see that the cover for Shadow of the Night has been revealed on the official Discovery of Witches website!

So what do you think? I’m loving the blue! There is also a tiny peek at what’s to come with an extract from the new book. Check it out at: http://www.adiscoveryofwitches.co.uk/news.html

Tarquin, the powerful Duke of Sconce, knows perfectly well that the decorous and fashionably slender Georgiana Lytton will make him a proper duchess. So why can’t he stop thinking about her twin sister, the curvy, headstrong, and altogether unconventional Olivia? Not only is Olivia betrothed to another man, but their improper – albeit intoxicating – flirtation makes her unsuitability all the more clear. Determined to make a perfect match, he methodically cuts Olivia from his thoughts, allowing logic and duty to triumph over passion . . . until, in his darkest hour, Tarquin begins to question whether perfection has anything to do with love. To win Olivia’s hand he would have to give up all the beliefs he holds most dear, and surrender heart, body and soul – but it may already be too late.

The Duke is Mine is the third book in Eloisa James’s Happy Ever After Series; a set of Regency romances based on popular fairytales. I read and enjoyed the first book in the series, A Kiss at Midnight last year and The Duke is Mine continues the series in style.

The fairy tale in question this time is The Princess and the Pea which was a childhood favourite of mine so I was intrigued to see how the story would be presented as a 400 page Regency romance novel. In this case, the fairytale is followed more in principal than detail; the story focuses on twin sisters Olivia and Georgiana who have been raised by their parents to be duchesses one day. Both sisters are intelligent and beautiful but that is where the similarity ends. Georgiana has taken her training to heart, moulding herself in to the perfect Duchess in waiting. Olivia on the other hand has learned her lessons as well as Georgiana but takes great pleasure in disregarding them completely to the point of impropriety!

The pair finds themselves invited to the estate of the Duke of Sconce where his mother hopes to choose a suitable wife for him. Olivia, who is already betrothed is sent along as companion for Georgiana but as their carriage is overturned and she meets the Duke soaked from head to foot (just like the princess in the fairytale), it soon becomes clear that the relationships in the novel are not going to be clear cut.

As with A Kiss Midnight there is a lot of humor in the novel and I love Eloisa James’s fun lighthearted writing style. In Olivia she has excelled herself at creating a feisty and funny leading lady, not afraid to throw caution to the wind.  The supporting cast also provide for much amusement although this novel does also have several sad and serious undertones, for example, Olivia is betrothed to Rupert Blakemore, the future Duke of Canterwick who suffered brain damage at a young age. Her jests on his behalf actually made for uncomfortable reading at times but thankfully Olivia does grow up during the book and I was pleased to see that her thoughts, comments and actions changed as the story progressed.

As a character, Olivia tied me in knots as her actions and comments aren’t always agreeable but on the other hand she is such a fun and loving character that I couldn’t help like her. As I finished reading, I did find myself wishing that there was more on the fate of her sister Georgiana as the epilogue at the end of the book gives just a couple of tantalising details and I’m one of those readers who likes to know what happens next to everyone! Overall, I found this an enjoyable escapist read with plenty of witty dialogue, hot romance and a lively story.

4/5

The Duke is Mine is out now and I’d like to thank Madeleine at Little Brown for sending me a review copy.

You can find out more about Eloisa James and her novels at:  http://www.eloisajames.com/

Penniless and 34th in line to the throne, Georgiana Rannoch finds herself in a truly draining state of affairs. To escape her hateful brother, Georgie accepts an invitation from the Queen to represent the royals at a wedding in Transylvania. But at the macabre-looking castle, Georgie finds the bride with blood running down her chin and a wedding guest poisoned. Now it’s up to Georgie to save the festivities before the couple’s vows become ‘to love and to cherish, till undeath do we part’.

One of my many New Year reading resolutions is to try to vary my reading and try some new genres so I was pleased when this book came my way. Royal Blood is the fourth book in the Royal Spyness Mystery Series and combines two of my favourite genres (historical fiction and romance) with something new for me; crime and mystery and I found it a very enjoyable read.

The story is told in the first person from the point of view of Lady Georgiana, cousin to the King of Engand and 34th in line to the throne. I liked Georgiana immediately; she’s lighthearted and fun and I loved her take on both her situation and the people around her. Georgiana is twenty-two; her family are desperate for her to marry and make a good match and she’s a lovely mix of slightly scatty, confidence and occasional bursts of insight.

I loved the 1930′s setting and I was surprised how little of the story actually focussed on the murder which doesn’t actually happen until around half way through the book. Royal Blood is as much about Georgiana and her life as it is about her attendance at a royal wedding in Transylvania. The story starts in depression-era London and moves on to a remote and spooky castle in Romania. Lady Georgiana finds herself faced with a host of strange goings on at the spooky castle and the vampire references added a fun twist to the story.

As this is the fourth book in the series I was a little concerned that I wouldn’t be able to pick up the story but it reads perfectly well as a standalone novel. I would like to go back and read the rest of the series now though as I’d love to get to know Georgiana, her friends and family better, particularly Georgiana’s love interest, the mysterious Darcy O’Mara. I also love the gorgeous illustrated covers for this series and think the whole collection would look lovely on my bookshelf!

I’m not normally one for murder mysteries but there was plenty in this novel to hold my attention and the book is much more than I would have imagined a murder mystey to be! At just over 300 pages, Royal Blood is a quick read and from what I’ve seen, this is the ideal mystery series for chick lit fans as Lady Georgiana makes a fun and amusing heroine as she tries to find the right man and escape her overbearing relatives. I liked the glam 1930′s setting and the humour and I will definitely read more of the series.

3/5

Royal Blood is published on 5th January by Prime Crime and I’d like to thank Ellie at Turnaround for sending me a review copy.

This year I read 76 books  – that’s two more than last year! To end the year, I’ve chosen my ten favourite books that were published in 2011 and have provided links to my reviews where possible. I found it really hard to narrow my choice down to just ten books this year and even more impossible to pick an absolute favourite as I enjoyed different novels at different times for very different reasons. This year I’ve expanded on the top ten with some ‘favourites’ categories and a ‘readers’ choice’ section for the most popular (most visited) reviews this year. So without further ado, my books of the year, in release date order are:

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness (published in January by Headline)

Vampires, witches and daemons; a magical manuscript, rich historical detail and fascinating characters. This was a brilliant paranormal romance to start the year with and  I can’t wait for the follow up Shadow of the Night to be released in July 2012.

The Taker by Alma Katsu (published by Century in April)

A dark and gripping paranormal romance with no vampires! The Taker is a very original take on the immortal love story with the driving force behind most of the action being unrequited love. I’m eagerly awaiting the sequel The Reckoning in June.

The Beauty Chorus by Kate Lord-Brown (published by Corvus in April)

I love the title for this book which was the nickname given by fighter pilots to the women who volunteered to fly planes like Spitfires from factories to British airfields during World War Two. In The Beauty Chorus Kate Lord Brown skillfully combines the true historical facts (166 women joined the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) risking their lives to ferry planes across the country) with the fictional story of three very different women to create a thoroughly enjoyable and thought provoking novel.

From London With Love by Jemma Forte (published by Penguin in July)

A fun summer chick lit read that had me gripped and one of my favourite covers of the year too. The Bond theme adds a touch of A-list glamour to the story and as Jessica ties herself in knots trying to keep her identity a secret, From London with Love has a great message about not judging a book by its over and being who you really are.

The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jenny Wingfield (published by Harper in July)

Jenny Wingfield’s debut is one of those books that stays with you long after you’ve read it and 11 year old Swan Lake is one of my favourite characters of the year. Set in 1950′s Arkansas, the story is heartbreaking and heartwarming in equal measures and beautifully written following the trials and tribulations of the wonderful Moses clan. My full review will be coming in January.

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline ( published in August by Century)

A suprise hit for me! Ernest Cline has created a brilliantly thought out and detailed future dystopian world; combined it with a fantastic virtual reality treasure hunt based on music, film and gaming nostalgia from the 1980′s and underlined it all with (the biggest surprise for me as I read) a really sweet coming of age love story.

Netherwood by Jane Sanderson (published in September by Sphere)

Netherwood is a thoroughly enjoyable historical saga and a fantastic debut from Jane Sanderson. I was completely drawn in to the world that Jane has created, loving both the historical detail and the variety and depth of characters that populate this book.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (published by Harvill Secker in September)

A gorgeous book and an amazing debut from Erin Morgenstern. I loved the story of the mysterious black and white Circus which only opens at night. The book is packed with magic and intrigue. I’ve only just finished reading this one but it shot straight into my top ten!

Miracle on Regent Street by Ali Harris (published in October by Simon and Schuster)

Another of my favourite covers of the year. A classy story filled with vintage glamour. Miracle on Regent Street is Ali Harris’s debut novel and what a debut. Heartfelt, warm, romantic and a lovely Christmassy story too.

It Started with a Kiss by Miranda Dickinson (published by Avon in November)

Last but by no means least, Miranda Dickinson’s third novel is Chick lit perfection from the sparkly pink cover to the brilliantly romantic ending and I thoroughly enjoyed every page in between as Romily Parker goes on a year long search for the handsome hero who kissed her and vanished!

2011 Favourites …

The whole package: The Night Circus

Although I love my Kindle, it will never replace physical books for me and books like this are the reason why. I splashed out on the gorgeous hard back when it was published and I love the book design as much as the story!

Cover love: Miracle on Regent Street by Ali Harris

The cover for this book is really striking and picks up the tone of the book perfectly.

Heroine: Gracie Flowers from (Un)like a Virgin by Lucy-Anne Holmes

Gracie had me smiling from the first page with her wry observations on her job, her boyfriend, friends and family and she’s one of my favourite leading chick it ladies of all time!

Hero: Prince Richard from To Marry a Prince by Sophie Page

I thought this book was a real gem of a romantic comedy and I loved Prince Richard who comes across as a fab leading man – by no means perfect, he has some brilliantly funny and romantic scenes but never seems over the top.

Support: Uncle Dudley and Auntie Mags from It Started With a Kiss by Miranda Dickinson

Dispensers of love, wisdom and support from their narrow-boat home to Romily as she undertakes her quest. They are instrumental in keeping Romily going but are also responsible for much of the book’s warm humour and I loved Aunty Mags’ ‘Cake Therapy’!

The perfect ending: Breakfast At Darcy’s by Ali McNamara

Ali McNamara retains her crown for queen of the romantic ending with a beautiful finale to her latest novel that left me with a big smile on my face.

Readers’ choice: Top five most read reviews of 2011

1. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

2. To the Moon and Back by Jill Mansell

3. The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks

4. The Taker by Alma Katsu

5. Beautiful Creatures by Lulu Taylor

So that’s my year in books; are your favourites on the list? I’m looking forward to sharing many more reviews with you during 2012 and wish you all a very happy and bookish New Year! x

Today I’m delighted to welcome Sharon Lathan to One More Page with a guest post on Regency Christmas. Sharon is the best-selling author of The Darcy Saga sequel series to Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice. Her previously published novels are: Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy: Two Shall Become One, Loving Mr. Darcy, My Dearest Mr. Darcy, In the Arms of Mr. Darcy, A Darcy Christmas, and The Trouble With Mr. Darcy.  I read Sharon’s latest novel, Miss Darcy Falls in Love recently and really enjoyed it. In addition to her writing, Sharon works as a Registered Nurse in a Neonatal ICU. She resides with her family in Hanford, California in the sunny San Joaquin Valley. Welcome Sharon!

Regency Christmas by Sharon Lathan

A man might then behold
At Christmas, in each hall
Good fires to curb the cold,
And meat for great and small.
The neighbors were friendly bidden,
And all had welcome true,
The poor from the gates were not chidden
When this old cap was new.

~The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon by Washington Irving

Christmas has always been my favorite holiday. In my first novel – Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy – I was overjoyed when the timeline established by Jane Austen meant that the newly married Darcys would soon be celebrating their first holiday season. As the series progressed and a year passed I was able to again highlight Christmas in In The Arms of Mr. Darcy. An even greater joy was when my editor approached me to write a Christmas themed novella to be part of an anthology. Score! I was in heaven!

A Darcy Christmas – the anthology published last year but still in print and just as fabulous for this season – gave me another opportunity to delve into the traditions and history of the holiday season in Regency Era England. The above poem as quoted by Washington Irving is an old song sung at Christmas time and gives a sense of the spirit of the season. Above all, Christmas was a time to embrace family and friends. Not so different than today, you may surmise, yet the differences were stark.

First and foremost, Christmas was a solemn, religious observance. Church attendance with ritualistic remembrances of the birth of Jesus was a vital part. A decorated tree was unheard of, instead the tradition to hang boughs of evergreen branches as a sign of eternal life. Ofttimes the boughs were triangular to symbolize the triune nature of God. Hanging them over the doorway was a welcoming gesture of goodwill, guests greeted with a kiss. Mistletoe was one of many winter greens used to adorn a house, the part pagan and part Christian belief that mistletoe had healing properties and the power to bestow life and fertility naturally leading to the custom of kissing underneath it as an expression of love.

Providing for visitors, those who were in one’s employ, and anyone in need was a serious undertaking. Mincemeat pies, Christmas puddings, and fruit cakes were specially prepared with liquor, hearty spiced meats and fruits, and heavy dough so that travelers could carry them and eat of them for days without fear of spoiling. Care packages consisting of food and necessities were delivered to the poor, parties were thrown wherein all were invited to partake of the feast, and the remains were passed out the day after Christmas in boxes to local citizens. The latter is the origin of “Boxing Day.”

Carols were sung and they were nearly all of a religious or peace-bringing theme. Groups would wander from house to house singing as a way to bring good cheer and bestow blessings. Cookies, small cakes, and warm spiced drinks (most containing alcohol) would be given to the carolers as a thank-you and return blessing. Other roving groups called “mummers” performed plays, often in pantomime and always wearing a mask, that were humorous but also meant to teach a moral lesson of some kind.

Night time parties with bonfires and feasting were common on Christmas Eve. Dancing, minstrels, and games of all kinds occurred with the classes mixing in celebration of the special event being honored. Wassailing and drinking wassail was a huge part of the festivities. A massive log was cut and dragged with due pomp into the house, anointed with spiced oils, and set afire in the biggest hearth in the house. This was the Yule Log and it would be kept burning from Christmas through to the Epiphany, the honor of watching over the log to make sure the fire did not die a coveted duty. The charred remains would be gathered and stowed away to be used the following year as kindling for the next Yule Log.

Christmas day itself would consist of family attending church after a breakfast with pastries and frumentry (a type of Christmas pudding). Gifts, if they were exchanged at all, would be simple and only the very wealthy gave more than one per person. Wrapping paper did not exist so gifts were either given as is or concealed with plain paper or colored fabrics and tied together with ribbons – all of which would be carefully set aside to be reused.

All twelve of the days from Christmas to the Epiphany – the day commemorated as when the Magi appeared before the Christ child – were revered. The 12 gifts listed in the famously annoying song all had a religious symbolism attached. At the end of the twelve days was Twelfth Night, a final night to hold a feast or ball to signify the end of the season. This is when folks went a bit crazy! Twelfth Night celebrations were typically rowdy – a sharp contrast to the quieter days before.

These traditions are, of course, only a small slice of all the varied ways the English in the Regency period would have spent their holidays. Naturally there were many differing customs just as there are today. But hopefully this glimpse has been enlightening. Websites that relate Christmas history are plentiful, but here are a few of my favorites:

Christmas: Its Origin and Associations by William Francis Dawson – http://www.gutenberg.org/files/22042/22042-h/22042-h.htm

The Christmas Archives – http://www.christmasarchives.com/toc.html

History of Christmas – http://www.christmascarnivals.com/christmas-history/

Wassailing Through History – http://www.history.org/foundation/journal/holiday06/wassail.cfm

And as a final treat, here is a recipe for authentic English Wassail–

Ingredients

1 qt. brown ale

8 oz. dry sherry

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

3 apples

1/2 lemon peel finely grated

1/2 tsp. each ground

nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Peel and core two apples and cut in thick slices. Place in layers in a baking dish and sprinkle with the brown sugar.
3. Drizzle with 2 oz. of brown ale.
4. Bake until the apples are very tender, about 45 minutes.
5. Chop the apples and their cooking juices in a food processor until smooth.
6. Place in a saucepan over medium-low heat and add the remaining ale, sherry, lemon peel and spices. Simmer gently for a few minutes.
7. Peel and core the remaining apple and slice. Add the slices to the bowl and serve while still warm.

Thank you Sharon!

Sharon is kindly providing one copy of Miss Darcy Falls in Love and one copy of A Darcy Christmas to give away to one lucky reader. To enter just leave a ‘pick me’ comment in the box below and I’ll draw a winner using random.org after the closing date.

This giveaway is open internationally. Entries will close at midnight (UK) on Thursday 8th December. Good luck!

You can find out more about Sharon and her books on her website: www.sharonlathan.net and on Austen Authors: www.austenauthors.com