Sadly…
I have been reconsidering my ability to continue reviewing on a regular basis. I already review fewer than one book a month, and that is not fair to the authors to whom I have made commitments. My collaboration with Steve, sadly, did not work out either.
My passion for reading has diminished lately, mostly because I am burnt out. I have been writing reviews generally for over ten years, and the non-fiction editing I do full-time has increased in amount and intensity. I promised myself long ago that when I lose my enthusiasm and energy for reviewing, when it becomes a chore rather than a pleasure, I would stop, at least until the passion returns. It is unfair to authors to offer a review that has been forced; I want to do it well or not do it at all. It has been too tempting to accept offers for SP novels that appeal to my reading tastes, however, I simply cannot do it any longer. I cannot even promise to complete the books I have already received, and I hope you can accept my deepest apologies. For the many patient and kind authors who have sent me their novels, I am happy to return them at my own expense.
I will still be writing here occasionally–thoughts about intriguing books I may read on my own at times–and all past reviews and posts will remain.
I am sorry I must make this announcement. If doing this as a paid profession were an option, I would immediately quit my day job (the main source of my burnout) : ) For now, I need to shift my focus to other matters so that I can recover.
Thank you to bloggers who have promoted The Queen’s Quill, authors and publicists who have requested reviews, and subscribers and readers.
My best wishes to you all.
Andrea, The Queen’s Quill
The next book up for review is The Concubine’s Gift by K. Ford K. This may not qualify as a strictly traditional historical fiction novel, as most of the action occurs in a contemporary setting, so I’m moving out of my comfort zone a bit. The premise mixes a number of unusual elements: a famous brothel, a conservative little Nevada town, an antique makeup case containing an almost magical powder, a sexually inhibited resident who becomes drawn into the world of a famous Chinese concubine…It’s probably difficult so see how the plot falls together, but I’m only 50 pages in so my description is purposely vague. So far, I’m finding the text to be easy and quick to read, and the author has me caught up in the explicit but tasteful plot already…
Kim Rendfeld’s The Cross and the Dragon is “a tale of love in an era of war and blood feuds” set in eighth-century Europe during the reign of Charlemagne. I dove right into this book before understanding the background and historical context—as the plot is so absorbing—and the further I read, the more familiar the plot seemed to me . . . at first I thought to myself that the “recognition” was from reading too many medieval romances this year . . . but no, there was much more to it. I have since discovered that The Cross and the Dragon was inspired by the romantic legend of Roland (The Song of Roland, an epic poem based on the Battle of Roncevaux in 778). That is why I was getting vague flashbacks of a similar plot! I read this epic poem as an undergraduate and remember feeling rather untouched by it, and that was a shame. Had I been assigned this historical novel alongside the epic poem, I would have been emotionally affected and inspired to read on… I would have learned the difference between fact and fiction during that era and appreciated the impact of the poem. Historical fiction could be such a boost to classroom learning…
1150 in Provence, where love and marriage are as divided as Christian and Muslim. A historical thriller/romance set in Narbonne just after the Second Crusade.
