Julie's Review: Mata Hari's Last Dance

Author: Michelle Moran
Series: None
Publication Date: July 19, 2016
Publisher: Touchtone Books
Pages: 288
Obtained: publisher
Genre:  Historical Fiction
Rating: 4.5/5
Bottom Line: A quick and engaging look at a mysterious historical woman
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Grab!

Summary: Paris, 1917. The notorious dancer Mata Hari sits in a cold cell awaiting freedom…or death. Alone and despondent, Mata Hari is as confused as the rest of the world about the charges she’s been arrested on: treason leading to the deaths of thousands of French soldiers. As Mata Hari waits for her fate to be decided, she relays the story of her life to a reporter who is allowed to visit her in prison. Beginning with her carefree childhood, Mata Hari recounts her father’s cruel abandonment of her family as well her calamitous marriage to a military officer. Taken to the island of Java, Mata Hari refuses to be ruled by her abusive husband and instead learns to dance, paving the way to her stardom as Europe’s most infamous dancer. From Indian temples and Parisian theatres to German barracks in war-torn Europe, international bestselling author Michelle Moran who “expertly balances fact and fiction” (Associated Press) brings to vibrant life the famed world of Mata Hari: dancer, courtesan, and possibly, spy. ~amazon.com  

Review: Mata Hari's Last Dance is what I've come to expect from one of my favorite authors. Ms. Moran has taken another female historical figure and made her accessible to her readers. I've always heard the name Mata Hari but never knew much about her or her life; while Ms. Moran's novel isn't a biography or even an extensive look into her life, I felt that I have a much better understanding for the life she had lived and survived.

Mata Hari is exuberant about living life. She wants to make the most out of what she has earned and endured. She isn't ashamed that she dances or entertains for a living. She is able to afford luxurious items and travel to fascinating places because of what she does. She becomes an entertainer who sells out theaters night after night for months on end. She feels but doesn't always think. It's pretty much how she gets herself into the predicament of being tried for espionage.

I devoured this book in 36 hours. It sucks you in and you want to know more about this woman's life. I appreciated how she did control her own life. It wasn't anyone's fault but her own because she promised information to the wrong men and it came back to get her in the end.

I love her relationship with Mr. Clunet. I loved how she didn't want to fall in love with him because she didn't want to hurt him. In the end, she ended up hurting him anyway. She wanted to do what was best for those she cared about but she just didn't really know how. She was in survival mode most of her life and when she didn't have to be anymore, she couldn't completely let go.

Ms. Moran never fails to engage me with her stories and Mata Hari's Last Dance is no different but I just really wanted to know more but I have a feeling there was no more to know since her life was shrouded in mystery.

 Google+

Julie's Review: Rebel Queen

Author: Michelle Moran
Series: None
Publication Date: March 3, 2015
Publisher: Touchstone
Pages: 455
Obtained: via author
Genre:  Historical Fiction
Rating: 5/5
Bottom Line: Empowering, Inspiring and Riveting
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Grab!

Summary: From the internationally bestselling author of Nefertiti and Cleopatra’s Daughter comes the breathtaking story of Queen Lakshmi—India’s Joan of Arc—who against all odds defied the mighty British invasion to defend her beloved kingdom. When the British Empire sets its sights on India in the mid-nineteenth century, it expects a quick and easy conquest. India is fractured and divided into kingdoms, each independent and wary of one another, seemingly no match for the might of the English. But when they arrive in the Kingdom of Jhansi, the British army is met with a surprising challenge. Instead of surrendering, Queen Lakshmi raises two armies—one male and one female—and rides into battle, determined to protect her country and her people. Although her soldiers may not appear at first to be formidable against superior British weaponry and training, Lakshmi refuses to back down from the empire determined to take away the land she loves. Told from the unexpected perspective of Sita—Queen Lakshmi’s most favored companion and most trusted soldier in the all-female army—Rebel Queen shines a light on a time and place rarely explored in historical fiction. In the tradition of her bestselling novel, Nefertiti, and through her strong, independent heroines fighting to make their way in a male dominated world, Michelle Moran brings nineteenth-century India to rich, vibrant life. ~michellemoran.com  

Review: Rebel Queen  isn't the story of a war but a story of a Queen strong enough to try to fight the British to save her country. While we might all know how that ends for India, it is the story of Queen Lakshmi and her private all female guards. The story is told from one of her Durga Dal soldiers, Sita. This make the Queen seem that much more accessible when you see her from a close confidante's point of view. She is very much a Queen of the people of Jhansi.

Sita is the heart of the story. It is her story to tell. We learn of her path to being a Durga Dal as she is later in life and reviewing her journals for an autobiography. We learn of her father's determination to make a life for her even though girls are seen as a burden instead of a joy. He makes sure that Sita has the training that she needs both mentally, emotionally, and physically so that when an opening makes itself available, she is ready. While Sita is all of these things when she is picked as the newest Durga Dal, it is the political webs that she will need to not get caught up in. She will need to learn friend from enemy and that it not always an easy task.

Must of the book focuses on the relationship between the rani and her staff. It isn't until the last quarter of the book that we get the feel for the Queen in battle. There is no doubt about her leadership ability and her passion for her people.

Ms. Moran always has a way of pulling her readers in immediately. I pretty much pre-order anytime she has a book out, even if I'm not sure or know nothing of her subject matter. She makes each of historical figures jump off the pages. Her lush descriptions in Rebel Queen of India and the palace are easy to create in your mind as you read.

It is always evident that Ms. Moran does her homework (aka research) when it comes to her subject matters. I love how she travels to the places that she is researching. She really throws herself into the research. If you want to see her travels through India then you need to check out her website, Michelle Moran, because her pictures are gorgeous. If this happens to be your first Michelle Moran book than you must immediately read her back-list. I swear you won't regret it.



Google+

Alice's Review: Nefertiti

Summary: Nefertiti and her younger sister, Mutnodjmet, have been raised in a powerful family that has provided wives to the rulers of Egypt for centuries. Ambitious, charismatic, and beautiful, Nefertiti is destined to marry Amunhotep, an unstable young pharaoh. It is hoped that her strong personality will temper the young ruler’s heretical desire to forsake Egypt’s ancient gods. From the moment of her arrival in Thebes, Nefertiti is beloved by the people but fails to see that powerful priests are plotting against her husband’s rule. The only person brave enough to warn the queen is her younger sister, yet remaining loyal to Nefertiti will force Mutnodjmet into a dangerous political game; one that could cost her everything she holds dear. ~amazon.com

Review: Michelle Moran is a masterful storyteller.  That is the first thing you should know.  The second thing is this novel is incredible.  Had it not been for the List Swap Challenge, I would not have picked up this novel on my own.  I would have passed this up when browsing through the bookstore.  I literally rolled my eyes heavenward when Julie suggested it convinced she was trying to torture me with this nonsense.  I was not looking forward to 400 pages of 1351 BCE.  In Egypt.  With odd names I can’t pronounce.

The magic of Ms. Moran is that within 10 pages I was hooked, totally and completely hooked.  Right away, I held onto Mutnodjmet, Nefertiti’s younger sister, and didn’t let go.  Nefertiti is about two sisters, so different in their wants and desires.  Bound together by love and blood, one sister had a sense of entitlement while the other a command to please at the risk of her own happiness.  Their relationship spanned though their joys and tribulations.  Nefertiti’s rule over Egypt is merely the setting while the sisters’ bond is really the star in this novel.

I really enjoyed how different the two sisters are.  I loved how headstrong and manipulative Nefertiti is.  She can fiercely rule a kingdom but her deepest desire is to be loved and exalted, especially by her younger sister.  Mutnodjmet wants her own happiness, her own life.  She knows the only way for that to happen is to break the selfish stronghold Nefertiti has on her.  To be happy, she must hurt Nefertiti.

I love when I start reading a novel, crossing my fingers that I can get through it, and end up gobbling up every single page, loving where the story is leading me.  I learned about a time I knew very little about.  In the end, I really enjoyed it.  Julie was right about Nefertiti.  (And she usually is.)  Give me a book about sisters, even set in Egypt, and I will love it.  And I did.  

Final Take: 4/5

Julie's Reviews: The Second Empress

Summary: After the bloody French Revolution, Emperor Napoleon’s power is absolute. When Marie-Louise, the eighteen year old daughter of the King of Austria, is told that the Emperor has demanded her hand in marriage, her father presents her with a terrible choice: marry the cruel, capricious Napoleon, leaving the man she loves and her home forever, or say no, and plunge her country into war. Marie-Louise knows what she must do, and she travels to France, determined to be a good wife despite Napoleon’s reputation. But lavish parties greet her in Paris, and at the extravagant French court, she finds many rivals for her husband’s affection, including Napoleon’s first wife, Joséphine, and his sister Pauline, the only woman as ambitious as the emperor himself. Beloved by some and infamous to many, Pauline is fiercely loyal to her brother. She is also convinced that Napoleon is destined to become the modern Pharaoh of Egypt. Indeed, her greatest hope is to rule alongside him as his queen—a brother-sister marriage just as the ancient Egyptian royals practiced. Determined to see this dream come to pass, Pauline embarks on a campaign to undermine the new empress and convince Napoleon to divorce Marie-Louise. As Pauline’s insightful Haitian servant, Paul, watches these two women clash, he is torn between his love for Pauline and his sympathy for Marie-Louise. But there are greater concerns than Pauline’s jealousy plaguing the court of France. While Napoleon becomes increasingly desperate for an heir, the empire’s peace looks increasingly unstable. When war once again sweeps the continent and bloodshed threatens Marie-Louise’s family in Austria, the second Empress is forced to make choices that will determine her place in history—and change the course of her life. Based on primary resources from the time, The Second Empress takes readers back to Napoleon’s empire, where royals and servants alike live at the whim of one man, and two women vie to change their destinies. ~amazon.com

Review: I am a huge fan of Michelle Moran's novels ever since discovering her after reading the tremendous novel, Nefertiti. In The Second Empress, she gives us a glimpse into the final 6 years of Napoleon's rule and his 2nd wife, Marie-Louise. He marries her after he casts aside his first wife Josephine for her indiscretions while he was on the battlefield.

I have to say the whole Bonaparte clan was just mind blowingly crazy. They were power hungry, greedy, SOBs. They were extravagant even by standards of royal extravagance. Nothing was out of their reach. Napoleon's sister, Pauline, was perhaps worse than her brother in her lust to have all things beautiful in her grasp. I know it's pretty normal for royal to be incestuous to keep the blood lines true, but the vibe between Napoleon and Pauline was mortifying for me. It gave me the willies. His sister Caroline, made up for cruelty in what she didn't have in the beauty department.

Enter the Princess of Austria, Maria-Lucia. A beautiful 18 year old, who is about to become Napoleon's 2nd wife. It always fascinates me how the royals can marry without being divorced and no one calls them a bigamist. But really isn't that what they are even if they are trying to abdicate from the Catholic Church? Even under law, it doesn't seem like you should be married to two people. Then again, they are royals and can make laws so they only apply to them. Maria-Lucia becomes Marie-Louise when she marries Napoleon and gives him a true heir. Never mind the child he had by way of his mistress. Marie-Louise does right by her husband and obeys the instructions she's give by him when he goes off to fight the Russians. She knows what it takes to rule an empire and does right by the French people for she is their Empress.

Besides finding Marie-Louis fascinating, I was taken with Pauline's Haitian chamberlain, Paul. He was a good man, who was trying to be loyal, faithful and honest while serving the Princess Borghese. Yes, he was in love with her but after a while that love faded and he ended up seeing her for what she was...a whore dressed up in title and beautiful clothing. I love that he was able to truly find his independence and return to his home country. I also found Hortense to be of exceptional character. In her, I believe, Empress Marie-Louise found a true friend.

Is this period of time in French history something I know a lot about, well no but that's kind of why I read historical fiction, to be somewhat educated. Now sure I could go and read non-fiction but for me it's the filling in of what you can't find in the history books that I find intriguing. It's the true history wrapped in fiction that hooks me. I know that Ms. Moran researches the heck out of her books, so I'm fairly certain she has a good chunk of her facts correct but that won't stop people from tearing it apart.

I can't say enough for Ms. Moran's writing. If you haven't looked for her novels before, then I can say The Second Empress is a great place to start. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Final Take:  4.75/5

Book News: Madame Tussaud

I am so thrilled to tell you guys that Michelle Moran's most recent novel, Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution has been optioned for a mini-series! This is exciting news for any writer, even if they have to hand over the creative licenses to someone else.

I couldn't be happier for her! I have enjoyed all 3 of her novels (Nefertiti, The Heretic Queen, and Cleopatra's Daughter) in addition to Madame Tussaud and highly recommend them, especially if you are a huge historical fiction reader.

For more details on the deal click here.

As more details on casting, director and air dates come to light I will definitely keep you informed!

Congratulations to Michelle!

Julie's Review: Madame Tussaud

Summary: The world knows Madame Tussaud as a wax artist extraordinaire, but who was this woman who became one of the most famous sculptresses of all time? In these pages, her tumultuous and amazing story comes to life as only Michelle Moran can tell it. The year is 1788, and a revolution is about to begin. Smart and ambitious, Marie Tussaud has learned the secrets of wax sculpting by working alongside her uncle in their celebrated wax museum, the Salon de Cire. From her popular model of the American ambassador, Thomas Jefferson, to her tableau of the royal family at dinner, Marie’s museum provides Parisians with the very latest news on fashion, gossip, and even politics. Her customers hail from every walk of life, yet her greatest dream is to attract the attention of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI; their stamp of approval on her work could catapult her and her museum to the fame and riches she desires. After months of anticipation, Marie learns that the royal family is willing to come and see their likenesses. When they finally arrive, the king’s sister is so impressed that she requests Marie’s presence at Versailles as a royal tutor in wax sculpting. It is a request Marie knows she cannot refuse—even if it means time away from her beloved Salon and her increasingly dear friend, Henri Charles.  As Marie gets to know her pupil, Princesse Élisabeth, she also becomes acquainted with the king and queen, who introduce her to the glamorous life at court. From lavish parties with more delicacies than she’s ever seen to rooms filled with candles lit only once before being discarded, Marie steps into a world entirely different from her home on the Boulevard du Temple, where people are selling their teeth in order to put food on the table. Meanwhile, many resent the vast separation between rich and poor. In salons and cafés across Paris, people like Camille Desmoulins, Jean-Paul Marat, and Maximilien Robespierre are lashing out against the monarchy. Soon, there’s whispered talk of revolution. . . . Will Marie be able to hold on to both the love of her life and her friendship with the royal family as France approaches civil war? And more important, will she be able to fulfill the demands of powerful revolutionaries who ask that she make the death masks of beheaded aristocrats, some of whom she knows? Spanning five years, from the budding revolution to the Reign of Terror, Madame Tussaud brings us into the world of an incredible heroine whose talent for wax modeling saved her life and preserved the faces of a vanished kingdom. ~amazon.com

Review: You know what I love about historical fiction novels, I learn something. I don't know much about the French Revolution but like all revolutions it was bloody and shameful. Michelle Moran does an exquisite job of describing this period of time through the eyes of Marie Grosholtz, aka Madame Tussaud.

Madame Tussaud has everything a fan of historical fiction could want: intrigue, betrayal, romance, important historical events and a great heroine. We meet a young Marie when she is trying to get the Salon de Cire off the ground and make it a place for a Parisians and tourists to visit. Her luck is about to turn the salon around when the King and Queen visit and make it famous. She is soon asked to tutor the King's sister Madame Elizabeth in the art of wax.

With this tutoring, Marie and her family find themselves in a precarious situation. As the revolution begins the family needs to straddle the fence to ensure their safety. Essentially, they play both sides. In a time of great uncertainty, I felt this was the only way they could survive.

As with all her novels, Ms. Moran does an excellent job of taking you to that period in time with her descriptions and extensive research of her subject. At times I felt that I was on the Boulevard or in the Salon assisting Marie with her creations.

Marie is a woman beyond the time period of history she is born into. She is fiercely independent and extremely driven. Although she is extremely traditional in that her first love and duty is to her family and that can be a wonderful trait or a detriment. I admired Marie for her sense of duty, business sense, her sense of self and her devotion to her country. She had an uncanny knack for giving the people what they wanted, while trying to keep her family safe. In the end, she never compromises who she is and what she believes.

There were poignant moments in the book where I teared up and felt like these events were happening to someone close to me. For an author to bring up such feelings about a historical figure is a feat and Michelle Moran has done it, yet again!

Madame Tussaud is filled with the people that we have studied in history books, even if it's briefly. Ms. Moran brings them to life with a fervor that on she can and they become real people, not just instruments of a revolution.

I have never been to one of Madame Tussaud's museums but I can tell you one thing, if I'm ever near one on a vacation I will make it a point to go.

If you have never read Michelle Moran, then Madame Tussaud is a great place to start. Her other books Nefertiti and The Heretic Queen are two of my all time favorites, but they deal with a different time and place. Which ever book you read of hers, you won't be disappointed.

Final Take: 4.75/5

And the Winner Is....

Congratulations to Amy,our winner of Cleopatra's Daughterby Michelle Moran. Please email me(Julie)your mailing address so we can get it to you as soon as possible.

As always, I used Random.org to produce the winner.

Stay tuned to this blog, as we are foreseeing more giveaways!

Author Interview: Michelle Moran

Last week I posted a review of Cleopatra's Daughter and a giveaway. I am thrilled that the author, Michelle Moran, has done a Q&A with us.

GJR: Why did you decide to gear Cleopatra’s Daughter towards young adults?
MM: I like to begin my novels during the time of greatest transition in a person’s life. And in the ancient world, the greatest transition in a woman’s life was often the time when she was married. Because women married at much younger ages two thousand years ago (twelve years old was not uncommon), my narrators have all been very young girls. However, as my novels progress through time (my next book, for example, will be about Madame Tussuad), my narrators will be older.

GJR: What about this part in history made you want to write a book about it? Why the focus on the children of Marc Anthony and Cleopatra? Why not a book about them instead?
MM: I think most people know the story of Marc Antony and Cleopatra. It’s been done many times before, from Shakespeare to Margaret George. But very few people have heard the story of Cleopatra’s daughter, and when I discovered the amazing life she led and what she and her twin brother lived through, and I knew I wanted my third book to be about her

GJR: Besides Selene, who was your favorite character to write in the book? Why?
MM: Probably Tiberius. He's snarky and sharp and full of teenage angst!

GJR: Would a young girl like Selene have been given the opportunity to study architecture like she was or was this part of the fictional story?
MM: It would have depended on who that young girl was. Women in ancient Rome had opportunities to go to school and study up until a certain point. While we'll never know if Selene was really tutored in art and architecture, she certainly used these skills later in life.

GJR: At the end of the book it seemed to me that Octavian had a soft spot for Selene, would you say that was true? It seems like he respected and admired her, even if it was not reciprocated.
MM: Octavian was an extremely complicated man. The best biography on him that I have read is by Anthony Everitt called Augustus: The Life of Rome's First Emperor. Here was a leader who could be both tender and cruel, forgiving and merciless. He killed his enemies swiftly and probably without remorse. Those he valued, however, he rewarded with king ships and his deepest friendship and trust.

GJR: I know that your next novel focuses on Madame Tussuad, but from what aspect?
MM: I'm writing the novel from the point of view of Madame Tussuad herself, who lives through the French Revolution and chronicled its most horrendous acts by making death masks of the guillotine's victims. As a tutor to the king's sister and a wax modeler with a popular exhibit on the Boulevard Du Temple, Tussuad inhabited tow different worlds. Because of this, she witnessed the Revolution's destruction from two very different perspectives.

GJR: Who are your favorite authors to read? Why?
MM: Oh - there's so many! C.W. Gortner, Robin Maxwell, Sharon Kay Penman, Margaret George..., the list goes on and on! I also really enjoy narrative non-fiction. Some of my favorite narrative books have been Erik Larson's The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America, Gary Kinder's Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea: The History and Discovery of the World's Richest Shipwreck, and Benjamin Wallace's The Billionaire's Vinegar: The Mystery of the World's Most Expensive Bottle of Wine.

GJR: What are you currently reading?
MM: Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

GJR: What author's have influenced you?
MM: I think that every writer is influenced by more authors than they can ever name, and that's certainly the case with me! I enjoy all kinds of ficiton, from fantasy to non-fiction, and everything I read helps me grow as an author.

GJR: Where is your next trip? Is it research, fun or both?
MM: My next trip will be to New Zealand to visit family and then Scandinavia, just for fun! I'm hoping that at some point during my travels to Norway, Finland and Sweden I'll find the time to sneak in a quick trip to Paris to take photographs of the places where Madame Tussuad lived.

I want to thank Michelle for taking time out of her busy writing schedule to answer these questions for us! I, for one, can not wait for the Madame Tussuad book to be released.

Giveaway: Cleopatra's Daughter

We have 1 copy of Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran to giveaway for all of you historical fiction fanatics!

Please leave your name in the comment section by Midnight ET on November 6th to be entered. The winner will be announced on November 7th.

Good Luck!!

Julie's Review: Cleopatra's Daughter

Summary: Moran's latest foray into the world of classical history (after The Heretic Queen) centers upon the children of Marc Antony and Cleopatra . After the death of their parents, twins Alexander and Selene and younger brother Ptolemy are in a dangerous position, left to the mercy of their father's greatest rival, Octavian Caesar. However, Caesar does not kill them as expected, but takes the trio to Rome to be paraded as part of his triumphant return and to demonstrate his solidified power. As the twins adapt to life in Rome in the inner circle of Caesar's family, they grow into adulthood ensconced in a web of secrecy, intrigue and constant danger. Told from Selene's perspective, the tale draws readers into the fascinating world of ancient Rome and into the court of Rome's first and most famous emperor. Deftly encompassing enough political history to provide context, Moran never clutters her narrative with extraneous facts. Readers may be frustrated that Selene is more observer than actor, despite the action taking place around her, but historical fiction enthusiasts will delight in this solid installment from a talented name in the genre. ~amazon.com

Review: Cleopatra's Daughter is another excellent novel of historical fiction by Michelle Moran. While this book is mainly aimed at young adults, adults who read it will find it interesting and intriguing. That being said, this was my least favorite of the 3. I much prefer Nefertiti and The Heretic Queen: A Novel. I think that's because Mutny and Nefertari's voices were stronger for me than Selene. I like Selene but did grow tired of the pity party. Although I do think that young adults will identify more with Selene than I did.

I really enjoyed the rest of the characters, with Octavia being my favorite. For having Marc Anthony leave her for Queen Cleopatra, she was extremely good and loving to Alexander and Selene. At times it was hard for me to believe that Selene was 12 when they came to live in Rome, she just seemed extremely mature. I know that girls and boys needed to grow up quickly in ancient times but at times I felt that she was a lot older. I will say that the descriptions of Ancient Rome are vivid and make the place come alive. The characters are well developed and interesting.

I thought that the pace of the book was excellent and definitely held my interest. I like how the book spanned over 3-4 years and we got to see both Alexander and Selene grow into young adults. There were 2 twists that I didn't see coming. I also thoroughly enjoyed the end of the book and thought that it was fantastic that Ms. Moran stayed true to history instead of creating her own ending.

Perhaps that is the most intriguing part of this whole book, the fact that these people truly existed and are a real part of history.

If your teen is interested in history then I would definitely have them read this book. If not, this would be a fantastic book to get them interested in history. To think that people their age were kings and queens will pique their interest.

Final Take: 4.25/5

Julie's Review: The Heretic Queen

Summary: The intricacies of the ancient Egyptian court are brought to life in Moran's fascinating tale of a princess's rise to power. Nefertari, niece of the famed heretic queen Nefertiti, becomes part of the court of Pharaoh Seti I after her family is deposed, and she befriends Ramesses II, the young crown prince. When Ramesses is made co-monarch, he weds Iset, the granddaughter of a harem girl backed by Seti's conniving sister, Henuttawy, the priestess of Isis. As Nefertari's position in the court becomes tenuous, she realizes that she, too, wants to marry Ramesses and enlists the help of Seti's other sister, Woserit. But when Nefertari succeeds in wedding Ramesses, power struggles and court intrigues threaten her security, and it is questionable whether the Egyptian people will accept a heretic descendant as their ruler or if civil war will erupt. Moran (Nefertiti) brings her characters to life, especially Nefertari, who helped Ramesses II become one of the most famous of Egyptian pharaohs. Nefertari's struggles to be accepted as a ruler loved as a leader and to secure her family's position throughout eternity are sure to appeal to fans of historical fiction. ~amazon.com

Review: HOLY CRAP! I didn't think that Michelle could out do herself because Nefertiti was so wonderful but The Heretic Queen outshines it. As much as I loved Mutny in Nefertiti, I love her daughter Nefertari even more.

If we think modern day politics are interesting, they don't hold a candle to ancient Egypt. Everyone has an ulterior motive for either helping Nefertari to gain the crown or to lose the crown and it's all very interesting. What interests me the most though is how the ancient Egyptians married so young and had so many kids. I understand that their life expectancy wasn't that long and they had a lot of kids because of the fact that many of them died at young ages.

While the love story enraptured me, it was Nefertari's climb from being an outsider to one of the most powerful Queen's in history that is the real story here. How she fought her way, with some help, to rule at Ramesses side.

I would have liked to have read more about Asha, who I found just as interesting as Ramesses himself. I wonder how long he fought next to Ramesses, or if he was a fictional character?

There were just enough tie-ins to Nefertiti that you said "ah-ha" at certain points, but not enough that you have to read it before The Heretic Queen. Although I do highly recommend, Nefertiti anyway. You can read my review Here.

On September 15th, Michelle Moran's 3rd novel, Cleopatra's Daughter will be released. I am so excited to read it.

I really don't know what else to say without giving the plot away, except read it. Ms. Moran is one talented writer.

Final Take: 5/5