Book Review: “The Chalice” by Nancy Bilyeau

July 2, 2013 at 3:20 pm | Posted in Books | Leave a comment
Tags: Book Review, Fiction, Thriller

Nancy Bilyeau in her new book, “The Chalice” Book Two in the Joanna Stafford series published by Touchstone brings us another adventure with Joanna Stafford.

From the back cover:   In the midst of England’s Reformation, a young novice will risk everything to defy the most powerful men of her era.

In 1538, England’s bloody power struggle between crown and cross threatens to tear the country apart. Novice Joanna Stafford has tasted the wrath of the royal court, discovered what lies within the king’s torture rooms, and escaped death at the hands of those desperate to possess the power of an ancient relic.

Even with all she has experienced, the quiet life is not for Joanna. Despite the possibilities of arrest and imprisonment, she becomes caught up in a shadowy international plot targeting Henry VIII himself. As the power plays turn vicious, Joanna realizes her role is more critical than she’d ever imagined. She must choose between those she loves most and assuming her part in a prophecy foretold by three seers. Repelled by violence, Joanna seizes a future with a man who loves her. But no matter how hard she tries, she cannot escape the spreading darkness of her destiny.

To learn the final, sinister piece of the prophecy, she flees across Europe with a corrupt spy sent by Spain. As she completes the puzzle in the dungeon of a twelfth-century Belgian fortress, Joanna realizes the life of Henry VIII as well as the future of Christendom are in her hands—hands that must someday hold the chalice that lies at the center of these deadly prophecies. . . .

Joanna Stafford is back and this adventure is even more dangerous than the first.  The quest is on!  It is a time of great religious upheaval.  King Henry Viii has ordered the Dissolution of the Monasteries.  Now England is torn between the new religion and the one they grew up with.  Joanna is drawn into a shadowy international plot against the King himself.  History, danger, mystery, action, adventure and thrills abound in “The Chalice”.  Certain characters are full of deceit so we know that there is much more to the story than what has been told Joanna.  However, we only know what Joanna knows as she finds out because the story is told in her first person viewpoint.  Get ready for a page-turning, thrill ride.  Ms. Bilyeau gets us caught up in the story and the characters lives to the point that we actually hate to say goodbye to them when the book ends.  I liked this book very much and look forward to the next adventure from the pen of Nancy Bilyeau.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Touchstone.   I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”