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agirlreadsbooks's review
3.0
Agnes Ashford starts working with the Bryant's as an archivist but soon stumbles upon quite a devastating secret that allows her to become much more involved personally with the family. Overtime her role evolves but it always includes keeping the families secrets, especially those of her employer and lover Lady Helen.
Through death, deceit, loss, and war Agnes is there. The world was changing so the Bryant family must adapt as well but can they survive it?
.
One of the first things that struck me was the detail in the story. It was atmospheric, dark in mood and often tone due to circumstances of story/characters and very descriptive. It feels as if the author picks you up and plucks you down right into the story.
.
I was a bit thrown off when we learn about a major secret alluded to in the synopsis quite quickly but no worries this read has a few twists that surprised me.
Through death, deceit, loss, and war Agnes is there. The world was changing so the Bryant family must adapt as well but can they survive it?
.
One of the first things that struck me was the detail in the story. It was atmospheric, dark in mood and often tone due to circumstances of story/characters and very descriptive. It feels as if the author picks you up and plucks you down right into the story.
.
I was a bit thrown off when we learn about a major secret alluded to in the synopsis quite quickly but no worries this read has a few twists that surprised me.
13rebecca13's review
4.0
Historical fiction would never be a genre that I'd actively seek out and I am unsure why but I was intrigued by the synopsis for this one.
Agnes is employed by the Bryant family to curate archives about Lord Alistair and Lady Helen Bryant and their family. The two have three children, one of whom died when he was 10. Agnes is thrown into the secrets that this family hold and it is just captivating.
Fielding has a wonderful way of writing and the prose is beautiful. The family drama, the inserting of actual events that happened in the past and an LGBTQIA+ romance thrown in - I am here for it. The hierarchical differences between and women were interesting and especially the quote "Don't you know that mud sticks to women much easier than it does to men?" Still a very real thing.
I really enjoyed Lying With Lions and it has definitely changed my opinion on historical fiction.
Agnes is employed by the Bryant family to curate archives about Lord Alistair and Lady Helen Bryant and their family. The two have three children, one of whom died when he was 10. Agnes is thrown into the secrets that this family hold and it is just captivating.
Fielding has a wonderful way of writing and the prose is beautiful. The family drama, the inserting of actual events that happened in the past and an LGBTQIA+ romance thrown in - I am here for it. The hierarchical differences between and women were interesting and especially the quote "Don't you know that mud sticks to women much easier than it does to men?" Still a very real thing.
I really enjoyed Lying With Lions and it has definitely changed my opinion on historical fiction.
readwithatlas's review
DNF @ 25%
I'll admit that this DNF was more of a me problem. I couldn't connect with the characters or storyline in general. I liked the premise but it ended up not really grabbing my attention at all.
I've also just been quite busy lately and don't have the time to spend hours on books I don't really care for.
Thank you to Netgalley and KDP publishing for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I'll admit that this DNF was more of a me problem. I couldn't connect with the characters or storyline in general. I liked the premise but it ended up not really grabbing my attention at all.
I've also just been quite busy lately and don't have the time to spend hours on books I don't really care for.
Thank you to Netgalley and KDP publishing for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
stuckonchapter13's review
3.0
Lying with Lions is a historical novel that depicts the life of Agnes Ashford after a discovery that forces her into a position with the powerful Bryants household. This book depicts the times well and gives enough references to always be aware of where you are in the timeline. It also does a great job of demonstrating the disadvantage women had at the time and the cruel reality of keeping appearances. I enjoyed that Agnes and Helen's relationship wasn't the centerpiece of this book and that it was subtle enough to still be able to understand other issues that are presented
I do have to admit I had a hard time figuring out what the plot was. This book for me felt like a photo album. You are aware of the diverse characters and of the events of the album but there isn't a plot. I only figured out the concept of this book because of the ending. Which I found was a great one but this book definitely relies on subtleties.
Overall this isn't a bad book, it has a great depiction of setting and time but there isn't a clear plot.
Thank you, NetGalley, KDP, and Annabel Fielding for the arc.
I do have to admit I had a hard time figuring out what the plot was. This book for me felt like a photo album. You are aware of the diverse characters and of the events of the album but there isn't a plot. I only figured out the concept of this book because of the ending. Which I found was a great one but this book definitely relies on subtleties.
Overall this isn't a bad book, it has a great depiction of setting and time but there isn't a clear plot.
Thank you, NetGalley, KDP, and Annabel Fielding for the arc.
thickthighs_no_lies's review
3.0
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5⭐️
Thank you to Annabel Fielding and Netgalley for this gifted e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Edwardian England. Agnes Ashford knows that her duty is threefold: she needs to work on cataloguing the archive of the titled Bryant family, she needs to keep the wounds of her past tightly under wraps, and she needs to be quietly grateful to her employers for taking her up in her hour of need. However, a dark secret she uncovers due to her work thrusts her into the Bryants’ brilliant orbit - and into the clutch of their ambitions.
This is one of few books I’ve read set in this time period. I really liked how historical events were woven into this story and added more depth to the setting.
The writing was careful to set the tone and stick to the themes of that time period.
I enjoyed the fact that Agnes was neither an angel not evil and like most of us was just trying to make the best of the situation she found herself in.
The perceptions of the men in the book do appear to be skewed to the negative but I felt this was done purposely as our protagonist is enamoured with Lady Helen.
Although a little slow in places I did like the book overall and the atmospheric, almost gothic writing was really enjoyable and has given me a renewed interest in historical fiction.
Thank you to Annabel Fielding and Netgalley for this gifted e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Edwardian England. Agnes Ashford knows that her duty is threefold: she needs to work on cataloguing the archive of the titled Bryant family, she needs to keep the wounds of her past tightly under wraps, and she needs to be quietly grateful to her employers for taking her up in her hour of need. However, a dark secret she uncovers due to her work thrusts her into the Bryants’ brilliant orbit - and into the clutch of their ambitions.
This is one of few books I’ve read set in this time period. I really liked how historical events were woven into this story and added more depth to the setting.
The writing was careful to set the tone and stick to the themes of that time period.
I enjoyed the fact that Agnes was neither an angel not evil and like most of us was just trying to make the best of the situation she found herself in.
The perceptions of the men in the book do appear to be skewed to the negative but I felt this was done purposely as our protagonist is enamoured with Lady Helen.
Although a little slow in places I did like the book overall and the atmospheric, almost gothic writing was really enjoyable and has given me a renewed interest in historical fiction.
karlapetrova's review
4.0
This book was a wonderful surprise!
I am a huge fan of historical fiction and this one was no exception. The plot was intriguing enough: Agnes Ashford, an archivist is employed by the Bryant family to catalogue their archives but uncovers secrets that changes everything.
I loved the mystery aura this book had. We learn through the main character, Agnes, secrets about the mysterious family and how they each navigate them. The subdued mystery/ crime aspect was thrilling.
But the best part was the author’s voice. As it is mentioned in the Author’s note, so many elements of the story are inspired by historical events and historical figures but the author added their unique and interesting voice. The prose was beautiful and I highlighted so many quotes.
I liked the narration which focused on Agnes, who is a social climber with a lot of ambition. How could she not be in the world she was living in? I didn’t find her to be especially likable but that didn’t bother me at all. On the contrary, I loved reading about her ambition, the way her beautiful brain worked and how devoted and loyal she was (even if it was sometimes for her own gain). I will forever root for cunning, smart and ruthless young women. Her character development was the best part of the story; she began the story as a naive “little lamb” to becoming a ruthless lion under Helen’s supervision.
That’s another element I loved: the romance between Agnes and Helen! I loved the fact that there was a sapphic relationship in this setting and I regret that most of the romance aspect happened off the page even though their closeness could be seen by everyone. I loved how they helped each other in their own way and also how unhealthy it was. It was raw and honest and I couldn’t get enough. And there were the other characters: Henry and Meredith who I couldn’t help rooting for. They were great “supporting” characters and it was nice to read their thoughts when the author shared them.
At some point the characters travel to Italy and the description was excellent because I felt as though I was traveling with them. This voyage was accompanied by talks of history and art which I truly enjoyed and I think the author captured Edwardian England pretty well.
I really recommend this book if you enjoy historical fictions, laced with political scheming, secrets, romance and betrayal.
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy of this book. All opinions are honest and my own.
I am a huge fan of historical fiction and this one was no exception. The plot was intriguing enough: Agnes Ashford, an archivist is employed by the Bryant family to catalogue their archives but uncovers secrets that changes everything.
I loved the mystery aura this book had. We learn through the main character, Agnes, secrets about the mysterious family and how they each navigate them. The subdued mystery/ crime aspect was thrilling.
But the best part was the author’s voice. As it is mentioned in the Author’s note, so many elements of the story are inspired by historical events and historical figures but the author added their unique and interesting voice. The prose was beautiful and I highlighted so many quotes.
I liked the narration which focused on Agnes, who is a social climber with a lot of ambition. How could she not be in the world she was living in? I didn’t find her to be especially likable but that didn’t bother me at all. On the contrary, I loved reading about her ambition, the way her beautiful brain worked and how devoted and loyal she was (even if it was sometimes for her own gain). I will forever root for cunning, smart and ruthless young women. Her character development was the best part of the story; she began the story as a naive “little lamb” to becoming a ruthless lion under Helen’s supervision.
That’s another element I loved: the romance between Agnes and Helen! I loved the fact that there was a sapphic relationship in this setting and I regret that most of the romance aspect happened off the page even though their closeness could be seen by everyone. I loved how they helped each other in their own way and also how unhealthy it was. It was raw and honest and I couldn’t get enough. And there were the other characters: Henry and Meredith who I couldn’t help rooting for. They were great “supporting” characters and it was nice to read their thoughts when the author shared them.
At some point the characters travel to Italy and the description was excellent because I felt as though I was traveling with them. This voyage was accompanied by talks of history and art which I truly enjoyed and I think the author captured Edwardian England pretty well.
I really recommend this book if you enjoy historical fictions, laced with political scheming, secrets, romance and betrayal.
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy of this book. All opinions are honest and my own.
masha_and_the_cat's review
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
An interesting story, in dire need of a good proofreader - there are typos, missing and superfluous words, the tenses are all over the place, and the spelling goes back and forth between British and American. The story was still captivating enough for me to read to the end, but I was glad to finish it.
paperbacktohardback's review
4.0
Thank you to the author Annabel Fielding who reached out to me and asked me to take part in the blog tour! Very happy that this was my first one!
Firstly this is not my usual genre of book but the synopsis drew me in.
At first I wasn't sure if the writing style was going to be for me, as its massively different from the writing styles that I'm used to but after a few chapters I got used to the writing style and could finally start enjoying the story...which I did massively.
Following an Archivist named Agnes Ashford who has just gained a job with a very wealthy family, the Lord and Lady Bryant. Then a tragedy occurs and Lord Bryant is dead, under seemly suspicious circumstances. Agnes takes advantage of the situation and finds herself as Lady Bryant's secretary and then Lady Bryant's son is then given the title of Lord Bryant and Agnes finds herself in the middle of the family's fight to keep their powerful, political position.
This was an amazing and surprising read for me, I wasn't sure what I was going to think or rate this when I started it but it definitely deserves the 4 stars that I gave! I enjoyed the characters and their development but the best part of this book was the plot, it was intriguing, it was political with death and scandal and a tonne of mystery! This must be one of the best historical fictions I have read in a very long time with a truly perfect end and even better....there is LGBTQ romance which is also one of the things that drew me in. All in all this was such a brilliant read and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and perfect for anyone looking for a historical fiction with LGBTQ rep!
Firstly this is not my usual genre of book but the synopsis drew me in.
At first I wasn't sure if the writing style was going to be for me, as its massively different from the writing styles that I'm used to but after a few chapters I got used to the writing style and could finally start enjoying the story...which I did massively.
Following an Archivist named Agnes Ashford who has just gained a job with a very wealthy family, the Lord and Lady Bryant. Then a tragedy occurs and Lord Bryant is dead, under seemly suspicious circumstances. Agnes takes advantage of the situation and finds herself as Lady Bryant's secretary and then Lady Bryant's son is then given the title of Lord Bryant and Agnes finds herself in the middle of the family's fight to keep their powerful, political position.
This was an amazing and surprising read for me, I wasn't sure what I was going to think or rate this when I started it but it definitely deserves the 4 stars that I gave! I enjoyed the characters and their development but the best part of this book was the plot, it was intriguing, it was political with death and scandal and a tonne of mystery! This must be one of the best historical fictions I have read in a very long time with a truly perfect end and even better....there is LGBTQ romance which is also one of the things that drew me in. All in all this was such a brilliant read and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and perfect for anyone looking for a historical fiction with LGBTQ rep!
angelahayes's review
5.0
5 Stars
Lying With Lions by Annabel Fielding took me on quite a journey- being my first read from Ms. Fielding I really didn’t know what to expect going in, but the blurb intrigued me enough to want to take a chance, and so I snapped up a copy and dove in as soon as it hit my Kindle. What I discovered has made me an instant fan, and I will definitely be on the look out for more of her work.
This is historical fiction done really well. Set in Edwardian England, the story was intriguing- with a bit of an unpredictability to the whole thing. The author writes vividly, it was like watching a movie- her descriptions and rich details brought everything to life right before my eyes. I can see she has put a lot of research, thought, blood, sweat, and soul into her story- her attention to detail was very apparent throughout. I can see this making a great movie, or television mini-series.
The story was original, using factual events to inspire and shape her story. The atmosphere in places was mysterious, with great tension, dramatic developments, and plenty of suspense. The characters had depth-fully developed individuals with their own personalities, quirks, and flaws. All these elements came together into an engrossing read.
If you love good historical fiction that will keep you flipping the pages to find out what happens, then you won’t want to miss this book!
Thank you, Annabel Fielding!
Lying With Lions by Annabel Fielding took me on quite a journey- being my first read from Ms. Fielding I really didn’t know what to expect going in, but the blurb intrigued me enough to want to take a chance, and so I snapped up a copy and dove in as soon as it hit my Kindle. What I discovered has made me an instant fan, and I will definitely be on the look out for more of her work.
This is historical fiction done really well. Set in Edwardian England, the story was intriguing- with a bit of an unpredictability to the whole thing. The author writes vividly, it was like watching a movie- her descriptions and rich details brought everything to life right before my eyes. I can see she has put a lot of research, thought, blood, sweat, and soul into her story- her attention to detail was very apparent throughout. I can see this making a great movie, or television mini-series.
The story was original, using factual events to inspire and shape her story. The atmosphere in places was mysterious, with great tension, dramatic developments, and plenty of suspense. The characters had depth-fully developed individuals with their own personalities, quirks, and flaws. All these elements came together into an engrossing read.
If you love good historical fiction that will keep you flipping the pages to find out what happens, then you won’t want to miss this book!
Thank you, Annabel Fielding!