Hello readers! Welcome to my stop on the The Write Reads BBNYA Blog Tour for Into the Lion’s Mouth by Nancy McConnell! This book was a finalist in the 2023 Book Bloggers Novel of the Year Award (BBNYA) and placed 9th out of over 250 books.
The BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists and one overall winner.
If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website https://www.bbnya.com/ or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety (if you love beautiful books, you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.
Venice is sinking, so they say.
And so are Nico’s chances to prosper in the most glorious city in the world. Nurse Francesca is threatening to send him to a farm to pick olives, he has failed at two apprenticeships, and one of the most powerful men in Venice would like to sink Nico’s lifeless body into the darkest canal. Orphans have very few options and Nico might be forced to choose the one he most wishes to avoid, leaving Venice behind forever.
My Review
Historical fiction is a genre I will always love! I am too much of a history nerd, not too! Into The Lion’s Mouth is a YA story set in 15th century Venice. Nico is an orphan who witnesses a crime by someone powerful who makes it his mission to attempt to silence him.
I loved Nico’s determination to not let anything or anyone stop him fighting for what he believes in. I soon grew attached to him and his ways. The details of the setting were sublime, too. I could picture it all! This is one reason why historical fiction is a draw for me constantly.
The feeling of always needing to read one more chapter is a constant one. If only for the danger Nico seems to attract, not dissimilar to a magnet! It definitely kept the pace fast and the intrigue high.
A rich and vivid tale that easily sweeps the reader back to the 1500s. This may be aimed at middle grade, but it’s a great read for any adult who enjoys historical fiction! I can see why this book was in the top 10 books of the BBNYA.
Author Bio
Nancy McConnell grew up in a little family, in a small town on the outskirts of a bigger city. Besides her family, the two things she loved most in the world were: reading and playing pretend. When she grew up, reading was allowed but playing pretend was sometimes frowned upon. Since that was the case, she decided to write books so that the stories running around in her head would still live. In between writing stories, marrying her college sweetheart, and moving to a new country, she had her own little family and settled in another small town on the way outskirts of a much bigger city. Some things never change. When not writing, Nancy can be found puttering in her garden, taking photos or baking.
sharonbeyondthebooks.uk 