Review: The Chalice by Nancy Bilyeau

The Chalice by Nancy Bilyeau

Publisher: Touchstone 

Pages: 496 

Format: ARC 

Buy the Book: Amazon  

Goodreads:  In 1538, England is in the midst of bloody power struggles between crown and cross that threaten to tear the country apart. Joanna Stafford has seen what lies inside the king’s torture rooms and risks imprisonment again, when she is caught up in a shadowy international plot targeting the King. As the power plays turn vicious, Joanna understands she may have to assume her role in a prophecy foretold by three different seers, each more omniscient than the last.

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 lays at the center of these deadly prophecies…


Kritters Thoughts:  The next adventure with the novice, Joanna Stafford as she tries to save the land from losing the ability to practice their Faith from the hands of evil men.  The story starts a bit in the future and then takes you back to find out how they all end up hiding around a church ready for an ambush - I thought this was the perfect way to set up and start the book.     

The juxtaposition of a novice who is of royal heritage trying to save the Faith from distant family members kept the plot moving.  I also greatly enjoyed her struggle with making choices because they were not made for her by her Faith and a nunnery.  There were a few points where I had to remind myself of the family tree or the workings of everyone involved, but eventually I put all the puzzle pieces together.

After reading The Crown, I was definitely interested in going on another adventure with this fiesty young woman, so when offered The Chalice, I jumped at the chance!  This adventure did not disappoint, but did slow down a little in the middle, but the last 75 pages were worth the wait!

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2013 Challenge: 13 out of 50

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Simon & Schuster.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.