Look at that cover. I mean wow.
Though i thought this was more fantasy-y but it was still very good.
Just very good. The cover alone deserve at least 2 stars LOL

Who isn't obsessed with early English/Scottish/Irish history? Sign me up! The Bruce family has a long history - and William Wallace just adds more. Great story!

This novel sounded interested to me because it seemed like it was a retelling of Braveheart from a woman’s perspective. However, there was such a myriad of characters that it felt like the main character was in the background. Still, I recommend this for anyone interested in Scottish history.

Scotland is at war, with itself and with England. One woman dares to defy all to save her beloved land. Christina Bruce, daughter of the famous Bruce clan, has a chance meeting with those who will change Scotland's fortune. William Wallace begins his fight for freedom, with Christina assisting. But Scotland's freedom will come at a high cost.
This was a great book. I enjoyed it thoroughly. I can't wait to see if Christina's story will be continued.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC. I knew little to nothing about Scotland. This book did help and I truly enjoyed the story. I also loved the characters

This book has an intriguing premise. It is set in medieval Scotland. However, the execution of the story fell a bit flat for me, overall.

DNF - there were so many characters and snippets of backstories and history that were introduced in the first few chapters alone that it overpowered the story and plot itself. This story has lots of potential but so far I feel like it’s less about Christina and more about everyone else in the background.

Everyone has watched Braveheart, right? This is the story of Scotland and William Wallace told from the perspective of Robert Bruce's sister. I enjoyed reading about the story from a women's perspective. After reading this book it is easy to understand how Scotland was dominated by the English. A interesting read!

It was an okay read.
Not my favorite this year, I liked the few of a woman in a topic I known only from Braveheart

i was really interested in reading this because I enjoy historical fiction and this felt like a rare timeline. I really enjoyed reading this book and enjoyed Christina.

Thankyou to Netgalley for providing me with this e-arc in exchange.
Without prior knowledge of 13th century Scotland, this book was baffling. I was struggling to understand what was going on and the importance of some important histoical figures. I wish the author had given us a bit more background on things, to prep us up you know. I had to look up alot of information and read a bit of Scotland's history to understand the book which honestly I loved doing because I always love a chance to learn something new. After I did a little research, I started grasping the content and started enjoying the book.
Although it was getting a little irritating that Christina was always present at a crucial or say the right time. Also sometimes she just got on my nerves with her bravado 😂 I dont know why.
But aside from that I really enjoyed this book and would recommend this to the historical fans out there who are looking to branch out and read something besides WWII fiction.

I received this book by the publisher via netgalley . All opinions are my own.


I enjoyed historical fiction and this was a good book for giving insight to Scotland that I didn’t previously have. The book was quick paced and the characters well established and fun to follow. Overall the book was a good first from the author, however sometimes the writing was disjointed or repetitive in phrases but I would read more of her work in the future.

this was definitely not the type of book I am used to reading it but it wasn't bad. I enjoyed it very much. Thank you NetGalley for giving me this chance.

I enjoyed this book which is set in Scotland during the Wars of Independence. The main character is Christine, a member of the Bruce dynasty (sister to Robert The Bruce) and think that in many ways she is a good example of someone who can feature prominently in a fictional book as so little is actually known about her. I liked the way the author brought her to life and gave her a character that's appealing, slightly feisty and definitely with a mind of her own. I also like the way that other historical characters interact with her. What detracted from the storyline for me was all the dashing about between castles that she did - it was almost as if the author knew where all the castles and places in Scotland were and wanted to make sure Christine visited all of them. I'm not sure as a woman in those times that she would have done. Nevertheless, it was a good read and if there's a second installment covering the rest of Christine's life (which the author hints at) then I'll be reading it.

Interesting historical novel set during the time of William Wallace and early Robert the Bruce in a story told by viewpoint of his sister Christina Bruce. Scotland was a difficult place to live and survive in as the clans fought among themselves and could show an united front against the might of Edward I.

Prior knowledge of 13th century Scotland highly recommended. I came into this with no historical context other than the vague notion that England and Scotland have a bumpy history, and I was quickly lost in a sea of names.

Nearly every scene featured a new character, and the author helpfully introduced them with two sentences of background. However, for the sake of the narrative, I wish some characters had been omitted, even if it diminishes historical accuracy. I was often guessing whether someone was important or would never be mentioned again.

Christina is the second daughter of the proud Bruce family, and the majority of this story involves her dashing back and forth across the lowlands and running into people (literally, she literally collides). They exchange a few words, and the point of the conversation was lost on me until the next scene, when suspense is set aside and more critical historical context is revealed. Christina reads more as a documentary host than a protagonist: she shares tons of facts and background (something like: this was the cousin of our rival so-and-so, notorious for losing a flock of chickens), but I struggled to pick up her motives and emotions in the narrative.

I really wish the beginning chapters had set up the political landscape: Who was William Wallace? Why is he disliked by the Scottish and English kings? What does Christina think about all of this politics? The more historically savvy might get along without this information, but I was floundering.

I kept reading because the historical events are so dramatic, but I gave up keeping track of characters.

**Thanks to Netgalley and Skjaldmaer Publishing for the free ebook**

I alternated between three and four stars while reading and ultimately settled on three. As a US American with a Scottish-born grandmother from the Wallace family, stories about William Wallace and the war fascinate me. And this was a good story with a unique angle. The Christina Bruce in this story is a badass - she schemes, she travels, she gets stuff done. It was a thoroughly enjoyable read that I think anyone who enjoys historical fiction will similarly enjoy.

My struggles with the book were mostly annoyances that distracted me from being fully immersed in the story. First, smirking seemed to be used as a plot device. There were a few scenes where multiple people were smirking. It's a rare enough word that when used so frequently and in this way, it's incredibly distracting. Secondly, there were a few awkward foreshadowing and cliffhanger attempts. Something would happen that had a direct impact on an upcoming event - it's based on history, we know it's coming - but instead of letting it play out, we would get something along the lines of, "little did Christina know just how much it would change." It felt clumsy and ultimately unnecessary.

My biggest issue and the reason I chose three stars over four was the brevity of the author's note at the end. With a historical fiction novel, I like to know at the end what was actually real and what was the author filling in the blanks. Instead, we got one paragraph stating we don't know much about her other than her parents, her husband, and another fact not within the scope of this book. I would have liked to know why and how the author chose to fit Christina into the events of the war and even which of the events are true.

Summary:
Scotland, 1295.
Edward I of England wants control of Scotland. A man named John Balliol wears the Scottish crown but not for long. Christina Bruce is a daughter of Robert Bruce. When the story begins he is in Norway with her older sister Isabel. Christina lives with her grandfather, also Robert Bruce. She’s betrothed to a man she doesn’t love. She avoids this arrangement. She is a woman of determination and rebellion. In an era when females were under the control of their fathers, Christina is not a woman who will obey.
Throughout the story, Christina seems to be in the right place at the right time to become involved with a strong historical figure involved in the Wars of Independence. For example, William Wallace. Without being said, she has a reputation as a wise person who can be counted on for planning and carrying out missions.
My Thoughts:
To Crown a King is my kind of historical fiction. I love Scottish history. I love this time period. And, to top it off, I read about an ancestral family member in the story. I’m not going to name him, because he made a history defining poor choice. I read somewhere else he later apologized.
Christina is a story hero I love. She has strength, maturity, boldness, wisdom, and insight. She’s an imperfect person and this makes her both enduring, likable, and believable. I do have a slight problem with her being in the right place at the right time so often. This seems staged. However, later in the story this “right place” ends.
I like the story, because it is a story that’s not been told until this book.
I like this story, because William Wallace is a character I enjoy reading. He is a likable fellow. He is shown not as a machismo type, but he’s shown as a thinking, observing, guileful warrior.
To Crown a King shows the Scottish noble families and who they aligned with; of course, sometimes they changed to another leader. This story told me people betray those thought to be trusted.
The story is in an era when the brutality of war and aggression is common. It’s also a time when vengeance and revenge is expected.
The Scottish people did not want their land to be controlled by the English king. They were ready to fight and lay down their lives for freedom. This is the number one theme.
The culture of women is shown. However, Christina is a remarkable character for this era.

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

From the award winning author, Raedene Jeannette Melin, To Crown A King is a rich empowering story of Christina Bruce, based on the real life sister of King Robert the Bruce, and her struggle between family loyalty and Scottish freedom. Scotland in 1295 and The Kingdom is on the verge of rebellion. This incredible book is based on the real life sister of King Robert the Bruce.
During this feudal and chaotic times, Scotland and its people are struggling under
the weight of King Edward of desire to conquer all the northern realm, at whatever cost. A deadly tribal conflict between Comyn kin and that of England, the Bruce family, the only noble house to rival the Comyns, sides with the English King. Christina Bruce is loyalties lie with her father and family, but at what cost.
This is a thought provoking, powerful dramatic historical fiction of one woman’s journey, and ultimately the freedom of Scotland


#ToCrownAKing

"To Crown A King" is the empowering tale of Christina Bruce and her struggle between family loyalty and Scottish freedom. This book helps readers discover her untold story and follow along as she takes her destined place in history.
Born into Scotland's influential Bruce family, Christina is expected to obey her father and side with England. But she believes that Scotland should be free, and her grandfather did, too, and challenged her to think for herself and follow her dream. A chance meeting with an outlaw named William Wallace brings her into the conflict, and she risks everything to get what she wants most – freedom.
Author Raedene Jeannette Melin does a good job writing in a descriptive, engaging way, The book contains tons of characters, though, and it's easy to get confused about who's on which side. Too much telling rather than showing bogs the book down in the last half, too.
Overall, this book is an interesting read. It prompted me to do more research on Christina and her country's history. I also drew parallels between Christina's world and our world today. "Inhumanity (from England's King Edward toward his Scottish subjects) was building rebellion." We can see the same thing happen today and must decide if we'll stand on the side of tradition or forge our own path on behalf of freedom.