4/5 Stars

*The York King* by Amy Licence is the first of her novels I’ve read, and I’m so glad I gave it a chance! Set between 1464 and 1471, the story tracks Edward IV’s journey from a young king to a seasoned ruler, now with a family and hardened by betrayal from his brother and Warwick. Even though I already knew how things would unfold, I found myself completely immersed in the story—it’s a tale I’ll never tire of, and Amy managed to keep it feeling fresh and vibrant. Her portrayal of Edward was spot on, exactly how I always imagined him to be—and the vivid descriptions made it easy to feel as if I was right there in the thick of the action.

For anyone new to the Wars of the Roses or the House of York, this is an excellent introduction. It’s factual but presented in a way that’s easy to digest, especially for those who find non-fiction too heavy. Amy sticks to the historical facts, proving that history is exciting enough without needing extra drama or embellishment.

I couldn’t put the book down and read it in just a couple of sittings! I highly recommend it to anyone who loves historical fiction or wants to dip their toes into the tumultuous world of the Wars of the Roses. I’m looking forward to reading the first book in the series and can’t wait for the final installment!

#TheYorkKing #NetGalley

This is an enjoyable read. There is a lot of good descriptive writing. The author manages to bring this time period to life

A very detailed work of historical fiction that is well written and able to evoke a detailed picture of life in the 15th Century. It was certainly one of the more dense historical fiction novels and it made it difficult at times, the text felt like slabs of information being thrown at me, at times I found it monotonous, being historical fiction I did have an overall idea how this would end.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. Great historical fiction novel. Highly recommend.

love a historical fiction. great action packed and fast paced.
Thrilling and fun
If you are a fan of the Philippa Gregory type books then this is the one for you

It took me an absurdly long time to leave feedback on this which is no knock on the book...I really liked it!!! Like other reviewers have said, if you are a long time historical junkie (Philippa Gregory, the White Queen TV series, or even the musical Six!) like I am I think you'll like this as well.

What I appreciated the most was Ms Licence's writing style - it was detailed and descriptive and gave a real sense of place and person without getting too bogged down. I've read way too much historical fiction that drags in the middle trying to give you a sense of the dust...or the mold...or the not bathing...you know what I mean. This was so much better in every way.

I've seen that this is the second book in a trilogy and I will eagerly be awaiting the third if I can expect more of the same!

I loved how the plot has been constructed and how it gave solidity to the whole book. For me, for this reason, it's a four stars book.

Did not finish-

The York King just isn’t for me. It’s not a bad book, I’m sure if I forced myself through it maybe I’d enjoy it but I just cannot make myself read it. I’m sure it’s great but it’s just not for me.

Thoroughly enjoyed this! The rich and detailed setting weaves a beautiful tapestry against which the political posturing and paranoia feels deeply authentic.
Beautifully captures this fascinating period of history.

So... I didn´t finish this book beacuose it was to dense. If you´re into historical drama, this book is for you.
I was lost la mayor parte del libro, se me mezclaban los personajes y las lineas de tiempo. Como dije, no era para mi.

Massively disappointed with this book. As a huge fan of Historical Fiction, particularly set in this era of the Wars of the Roses (and leading up to the Tudor takeover), this should have been my idea of perfect!
However, the writing is incredibly over-the-top with its descriptiveness, the author clearly knows her stuff, but it was like she was trying to impart every single piece of her knowledge into every situation and/or place. It was too much, it detracted away from the plot and made the pacing far too slow.
Small but fairly important errors crept into the writing as well, my main irritation being 'Great-Aunt Katherine'...no, his mother's sister is his aunt, no 'great' about it!

This was a great sequel to the previous novel. I enjoyed the world-building, character development, and prose. I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction with a dash of mystery.

If there is one period in history where I would like to go back to be a fly on the wall it would be to spend time at the court of Edward IV. This charismatic young man had all the attributes of a King and was certainly no stranger when it came to facing danger. In this second volume of the House of York trilogy we meet Edward when he is keeping a somewhat tenuous hold on his newly acquired crown. Political maneuverings notwithstanding this is a time of great change. The old Lancastrian order is in decline and even three years into Edward's reign there are still schemers who would prefer to see the red rose of the House of Lancaster prevail again over the white rose of the House of York.

Although I haven't read the first book in the series I was easily able to pick up the story and soon became engrossed in the political, and courtly, shenanigans which makes this such a vibrant time in history. Concentrating on the key moments in Edward IV's early reign we start to build up a picture of just how momentous his time on the throne was and how he sought to bring peace and prosperity to a country which had been bedeviled by war. There were some nice romantic interludes, it was interesting to see Edward's clandestine relationship with Eleanor Butler mentioned and of course his passionate, and sometimes stormy, marriage with Elizabeth Woodville is expertly brought to life..

The York King is a very readable account of the early tumultuous years of Edward IV's reign. Beautifully written, and intricately researched, the steam of battle and the whispers of intrigue bring the history of the age alive in a vibrant and imaginative way. I felt that the story ended in a perfect place to take the story forward in the final book in the trilogy.

A solid historical fiction novel. I absolutely adore this genre, and the only reason I occasionally had difficulty getting into this one is that so much time is spent with the main character in childhood. While it was a nice insight into a historical moment, it was sometimes frustrating to see major historical events through the eyes of a character too young to understand them. This is a personal preference, though, and not something that should detract readers of historical fiction from giving this a chance!

I really enjoy Amy Licence's non-fiction, which I have always found well researched and readable. I also read the first book in this series, Son of York, which I enjoyed. This picks up the story as Edward begins his tumultuous reign, deals with his romances, conflict with his family, and shows how he finally matures into the York King. Having had so many novels recently told from the women's POV, this made an interesting change as it focuses more on the male protagonists. Edward is by far the most well drawn character, and while the others were good, I did feel a few were slightly less well developed than I would have liked. There is also a lot of detail here, which occasionally slows things down, but not too much. Overall I liked this one, a good historical novel, well written and enjoyable.

The second book in the House of York series is great historical fiction, this time set during the reign of Edward IV. I liked the detailed description of political intrigues, battle scenes and everyday life. Exciting read for those interested in the War of Roses with some personal moments of his relationship to his wife and his family. Some parts were quite unlikely for this time though.
Thanks to Lume Books and Netgalley for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.

The York King is an immensely enjoyable book about the reign of King Edward IV . A definite must read for anyone who enjoys reading about The War of the Roses. Amy Licence brings the time period to life with vivid details of battles and of every day life. This is a truly gripping portrayal of a tormultous time in history. I enjoyed this book very much.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed book 1 so was looking forward to reading this, the second volume in the York trilogy. Set in 1464, during the Wars of the Roses, King Edward IV has now reigned for 3 years. A great historical novel, brilliantly researched and a great read but I would definitely recommend reading book one first. The book is very descriptive and there are quite a lot of battle scenes, but these are interspersed with a bit of romance, a lot of intrigue and plenty of betrayal.

Briefly, the battle for the throne continues, Lancaster against York with the Duke of Somerset, lured back to his former comrades, leading the fight to return Henry VI to the throne. With both sides trying to raise armies Warwick travels to France to arrange a marriage to thwart the allies of Henry but unhappy with this Edward meets Elizabeth Woodville and marries her in secret.

Although most chapters are written from the POV of Warwick and King Edward IV some are written from the perspective of the women. Excellently written, a fast paced read with great dialogue and I am really looking to reading the final book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I loved this book. An era of English royal history that I was familiar with, the war of the roses and the fight between the house of York and the house of Lancaster. The multi faceted look - both at the love side and the war side was wonderful. The author deftly was able to encompass both the home life of the king and the treachery that surrounded a large part of his reign. I didn’t imagine that I would enjoy this book quite as much as I did, not having as much of a frame of reference for it. However, it proved to be just as enjoyable as more notable and well-known periods (Tudor, Victorian). I highly recommend it if you enjoy well researched and animated books that bring the past to life! This ebook was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

1464. Family conflicts, Lancaster against York, the fight for the English throne continues. This is truly an unstoppable read! And I loved every minute of it!