Author: Cambria Gordon
Publication date: February 2, 2021
Rating: 3.5/5
Isabel Perez carries secrets with her every day.
As a young woman in 1481, Trujillo, Spain, Isabel should be overjoyed that the alguacil of the city wants to marry her. She is supposed to be flattered especially because she and her family are conversos, Jews forced to convert to Catholicism — leaving them low in the hierarchy of the new Spanish order. But, although she can’t tell anyone, she only has eyes for Diego Altamirano, a young nobleman whose family would never let him court Isabel.
So for now she sneaks out to attend poetry readings, for she longs to one day be a famous poet…another secret wish that may never come true.
But Isabel’s most dangerous secret is this: Though the Perezes claim to be New Christians, they still practice Judaism in the refuge of their own home. When the Spanish Inquisition reaches Trujillo determined to punish such judaizers, Isabel finds herself in more danger than she ever could have imagined. Amidst the bloodshed and intolerance, she and Diego will have to fight for their lives in a quest to truly be free.
Goodreads Amazon Barnes & Noble IndieBound
My Review
Poetry of Secrets was so thought provoking and I loved it! It was such an emotional rollercoaster and there was such a good discussion on faith.
It follows the story of Isabel, a young woman from a family of conversos, Jews forced to convert to Catholicism. Isabel was such a relatable character and I really enjoyed her growth. I loved the character depth in this story, especially the family dynamics. There was a lot of growth throughout the novel and it had a very consistent pace.
Cambria Gordon did an amazing job bringing this important piece of history to life. You can tell that there was a lot of research put in to this book and it really paid off!
The only thing I would note is that it took me a while to get into the story and at times there were info dumps, but once I got into the story, I could not put it down!
I highly recommend this book, especially if you are looking to learn more about the Spanish Inquisition. If you’re looking for a story of hidden identities, forbidden romance, and set in a historical background, this book is for you!
Thank you so much to the Book Terminal for including me on this tour and providing me with an arc to review! All thoughts are my own and my review is honest and unbiased.
About the Author
CAMBRIA GORDON is the coauthor of the award-winning The Down-to
Earth Guide to Global Warming, winner of the National Green Earth
Book Award. She has written for Los Angeles Times Magazine, Boys’
Life, Parent Guide News, and The Jewish Journal of Los Angeles. She
splits her time between Los Angeles and Madrid with her husband and
youngest son—and as close as possible to her two adult children,
without annoying them.
Lady Readsalot 
1 thought on “Blog Tour: Poetry of Secrets”