An interesting historical fantasy fiction story. The book can be considered cultural as it concentrates more on the Irish Civil War. So basically you have factual history combined with fantasy and science fiction (time travel).

Combining time travel, the IRA, and Irish history is a bold undertaking. Jodi McIsaac gives us the story of Nora, a willful girl growing up in Belfast. She has witnessed her father being killed in their kitchen. Nora’s mother, lost in her grief, becomes an alcoholic. Nora survives the violence of Belfast and begins traveling the world providing humanitarian aid.

Nora begins dreaming of a man pleading for her help When she sees his picture in an old family photo album, she sets out to learn more. There is a surprising twist of fate as Nora travels back in time.

The author does an amazing job describing everyday life in Ireland. The sights and smells are related with vividness that places the reader fully in the action. The story has a good pace and keeps the reader’s attention throughout.

A nice start to a series. It's a well written good read with a unique heroine. Thanks for the ARC.

Being part Irish, I loved all the history of Ireland. Through Nora I felt the tragedy of war that permeates all things Irish. This book is a fantasy but but the characters and their journeys through time seemed fresh and believable. The author captured the passion and community of Ireland. This is a book well worth your time.

I had a hard time staying with this story. It just did not hold my full attention. The author writes well so maybe it will be a good read for someone else.

I was expecting a romance with some history thrown it, and this is was not at all it. Nevertheless, it made for a good enjoyable book.

BURY THE LIVING – Jodi McIsaac

The Revolutionary Series, Book One

A Perfect 10

Ireland – Past and Present

Nora O’Reilly has always been a rebel. It runs in her family. Growing up in Belfast in the time of The Troubles, she has already lost her father, her mother has taken to drinking to drown out the pain, and now, because of her bad decisions, her brother has had to join the IRA. Eamon had resisted falling into his family’s pattern of rebellion, but in order to protect his sister, he becomes a rebel. And then he is brutally murdered by the Protestant faction, sending Nora on the path of revenge. She, too, joins the IRA.

Fourteen years later, Nora is in the Sudan working for a relief organization. Her mother has died, the Troubles may not be over, but the brutality is. Due to mandatory regulations, Nora must take time away from her work. She returns to Belfast to attend the funeral of one of her fellow rebels. Nora has been having mysterious dreams of a man asking for her help. The dreams are persistent, and increasingly urgent. Although she doubts its authenticity, she does follow the instructions to meet with “Brigid”, who gives her a relic which transports her back eighty years to the height of Ireland’s civil war. She must search for Thomas Heaney, the man in her dreams.

When Nora finally tracks Thomas down, he is as baffled as she is as to why she is there. But Thomas has many secrets, and he’s not about to reveal them to this outspoken stranger. Nora is befriended by a local family who secretly are working against the British-led government, a dangerous position for anyone. No one is safe from the government forces who use brutal and sometimes fatal tactics to tamp down the underground rebels. Nora is caught up in the atmosphere and hopes to be able to change the past so that her father and brother are not killed in the future.

BURY THE LIVING is the first book in the Revolutionary Series. It’s gritty, it’s poignant, and it’s beautifully written. The Troubles in Ireland are well known and, while the terrorism has diminished, Ireland is still a divided country with a tragic history. Nora is a tough, in-your-face patriot who sometimes gets herself in over her head. Her relationship with Thomas starts out rather stormy as he, and others, question whether she is a spy for the government. But soon, the truth will be revealed about both Nora and Thomas.

A riveting tale, and, having ancestors from Northern Ireland, I highly recommend BURY THE LIVING. The historical aspect has been well researched.

Thank you to NetGalley and 47North for this free readers edition. In exchange I am providing an honest review.



This is a title that would fall under the category, "If you like Outlander you will like these titles..." and that wouldn't be wrong. This is a great time travel book that takes Nora O'Reilly from 2005 to 1923 in an effort to help put a stop to the wars in Ireland.

Nora grew up in the turbulent days of the Northern Ireland upheaval during the late 1980's and early 1990's. She saw her father murdered and she and her family are trying to keep out of the politics of the day. But nobody could keep out of the politics in Northern Ireland during those days, you were either with the IRA or with the Brits. Fast forward to 2005 and Nora is far from her hometown of Belfast, Ireland and working in Darfur. She's been having dreams that she can't stop thinking about and they seem to be building on each other, calling her to Ireland. But why her and what do these dreams really mean? Out of curiosity Nora follows the dream to Kildare and ends up finding herself in 1923. But why? Why has she been pulled back to 1923 and what can she do? Following the little she knows of history and with the help of some new friends, Nora sets out to save her beloved Ireland from future turmoil.

This was a fun and engaging read. I really love all the factual history McIsaac includes in the story and creating a strong female character that is an overall representation, I'm assuming, of the people of Northern Ireland and all the turmoil they have endured. I'm definitely reading book 2 and any future books in the series.

Really enjoyed reading this book!! I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.

Thank you so much for being willing to grant me access to this book. Unfortunately, life obligations have prevented me from doing so. If my schedule clears, I plan on reviewing this in the future and will post the review on Amazon and Goodreads. Thank you.

Really really enjoyed this! Amazing setting and characters with a plot that kept me reading waaay to late into the night

I really enjoyed the time travel & fantasy elements, as well as the setting.

"You've buried your dead, Nora. Don't try to bury the living as well."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It just means that I know a thing or two about regret. About moving on without the people you love. Sometimes it's hard to remember that you're not the one who died."

A girl from the present. A legendary man from the past. Together, they can change the future.

It is not simple to intertwine history and fantasy; at least, not without risking to fall into the absurd. More then every when you even take in consideration religion and myths. I mean, in any other situation a saint that helps a girl traveling in the past would seem rather strange, wouldn't she?
And still, the world described by Jodi McIsaac felt so real that I could imagine every single detail seen by Nora's eyes and feel her emotions. She's a strong character, yet she must carry an heavy burden related to her family. Stubborness and sarcasm are her second name, but probably this is why I liked her so much. Such a shame that the narrator was in third person and not first person! It would have been much better in order to involve the reader more.

Historical fictions can be hard to read sometimes, but this wasn't the case. It's true that till the second half the pace was rather slow, but not so slow to be boring. Maybe it is even useful, so as to understand better the historical background (Irish situation in the 20es and 90es). To be honest, I think that there should be a short summary of Irish history at the beginning of the book, because probably I'm not the only one to be not very informed about it, and sometimes I had difficulties with following the events. Nothing that prevented me from continuing the reading, but that could have made me enjoy it more.

The only thing that I really found annoying was the ending. I'm rather accostumed to open endings and I completely understand their charm, but not when for the end of the book no objective is reached. At least one, small step should be done, but in my opinion this doesn't happen. Thomas and Nora just go around and around withouth accomplishing nothing concrete, leaving me rather embittered.

Well there is not much to say, except that it was absolutely boring, it felt like I was reading a badly written textbook. I hated main character from the beginning. So there is no point to continue with this book and torture myself.

*I received this book through netgalley, but all ideas and opinions are my own*

DNF @ 44%

Alright, I really tried AND I was actually excited for this book. But the pacing is so slow... like 40% in and she finally finds the guy in her dreams! Which must mean oh things will get interesting, yet by that point I just didn't care anymore. I don't know the point of the book, I pretty sure I see where this is going but it is taking too long to get there, and nothing is really pulling me into the book.

I read other reviews saying that fairy tale creatures come into play which kinda makes me want to keep reading, but it is too dry for me.

Plus side, the historical and factual stuff is really intriguing. I loved learning a little more about Ireland. Maybe once Nora finds her purpose and starts fighting it will get more interesting.

Thank you for a copy of this book. It is well written and filled with great detail about a time I never really paid attention to. Unfortunately, I didn't care for the book despite that. I wanted to try another historical fiction, but I just wasn't grabbed.

I just couldn't quite finish the book, as the inviting, almost innocent cover belied the gritty narrative inside its pages.