The Edge On the Sword - Rebecca Tingle

"You will be important to so many people," her mother tells fifteen-year-old AEthelflaed. This is obviously enough. She is King Alfred's eldest daughter, after all. But her royal blood makes her a target as well, vulnerable to those who would wish to hurt the king.
Suddenly betrothed to the king's ally, AEthelflaed finds herself constrained by the presence of Red, a gruff new bodyguard assigned to protect her and deliver her new home. At first, she tests the limits of Red's control, but soon she learns that Read has much more than protection to offer her. He begins teaching her how to battle like a man. And when enemies threaten the borderlands. Flaed turns first to her guardian, and a last to her own inner resources and battle skills to save her life and protect the lives of her men.
Medieval history says little of AEthelflaed, an actual noblewomen who seized power in central England a thousand years ago. Tingle recreates her early life in an elegantly-told medieval tale of courage, conviction and honor. AEtheflaed became the greatest heroine in Old English medieval history. This is the thrilling story of what turned a girl into a leader (historical note included). (From Amazon.com)
This is yet another book I've read for school, and have enjoyed enough to share. I learn better when I have a book of facts backed up with a fictional account of that same time period. This was one of those books!
I really really enjoyed this book! It's a fact based story about King Alfred's daughter.  It was astonishingly romance free (I guess that comes with an arranged marriage , and I was surprised at how well it kept my attention. Historical fiction doesn't usually grip me as much as a fantasy novel, but Tingle did an excellent job!
I absolutely loved the characters in this book, and I hated it when the one died and then no one would listen! Ugh, it was horrible; but amazing at the same time. You have no idea how hard it is not to give Spoilers! GRRR!
The main character, Flaed was just, wow, she's awesome! I love clever characters, and she was definitely clever!
Though the beginning was a little confusing, and it still doesn't make a lot of sence to me why Tingle began it the way she did, but then again I was reading in the car and I got carsick. I haven't been carsick in years, so I was cranky, about not being able to read, that may have had something to do with it too; anyways...
It's a small book and I normally try and make those last, but this book didn't stand a chance! I tore this thing a part and stripped it of all it's secrets! I should feel sorry for the poor book, but I honestly don't! I loved it!
I  really enjoyed the characters and the overall story. There was a surprising amount of heart in this book.
It was really really good read. I wouldn't mind owning this one at all! It would *CoughCough* make a great *CoughCough* Birthday present *Cough*.  :-D
Title - The Edge On the Sword
Author - Rebecca Tingle
Pages - 277
Type of Book - Historical Fiction