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2026 Reading Challenge

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W.J. Small has read 2 of 60 books.

W.J. Small

Goodreads Author

Born

in The United States

Website

http://www.wjsmallauthor.com

Genre

Historical Fiction, History, Fiction

Member Since

March 2010

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/wjsmall

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New release! THE HAG STONE, set in the tumultuous 14th century, is the story of one woman's resilience as the Bubonic Plague ravages England.

W.J. Small's debut novel, A KNIGHT'S DUTY, follows real-life knight Thomas Gray as he grapples with fighting in the Border Wars and managing a chaotic family life..

WJ Small's second novel, THE FAILED APPRENTICE, is set in Henry VIII's England. It is the story of an unassuming man who becomes embroiled in a plot to take down Sir Thomas More.

TO KILL A QUEEN is the second in the Will Patten series and involves Will Patten's involvement in the plot to take down Queen Anne Boleyn.

The final novel in the Will Patten trilogy, A SHAFT OF LIGHT, was released in January 2024. In this third installment, Will trav ...more

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W.J. Small’s books

Average rating: 4.42 · 195 ratings · 28 reviews · 5 distinct works • Similar authors

	A Knight's Duty 4.45 avg rating — 83 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Failed Apprentice (Will Patten, #1) 4.31 avg rating — 54 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	To Kill a Queen (Will Patten Thrillers Book 2) 4.48 avg rating — 23 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Shaft of Light (Will Patten Thrillers Book 3) 4.78 avg rating — 18 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Hag Stone: A Novel of Love and Loss During the Bubonic Plague 4.18 avg rating — 17 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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W.J. Small is currently reading

The Family Experiment

by John Marrs (Goodreads Author)

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Alchemised

by SenLinYu (Goodreads Author)

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W.J. Small is currently reading

The Gilded Page: The Secret Lives of Medieval Manuscripts

by Mary Wellesley

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May 26, 2025 11:51AM

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W.J. Small started reading The Family Experiment by John Marrs (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12 hours, 34 min ago · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Family Experiment by John Marrs. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Family Experiment by John Marrs <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Janet Edwards answered W.J. Small's question: I just finished 'Canticle' and, as a fellow author of medieval historical fiction focusing on the trials of women during this time, I loved it. The stories of the beguines and the life of an anchoress were fascinating. Thank you for an outstanding read! (Apparently I need a question mark to post this, so ?) Dear W.J., Thank you for the note of praise, and from a fellow historical fiction writer, no less! I just checked out your website and am so impressed - five novels! I should get tips from you. I see yours are focused on medieval England and admired See Full Answer
Jan 13, 2026 07:10AM · like
W.J. Small rated a book it was amazing Canticle by Janet Rich Edwards (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I loved Janet Rich Edwards' "Canticle," a novel set in 13th century Brugge, which follows Aleys, a young woman desperate for religious fulfillment. Her quest for enlightenment leads her to the beguines, a compound of women who devote their life to re ...more
Jan 12, 2026 08:17AM · 3 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Canticle by Janet Rich Edwards. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Canticle by Janet Rich Edwards <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
W.J. Small and 69 other people liked Sunny Lu's review of Canticle: "A truly excellent historical fiction piece that really brings religiosity, female catholic mysticism, and the world of medieval Bruges alive. Vibrant, moving, and deeply magical in the way that Christianity of the Old World must be, this book masterf" Read more of this review »
Jan 12, 2026 08:15AM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Canticle by Janet Rich Edwards. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Canticle by Janet Rich Edwards <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
W.J. Small rated a book it was amazing Canticle by Janet Rich Edwards (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I loved Janet Rich Edwards' "Canticle," a novel set in 13th century Brugge, which follows Aleys, a young woman desperate for religious fulfillment. Her quest for enlightenment leads her to the beguines, a compound of women who devote their life to re ...more
Jan 12, 2026 07:12AM · 3 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Canticle by Janet Rich Edwards. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Canticle by Janet Rich Edwards <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
W.J. Small started reading Alchemised by SenLinYu (Goodreads Author) Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee in Readers' Favorite Romantasy, Readers' Favorite Debut Novel, Readers' Favorite Audiobook	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 11, 2026 08:02AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Alchemised by SenLinYu. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Alchemised by SenLinYu <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
W.J. Small entered a giveaway His & Hers by Alice Feeney (Goodreads Author) 25 copies available, ends on January 20, 2026 Enter to win »
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W.J. Small is currently reading Canticle by Janet Rich Edwards (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 05, 2026 09:29AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Canticle by Janet Rich Edwards. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Canticle by Janet Rich Edwards <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
W.J. Small rated a book really liked it The One by John Marrs (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
John Marrs' "The One" is built upon a simple premise. If you could submit a swab of DNA hand have it tell you who your perfect match was, would you do it? And if you did, could you live with the consequences? Although I did not think this book was pa ...more
Jan 05, 2026 09:22AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The One by John Marrs. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The One by John Marrs <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

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W.J.’s Quotes

“In 453, Attila died, apparently choking to death on his own blood thanks to the combination of a massive drinking binge and an equally massive nosebleed, on the night of his wedding to a beautiful woman called Ildico.”
― Dan Jones, Powers and Thrones: A New History of the Middle Ages

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