By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult

From the New York Times bestselling co-author of Mad Honey comes an “inspiring” (Elle) novel about two women, centuries apart—one of whom is the real author of Shakespeare’s plays—who are both forced to hide behind another name.

Young playwright Melina Green has just written a new work inspired by the life of her Elizabethan ancestor Emilia Bassano. But seeing it performed is unlikely, in a theater world where the playing field isn’t level for women. As Melina wonders if she dares risk failure again, her best friend takes the decision out of her hands and submits the play to a festival under a male pseudonym.

In 1581, young Emilia Bassano is a ward of English aristocrats. Her lessons on languages, history, and writing have endowed her with a sharp wit and a gift for storytelling, but like most women of her day, she is allowed no voice of her own. Forced to become a mistress to the Lord Chamberlain, who oversees all theatre productions in England, Emilia sees firsthand how the words of playwrights can move an audience. She begins to form a plan to secretly bring a play of her own to the stage—by paying an actor named William Shakespeare to front her work.

Told in intertwining timelines, By Any Other Name, a sweeping tale of ambition, courage, and desire centers two women who are determined to create something beautiful despite the prejudices they face. Should a writer do whatever it takes to see her story live on . . . no matter the cost? This remarkable novel, rooted in primary historical sources, ensures the name Emilia Bassano will no longer be forgotten.

Hardcover, 544 pages

Published August 20, 2024

 by Ballantine Books

4.5/5 stars

Jodi Picoult has turned into an auto-read author, though I do have a ways to go with her backlist. Before By Any Other Name was even published readers knew this was a departure from her usual style. Not being a Shakespeare fan, let alone read any of his works I was a little apprehensive. Now after turning the last page I am curious to try a couple plays. 

By Any Other Name is a dual time period story. Present day it's the story of Melina Green, a playwright who has written about Emilia Bassano from Shakespeare time. She is also a distant relative and the other POV.  As usual I enjoyed the past story more so, probably the history buff who liked reading the times. Without going into details, this was a well written and researched read. Her life was brought to life with vivid descriptions of the culture, treatment of women and general history of the times.  Honestly I would have been happy with this part being the whole book.

My only con would be the size. Over 500 pages was a tad too long, overly detailed at times. But still a book I recommend for the rich historical content.

This book was part of my 2024 Reading Off My Shelf Challenge

 

The Armor of Light by Ken Follett

The long-awaited sequel to A Column of Fire, The Armor of Light, heralds a new dawn for Kingsbridge, England, where progress clashes with tradition, class struggles push into every part of society, and war in Europe engulfs the entire continent and beyond.

The Spinning Jenny was invented in 1770, and with that, a new era of manufacturing and industry changed lives everywhere within a generation. A world filled with unrest wrestles for control over this new world order: A mother’s husband is killed in a work accident due to negligence; a young woman fights to fund her school for impoverished children; a well-intentioned young man unexpectedly inherits a failing business; one man ruthlessly protects his wealth no matter the cost, all the while war cries are heard from France, as Napoleon sets forth a violent master plan to become emperor of the world. As institutions are challenged and toppled in unprecedented fashion, ripples of change ricochet through our characters’ lives as they are left to reckon with the future and a world they must rebuild from the ashes of war.

Over thirty years ago, Ken Follett published his most popular novel, The Pillars of the Earth. Now, with this electrifying addition to the Kingsbridge series we are plunged into the battlefield between compassion and greed, love and hate, progress and tradition. It is through each character that we are given a new perspective to the seismic shifts that shook the world in nineteenth-century Europe.

Hardcover, 737 pages

Published September 26, 2023

 by Viking

3.5/5 stars

This is part of The Pillar of the Earth Series, I am not sure which one. Ever since the prequel came out I see different numbers on it. But suffice to say, each book is separated by a couple hundred years so truly they can work as a standalone .

It's 1770 in the now familiar Kingsbridge when this story begins.  It spans the beginning of the industrial age, Napoleons revolution all the way through to 1815. I wanted to love this book as much as I did Pillars and it’s prequel, The Evening and the Morning, two books I thoroughly enjoyed. They captured the  start of Kingsbridge with the historical aspects and gave an interesting account of what life was like. The Armor of Light, while it was rich in history, I found it slow moving with characters that didn’t really appeal to me like in the other two. At times the detailed descriptions of various machines, i.e. the Spinning Jenny were a bit long-winded

With a little help of the audiobook, via CloudLibrary I was able to finish this almost 800 page brick. The same reader as Pillars again did a great job with the narration.

All in all in entertaining read, not my favorite, but still it broadened my horizon as to the industrial age and England’s war with France.

This book was part of my 2023 reading off my shelf challenge.

The Secret Book of Flora Lea: A Novel by Patti Callahan Henry

From the New York Times bestselling author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis comes a “heartrending, captivating tale of family, first love, and fate” (Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author) about a woman who stumbles across a mysterious children’s book that holds secrets about her missing sister and their childhood spent in the English countryside during World War II.

1939: Fourteen-year-old Hazel and five-year-old Flora evacuate their London home for a rural village to escape the horrors of the Second World War. Living with the Aberdeen family in a charming stone cottage, Hazel distracts her younger sister with a fairy tale about a magical land, a secret place they can escape to that is all their Whisperwood.

But the unthinkable happens when Flora suddenly vanishes after playing near the banks of the River Thames. Shattered, Hazel blames herself for her sister’s disappearance, carrying the guilt into adulthood.

Twenty years later, Hazel is back in London, ready to move on from her job at a cozy rare bookstore for a career at Sotheby’s. With a cherished boyfriend and an upcoming Paris getaway, her future seems set. But her tidy life is turned upside down when she unwraps a package containing a picture book called Whisperwood and the River of Stars . Hazel never told a soul about the storybook world she created just for Flora. Could this book hold the secrets to her beloved sister’s disappearance? Could it be a sign that Flora is still alive after all these years? Or is something sinister at play?

Inspired by the history of the Pied Piper Children, this novel is a poignant reminder of the magical power of stories to draw us together—and ultimately bring us home.

Paperback, 368 pages

Expected publication May 2, 2023

by Simon & Schuster CA

4/5 stars

I try to limit my literary intake of WW2 stories but I could not pass up Patti Callahan Henry’s new book. The cover for The Secret Book of Flora Lea is eye catching along with being one of my top highly anticipated books of 2023.

This is a story of  two sisters sent to the country as part of Operation Pied Piper during WW2. What was deemed for safety seemed fine until Flora Lea disappears without a trace. But 20 years later a secret story shared only between Flora Lea and her older sister Hazel has been published by an American author.  How can that be? Could her sister still be alive because no one else knows this story of a place called Whisperwood.

What follows is a story of hope but it also brings wounds from the past. The Secret Book of Flora Lea is a somewhat magical story of that special sibling relationship, of grief and war. It’s mysterious with fairy tale vibes, slow paced in that it wasn’t a book I rushed through but took my time. I felt for Hazel, her guilt was real as she struggled to let go of the past and embrace life.  Her desire to solve this mystery comes with high stakes and it was great to go along on this journey with Hazel.

Again Patti Callahan Henry has written a thought provoking story that I recommend.

My thanks to Simon and Schuster CA for a print arc in exchange for a honest review.  This book releases on May 2nd.

The Shadow of Memory (Kate Hamilton Mysteries #4) by Connie Berry

In Connie Berry’s fourth Kate Hamilton mystery, American antiques dealer Kate Hamilton uncovers a dark secret buried in Victorian England.

As Kate Hamilton plans her upcoming wedding to Detective Inspector Tom Mallory, she is also assisting her colleague Ivor Tweedy with a project at the Netherfield Sanatorium, which is being converted into luxury townhouses. Kate and Ivor must appraise a fifteenth-century painting and verify that its provenance is the Dutch master Jan Van Eyck. But when retired criminal inspector Will Parker is found dead, Kate learns that the halls of the sanatorium housed much more than priceless art.

Kate is surprised to learn that Will had been the first boyfriend of her friend Vivian Bunn, who hasn’t seen him in fifty-eight years. At a seaside holiday camp over sixty years ago, Will, Vivian, and three other teens broke into an abandoned house where a doctor and his wife had died under bizarre circumstances two years earlier. Now, when a second member of the childhood gang dies unexpectedly—and then a third—it becomes clear that the teens had discovered more in the house than they had realized.

Had Will returned to warn his old love? When Kate makes a shocking connection between a sixty-year-old murder and the long-buried secrets of the sanatorium, she suddenly understands that time is running out for Vivian—and anyone connected to her. 

Paperback, 352 pages

Expected publication: May 10th 2022 

by Crooked Lane Books

4/5 stars

This is my first time reading a Connie Berry book. I had my doubts when accepting this copy since it is book 4 in the Kate Hamilton Mystery series, but it was fine. If anything it has piqued my interest in reading the rest of the series.

This is a multi layer mystery (the best kind).  American antiques dealer Kate Hamilton literally stumbling across a body in the local cemetery sending her on a search for answers.

Spanning events from decades ago to the present day mystery of not just the cemetery discovery but also a fifteenth century painting kept me reading and scratching my head. Just when I thought I had things figured out there would be a twist.  Suffice to say a well written and well executed story with likeable characters this whodunit was a pleasure to read.

My thanks to Crooked Lane Book for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

Review: I Found You by Lisa Jewell

A young bride, a lonely single mother, and an amnesiac man of dubious origin lie at the heart of New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jewell’s next suspenseful drama that will appeal to fans of Liane Moriarty and Paula Hawkins.

In a windswept British seaside town, single mom Alice Lake finds a man sitting on the beach outside her house. He has no name, no jacket, and no idea how he got there. Against her better judgment, she invites him inside.

Meanwhile, in a suburb of London, twenty-one-year-old Lily Monrose has only been married for three weeks. When her new husband fails to come home from work one night she is left stranded in a new country where she knows no one. Then the police tell her that her husband never existed.

Twenty-three years earlier, Gray and Kirsty are teenagers on a summer holiday with their parents. Their annual trip to the quaint seaside town is passing by uneventfully, until an enigmatic young man starts paying extra attention to Kirsty. Something about him makes Gray uncomfortable—and it’s not just that he’s playing the role of protective older brother.

Two decades of secrets, a missing husband, and a man with no memory are at the heart of this brilliant new novel, filled with the “beautiful writing, believable characters, pacey narrative, and dark secrets” (London Daily Mail) that make Lisa Jewell so beloved by audiences on both sides of the Atlantic.

Hardcover, 352 pages 

Expected publication: April 25th 2017 by Atria Books

****

Lisa Jewell is a new author to me, I've heard nothing but good things about her books - full of suspense and intrigue.  I jumped at the chance when netgalley promoted I Found You.  Right from the beginning I was captivated with 2 different storylines and a jump back to 1993 kept me reading.

The synopsis outlines the story nicely, the characters were interesting, flawed and somewhat believable.  That being said I would have loved to know more about Alice, while I was given snippets of her background I had more questions about why she seemed so desperate for love. Same thing with Lily, while I could understand her situation she seemed to change into a different person once she meets Alice and Frank and I didn't really feel the progression taking place.

As the story unfolded I had a hard time putting my kindle down.  The mystery surrounding 'Frank' is what kept me going especially as the back story started to take shape.  While I thought I had solved the mystery it twisted and turned around.  It was after Frank's past was revealed and the mystery solved that it floundered for me.  While the last pages brought closure it wasn't done in a matter that appealed to me.  It almost seemed rush and didn't match the smooth flow this book had.

Why am I giving this book 4 stars if I had a few issues?  Because I did enjoy reading it (only took 2 days) the author created a mysterious setting that had me wanting to find out what was going on.  I would recommend this one and read more by this author.

Thanks to the publisher via Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.

Review: The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce

Meet Harold Fry, recently retired. He lives in a small English village with his wife, Maureen, who seems irritated by almost everything he does, even down to how he butters his toast. Little differentiates one day from the next. Then one morning the mail arrives, and within the stack of quotidian minutiae is a letter addressed to Harold in a shaky scrawl from a woman he hasn't seen or heard from in twenty years. Queenie Hennessy is in hospice and is writing to say goodbye.

Leaving Maureen to her chores, Harold heads to the corner mailbox, intending a quick walk to post his reply. Instead, inspired by a chance encounter, he becomes convinced that he absolutely must deliver his message to Queenie in person. And thus begins the unlikely pilgrimage at the heart of Rachel Joyce's remarkable debut. Harold Fry is determined to walk six hundred miles from Kingsbridge to the hospice in Berwick-upon-Tweed because, he believes, as long as he walks, Queenie will live.

Still in his yachting shoes and light coat, Harold embarks on his urgent quest through the countryside. Along the way he meets one fascinating character after another, each of whom unlocks his long-dormant spirit of youth and sense of promise. Memories of his first dance with Maureen, his wedding day, his joy in fatherhood come rushing back to him-allowing him to reconcile his losses and regrets. As for Maureen, she finds herself missing Harold for the first time in years.

And then there is the unfinished business with Queenie Hennessy.

A novel of unsentimental charm, humour, and profound insight into the thoughts and feelings we all bury deep within our hearts, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry introduces Rachel Joyce as a wise-and utterly irresistible-storyteller.

Published July 24, 2012

Doubleday Canada

*****

“If I just keep putting one foot in front of the other, it stands to reason that I'm going to get there. I've begun to think we sit far more than we're supposed to." He smiled. "Why else would we have feet?”

I find sometimes when reading books with rave reviews my expectation level is elevated and in the end wondering to myself  'what did I miss?' because it didn't hit that mark for me.  With The Pilgrimage of Harold Fry I was not disappointed, only mad at myself for waiting so long to read this one.

At first I thought this must be a comical story because it couldn't possible be anything but.  As the layers were stripped away this was a journey of remembering, of self discovery and forgiveness. With wife Maureen left at home she deals with this time alone to open up and be honest with herself.

I loved this book.  The author wove a heartwarming story, with narrative jumping between Harold and Maureen it was sad at times but also full of hope and healing.

Thank you to DoubleDayCanada (via Netgalley) for a complimentary copy for an honest review.


RACHEL JOYCE is an award-winning writer of more than twenty original plays for BBC Radio 4. She started writing after a twenty-year acting career, performing leading roles for the Royal Shakespeare Company. Joyce lives on a farm in Gloucestershire, England, with her husband and four children, and is at work on her second novel.

Review & Giveaway: Most Truly by Reina M. Williams (book tour)

click on banner for more stops on this tour or scroll to bottom of post

Reina M. Williams is touring with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for Miss Darcy Decides - book two in her Pride and Prejudice Novella series.

I was happy to receive the audio version of book one in the series,  Most Truly and am pleased to review it here.  Be sure to scroll down further for an opportunity to win an audio version for yourself.

 

Most Truly is a light, sweet Pride and Prejudice Novella, book one in the Love at Pemberley series.

Colonel James Fitzwilliam is home. The war has left him weary, battle-scarred—and a free man of fortune ready to find a wife. He travels to Pemberley, his second home. There he meets Kitty Bennet. Her unexpected charms soon have him questioning his familial duty and his expectations. A fight looms on the horizon when his aunt—Lady Catherine de Bourgh—and his parents arrive with their own plans for his future.

Kitty Bennet has found happiness. At Pemberley, she has improved herself and formed true friendships with her sister Lizzy and Georgiana Darcy. Kitty is captivated by the gentlemanly Colonel Fitzwilliam. But she will not be silly over a redcoat again, and she will not risk her happiness—or his family’s displeasure—for his attentions. Colonel Fitzwilliam, Darcy, Lizzy, and Georgiana have their say, and Kitty learns a new lesson—love will find you at Pemberley.

Published November 30th 2013

***

My review:

It was only a couple years ago that I finally read Pride and Prejudice, and I surprised myself with how much I enjoyed it.  Of course with any book that I enjoy there is always that little bit of disappointment in finishing it because you've bonded with the characters and just want to know what happens.

Most Truly continues with that story, coming in at 88 pages in length (less than 3 hours for the audio).  This novella isn't long but its concise and to the point.  There isn't a lot of extra 'fluff' here, Col. Fitzwilliam is home from war and looking for a wife.  Because of the size of this little book there wasn't a lot of detail or descriptive scenes. This is a nice little romance with Kitty at center stage.


The reader of any audio has a big impact on my enjoyment, there are some I steer clear of and others I just love.  Kate Sample is the reader of this book, it's my first experience with her and she did a satisfying job.  Her voice added to the story with the right accent for the location and time period.

It was an enjoyable listen and will appeal to those that like historical romance and also Jane Austen fans.

Reina M. Williams loves period dramas, sweet reads, fairy tales, cooking and baking. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her two boys, who hope to someday take a research trip to England with their mom.

For more information please visit Reina M. Williams’s website.

You can also connect with her on Twitter, Goodreads, and Pinterest.

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway Virtual Book Tour Schedule

Monday, May 12
Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past
Tuesday, May 13
Review at Gobs and Gobs of Books
Wednesday, May 14
Excerpt at Bibliophilia, Please
Thursday, May 15
Review at Our Wolves Den
Friday, May 16
Audio Review of Most Truly at Just One More Chapter
Tuesday, May 20
Review at I’d Rather Be Reading
Saturday, May 24
Review at Buried Under Books
Friday, May 30
Review at Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell
Tuesday, June 3
Review at She is Too Fond of Books
Thursday, June 5
Audio Review of Most Truly at To Read, or Not to Read
Saturday, June 7
Review at The Calico Critic
Monday, June 9
Audio Review of Most Truly at Flashlight Commentary
Wednesday, June 11
Review at Tower of Babel
Friday, June 13
Review at Literary Chanteuse
Review at Diary of an Eccentric
Excerpt at Historical Fiction Connection

The Winter King by Thomas Penn

It was 1501. England had been ravaged for decades by conspiracy, violence, murders, coups and countercoups. Through luck, guile and ruthlessness, Henry VII, the first of the Tudor kings, had clambered to the top of the heap--a fugitive with a flimsy claim to England's throne. For many he remained a usurper, a false king. But Henry had a crucial asset: his queen and their children, the living embodiment of his hoped-for dynasty. Queen Elizabeth was a member of the House of York. Henry himself was from the House of Lancaster, so between them they united the warring parties that had fought the bloody century-long Wars of the Roses. Now their older son, Arthur, was about to marry a Spanish princess. On a cold November day sixteen-year-old Catherine of Aragon arrived in London for a wedding that would mark a triumphal moment in Henry's reign.

In this remarkable book, Thomas Penn re-creates the story of the tragic, magnetic Henry VII--a controlling, paranoid, avaricious monarch who was entering the most perilous years of his long reign.

Rich with drama and insight, "Winter King "is an astonishing story of pageantry, treachery, intrigue and incident--and the fraught, dangerous birth of Tudor England.
 

Paperback, 448 pages

Published March 1st 2012 by Penguin Books (first published September 29th 2011)

Coming on the heels of reading Elizabeth of York by Alison Weir I thought it would be interesting to read a nonfiction about Henry VII.  This is Thomas Penn's debut and a good one it is.  So much has been written about his son Henry VIII but very little on Henry VII.

You can definitely tell that a lot of research has gone into this book and that the author knows his stuff.  From having to secure the throne from Richard III, dealing with the threats of usurpers and not sure who he could trust, this book portrayed an insecure and paranoid king.

The book does not move in a total chronological order but does jump back and forth in time, it was a little confusing a couple times, especially since this was an audio read for me.  At one point Henry has just had the crown placed on his head in Bosworth, next thing it's 1497, I thought my iPod was set to shuffle. Once I realized that this is the writers style I was ok.

One of the things I  liked was seeing main characters from the court of Henry VIII (Thomas More, Thomas Wolsey and Thomas Wriothesley and their early role in Tudor England.

A very interesting book that will appeal to those who love to read about the Tudors.

Review & Giveaway: Dominion by C.J. Sansom

C.J. SANSOM REWRITES HISTORY IN A THRILLING NOVEL THAT DARES TO IMAGINE BRITAIN UNDER THE THUMB OF NAZI GERMANY.

1952. Twelve years have passed since Churchill lost to the appeasers and Britain surrendered to Nazi Germany. The global economy strains against the weight of the long German war against Russia still raging in the east. The British people find themselves under increasingly authoritarian rule–the press, radio, and television tightly controlled, the British Jews facing ever greater constraints.

But Churchill’s Resistance soldiers on. As defiance grows, whispers circulate of a secret that could forever alter the balance of the global struggle. The keeper of that secret? Scientist Frank Muncaster, who languishes in a Birmingham mental hospital.

Civil Servant David Fitzgerald, a spy for the Resistance and University friend of Frank’s, is given the mission to rescue Frank and get him out of the country. Hard on his heels is Gestapo agent Gunther Hoth, a brilliant, implacable hunter of men, who soon has Frank and David’s innocent wife, Sarah, directly in his sights.

C.J. Sansom’s literary thriller Winter in Madrid earned Sansom comparisons to Graham Greene, Sebastian Faulks, and Ernest Hemingway. Now, in his first alternative history epic, Sansom doesn’t just recreate the past–he reinvents it. In a spellbinding tale of suspense, oppression and poignant love, DOMINION dares to explore how, in moments of crisis, history can turn on the decisions of a few brave men and women–the secrets they choose to keep and the bonds they share.

Publication Date: January 28, 2014
Mulholland Books
Hardcover; 640p
ISBN-10: 0316254916 

 

C.J. Sansom is another new author to me, though I have seen his Matthew Shardlake series around (on my bookshelf in fact) and have heard nothing but good things about it.  I was very excited to be asked to be part of this tour. Once I read the synoposis of this book I knew I was in for a good read.  Coming in at over 600 pages it isn't for the faint of heart.  There is nothing better on these cold wintery days than a good door-stopper of a book that is also a remarkable story.  Alternative history is a new genre for me, having only read Stephen King's 11/23/63, I was anxious to see how this one would pan out.  It didn't take long for this book to grab my attention and I was not disappointed at all.

Between the two main protagonists David Fitzgerald (spy for the Resistance) and scientist Frank Muncaster the author's development of their characters was gradual and though I knew a lot about them I think that I bonded more with Sarah, David's wife.

An intriguing look at what England would have been like had they surrendered to Hitler back in 1940, this book (jumping to 1952) is rich in details and believable. As the story slowly develops there was this gradual change that took place which kept me reading and reading some more. Yes there were a few parts that got a bit wordy, but once past the mystery and suspense continued.

This book will appeal to those that like historical fiction, alternative history, suspense and mystery books.

I have a hardcover copy of this book up for grabs (US/Canada only).  Just fill out the form below for your chance to win.

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About the Author

C.J. Sansom is the bestselling author of the critically-acclaimed Matthew Sharlake series, as well as the runaway international bestseller Winter in Madrid. He lives in Sussex, England.
You can find more information on C.J. Sansom and his novels at www.cjsansom.com or on Facebook.

Waiting on Wednesday - Elizabeth of York: A Tudor Queen and Her World

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine and spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Hardcover, 608 pages

Expected publication: December 3rd 2013 by Ballantine Books

Many are familiar with the story of the much-married King Henry VIII of England and the celebrated reign of his daughter, Elizabeth I. But it is often forgotten that the life of the first Tudor queen, Elizabeth of York, Henry’s mother and Elizabeth’s grandmother, spanned one of England’s most dramatic and perilous periods. Now New York Times bestselling author and acclaimed historian Alison Weir presents the first modern biography of this extraordinary woman, whose very existence united the realm and ensured the survival of the Plantagenet bloodline.

Her birth was greeted with as much pomp and ceremony as that of a male heir. The first child of King Edward IV, Elizabeth enjoyed all the glittering trappings of royalty. But after the death of her father; the disappearance and probable murder of her brothers—the Princes in the Tower; and the usurpation of the throne by her calculating uncle Richard III, Elizabeth found her world turned upside-down: She and her siblings were declared bastards.

As Richard’s wife, Anne Neville, was dying, there were murmurs that the king sought to marry his niece Elizabeth, knowing that most people believed her to be England’s rightful queen. Weir addresses Elizabeth’s possible role in this and her covert support for Henry Tudor, the exiled pretender who defeated Richard at the Battle of Bosworth and was crowned Henry VII, first sovereign of the House of Tudor. Elizabeth’s subsequent marriage to Henry united the houses of York and Lancaster and signaled the end of the Wars of the Roses. For centuries historians have asserted that, as queen, she was kept under Henry’s firm grasp, but Weir shows that Elizabeth proved to be a model consort—pious and generous—who enjoyed the confidence of her husband, exerted a tangible and beneficial influence, and was revered by her son, the future King Henry VIII.

Drawing from a rich trove of historical records, Weir gives a long overdue and much-deserved look at this unforgettable princess whose line descends to today’s British monarch—a woman who overcame tragedy and danger to become one of England’s most beloved consorts.

The Lady's Slipper by Deborah Swift

1660. King Charles II has returned from exile, but memories of the English Civil War still rankle. There are old scores to settle, and religious differences threaten to overturn a fragile peace. When Alice Ibbetson discovers a rare orchid, the Lady’s Slipper, growing in a wood belonging to Richard Wheeler, she is captivated by its beauty— though Wheeler, a Quaker, is determined to keep the flower where God intended it to grow. Knowing that the orchid is the last of its kind, she steals the flower, little dreaming that her seemingly simple act will set off a chain of events that will lead to murder and exile, and change her life forever…

Paperback, 436 pages

Published November 23rd 2010 by St. Martin's Griffin
source - personal library
*****

It all started with an orchid, the Lady's Slipper and what a chain of events resulted.  It is more than a story just about an orchid.  Alice, still grieving the passing of her sister.  Richard Wheeler and the Quakers, Sir Geoffrey Fisk and his son, and of course Ella, the servant, all intertwined together to make a wonderful story.  

Deborah Swift has a writing style that I found rather mesmerizing.  The words just seemed to flow right out of the book (does that make sense?)  It was one of those books where I would sit for a few minutes to read a few pages and next thing I knew it was an hour (or two) later.

 

Having never read any historical fiction in the 1600's I enjoyed the learning experience also, this author knows her stuff.  Looking forward to The Gilded Lily, which has been sitting very patiently

Elizabeth I by Margaret George

 Elizabeth Tudor, queen of enigma-the Virgin Queen who had many suitors, the victor of the Armada who hated war; the gorgeously attired, jewel- bedecked woman who pinched pennies. England's greatest monarch has baffled and intrigued the world for centuries. But what was she really like?

In this novel, her flame-haired, lookalike cousin, Lettice Knollys, thinks she knows all too well. Elizabeth's rival for the love of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, and mother to the Earl of Essex, the mercurial nobleman who challenged Elizabeth's throne, Lettice had been intertwined with Elizabeth since childhood. This is a story of two women of fierce intellect and desire, one trying to protect her country, and throne, the other trying to regain power and position for her family and each vying to convince the reader of her own private vision of the truth about Elizabeth's character. Their gripping drama is acted out at the height of the flowering of the Elizabethan age. Shakespeare, Marlowe, Dudley, Raleigh, Drake-all of them swirl through these pages as they swirled through the court and on the high seas.

This is a magnificent, stay-up-all-night page-turner that is George's finest and most compelling novel and one that is sure to please readers of Alison Weir, Philippa Gregory, and Hilary Mantel.

I have never read a Margaret George novel, I have only listened to them.  This is my second listen (Memoirs of Cleopatra, being the first).  With the right reader an audio book can be a truly wonderful experience.  Elizabeth I was a truly wonderful experience.


Kate Reading did a marvelous job, with her accent it felt like Elizabeth herself was telling her story.  Margaret George wrote a story that kept me wanting for more.  Even though the book starts off in 1588, it does jog back and forth in time and it does this very smoothly, as current situations bring them about. Also alternating between Elizabeth and Lettice (her cousin) it brought another point of view.  


Margaret George is a very talented author, I look forward to 'not' reading more of her books.  I am thinking Helen of Troy sounds interesting. 

Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory

Jacquetta, daughter of the Count of Luxembourg and kinswoman to half the royalty of Europe, was married to the great Englishman John, Duke of Bedford, uncle to Henry VI. Widowed at the age of nineteen she took the extraordinary risk of marrying a gentleman of her house-hold for love, and then carved out a life for herself as Queen Margaret of Anjou's close friend and a Lancaster supporter - until the day that her daughter Elizabeth Woodville fell in love and married the rival king Edward IV. Of all the little-known but important women of the period, her dramatic story is the most neglected. With her links to Melusina, and to the founder of the house of Luxembourg, together with her reputation for making magic, she is the most haunting of heroines.


Philippa Gregory's book The Other Boyeln Girl was the book that started my love for Historical Fiction, I just loved that book along with 2 others in that series.  I looked forward to her new series The War of the Rose also known as the Cousins War with high hopes.
  
This is book 3 in the  series.  The Red Queen was about Elizabeth Woodville, so we did see her mother in this one.  The White Queen was about Margaret Beaufort.  


So now we turn to Jacquetta, mother of Elizabeth Woodville.  The book started off so nicely, there was Joan of Arc, her ties to Melusina and what I thought was a great beginning.  Everything flowed together so nicely, I looked forward to reading more.   There was her marriage to John, Duke of Bedford, widowhood and then falling in love with Richard Woodville.  About half way through I felt it started to slow down somewhat.  The friendship between the Queen and Jacquetta didn't seem genuine to me, I actually found the Queen to be somewhat spoiled, but that is my opinion, and she very well might have been.  There was baby after baby (seriously I lost count as to how many there were and I found myself wondering what her body looked like after all those pregnancies).


It was still an interesting story, not as good as The Other Boleyn Girl and I am glad to have read it.