Sunday, February 16, 2025

Stacking the Shelves #46

 


Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Reading Reality. It's a place to showcase any books I have purchased, borrowed, or been lucky enough to have been given an advance copy of. Hope you find something that looks interesting to you or that makes you remember a favorite book you need to finish. Enjoy your reading this week!



Borrowed from Libby App:

I waited over a month for this one! I was excited to see it finally available. This author is very popular and this is her latest. Set in two different time periods it's not a novel I'd usually read but it involves Egyptian archaeology, museums, and a mystery so it looks intriguing. I'm on chapter 5 already and still hooked so I'm hoping I'm not disappointed. Looking at her other books I'm not sure if I'd like the settings but if this one is well written I might give them a try. It jumps back and forth between two main characters, Charlotte and Annie. Charlotte lives and works in 1970's New York and Annie lives in the same era. But we will be transported back to the 1930's to hear Charlotte's story. Traveling to Egypt something sinister happens and we will spend the book finding out what.



Purchase for Kindle: $1.99 on sale 

This is a book I will flip through and read when I need a break and just want to read a random chapter. It details all the major Queens of Scotland from Lady MacBeth to Anne. I'll just probably read it from week to week slowly and not necessarily in order. But that is nice as novels can sometimes take up so much of my time I don't read as much non fiction. This is in keeping with my goal to change that this year. I don't know a lot about the Queens of Scotland so I'm looking forward to a mini biography of each one.




Borrowed from Kindle Unlimited: 

This is book one in a mystery series I'd not seen before. It involves a sixteenth century Scottish lawyer, Hew Cullen, who is trying to solve a case of the murder of a teenager and accusations of misconduct by a Professor at the St. Andrews University. I love books set in Scotland and I love mysteries even more so I'm hoping this one is good. There are four more in the series too if I am wanting to continue. 














Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Can't Wait Wednesday: Silent As the Grave by Rhys Bowen (A Molly Murphy Mystery Book 21)

 


For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring,Silent As the Grave, by Rhys Bowen. I have only read the first book in the Molly Murphys series but I know they are very popular with mystery lovers. This is book 21 and Molly is sleuthing now as a wife and mother. She gets to go on set to watch a movie being filmed where the special effects turn deadly. Bowen does a good job with historical detail and her fans will be excited to see a new book continuing Molly's story. I hope you've found something you can't wait to read this week. Happy reading ya'll!




Cozy Mystery

March 11, 2025

Book Description courtesy of GoodReads:

With a newborn and two children, Molly Murphy Sullivan is tackling motherhood. Her husband, Daniel, is off to work in Washington as Easter break begins in New York. Her dear friend and writer, Ryan O’Hara, is shooting a movie, one of the first to involve a real plot and actors. He invites Molly and the children to visit the set and watch the excitement. When one of the actresses is fired, Molly’s adopted daughter, Bridie, is called to replace her in the scene. Turns out she’s a natural and is asked to star in the rest of the film. Molly is skeptical about leaving Bridie alone on set, but her great friends, Sid and Gus, offer to chaperone her.

The movie industry is still experimenting with ways to get the best shot, like pretending to tie Bridie to real train tracks. But soon, their special effects start to malfunction. After a few mishaps where no one is hurt, the special effects turn deadly. With rumors of a feud between studios, Molly believes these malfunctions are sabotage. She is invited to go undercover on set to investigate the burgeoning film war. Once again, Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles deliver an engaging mystery full of vibrant historical details and thrilling escapades featuring one of mystery's most beloved sleuths.

Friday, February 7, 2025

Noteworthy News #7: Not Just the Tudors Podcast

 


Years ago I was obsessed with all things Tudor England. I read every Jean Plaidy book I could (my first book of hers I ever read was about Queen Elizabeth II and it hooked me) and researched them to no end. This was all before smart phones and Kindles and the internet. So we are talking 80's and 90's era. When you actually had to go to the library and hunt for things. Which I honestly miss. But that's another topic for another day! 

When I first came across this podcast I was intrigued from the name. It seemed to read my mind.....I love this era but I'd like to know more about what was going on in the world during the Tudor period outside of England. Or maybe at court but learning about other people besides Henry and his offspring and his religious battles. This podcast sets out to do just that. Bring us wonderful stories and history of the Tudors but not just the Tudors. 

So for example, right now I'm listening to a 4 part series (so far) on the rise of the Borgia family. This all takes place during the same general time but it gives perspective because I'm sure things happening in Italy were relevant to many other countries. I also don't mind getting back to storeis about the Tudors, which they do a lot of as well.

So if you are in love with and learning about the Tudors specifically you will love this show. And if you are like me you will love the side stories going on at the same time. It is also narrated by an excellent and knowledgeable lady, Dr. Suzannah Lipscomb. She's been on Matt Lewis's podcast, Gone Medieval and I've always enjoyed her stories and research. Check it out if you love this time period as much as I do. You won't be disappointed! 

Click on the picture to go to the website for more information and some really great content links!




Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Case of the Christie Conspiracy by Kelly Oliver (A Detection Club Mystery)

 


For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, The Case of the Christie Conspiracy, by Kelly Oliver. I have really enjoyed her Fiona Figg series which are light hearted but well written cozy mysteries set during WWI. She has decided to take a whole new direction with this series by making Agatha Christie the suspect in the story. I'm not sure how it will turn out but it sure is an interesting premise. I hope you've found something you can't wait to read this week! Happy Reading ya'll!




Cozy Mystery

February 16, 2025

Book Description courtesy of GoodReads:

Agatha Christie is about to embark on a new, gripping murder case. But this time, she’s not the author – she’s a suspect…

1926 – Christie is a darling of the literary circuit and the most desired guest in London’s glittering social scene. She can often be found at meetings of the Detection Club – where mystery writers come together to share ideas, swap secrets and drink copiously. But then a fellow author's initiation ceremony takes a gruesome turn, and one of the group ends up dead. Now, Agatha is no longer just the creator of great mystery plots – she’s a player in one.

And when Agatha disappears the day after the murder, she’s widely assumed to be guilty. Only Eliza Baker, assistant to the Club’s enigmatic secretary, Dorothy Sayers, is interested in investigating the case. But in a world where murder is the ultimate plot device, can Eliza piece together the evidence and find the killer before it’s too late?


Sunday, February 2, 2025

Stacking the Shelves #45

 


Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Reading Reality. It's a place to showcase any books I have purchased, borrowed, or been lucky enough to have been given an advance copy of. Hope you find something that looks interesting to you or that makes you remember a favorite book you need to finish. Enjoy your reading this week!



Purchase from Hourly History website: Free

Every Friday Hourly History sends me an email with books that are free or very cheap for that day. I have loaded up on these. They are becoming my favorite quick books to read between longer ones. I don't know much about this Scottish ruler so a quick overview will be great and then I can decide if I want to delve further with a longer history or historical fiction book about him. I have a few books by author N. Gemini Sasson that I might dig back into. She has written a series called The Bruce Trilogy about Robert the Bruce that look good. 






Borrowed from Library: Free

I love Matt Lewis's books and podcast. He is so knowledgeable about the middle ages and especially the Wars of the Roses period. I never get bored listening to his show, Gone Medieval, on Apple Podcast. This book takes different instances of rebellion during the period of the Norman Conquest through the Wars of the Roses and adds his usual interesting spin on them. As a history buff I'm excited for this one!







Purchase on Kindle: $0.99 on sale

This author has written a series of books called, "Medieval Babes: Tales of Little Known Ladies." There are twelve in all, they are short, no more than on average, 250 pages but each one is about someone who is either a secondary person in the life of a more famous one or an overlooked queen, such as Eleanor of Provence. I love authors who write about these people because there is so much on the famous historical figures out there. It's nice to learn about someone entirely different sometimes. 





Friday, January 31, 2025

Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie (A Hercule Poirot Mystery, Book 24)


Publication Date: 

May 1942

Genre:

Classic Mysteries/Cozy Mysteries

Series:

Hercule Poirot Mysteries 

Length:

234 pages

Book Description (GoodReads):

It was an open and shut case. All the evidence said Caroline Crale poisoned her philandering husband, a brilliant painter. She was quickly and easily convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
Now, sixteen years later, in a posthumous letter, Mrs. Crale has assured her grown daughter that she was innocent. But instead of setting the young woman's mind at ease, the letter only raises disquieting questions. Did Caroline indeed write the truth? And if she didn't kill her husband, who did?

To find out, the Crale’s daughter asks Hercule Poirot to reopen the case. His investigation takes him deep into the conflicting memories and motivations of the five other people who were with the Crales on the fatal day. With his keen understanding of human psychology, he manages to discover the surprising truth behind the artist's death.

My Thoughts:

The title of the book was clever. Poirot labels each suspect as one of the pigs from the nursery rhyme and we see the reasons unfold as each one tells his or her account of what they heard and saw about the murder as well as their thoughts and impressions of the others. 

There are Phillip and Meredith Blake (brothers), Angela (Mrs. Crale's half sister), Angela's governess Cecilia Williams, and model Elsa Greer who is carrying on with the victim prior to his death. Elsa is only a young girl of around twenty who is carefree and unbothered that she is breaking up a marriage. Most of the people involved either love or hate her and some feel she is a manipulator and well aware of what she is doing. Some are unsympathetic to Caroline and feel she deserved what she got....going to prison for killing her husband. 

Caroline's daughter, Carla is not so sure and wants Poirot to find out the truth. He does so in his customary way of interview and reel them in. He spends a lot of time listening to the five people tell their stories and trying to decipher the mental motives behind it all. The truth of course isn't what is seems at first and it will take him patience and time to get to the bottom of things. 

This book was honestly disappointing for me. I found it to be long and tedious. There just wasn't much to the plot. Jealous wife. Daughter determined to clear her mother's name. Saucy young girl with fantasies in her head of the future with a married man who will love her only. It's been done so many times. I absolutely love Poirot, always do. But this story just fell flat and the ending was not that climactic to me. I think as always Christie is a master of human psychology and sets up her characters and their many personal flaws superbly. She really excels with knowing how people operate. I just thought the mystery and crime were pretty substandard and the resolution not all that exciting or jaw dropping. I guess I'm used to a little more "twistiness" in her stories now! 

While I don't recommend skipping this one altogether, it is not one I'd put on my radar if you have a limited time to read Christie books. It felt like she was kind of going through the motions with it. But I got it read and reviewed in January and that was my goal!




Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Rebel Empresses: Elisabeth of Austria and Eugenie of France: Power and Glamour in the Struggle for Europe by Nancy Goldstone

 



For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, The Rebel Empresses, by Nancy Goldstone. She has written several award winning non- fiction history books that I have added to my lists over the years. Many involve some lesser known historical figures such as Catherine de' Medici's daughter, Marguerite de Valois and Joanna of Naples. This one looks interesting and the cover is so pretty. I hope you've found something you can't wait to read this week. Happy reading ya'll!

History

February 25, 2025





Book Description courtesy of GoodReads:

When they married Emperors Franz Joseph and Napoleon III, respectively, Elisabeth of Austria and Eugénie of France became two of the most famous women on the planet. Not only were they both young and beautiful—becoming cultural and fashion icons of their time—but they played a pivotal role in ruling their realms during a tempestuous era characterized by unprecedented political and technological change.
 
Fearless, adventurous, and independent, Elisabeth and Eugénie represented a new kind of empress—one who rebelled against tradition and anticipated and embraced modern values. Yet both women endured hardship in their private and public lives. Elisabeth was plagued by a mother-in-law who snatched her infant children away and undermined her authority at court. Eugénie’s husband was an infamous philanderer who could not match the military prowess of his namesake. Between them, Elisabeth and Eugénie were personally involved in every major international confrontation in their turbulent century, which witnessed thrilling technological advances, as well as revolutions, assassinations, and wars.

With her characteristic in-depth research and jump-off-the-page writing, Nancy Goldstone brings to life these two remarkable women, as Europe goes through the convulsions that led up to the international landscape we recognize today.











Friday, January 24, 2025

Death Below Stairs by Jennifer Ashley (A Below Stairs Mystery Book One)

 

Publication Date:

January 2, 2018

Genre:

Cozy Historical Mystery

Series:

A Below Stairs Mystery Book One

Length: 

336 pages


Book Description (GoodReads):

Victorian class lines are crossed when cook Kat Holloway is drawn into a murder that reaches all the way to the throne.

Highly sought-after young cook Kat Holloway takes a position in a Mayfair mansion and soon finds herself immersed in the odd household of Lord Rankin. Kat is unbothered by the family’s eccentricities as long as they stay away from her kitchen, but trouble finds its way below stairs when her young Irish assistant is murdered.

Intent on discovering who killed the helpless kitchen maid, Kat turns to the ever-capable Daniel McAdam, who is certainly much more than the charming delivery man he pretends to be. Along with the assistance of Lord Rankin’s unconventional sister-in-law and a mathematical genius, Kat and Daniel discover that the household murder was the barest tip of a plot rife with danger and treason—one that’s a threat to Queen Victoria herself.

My Thoughts:

Through the story I learned a little more about the Irish/English conflict that has been going on for a very long time. The major plot of the novel centers around the Irish girl, Sinead, who is the victim and how her personal life might relate to an attempt on the Queen's life. We get to know a bit about the group "the Fenians" who are anarchists bent on bringing down British government if they can. Kat and Daniel are slowly drawn into this orbit unwillingly as they try to uncover who killed Sinead. 

The author also adds the fun "extra" of weaving recipes and cooking norms for the time throughout the story. I don't cook much but marvel at those who do. And especially a hundred or more years ago in a huge manor house. Kat is always creating delicious dishes despite the lack of resources or time and anxiety over the murder. It's a wonder!

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Queen's Favourite: A Novel of the Seymour Sisters by Raymond Wemmlinger

 



For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring,The Queen's Favourite, by Raymond Wemmlinger. This is his third book. His others include one about John Wilkes Booth's niece and the other about Lady Margaret Clifford's life during Mary Tudor's reign. 

This book tells the story of the Seymour sisters, Jane and Catherine, during Queen Elizabeth's time. The book covers are gorgeous and the subjects somewhat lesser known people so I find that interesting. I hope you've found a book you can't wait for this week. Happy reading ya'll!!


Historical Fiction

February 28, 2025




Book Description courtesy of GoodReads:

Two sisters plot to change the fate of their family…

England, 1558

Sixteen-year-old Catherine Seymour has always idolised her elder sister Jane. As a child Jane had been groomed to be queen, to marry her cousin King Edward, and since his death she has been determined to restore her family’s claim to throne.

Jane had spent time at Queen Mary’s court but she has now returned home to Hanworth Park to the delight of Catherine and their brother Ned.

To their surprise, Jane brings with her Lady Catherine Grey, sister of Jane Grey, the ill-fated nine-day queen, and heiress to the throne after Princess Elizabeth.

Jane confides in Catherine that she aims to bring about a betrothal between Lady Grey and Ned, so that their brother and his children have a chance to lay claim to the throne.

But everything changes when Mary suddenly dies, and Elizabeth succeeds as queen. Now the sisters must seek favour with a new monarch.

Luckily, Elizabeth’s succession proves advantageous for the Seymour family. Jane is chosen as a lady in waiting and immediately becomes a favourite.

Can Jane still bring her plan to fruition? Will it mean betraying the new queen?

Or will rumours of a romance between Queen Elizabeth and one of her courtiers change everything for the Seymour sisters…?

THE QUEEN’S FAVOURITE is a biographical historical novel of the Seymour sisters, Lady Jane Seymour and Lady Catherine Seymour, set during the Tudor period at Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth’s court.





Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Villainy in Vienna by Kelly Oliver (A Fiona Figg Mystery Book 3)

 

Publication Date:

January 20, 2022

Genre:

Cozy Historical Mystery

Series:

Fiona Figg Mystery Book 3

Length: 

260 pages



Book Description (GoodReads):

1917 Vienna.
File clerk turned British agent Fiona Figg is more comfortable wearing a fake mustache than a ballgown.
When a royal ball ends with a royal body in the middle of the dancefloor, Fiona trades her dancing slippers for practical oxfords and sets out to investigate.
As she tracks her nemesis, the Black Panther, from Vienna to the Austrian countryside, a hunting accident makes her rethink her loyalties.
Can Fiona prevent the Black Panther from striking again, save her own skin, and find a decent cup of tea, all before the enemy's emperor realizes she's a spy?


My Thoughts:

Having read these books in order (a feat for me!) book 3 was a lot of fun now knowing the characters better. While there wasn't a ton of murders or super intricate details going on to solve in this one, the political intrigue combined with the quirky personas involved made it a good book. Once again, Fiona is hot on the trail of her nemesis, notorious spy Fredrick Fredricks. He is always one step ahead of her though and continues to get in her head and see through her disguises. While Fiona is not the least bit interested in him romantically and only has eyes for fellow British spy Archie, she admits Fredricks is handsome and charming in his own way.

She is in Vienna to keep an eye on him and other players on the British side, and report any suspicious behavior to the British war office back home. When the story begins she attends a royal ball where a death occurs, setting things in motion. She befriends an eccentric woman, helps find the culprit in the kidnapping of the lady's dog, and eventually, has to outsmart some of the shady male diplomats around her while trying not to draw too much attention to herself. We meet the real Emperor and Empress of Austria which I found to be a wonderful side story.

I think that is what has kept me coming back to this series. The author does a good job of weaving in real historical characters and World War I information while keeping things light and humorous. I learned a bit about the war again, Vienna's royal society during the time, and was reminded that Fredrick Fredricks was indeed a real person. The next set of books in this series take on a second main character, Kitty, and I will pick up with it soon. They are a good break from serious books.

















Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Can't Wait Wednesday: Last Twilight in Paris by Pam Jenoff

 


For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, Last Twilight in Paris, by Pam Jenoff. It looks like an interesting mystery set just after WWII. I don't read many books set during this time period but I know it is an incredibly popular era in historical fiction. Happy reading ya'll! 

Historical Fiction/Mystery/WWII

February 4, 2025
 



Book Description courtesy of GoodReads:

A Parisian department store, a mysterious necklace and a woman’s quest to unlock a decade-old mystery are at the center of this riveting novel of love and survival, from New York Times bestselling author Pam Jenoff

London, 1953. Louise is still adjusting to her postwar role as a housewife when she discovers a necklace in a box at a secondhand shop. The box is marked with the name of a department store in Paris, and she is certain she has seen the necklace before when she worked with the Red Cross in Nazi-occupied Europe —and that it holds the key to the mysterious death of her friend Franny during the war.

Following the trail of clues to Paris, Louise seeks help from her former boss Ian, with whom she shares a romantic history. The necklace leads them to discover the dark history of Lévitan—a once-glamorous department store that served as a Nazi prison, and Helaine, a woman who was imprisoned there, torn apart from her husband when the Germans invaded France.

Louise races to find the connection between the necklace, the department store and Franny’s death. But nothing is as it seems, and there are forces determined to keep the truth buried forever. Inspired by the true story of Lévitan, Last Twilight in Paris is both a gripping mystery and an unforgettable story about sacrifice, resistance and the power of love to transcend in even the darkest hours.











Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Goals for 2025

 



First off.....I am wondering if I can get one of my three cats to pose like this? Lol....but seriously I love this Top Ten Tuesday post each year. Looking back I don't necessarily do well with these goals but I try! 

So here again in January are my bookish goals I hope to accomplish this year and I am excited to see how many I have in common with my fellow readers and bloggers. They are in no particular ranking order, just my thoughts. Thanks to Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl for hosting this each week. Happy reading ya'll!


1. Read more history- I say this every year....I used to be such a straight up reader of history books. But darn if my fellow bloggers didn't get me hooked on historical fiction and now there are so many wonderful books out there I'm finding it impossible to read a dry history book.

2. DNF books after page 50- If I have devoted this much time and energy I need to stop. I'm 50 years old and have only so much time in life left to read...lol.

3. Stop starting so many series- This will be sooooo difficult for me. I love series books but I have to be choosy because I can't possibly read all the books in every series I come across.

4. Spend more time reading and commenting on others' blogs- I absolutely love reading book blogs but often get absorbed in them and forget to comment too. I need to work on this!

5. Whittle down my TBR pile- I know we all have this goal. Enough said. Pick a book and finish it each month is a good start!

6. Give a chance to some new authors- Another goal I always have. I truly want to do this but it's hard when I need a good book from a trusted author I know won't disappoint me and waste my time.

7. Finish my actual paper books- I don't have many as at my age and with my eyesight getting worse each year I'm an avid Kindle user. But I have some great paper books you can't get on Kindle so I want to try to start them this year.

8. Post more consistently- I do post weekly and often more than once. But I don't want just reviews. There are so many fun weekly post ideas and challenges I want to get more involved with. It is just lack of time that causes me to have whole weeks where I don't post with intention.

9. Devote more time in my week to actually reading- This is another goal I'm sure I share with my fellow bloggers and readers.....spending a lot of time looking at new books but not enough time actually reading them. It's just so relaxing to scroll and dream :) 

10. Work on collections- Lately I've been wanting to scour more bookstores for books that are worth keeping in physical form. I'd love to own all of Jean Plaidy's works as they are hard to find and many other authors I've grown up loving. Just for fun. Just because. 


Friday, January 10, 2025

Pirates and Patriots: A Tudor Naval Adventure by David Field (The New World Nautical Saga Book 1)

 

Publication Date:

June 2, 2023

Genre:

Historical Fiction

Series:

The New World Nautical Saga Book 1

Length: 

246 pages


Book description (goodreads):

The world is Drake’s oyster…

England, 1554

Fifteen-year-old Francis Drake is realising his dream of sailing on the open seas. After training with his cousins William and John Hawkins in their naval business, he takes his first commission upon the Bonaventure.

But when disaster strikes the ship and Francis saves the men with his quick-thinking, he makes an enemy of the captain, who threatens to charge Francis with mutiny.

Francis must seek a new path to make his fortune and he joins with the Hawkins brothers to search for glory in foreign lands.

But trading on the world stage is already being dominated by Spanish and Portuguese explorers and so Francis must act quickly if he wishes to make his mark.

And as one Tudor queen makes way for another, and Spanish relations grow ever tenser, Francis Drake may soon be needed to help save his country from the threat of war...



My Thoughts:

I have read most of Field's Medieval series and was not interested in this one at first. So glad I changed my mind because I absolutely loved this book and can't wait to read the next two in the three part series. 

Francis Drake is such a fascinating person and even though I know some of the story was crafted by the author, the basic facts as to how he rose through the ranks to defeat the Spanish Armada are solid. The love story between him and his wife Mary seemed plausible and her needing him to validate her as a wife and being distraught at how long he'd be away on his voyages felt very realistic. 

I loved the way he was portrayed as having a sense of humor about life too and wondered if this were something the author felt he had to add because it was something written in historical documents. His interactions with his cousins, Queen Elizabeth, and his crew members made the history come alive. I actually found myself wanting more detail as to how he handled his work life during the times he wasn't at sea.

Not needing or wanting books with detailed accounts of battles, this one was again a great balance of recreating the voyages to the West Indies and Americas, the navigating of the later named Drake's Passage, and the fateful day defeating Spain's formidable navy without so much detail one gets bored. Field's books don't feel like military books but they include enough to do justice to the important parts you have to learn. 

I will definitely be continuing with this series and all of his books. This is the way to learn history!