Can't Wait Wednesday: Princesses of the Later Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Plantagenets by Sharon Bennett Connolly

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday hosted by Tressa at the book blog, Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, Princesses of the Later Middle Ages, by Sharon Bennett Connolly. She is one of my favorite history authors and I always look forward to promoting her newest book. I love to listen to her podcast, A Slice of Medieval, where she examines the lives of many important medieval figures. 

It shows this book has already been released in the UK but is set to release here on October 30th. It should be wonderful with meticulous research as all her works are. Check out her amazing blog if you are into history, History....the interesting bits!

History, Medieval History

October 30, 2026

Book description courtesy of Goodreads:

England’s princesses emerge as diplomats who shape alliances through transformative marriages.

‘My daughter wanted me to treat her more like a princess. So, I married her to a stranger to strengthen the alliance with Poland!’

The medieval princess has often been portrayed as a pawn in the political machinations of her father or brother, married off to distant lands for the sake of peace, or land, or both. Never to be seen or thought of again.

But was that really her fate?

Princesses of the Later Middle Ages examines the lives and experiences of England’s princesses, from the treasured daughters of Henry III to the children of Edward IV, whose lives were turned upside down when they were declared illegitimate.

What we see is a very different story, where a foreign marriage does not mean eternal exile, but a purpose in life, where a princess is a diplomat, an ambassador for England in her new country. She is the bond between allies – most of the time.

Princesses of the Later Middle Ages shines a light on the lives and experiences of these remarkable women.

Stacking the Shevles #106

 

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. Happy reading y'all!

Click on the cover to learn more about the book!

Son of York by Amy Licence 

Kindle purchase: 99 cents with points

I have been back on a Wars of the Roses kick lately, rewatching The White Queen on STARZ. I just can't help myself. It seems like there is always something new to learn about the people, the battles, the political turmoil. I'll probably be reading about it the rest of my life. This is book one of two in Amy Licence's series and I couldn't pass up the great price. Looking forward to seeing her take on it all. 

The Queen of Last Hopes by Susan Higginbotham

Used book store: $2.49

I have come across this author before and right in step with my Wars of the Roses fascination, she has written several books about that time period. This one focuses on Margaret of Anjou and her tumultuous life married to King Henry VI during the wars. 

The Case of the Christie Conspiracy by Kelly Oliver (A Detection Club Mystery Book One)

Hoopla Digital Borrow: Free

Having just finished Oliver's Fiona Figg mystery series I'd like to start this one next. She imagines Agatha Christie if she were solving mysteries herself in the 1920's. I have to confess I was skeptical when these books came out because it is a risky move to take such a beloved author and real person and create an imaginary life for them. But they appear to be so popular I'm willing to give them a chance. And of course the covers are adorable. 

Highgate Rise by Anne Perry (Thomas Pitt Book Eleven)

Publication Date:

January 1, 1991

Genre: 

Historical Mystery

Length:  

352 pages

Series:

Thomas Pitt Mysteries

Book description courtesy of Goodreads:

Clemency Shaw, the wife of a prominent doctor, has died in a tragic fire. But whether the blaze was set by an arsonist aiming for the doctor, or set by the doctor himself, Inspector Thomas Pitt isn't certain. With the scarcity of clues, Pitt turns to Clemency's stuffy, but distinguished, relatives. Meanwhile, Pitt's wellborn wife, Charlotte, retraces the dangerous path that Clemency walked the last months of her life, and finds herself enmeshed in a sinister web that stretches from the lowest slums to the loftiest centers of power.

My Thoughts: 

Anne Perry is my go to when I'm in a reading slump. So I was disappointed that this one just didn't do it for me. I guess I'm 0-2 these last couple of weeks with my mysteries! This story started out great as all of her books do and honestly there isn't one I just completely dislike, but while I felt that excitement of a good mystery along with Pitt's no nonsense investigating ahead, it fizzled out pretty quickly. 

After the initial opening pages concerning the fire and suspicions as to who would have wanted the doctor's wife killed, the plot moved to the religious and personal relatives available to shed insight into the reasons they believed it happened. And while this is a normal part of Perry's mysteries, Charlotte investigating via drawing rooms and afternoon teas along with her sister Emily and Aunt Vespasia, I felt like we just kept hearing from the same people over and over again. The stories didn't change except for maybe a small tidbit here and there and I found myself growing bored with it all. 

By the time we figured out who had done it I wasn't very surprised. It seemed pretty obvious to me. And that was disappointing because one of the things I can usually count on with Perry's books is not knowing the full story and being shocked by something in the ending. I am not giving up on her books but unfortunately this one was just a bridge to the next. Sometimes that happens and that is okay, after all, there are 32 books just in the Pitt series alone!

 

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Seeds of War by David Field (The Wars of the Roses Saga Book 3)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday hosted by Tressa at the book blog, Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, The Seeds of War, by David Field. I have so many of his books to catch up on and I'm feeling a bit guilty that I was one of the fans who asked him to tackle the "three Edwards" and he did and I'm behind on his books! I have already pre-ordered the next book in this series so I'm all ready when I can get back to them. This is book three in his Wars of the Roses series and follows the reign of Edward III. 

Historical Fiction, Medieval Historical Fiction

October 9, 2026

Book description courtesy of Amazon Books

England goes to war with France…

England, 1327

After years of turmoil, England is once again at peace as Edward III takes the throne.

But warlike Edward has ambitions to finally rule Scotland, in addition to pursuing his claim to the crown of France in right of his mother, Isabella.

He needs men about him he can trust, and no-one answers that description better than Sir Henry Bywater, whose only ambition is to fight for the interests of the nation, declining all offers of advancement in return.

While fighting in both Scotland and France, Henry forms a friendship with Edmund Albrighton, a skilled master of the longbow.

The friendship deepens into a tight family bond when Edmund marries Henry’s sister, Eleanor.

As the Hundred Years War with France grinds on, the nation suffers through the Black Death and it looks like England could once more be thrown into disarray…

But can the Bywater family make it through unscathed?

Stacking the Shelves #105

 

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. Happy reading y'all!

Click on the cover to learn more about the book!

Highgate Rise by Anne Perry (Charlotte and Thomas Pitt Book 11)

Libby borrrow: Free

It's time to start the next Anne Perry book and since I tend to rotate them, the Pitt novels are up! In this one, Inspector Thomas Pitt must solve the mystery of who set fire to the home of a well respected doctor. His wife, who dies in the fire, at first seems an unlikely victim but as Pitt and his wife Charlotte start to investigate the couple's relatives and social circles they find a much different story. I am glad there are many of Perry's books left to read, they are such great mysteries and maintain a wonderful authenticity of setting in Victorian England.

The Queen's Vow: A Novel of Isabella of Castile by C.W. Gortner 

Hoopla Digital borrow: Free

Several of my book blogger friends have said Gortner's novels are excellent. He seems to be known for historical accuracy which I have to have in my historical fiction. I am fascinated with Queen Isabella, the mother of Katherine of Aragon, and I don't know much about her. Hopefullly book will give me a good grasp of her life within a well written and entertaining narrative. 

The Squandered Crown by David Field (The Wars of the Roses Saga Book Two)

Kindle purchase: Pre-order delivery 99 cents

Field's books are great for learning about history within an interesting storyline. He links his characters to each other generationally and that makes you more invested in their story even though they are often fictional. This is the second book in his Wars of the Roses saga. I am way behind with his books and need to start this series soon. I am still trying to finish two other books from his previous series about the founding of England, The Medieval Saga, because I just have to read in order.

The Harlot of St. Cecelia's by Darcy Graves (An Inspector Garrett Mystery Book One)

 

Publication Date:

October 1, 2026

Genre: 

Cozy Mystery, Historical Mystery

Length:  

312 pages

Series:

An Inspector Garrett Mystery

Book description courtesy of Goodreads:

England, 1923. The war is over but not forgotten, and in the cloistered corridors of a university town just outside London, life has resumed its careful performance of normality, with faculty politics, reading circles, and theatre productions.

Into this world comes Eden Brior: an American librarian, sharp-eyed and perpetually out of step, who came to England looking for her lost brother but has made her quiet life among the stacks of St. Cecelia's.

A trying evening becomes considerably worse when she and the charming, impossible Simon Cross are accidentally locked in the bookvault, and a French actress turns up dead in the nave upstairs.

Eden is a witness. She may also be a suspect. And Inspector William Garrett, who has seen everything, has not quite seen anything like her.

Witty, vivid, and steeped in the textures of postwar English life, The Harlot of St. Cecelia's is a mystery that earns its place on your shelf through character: the people who loved the victim, the ones who didn't, and the ones who aren't quite sure.

My Thoughts:

First in a series is always tricky....you want to give the author a chance to develop the characters and so I always go in with an open mind, ready to try book two. This story was not super exciting for me though and I haven't committed to continuing with it yet. But I do like to give things a chance so maybe eventually. The premise sounded interesting, murder in a library, love triangle, set in the 1920's. I usually love these types of mysteries. 

Unfortunately, I found myself just trying so hard to care about the characters and I just didn't. They felt flat to me. Part of me had an impression of Inspector Garrett that didn't bear out (can't say without spoilers!) and I found that the book started strong with the librarian Eden as the main focus only to kind of let her go towards the end of the first half. I kept thinking, "why did we quit talking about her, she was very interesting!" After continuing I decided I enjoyed the mystery part of the story, just not the character development. No one really stood out to me like in some books where you might have the quirky sidekick or someone with a loveable pet. 

The writing was good and I thought the setting was portrayed accurately so this was not a total loss of reading time. I just don't think I'm invested enough with the characters to continue though. 

Stacking the Shelves #104

 

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. Happy reading y'all!

Click on the cover to learn more about the book!

Queen of Trial and Sorrow by Susan Appleyard

Hoopla Digital borrow: free

I can't believe in all my searches for books about historical figures I've not yet run across this author. I've already started this one and it's fantastic! It is essentially the same type of book as Philippa Gregory's The White Queen, covering the life of Elizabeth Woodville and her adventurous journey through the Wars of the Roses. It is written in first person and draws you in immediately through her relationship with King Edward IV and her desperation after the death of her first husband. The great thing is that this author has multiple books on other topics and people that look just as promising. 

Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie (Hercule Poirot Book 36)

Libby Audiobook borrow: Free

I didn't know Christie had written a Halloween book and was even more excited to find out it was with Poirot as the lead detective. I love listening to these in the car with Hugh Fraser as the narrator. In this book, a young girl is found drowned in a barrel at a party where they were playing an apple bobbing game. As Poirot digs into the girl's life and the party guest list he finds she may not have been beloved and may have witnessed another murder herself, prompting someone to want her dead. A good one just in time for October.  

Murder at Melrose Court by Karen Menuhin (Heathcliff Lennox Book One)

Kindle Purchase: $2.99 this week 

This cover made me stop and look, as did the price and the fact that it is book one in a series I haven't tried. I also love the 1920's mysteries with male inspectors for a change. This will be a good one to get ready for Christmas posts. When Major Lennox finds a body on his doorstep it leads him to his uncle's country estate just in time for snow and more murder. The synopsis says "Downton Abbey meets Agatha Christie with a touch of Wodehouse and a dog of distinction." I love it already!

Death From High Places by Benedict Brown (Lord Edgington Investigates Book 1.5)

 

Publication Date:

January 24, 2022

Genre: 

Cozy Mystery, Historical Mystery

Length:  

84 pages

Series:

Lord Edgington Investigates

Book description courtesy of Goodreads:

Lord Edgington of Cranley Hall has some living to do. The next item to cross off on his list of grand ambitions is a serene balloon flight above his palatial estate. But, after a man falls to his death, the pleasant pursuit is interrupted, and the esteemed detective suspects foul play.

With the help of his hapless grandson, their loyal golden retriever and a couple of parachutes, Lord Edgington must solve the murder before the meddlesome police arrive to take control of the case. But, when all of the suspects seem like such nice chaps, it's awfully difficult to spot a killer.

My Thoughts: 

This was the perfect book for me this week. I have been in a bit of a reading slump lately. Overthinking my choices, feeling guilty I'm not reading or blogging as much. But I've just returned to teaching after a very long ten month medical leave and so it's been a lot. So this short, cute novella featuring some characters I love was the perfect way to jump start myself. 

Lord Edgington just wants to take a nice, quiet balloon ride but thanks to his grandson Albert's friends it doesn't quite turn out that way. Luckily, his other grandson, Christopher is there to help when a man falls to his death the day of the balloon ride. It appears his parachute did not open when he jumped from the balloon and Lord Edgington wants to know why before the pesky local police arrive. Being a former high ranking police official himself, he knows a thing or two about investigations and Christopher is a great assistant.

They interview the usual suspects and discover love triangles and resentments along with a killer that didn't fit their initial expectations. Throughout the story, Brown inserts his usual humor and sarcasm, especially within Christopher's thoughts, and he accurately portrays the way an awkward teen would feel around his older brother's much more beautiful, sophisticated friends. Brown also does a great job in his stories with setting. I do feel like I'm in England in the 1920's on holiday at a great country house, which is where most of his stories take place. The relationship between grandfather and grandson is sweet and subtle and very English. Lord Edgington does not suffer fools and secretly likes how Christopher is the only family member willing to take risks and come along for the ride with him- this time literally in a balloon. 

I will be continuing with this series. In some respects it is your typical 1920's cozy English mystery but I find it to be a bit more unique and authentic than some of the others. If you like your books clean with charming characters and challenging mysteries you will enjoy these books!

Poison in Piccadilly by Kelly Oliver (A Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane Mystery Book Six)

Publication Date:

September 14, 2024

Genre: 

Historical Fiction

Length:  

256 pages

Series:

Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane

Book description courtesy of Amazon:

1918 London

Is Fiona Figg ready to exchange her sleuthing cap for a bridal veil? 

Fiona is set to tie the knot with her dashing flyboy, Archie Somersby. But, while Fiona is busy planning her happily ever after, side-kick Kitty Lane and a group of judo-chopping suffragettes are kicking up trouble at the Piccadilly Jujitsu Club. 

When Kitty is found unconscious in the locker room during a high-stakes competition, Fiona must forsake her bouquets and bridal gown to investigate. Her sleuthing leads to a posh lady's luncheon where a mysterious death crashes Fiona's wedding plans. 

To make matters worse, the arch-nemesis of all things matrimonial, Fredrick Fredricks is up to his old tricks, attempting to put the brakes on Fiona's journey down the aisle. Will he succeed in tripping up Fiona's wedding vows? Or will she finally say "I don't" to the charming devil?

With humor as sharp as a judo chop and suspense as tight as a wedding corset, Poison in Piccadilly invites you to matrimonial mayhem that will have you saying "I do" to laughter and "forever more" to page-turning suspense. 

The book features real life suffragettes Sylvia Pankhurst and her bodyguards trained by Edith Garrud, who taught them jujitsu, which became known as Suffrajitsu.

My Thoughts:

This is the final book in the Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane mystery series. It was a lot of fun and although it's not deep reading I don't care....these stories are just fun and light and I'm such a fan of the covers. On audiobook they are especially great driving to and from work for a lightheartedness to get you through your day. I am going to miss Fiona, Kitty, Archie, Clifford, Fredricks, and the little dog, Poppy, but something tells me Oliver left the door open for another sequel some day.

In this story we stay in England which wasn't as much fun for me but that's okay, I think she wanted to end up where the story started. Fiona is shocked when her friend Kitty is found unconscious at the Piccadilly jujitsu club and is determined to find out what happened. Then a second murder occurs and she knows there is more to the story. As she investigates while also planning her wedding to Archie, Fiona realizes she might not be as sure of her commitment to him as she once thought. Then Fredricks shows up to confuse her even more. We spend the whole book wondering which man she will end up with and start to see more of Archie's secretive activities. She does her best to find out who would want her friend harmed and another woman killed and to fight her feelings for Fredricks. 

I thought the mystery part of the story was a bit slow and truth be told I wasn't terribly interested in the whole jujitsu thing. But that's a personal preference, the story was still entertaining. The ending made up for it and I thought she did a great job of wrapping up the series. I would like to start her newest one starring THE Agatha Christie solving crimes of her own. 

Stacking the Shelves #103

 

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. Happy reading y'all!

Click on the cover to learn more about the book!

Game of Queens: The Women Who Made Sixteenth Century Europe by Sarah Gristwood 

Kindle purchase: $1.99 

This book by an author I featured last week is a study of the most powerful women of the sixteenth century, during a time when women were not likely to rule much. From Isabella of Castile to Elizabeth Tudor this study of powerful women rulers looks like an interesting read. And not just because they are women, but because they shaped history in their time. I like books that include many historical figures and give an overall snapshot of their lives and accomplishments. 

Matilda II: The Forgotten Queen by Joanna Arman

Kindle purchase: 99 cents

Pen and Sword history has some of the best books from England that I want to read so badly but often I can't get them here in the U.S. or they are incredibly expensive. When I ran across this book today I was so excited! I'd featured it a long time ago on my Can't Wait Wednesday post and now it is available for a great discount. Matilda II from Scotland, wife of Henry I is a queen that is rarely written about and I love to learn about the more obscure royals and events that don't get a lot of attention. And also, look at that gorgeous cover! This is one book I'm going to put on my TBR list. 

A Question of Betrayal by Anne Perry (An Elena Standish Novel Book Two) 

Kindle purchase: $1.99

There are five books in the Elena Standish series and I now own the first two. Anne Perry is one of my favorite authors and since she passed away not long ago I'm glad I still have a long way to go with all her many books.  In this series, set between WWI and WWII, the heroine becomes involved in her first mission for MI16 British intelligence during the Mussolini years. Perry is so adept at combining real historical events with mystery, intrigue, and authentic settings.