Stacking the Shelves #18

 

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 :)

I have wanted to read Georgette Heyer for awhile now and see her reviewed positively by so many of my fellow bloggers. This book particularly interests me due to the focus on the Napoleonic Wars period so I'm thinking it's a good place to start. I have borrowed a copy from the Libby App and started today. I am very confused by some of the initial conversation but that hopefully will iron itself out as I continue with the book. Also, I'm going to probably swap it out for one of the classics on my Classics Club list that just isn't doing it for me. If you've read this one, did you like it?

It's time to start another Cadfael book. The last one I read was book 4, St. Peter's Fair and it wasn't my favorite but this one looks unique and interesting. I like to go in order with most series books I read so this is next. Always full of great atmosphere set in the 1100's world of Shrewsbury and Wales, the Cadfael Chronicles are fun to pick up for a quick read and great mystery. Also, they are often on sale so you can slowly collect them all for around $1.99 each. My daily Book Bub emails really pay off when it comes to Kindle books!

I read and reviewed MacLean's stand alone novel, The Bookseller of Inverness recently and really enjoyed it. This is book one in the Captain Damian Seeker series and I always hear good things about the novels. Set during the Cromwell period in London, it has been called, "the best historical crime novel of the year" by one paper and that sounds like a book I should try. Another one I got on sale for $1.99 this week thanks to my daily Early Bird Books email. 

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Battles of Bonnie Prince Charlie: The Young Chevalier At War by Dr. Arran Johnston

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring The Battles of Bonnie Prince Charlie by Dr. Arran Johnston. I love all things to do with the Jacobite period and this book delves into the personal as well as the political and military aspect of the Prince's decisions. 

While I'm not a huge fan of dissecting battles piece by piece, this book looks like one which gets into his mind and the reasons why he made the decisions he made which led to the fatal battle of Culloden. It also seems to be a somewhat sympathetic portrait of Stuart, explaining why he failed and how unprepared he was for the mission he was tasked with.

Anything offering a new perspective on an old story is always welcome. What book are you excited to read this week?

October 30, 2023

History/Scottish History

Description courtesy of NetGalley

Prince Charles Edward Stuart (1720-1788) was the grandson of Britain’s last Stuart king and the last of his line to fight for their right to the throne. Born in Rome and raised at his father’s cultured and cosmopolitan court-in-exile, the young prince grew up beneath a heavy weight of expectation and yearned for the chance to prove his worth. In 1745, just as it seemed his best opportunity had already passed, Charles threw caution to the wind and embarked on a secret and seemingly desperate expedition to Scotland. What followed is one of the most remarkable, famous, and often misrepresented episodes of Scottish history: the ’45.

This is the story of the last Jacobite rising and the charismatic but controversial prince who led it, presenting a human portrait of the Stuart prince through the words of those who served alongside him. The picture revealed is one of a humane and capable young man taking on a mission far greater than his experience had prepared him for, pushed to the limits of his abilities at a cost from which he never recovered.

Following Charles Edward Stuart over the battlefields of Prestonpans, Falkirk and Culloden, this book reveals the prince’s strengths and flaws as a commander, and the difficult relationships he had with the very people on whom his fortunes, and reputation, would depend. It is the story of how the prince faced conflicts both on and off the battlefield, weathered challenges posed by friends as well as foes, and left a legacy which remains hotly contested to this day.

Stacking the Shelves #17

 

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 :) 

When a book is described as perfect for fans of Anne Perry I'm always interested. This title is similar to one of her mysteries I've read, Silence in Hanover Close. It is also set during the Napoleonic Wars which I love. A returning soldier, a missing girl, and political intrigue make this mystery very enticing. I will be reading this one in the coming weeks for sure. 

I am currently reading Carol McGrath's The Stolen Crown, about Empress Matilda and the Anarchy period. This book was also on sale for me this week and is the first in the She Wolf trilogy. I do not know much about Eleanor of Provence, the wife of Henry III so I want to try this book and move on to the other two after it. I know some of my fellow bloggers really enjoy her novels so I'm looking forward to it. And such gorgeous covers too!

This book I borrowed from the Libby app to listen to on audio. I have been really enjoying Christie books in my car on the way to work. I generally don't like audiobooks but for this author they are a great fit for me. So almost all my audio listens are Christie. I had never heard of this one and as I love Poirot best, I thought I'd try it. I'm not doing the October Read Christie book because it's one I'd already read. But I just wanted to pick another to keep it going. Has anyone read this one? What did you think?

Murder, I Spy: A Dora and Rex Mystery by Lynn Morrison (Dora and Rex 1920's Mystery Book One)

 

Publication Date: April 26, 2023

Length: 230 pages

Well, the addition of the cat on the cover was the final straw to make me want to read this book....but...really, I spotted this series a couple of times being promoted on my Facebook feed as a "cross between Downton Abbey and Miss Fisher Mysteries." So I had to see for myself if that were true. There are three books out this year and a fourth due this fall that is now available for pre-order that I featured on this week's Can't Wait Wednesday. 

Lord Reginald "Rex" Bankes-Fernsby is still trying to get his life together after his years in World War I and is haunted by all he witnessed. He feels adrift in life and unable to settle down. With money and his good name he knows he should have the world at his fingertips but can't figure out what he wants to do. When his seemingly confident, fellow soldier friend Freddie is murdered he is shocked and determined to figure out what happened. 

His first stop is to visit Freddie's latest love interest, Theodora Laurent. He is unaware that she is a notorious spy and that they have met before. A back story for another time, "Dora" knows well who Rex is but he has no idea about her identity. He is immediately smitten by her charm and perfume, having a hard time staying focused on why he has sought her out: information about Freddie. Just when he begins to make some progress in questioning her last contact with the victim, someone takes a shot at them and they are on the run together. 

For safety's sake and the investigation, Rex and Dora end up under the same roof together. As their search takes them to night clubs and warehouse docks, the two dance around their growing feelings and suspicions of each other, all the while united in their desire to catch Freddie's killer and keep his reputation intact. Will Rex find out he's met Dora before? Will Dora admit she wants him in her life after this case is solved?

I enjoyed this mystery and appreciated the way the author had us a little confused and guessing about Dora's identity and how she knows Rex already. One of my peeves with modern writers is how they spell out way too much, repeat themselves, and just generally write what I'd call more YA than adult. This book had me re-reading some paragraphs especially in the beginning to make sure I was getting the subtle hints about the two and their prior interactions. We are left hanging throughout the book as to the killer's identity and while the ending isn't a giant cliffhanger, it comes together nicely. 

Rex and Dora have nice chemistry which I can see will continue into book two and at the end it is made clear that they will be working together again (I won't spoil it by giving away more!) Their banter reminds me of an old movie and it's nice to see no bad language or inappropriate contact between the characters, making this a great cozy mystery. Looking forward to reading the next one soon.

Can't Wait Wednesday: Double Cross Dead: A Dora and Rex Mystery by Lynn Morrison (Dora and Rex 1920's Mystery Book Four)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring Double Cross Dead: A Dora and Rex Mystery by Lynn Morrison. I'm currently finishing up reading and reviewing book one and this is book four due out at the end of the month. These books are cute and cozy and the author does a good job of combining mystery with humor. They have been described as a lot like reading a Miss Fisher Mystery and I'd have to agree so far. This one involves the Prince and Windsor Castle which is always fun. I hope you've found something you can't wait for this week!

October 30, 2023

Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Historical Mystery

Description courtesy of Amazon books

An enemy lurks in the prince's inner circle. He'll do anything to escape justice... even commit murder.

England, 1923. Love is in the air and all eyes are on Windsor Castle, where the royal family is celebrating a new royal engagement. When party invitations are sent to only an elite few, Dora and Rex's invite comes with strings attached.

There's a traitor hiding within the prince's inner circle. Dora and Rex, England's preeminent undercover spy team, are assigned to uncover the turncoat. Their sole lead is a tip from an anonymous informant. To get the clue, they must meet him privately during the engagement bash.

But, when they show up at the secret rendezvous, instead of a clue, they find a dead body and Rex's best friend Clark holding the murder weapon.

Has Clark turned traitor or was he framed? Can Dora and Rex work double-time to clear their friend's name and identify the real killer before Scotland Yard's leading investigator puts Clark away for life?

The King's Jewel by Elizabeth Chadwick

 

Publication Date:  April 18, 2023

Length: 512 pages

This is the first Chadwick novel I've read and reviewed. I have skimmed the beginning of a couple of her William Marshal books but never got around to reading them. I know they are very popular and come highly recommended by my fellow blogger friends. Nesta of Wales is definitely what I'd call an obscure topic so I wanted to try this book. Also, it is Chadwick's latest so I knew it would be one others might not have gotten around to reading yet. 

The story begins in Wales in the year 1093. Young Nesta, a Princess of the territory of Deheubarth, daughter of King Rhys ap Tewdwr, is in the stables seeing to the new colt recently birthed. Her father is off on a mission to see the hated Normans, encroaching into Welsh territory and expected home any day now. When he arrives, carried on his horse, killed in battle, Nesta's world changes forever. She and her mother, along with her brother, who is now the four year old heir to the kingdom are forced to run for the coast and only her brother Gruffyed makes it to a waiting ship to be taken off to safety in Ireland. Nesta and her mother are kidnapped by the Norman warriors, separated, and taken into the custody of foreign strangers in a foreign land, their world turned upside down. 

When Nesta begins her captivity she is treated well by the ladies of the house who encourage her to accept her fate and to try to learn the language and culture of her surroundings. Eventually, she catches the eye of Henry, brother to the King, who takes her as his latest conquest. Although he is not abusive, he is harsh and demanding and Nesta grows to hate him as she realizes she is a pawn in the game of the powerful. When William Rufus dies and Henry becomes King, her world improves when she gives birth to his illegitimate son and Henry at least provides for them in a decent manner. Throughout the years of uncertainty and separation from her family, Nesta learns to rely on herself and the circle of women she is forced to live with, also concubines of Henry who bear him many children. 

Just when she is ready to give up on another life, Nesta receives news that she is to be married off to a man who will care for her and her child and hopefully take her back to Wales, where she will be among her people. 

Alongside Nesta's story is Gerald's. He is a Norman, fighting with Henry and his men but with an affinity for the Welsh people, as he has been installed there as Castellan of Pembroke Castle, in Deheubarth. He is both loyal to his King while also feeling tied to the land he is overseeing. As he ponders his future, Gerald finds a way to have all he wishes for when he makes a bold move to approach King Henry and ask him to fulfill his wish for a family and security. 

The subject matter in this book was fascinating and I found myself researching the back stories of the main characters. Although Chadwick clearly did a lot of research for this one, she admits some of the story had to be filled in with fiction because there is just not enough on Nesta and Gerald in the record to know everything. I thought she did a great job of sticking to the facts while adding her own personal touches. I learned a lot about the time period and Wales too which I really enjoyed.

The downside of the book for me was that it started to feel more like a romance novel about halfway through. I also started to grow tired of Nesta and her complaining, even after she is given a new start. To be clear, she is traumatized and assaulted by Henry at a very young age and no doubt this influences her dark outlook on things, but some of the choices she makes are hard to reconcile with the life she is presented with. I preferred the history and adventure at the beginning and wish Chadwick had stuck to more of that than letting the story devolve into too much emotion and drama between the main characters. It just became tedious after awhile. 

I still enjoyed the book and recommend it but it didn't have the feel of a Penman or Weir historical novel. I guess I need to try one of her Marshal books as I hear such great things about them.

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Wilderness Way by Anne Madden

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring The Wilderness Way by Anne Madden. It is set in the aftermath of the Irish famine and continues in America during the Civil War. Both time periods are fascinating and full of great history. I have not heard of this author before so I'm always happy to promote new people. If you read it, let me know what you think in a review. Happy reading this week!

December 7, 2023

Historical Fiction

Description courtesy of Net Galley

Inspired by a true story.

1861, Donegal, Ireland

Ten years ago Declan Conaghan’s father died in the Great Famine, and since then, Declan has kept his promise to keep his family out of the workhouse. But all that is threatened with the arrival of new landlord, John Adair. Adair is quick to cause trouble and fear among his tenants. When he turns them off his land, Declan has no option but to break his promise…

Declan is in despair until he receives a letter from America offering him the chance of a new life and salvation for his family. But it would mean signing up to the US Army and fighting for Lincoln. Despite knowing nothing of war, or US politics, Declan leaves behind all he knows.

Set against the wild landscapes of Ireland and the turbulent times of the American Civil War, this sweeping narrative takes us on an epic journey to understand the strength and endurance of the human spirit.

Top Ten Tuesday: My Ongoing Reading Goals

 

First of all.....how cute is this kitten? But to my goals....I made my top ten list of reading goals for 2023 in January and it was fun to check back in to see how I'm progressing. That is, fun until I realize I'm not meeting a lot of them. But that's okay. My blog is to promote books and the pleasure of reading so I'm not going to stress that I am not doing everything I set out to and make a list with some old and new goals. And as always, thanks to That Artsy Reader Girl, for hosting Top Ten Tuesday each week!

1. Read more history- Well, this has not been my strong suit this year for sure. I have been so incredibly busy with my teenagers, job, home life with hubby, etc. that straight history has taken a backseat to cozy mysteries and authors I am already comfortable with. The last one I reviewed was Josephine, in April and I have read a couple that I didn't review. But this is one area I'd like to work on going forward. 

2. Read more from my Classics Club list- I joined the Classics Club in January and was so excited to create my list. Then when I started choosing books from it, the excitement waned. I don't know if it's just my crazy, busy life right now or if I just don't want to read them but it has been a real struggle. So I'm going to keep trying and maybe revise my list too. If I just can't get going on it then it may be something I decide to drop in 2024. Reading 50 classic books in 5 years is definitely harder than it looks! So far I've read and reviewed 7 of them so that is something to celebrate but not nearly enough to make my end goal.

3. DNF more books- I have gotten so much better at this in 2023. I am still trying to remind myself that life is too short and there are just too many good books out there to keep reading ones I don't like. So this has been something I'm really striving to do.

4. Try new authors- I have tried and enjoyed many new authors this year but still gravitate to my favorites. I have to remind myself that when reviewing books it is good to have a variety of selections or people will get bored with your blog. Then again, it's my blog so I need to read and review what I like, right? Thanks to my blogger friends out there though I've discovered some great new writers so I'm going to keep trying to branch out.

5. Be okay with taking a long to time to finish a book- I have literally been reading Penman's Lionheart for over 6 months. And it's not because it's a struggle or I'm forcing myself. If anything, it's because I love it so much that it is taking me awhile. Sometimes I get frustrated that I can't read it faster but so be it. If an epic novel takes a whole year to read and absorb I'm trying to be okay with that, and just enjoy it.

6. Ditch Net Galley more- This goal might seem strange to my fellow bloggers but here is what I mean.....sometimes I go onto Net Galley and feel pressured to pick something. But often I find I'm just choosing books because they are new. And then requesting them and dreading reading them. I am vowing not to do that anymore. If something looks truly interesting to me, I'll request it. If not, then log out and go find an older book, classic book, or yet another sequel book by an author I love. Trying to read and review all the new, shiny books is stressful!

7. Quit picking books based off the cover- So sometimes this can be fun and rewarding. But often, shiny pretty covers do not equal good books. I just get hooked in by the style and pictures. So I'm going to force myself to really examine the content more. We will see if I'm able to stick to this though :) I'm a sucker for beautiful book covers!

8. Set a daily reading minutes goal and stick to it- I've tried to be casual about my reading and just go with the flow but with life getting in the way I think choosing a daily minutes goal would be good for me. Even if it's just 20 minutes it will keep me on track on the busiest days. While I always want to read, it can sometimes be hard to do much of it when I don't plan to sit down and be quiet and focus.

9. Be okay with having several books going at once- Sometimes I'm good at this but often I feel like reading books piecemeal is somehow "wrong." Then I remember this is okay because forcing yourself to read just one book at a time can be frustrating when your mood is just not into that particular book that day. So I'm going back to reading whatever, whenever, as long as it's a book I'm enjoying.

10. Not care what others think of my reading- This is hard for me. I vacillate between wanting to read deep, thoughtful books and something light and airy. When I was younger,  I thought it was somehow a waste of time to read books that weren't teaching me something. Now as I get older I've discovered you don't have to be so deep all the time. It's probably from growing up with parents who really instilled a love of reading for educational purposes and weren't big fiction readers unless it was a classic book. I love and appreciate them for that but I'm finding with our world so intense these days, cozy books and lighthearted historical fiction is so good for the soul sometimes. So I'm going to enjoy whatever works for me and so should everyone else! 

Appointment With Death (A Hercule Poirot Mystery) by Agatha Christie

 

Publication Date: May 2, 1938

Length: 256 pages

This was the Read Christie choice for September and I am getting it read and reviewed in the nick of time. It features Hercule Poirot as the lead investigator and as he is my favorite of Christie's characters, I was glad to dive into this book.

The story caught my attention from the first as Poirot, on vacation in Jerusalem, overhears a man and a woman talking. The man says to her, "You do see, don't you, that she's got to be killed?" Raymond Boynton and his sister Carol are at their wits end with their domineering, evil stepmother, Mrs. Boynton, a former prison warden, who delights in making everyone in the family miserable. She is controlling and nasty and seems to take real pleasure in the misery of others. For years she has orchestrated her own little fiefdom in which she dictates all the decisions of her deceased husband's children and her own child, Ginny Boynton, and attempts to do the same with her stepson Lennox's wife Nadine, who resists her. When Mrs. Boynton is found dead later in the story on a family outing to the ruins of Petra, Poirot believes he can solve the case in 24 hours and sets out to follow the clues.

Sarah King, a female doctor and Dr. Gerard, a psychologist staying at the same hotel as the other characters play an important role in the story. They are fascinated with the obvious dysfunction on display in the Boynton family. From the start of the book they are found discussing what they perceive to be the hold Mrs. Boynton has over the family. Sarah seems to be romantically interested in Raymond as well and feels almost a duty to save him from his stepmother's influence. When she confronts Mrs. Boynton at one point and bravely tells her what she thinks of her, she is met with a chilling response: "I've never forgotten anything- not an action, not a name, not a face." Later, these words will have great significance in the resolution of the crime and the identity of the murderer.

Also factoring into the story is Jefferson Cope, a friend of the family who is in love with Carol, Colonel Carbury, a local official who spends time with Poirot on the case, and Lady Westholme, a member of Parliament and important figure in society. 

My favorite part of this book was the first half when Christie spent time focusing on the psychology of the Boyntons. I found it very insightful and relevant to today when thinking of those who seem to have a natural inclination toward dictating to others and controlling others simply because they can. Christie was writing this during the 1930's when psychological studies were still relatively novel and so I thought she did an amazing job of describing the reasons behind the victim's personality. The way she was able to control her family without lifting a finger to physically harm them was disturbing and creepy and made you glad to see her go. 

As is usual for me, I love Christie until the sequence of chapters where each clue is given the once over. I realize that a lot of her readers love this part of the book but I think it can drag and get tedious when Poirot starts painstakingly going through them all. I now know it's just part of the style though and so I accept it and use it as a time to reflect and see if I can sift through them and guess who the culprit is. I confess I didn't win this round! It was clever and hidden and unexpected, at least for me. But believable and I thought the ending was a great one. This was one of my favorites so far and I look forward to the November Read Christie book. I have already read and reviewed the October selection, Murder On the Orient Express, so I'll be skipping that month. It's funny that I read it and didn't even realize it was the October choice!

Can't Wait Wednesday: Jane and the Final Mystery by Stephanie Barron (Being a Jane Austen Mystery: Book 15)

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring Jane and the Final Mystery by Stephanie Barron. I haven't read any of this series yet but it looked interesting. I am currently reading The Late Mrs. Willoughby which takes characters from Austen books and has them solving mysteries. So this book caught my eye as it has Jane herself solving crimes. If you've read any of the fifteen books from the Jane Austen Mystery series, what did you think? Will you be reading this one? It is the final book so I thought there might be some interested readers out there. Have a great week with whatever you can't wait for!

October 24, 2023

Historical Fiction/Historical Mysteries

Description courtesy of Amazon books

The final volume of the critically acclaimed mystery series featuring Jane Austen as amateur sleuth.

March 1817: As winter turns to spring, Jane Austen’s health is in slow decline, and threatens to cease progress on her latest manuscript. But when her nephew Edward brings chilling news of a death at his former school, Winchester College, not even her debilitating ailment can keep Jane from seeking out the truth. Arthur Prendergast, a senior pupil at the prestigious all-boys’ boarding school, has been found dead in a culvert near the schoolgrounds—and in the pocket of his drenched waistcoat is an incriminating note penned by the young William Heathcote, the son of Jane’s dear friend Elizabeth. Winchester College is a world unto itself, with its own language and rites of passage, cruel hazing and dangerous pranks. Can Jane clear William’s name before her illness gets the better of her?
 
Over the course of fourteen previous novels in the critically acclaimed Being a Jane Austen Mystery series, Stephanie Barron has won the hearts of thousands of fans—crime fiction aficionados and Janeites alike—with her tricky plotting and breathtaking evocation of Austen’s voice. Now, she brings Jane’s final season—and final murder investigation—to brilliant, poignant life in this unforgettable conclusion.