Mrs. Lincoln's Rival by Jennifer Chiaverini

Title: Mrs. Lincoln's Rival
Author: Jennifer Chiaverini
Genre: Historical Fiction

Synopsis: A beautiful and intelligent young woman brought up by a father with presidential aspirations, Kate Chase works to establish her widowed father as a member of Lincoln's cabinet. As the people of Washington City praise her, Mary Todd Lincoln feels threatened and the two become rivals as they help the men in their lives to achieve greatness.

My Thoughts

This is the third novel that I have read by Jennifer Chiaverini (Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker, The Spymistress). Mrs. Lincoln's Rival had exactly what I liked about her other novels as well; a strong female lead living during the American Civil War offering a historical perspective different from the one told in history class. 
It was really interesting to learn about Kate Chase and her father, Salmon P. Chase, especially because they were from Ohio. Mr. Chase was governor of Ohio before being elected to represent Ohio in the Senate and then being selected by Lincoln to be Secretary of the Treasury. 
The reader gets inside information into how the government is being run as S. Chase solicits advice and confides in his daughter. Kate also gives a window into the social aspects of life as Washington City elite, holding dinners and attending parties hosted by the president and first lady. Of course, with Kate being a young woman, there is a large portion dedicated to courting rituals of the time as well.
Kate's friends also keep her informed about the happenings at the White House. I find the author's take on the Lincolns to be very intriguing because she does not idealize them, but rather focuses on the fact that they were real people.
Chiaverini chooses to showcase the less desirable aspects of Mary Todd Lincoln's temperament and the fact that Abraham Lincoln was not a strong abolitionist when he first took office.

If you are looking for a historically accurate piece of Civil War fiction then this book is for you! If you have read this novel, let me know what you think in the comments below!

To buy this book from amazon now, click on the image at the top of the post.
To see more from Jennifer Chiaverini, visit her website linked above.

The Martian by Andy Weir

Title: The Martian
Author: Andy Weir
Genre: Science Fiction

Synopsis: A man is stranded on Mars after an aborted mission when he is believed dead by his fellow astronauts. He chronicles his attempt to survive until the next mission to Mars arrives, in four years.

My Thoughts

As you can tell from my quick turn around on this post, this book is a really quick read. I'm not usually one for science fiction, as a science teacher the inaccuracies often really bother me. Andy Weir really knows his stuff, and I appreciate the research that had to go into keeping this novel realistic. It is a little science heavy at first, but it is needed to show how our stranded astronaut, Mark Watney, is well trained and creative enough to survive on Mars alone.

 Watney maintains a light and humorous tone as he keeps a log of his time on the red planet. The reader also gets to understand the situation from the perspective of officials at NASA and the team of astronauts who left Watney behind, as they work to save him. The best part is that even with careful scientific planning, things sometimes go awry for our protagonist; it is what keeps the reader totally engaged and invested in the story.

All in all, this a really good read. If you are not sold on science fiction but want to be converted, I recommend this book. I could not put it down, I just had to know if Mark Watney was going to make it back home to Earth.

To buy this book from amazon now, click on the image at the top of the post.
To see more from Andy Weir, visit his website linked above.