The Other Queen by Philippa Gregory

Title: The Other Queen
Author: Philippa Gregory
Genre: Historical Fiction

Synopsis: Mary Queen of Scots is held in England by Queen Elizabeth I after seeking asylum from her cousin when the people of Scotland rebelled against her. The Earl and Countess of Shrewsbury are asked by Willam Cecil, Queen Elizabeth's advisor, to house Queen Mary until it is seen fit by Elizabeth to help restore her to the Scottish throne. Multiple attempts to free Mary complicate the lives of all involved and what was once an honor to host a queen becomes the Shrewsburys' burden of keeping her prisoner.

My Thoughts
I bought this book to take with me on my trip to London in June. I thought what could be better than reading a Tudor novel by Philippa Gregory while in London? Once again, I was not disappointed. I have read other novels about Mary Queen of Scots and this one portrayed Mary in a different light. I felt in this novel that she was more developed, that she was not just portrayed as a helpless woman betrayed by her cousin, waiting for someone to come save her. Mary in this novel was fighting for her freedom in the best way she knew how, by acting like a Queen. 
I was also enthused to find that Gregory has added the perspective of not only Queen Mary and Countess Bess Shrewsbury, but also that of the George Talbot,  Earl of Shrewsbury. I cannot remember any of her novels including writing from a male perspective. I really liked the way she portrayed Shrewsbury as a man obsessed with honor torn between his duty to Queen Elizabeth and helping the charming Queen Mary whom he was forced to house. 
The evolution of the marriage of Bess and George Shrewsbury as the newlyweds endure the expenses of hosting a queen is an interesting one to follow, especially when the reader gets to hear from the perspective of both spouses. The reader can sympathize with both of them but it also has the reader wishing they would just talk to one another honestly and work together to prevent Queen Mary from pulling them apart.

I really enjoyed reading this novel!

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God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

Title: God Bless you, Mr. Rosewater
Author: Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
Genre: Fiction

Synopsis:"Eliot Rosewater, drunk, volunteer fireman, and President of the fabulously rich Rosewater Foundation, is the hero of this darkly-humored comic masterpiece. In the stingingly irreverent story of a man filled with total love for humanity and tormented by a maddeningly sane vision of society, the author has created a wild, brilliant, etched-in-acid portrayal of the greed, hypocrisy, waste, and folly of modern man. Once again Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., has written a novel that stands head, heart, and funnybone above all others on the scene today. (from back cover)"

My Thoughts

This is the second novel I am reviewing from my mystery 10 pack from Discover Books! Unfortunately, I could not even finish this one. It is less than 200 pages and I did not look forward to going back to reading it each night before bed. I get that it is a criticism of modern society that the rich men who want to give their money to the poor are depicted as insane or drunks, and maybe I would have enjoyed this as part of a college course where we discussed those criticisms, but I would not classify this as a pleasure read. 
I'm not quite sure where the story is going, the characters are either unbelievable or uninteresting and most of all I just keep wishing the author would get to the point.
This one was just not for me, but feel free to politely disagree in the comments below!

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One False Move by Alex Kava

Title: One False Move
Author: Alex Kava
Genre: Fiction: Crime/Action

Synopsis: A convicted murderer gets the evidence that sent him to jail retracted by threatening the key witness. Once free, he convinces his sister and 17-year-old nephew to help him rob a bank. His sister and her son have only ever stolen what they needed to get by, and have never had to use guns. When the bank robbery goes wrong they must run taking an unsuspecting hostage and many lives along the way.

My Thoughts

This is the first novel I am reviewing from my mystery 10 pack from Discover Books! Most of the titles are books that are ones that I would not have chosen on my own. This one is a crime novel full of suspense that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. 
It started out a little slow introducing all of the characters in their separate lives and a bit confusing trying to remember who is who even when there are only about 7 key players (this can be done well, I mean I have read Game of Thrones). After the first few chapters, it comes together and the reader understands how all the characters fit together. 
This book is not for the faint of heart, there are some pretty intense murder scenes once the story really gets going. 
Overall, this is an engaging story that makes the reader want to know what will happen next, but overall I think it could have been developed more to fill in plot holes and provide more motivation for the characters' actions.
If you like crime dramas, suspense, or stories about kidnappings then this book is for you!  

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To see more from the author, visit the website linked above

The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory

Title: The Constant Princess
Author: Philippa Gregory
Genre: Historical Fiction

Synopsis: Catarina, Infanta of Spain, always knew she would marry Prince Arthur Tudor of England and become Princess of Wales. This novel chronicles the life of Catarina, better known as Katherine of Aragon. Join her as she learns how to be an English princess and eventually the Queen and wife of the most infamous monarch in English history.

My Thoughts
At this point, you all know my love of Philippa Gregory. Most of what is written about Katherine of Aragon focuses on later in her life when Henry is splitting from the Catholic Church in order to divorce her. It was so refreshing to read about her young life and her short marriage to Arthur. This novel goes back and forth within each chapter from a third person omniscient perspective and the first person present account of Katherine herself.  The way Gregory addresses Katherine's claim that her marriage to Arthur was not consummated so that she could be betrothed to Henry inspired. 
The development of her character after she faces loss and poverty is done so well, she retains her core values but learns from her experiences. Gregory also focuses on how Katherine uses her influence as Queen in order to pursue her own agenda by emphasizing the traits she acquired from her warrior mother. This culminates when she protects England while Henry is away at war and named her as Queen Regent in his absence.
 As always,  this and the many other novels from Gregory's Tudor and Plantagenet series that I have read are highly recommended. 
As I have fewer of these novels left to read, I am also looking forward to her new series The Order of Darkness which will explore other countries during the Middle Ages using completely fictional characters.



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Child of the River by Irma Joubert

Title: Child of the River
Author: Irma Joubert
Genre: Historical Fiction

Synopsis: Translated from the author's native Afrikaans, Child of the River follows the life of Persomi, a young woman raised in a family of poor sharecroppers on the Fourie farm at the outbreak of WWII. Her strong relationship with her older brother, Gerbrand, and members of the Fourie family are her only connection to the outside world.
 Her teacher and members of the community see her intellectual promise and help her to go on to secondary school where she can escape her home life. As she grows older, Persomi sees the many injustices and strong racism in her country and works to help those who are discriminated against. 
It is difficult for her to see herself as more than a poor sharecropper's daughter, even when she has become educated and began her own job. Starting a relationship with a member of a prosperous family has Persomi questioning where she really belongs.

My Thoughts
I have read many books set during WWII but most of them are from the European or American perspective. I love getting to understand how people in South Africa were affected by the war and learning what was transpiring socially and politically at the time. 
Racial discrimination and social status are major themes and are presented in a way that allows the reader to understand why the characters would react the way that they do while still clearly expressing the author's point of view. This book is different than what I have been reading recently and I am so glad that I picked it up. So much happens in this novel, but it never feels disjointed. The ending feels a bit contrived, but overall it is an enjoyable read!


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Eco-friendly Book Buying

When I 'discovered' Discover books, I was excited to learn that they were selling used books in good condition in an effort to keep them out of landfills. They also donate children's books to communities that are in need. The books that are too damaged to donate or resell are recycled appropriately.

You can find pretty much any book you are looking for just by searching on their site. It is much less expensive than purchasing them new and the shipping is FREE! 

One option they have is to buy a mystery box of 10 adult books for $8.00. I decided to give it a shot, so once I receive the books, I will tell you what I got and then read and review each one. ( I still have 2 reviews to post here before those arrive, haha!) Click here for a coupon!

The Wicked City by Beatriz Williams

Title: The Wicked City
Author: Beatriz Williams
Genre: Historical Fiction

Synopsis: "When she discovers her husband cheating, Ella Hawthorne impulsively moves out of their SoHo loft and into a small apartment in an old Greenwich Village building. Her surprisingly attractive new neighbor, Hector, warns her to stay out of the basement at night. Tenants have reported strange noises after midnight—laughter, clinking glasses, jazz piano—even though the space has been empty for decades. Back in the Roaring Twenties, the place hid a speakeasy.
In 1924, Geneva "Gin" Kelly, a smart-mouthed flapper from the hills of western Maryland, is a regular at this Village hideaway known as the Christopher Club. Caught up in a raid, Gin becomes entangled with Prohibition enforcement agent Oliver Anson, who persuades her to help him catch her stepfather Duke Kelly, one of Appalachia’s most notorious bootleggers." - GoodReads.com

My Thoughts

There is a lot going on in this novel, thus the reason I had to borrow the official synopsis instead of writing my own, I could not sum it up any better. At first, I didn't realize that Ella was not living during 1924. Then the author described her as having left her husband, going for a run, and wearing a scrunchy. After that I went back to the beginning of the chapter to realize the scene had been set in 1998, makes much more sense.
Once I had oriented myself it was easy to differentiate which chapters were about Ella, and which were about Gin. The author had to stretch a bit to show how their lives were intertwined decades apart, but it doesn't feel totally forced.
The whole haunted basement thing is a little bizarre. It doesn't really play a major role at all and the story could have been complete even if it had been removed. Beyond hearing a few creepy sounds, nothing really happens in Ella's time that makes it relevant.
Overall, it is a fun quick read, nothing earthshattering, but has enough suspense to keep the reader engaged.
If you want more books by this author, I suggest you pick up A Certain Age, it was one that I enjoyed even more!

Comment below if you have read this book or have suggestions for others like it!


To buy this book from Amazon now, click on the image at the top of the post.
To see more from the author, visit the website linked above