The Romanov Empress by C.W. Gortner

Title: The Romanov Empress
Author: C.W. Gortner
Genre: Historical Fiction
Other books I've read by this author: Mademoiselle Chanel

Synopsis: A fictionalized account of the life of Tsarina Maria 'Minnie' Feodorovna from a young child to the fall of the Romanov autocracy. 

My Thoughts

I loved this novel, Gortner has such a way of conveying the complexities of marrying into and leading a royal family. I have not read much about the Romanovs and only knew of the gruesome end of the reigning Tsar Nicholas II and his family after they were overthrown.  Gortner uses Maria Feodorovna's perspective to highlight the difficulties of the Russian royal family and how her son's weakness led to the mistreatment of the people of Russia. I appreciate that Minnie doesn't just default to defending her son, but really wants him to do right by his people. She was so involved in providing aid to those in need, especially during the war with her work with the Red Cross that she saw the plight of the people up close. 
It was also interesting to really consider what it means to the spouse of the reigning King/Tsar when he passes away. This is discussed for both Minnie and her sister, Alix. Not only did they just lose their spouse, but then they also lose their home, jewels, and profession all in one fell swoop, replaced by the wife of their sons. 

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The Lost Book of the Grail by Charlie Lovett

Title: The Lost Book of the Grail
Author: Charlie Lovett
Genre: Historical Fiction

Synopsis: "Arthur Prescott is happiest when surrounded by the ancient books and manuscripts of the Barchester Cathedral library. His one respite is his time spent nestled in the library, nurturing his secret obsession with the Holy Grail and researching his perennially unfinished guidebook to the medieval cathedral. [...]
   But when a beautiful young American named Bethany Davis arrives in Barchester charged with the task of digitizing the library’s manuscripts, Arthur’s tranquility is broken. Appalled by the threat modern technology poses to the library he loves, he sets out to thwart Bethany, only to find in her a kindred spirit with a similar love for knowledge and books—and a fellow Grail fanatic. 
   Bethany soon joins Arthur in a quest to find the lost Book of Ewolda, the ancient manuscript telling the story of the cathedral’s founder. And when the future of the cathedral itself is threatened, Arthur and Bethany’s search takes on grave importance, leading the pair to discover secrets about the cathedral, about the Grail, and about themselves." - From back cover

My Thoughts

When Lovett set out to write this book he must have thought, 'I'm going to write a book about everything Rachel loves.' Set in rural England a story with a protagonist who loves books, the legend of King Arthur, historical architecture, ancient traditions, and spending time in a library. Oh, and there is a secret held and guarded by only one person at a time that has been passed down for generations. There was no chance that I could possibly dislike this book.
It was seriously so good, that there is only one thing that I can say that stands out as not quite perfect; the fact that Arthur gives up the secret his grandfather asked him to keep for years to Bethany after he thinks she is a spy for a rich American looking for the grail. He simply trusts her after she says her feelings are hurt that he didn't trust her, lame and unrealistic. I get that the story had to move on but people don't just give up secrets held for 30+ years just like that.
Besides that, I love the flashbacks to different parts of the cathedral's history and the passing of the guardianship from one person to the next. It is a nice touch that each chapter begins with a description of the history of a part of the cathedral from the Barchester Guidebook that sets the scene for that chapter. The suspense and mystery, legend and lore make it so hard to not read it all in one sitting. 
I'm also seriously considering reading Le Morte D'Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory after reading this novel. I've read The Story of King Arthur and His Knights by Howard Pyle but that is a more modern adaptation (1903).

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The Forgotten History of America by Cormac O’Brien

Title: The Forgotten History of America
Author: Cormac O'Brien
Genre: Nonfiction


Synopsis: Little-known conflicts of lasting importance from the earliest colonists to the eve of the revolution.

My Thoughts
I had been looking to read something about pre-revolutionary America and as I was looking around my own library, lo-and-behold, I had this book just waiting on the shelf from a time when I bought it on clearance and then forgot about it completely. Most of the pre-revolutionary war history books are about Jamestown or Roanoke, which while super interesting, don't always provide a full picture of the Americas at the time. This book starts with the earliest recorded colonists, the Spanish, highlighting their encounters with native people and the founding of St. Augustine. I have officially added St. Augustine, Florida to my list of places to visit as the oldest continuously existing colonial city in the United States. 
This book also includes many battles that are not often included in American History, mostly between the colonists and the native people. I am not personally one for battle scenes, even in movies I find them boring and just want to get to the outcome, but these provide important context for the relationships between the many different groups fighting for land in the Americas at the time.
For most of the book, I felt that the author did well at staying neutral about what was happening at the time favoring neither the colonists or the native people, simply presenting events as they are recorded to have happened. There was one statement he made about the irony of European colonies all fighting one another for land that was stolen from the native people that I really loved, but naturally, after looking through it several times while writing this I could not find the exact quote.
There are some really excellent portraits, woodcuts, and engravings that illustrate the book and keep it from feeling totally overwhelming. I especially love the cover.





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The Address by Fiona Davis

Title: The Address
Author: Fiona Davis
Genre: Historical Fiction


Synopsis: From back cover: 'When a chance encounter with Theodore Camden, one of the architects of the grand New York apartment house The Dakota, leads to a job offer for Sara Smythe, her world is suddenly awash in possibility—no mean feat for a servant in 1884. The opportunity to move to America. The opportunity to be the female manager of the Dakota.

One hundred years later, Bailey Camden is desperate for new opportunities: Fresh out of rehab, the former interior designer is homeless, jobless, and penniless. Bailey's grandfather was the ward of famed architect Theodore Camden, yet Bailey won't see a dime of the Camden family's substantial estate; instead, her “cousin” Melinda—Camden's biological great-granddaughter—will inherit almost everything. So when Melinda offers to let Bailey oversee the renovation of her lavish Dakota apartment, Bailey jumps at the chance, despite her dislike of Melinda's vision. The renovation will take away all the character of the apartment Theodore Camden himself lived in...and died in, after suffering multiple stab wounds by a former Dakota employee who had previously spent seven months in an insane asylum—a madwoman named Sara Smythe.'

My Thoughts

I love a story that bridges several generations, it can lend perspectives that enrich the storyline and increase suspense and mystery. Davis does this masterfully. While the story may seem predictable in the beginning, an affair, an unhappy marriage, an unexpected child, the author takes unique routes in how each issue becomes resolved. The ending of the 1880's storyline is not at all what I expected, while the ending of 1980's story was similar to my hunch from the start. 
I really loved the protagonists in both timelines, women trying to make a life for themselves after hardship but both with so much hope for the future. Historical architecture and genealogy are topics that I am fascinated by, so finding those to be the central focus of this story piqued my interest. The mystery and intrigue aspect of this novel made it so hard for me to make myself stop reading so I could go to sleep. I was excited to get to read more of this book every day and was sad when it ended. I look forward to reading more from this author!



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Naturally Tan by Tan France

Title: Naturally Tan
Author: Tan France
Genre: Memoir, Autobiography



Synopsis: Tan discusses growing up in England, his love for fashion, starting his own business, meeting and marrying his husband, and how he came to Queer Eye, all while providing pops of fashion advice.

My Thoughts

Tan France is my favorite member of the Fab 5 so when I saw he was writing a book with a hilarious title I knew I had to read it. It was everything I hoped for.
Each chapter has a title using an article of clothing or piece of fashion that is featured in the story told in that chapter. France uses fashion to discuss every aspect of his life, from when he was a young boy through getting hired for Queer Eye.
This book reads very quickly and France is very open about private topics that affected his life, including a bout of depression leading to suicidal thoughts. Now, I promise that the whole book is not deep and sad, for most of it I was smiling and there were some parts where I definitely laughed out loud to myself. One such part was when the author was discussing how he came to his signature haircut and the unfortunate hair choices he made in the past.
Tan does discuss Queer Eye and the rest of the Fab 5, but this book is not really about that. It is about his journey to get there, so the show is a smaller portion toward the end of the book about how he was hired and what it is like to be famous as an introvert.
This book was a fun summer read so I hope you check it out! 

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Dark Traces by Philippa Gregory

Title: Dark Tracks
Author: Philippa Gregory
Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Synopsis: Luca, Freize, Brother Peter, Isolde, and Ishraq continue their journey conducting inquiries about the end of days and trying to get Isolde's inheritance back. They continue their travels East to investigate a group with a dancing sickness. They go from city to city unable to stop dancing and adding new people from each stop as they go. As usual, the team of travelers gets more than they were bargaining for as they attempt an inquiry.

Other books I have read by this author: The Other Queen, The Boleyn Inheritance, The Constant Princess, The Last Tudor, The Taming of the Queen, The Queen's Fool, The Other Boleyn Girl, The Lady of the Rivers, The White Queen, The Red Queen, The Kingmaker's Daughter, The White Princess, The Red Princess, The King's Curse, The Virgin's Lover, Three Sisters, Three Queens, Changeling, Stormbringer and Fool's Gold

My Thoughts

I actually finished this book days ago but I have been putting of writing the review because this is the first Philippa Gregory book that I am just 'meh' about. Unfortunately, this novel didn't really propel the story forward. There wasn't much meaningful character development, the inquiry team and Isolde and Ishraq aren't any closer to obtaining their goals, it felt like a story for the sake of writing about these characters again. 
Yes, there are a few moments of suspense but overall it feels more like a story to teach younger readers not to discriminate. I know it is YA and discrimination should be spoken out against, but it really does begin to feel preachy. 
SPOILER ALERT: 
At the end when Isolde has the bizarre premonition dream about the holocaust trains and concentration camps because the city they are in 400 years earlier is the site of a concentration camp it just felt so contrived and didn't fit with the overarching storyline or what we know of her character. It was an odd choice.
END OF SPOILER.
Will this disappointing book in the series keep me from reading the next one? No, but if it is also disappointing then I will probably be done with the series. Gregory doesn't promise to have it done until 2021, so hopefully, that is enough time for a palate cleanser.

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Park Avenue Summer by Renee Rosen

Title: Park Avenue Summer
Author: Renee Rosen
Genre: Historical Fiction

Other books I've read by this author: White Collar Girl, Dollface

Synopsis: Alice moves from Ohio to 1960s New York City with dreams of becoming a photographer and finding what her mother had loved so much about Park Avenue. When she is hired as an assistant to Helen Gurley Brown as she begins her takeover of Cosmopolitan magazine, Alice learns what it really means to be a young single woman in the big city. 

My Thoughts

I love a historical fiction novel featuring a prominent historical figure told from the perspective of a fictional character. Rosen has created Alice as the type of young Cosmo woman that Helen Gurley Brown was trying to reach with her magazine. It is a fun coming of age story as well as a chronical of the struggles of being a woman trying to run a business in the 60s.
The novel has a Mad Men vibe where the women are the heroes fighting to be treated fairly in the workplace and to support Helen as she tries to empower young women with a fresh, new Cosmopolitan.
This novel feels fresh but also has the traditional underlying theme of looking for one's dreams in the bustle of NYC.

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