The Duchess Countess: The Woman Who Scandalized Eighteenth-Century London by Catherine Ostler

The Duchess Countess: The Woman Who Scandalized Eighteenth-Century London by Catherine Ostler

As maid of honor to Augusta, Princess of Wales, Elizabeth Chudleigh enjoys a luxurious life. She is well-known to the public, and even served as the inspiration for Becky Sharp in William Makepeace Thackeray's Vanity Fair. 

A young Elizabeth elopes with Augustus Hervey, the heir to an earldom. Both would quickly regret the marriage and prefer to pretend it never took place. Many years later, Elizabeth would have a happy second marriage to a duke--but news of her first marriage began to spread, culminating in a sensational bigamy trial that captivated all of England, particularly since Elizabeth refused to surrender quietly. 

432 pages.

The Crown: The Official Companion, Volume 2: Political Scandal, Personal Struggle, and the Years That Defined Elizabeth II (1956-1977) by Robert Lacey

The Crown: The Official Companion, Volume 2: Political Scandal, Personal Struggle, and the Years That Defined Elizabeth II (1956-1977) by Robert Lacey

Volume 2 of the official companion to the Netflix series The Crown examines the real-life issues that inspired the series, including the Suez Crisis, the race to space, the Duke of Windsor's ties to Hitler, and rumored trouble within the royal marriage of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip.

304 pages.

The Crown: The Official Companion, Volume 1: Elizabeth II, Winston Churchill, and the Making of a Young Queen (1947-1955) by Robert Lacey

The Crown: The Official Companion, Volume 1: Elizabeth II, Winston Churchill, and the Making of a Young Queen (1947-1955) by Robert Lacey

The official companion to the critically acclaimed Netflix series offers an in-depth look at the early reign of Elizabeth II, highlighting the extensive research and additional material that helped form the show. Author and historian Robert Lacey serves as a historical consultant for The Crown.

322 pages.

The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness

The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness

Matthew and Diana arrive back in the present day from their jaunt to Elizabethan England. As usual with the de Clermont family, secrets and intrigue plague them once more. On the verge of forming a family, Matthew is more desperate than ever to keep Diana safe. As danger closes in from all sides, their desire to reunite the pages of Ashmole 782 becomes paramount.

Book 3 in the All Souls Trilogy. 561 pages.

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness

Diana Bishop and Matthew Clairmont, a mated witch and vampire, must find a witch to tutor Diana before her powers spin out of control. The problem is witches of Diana's prodigious skill are presently few and far between. Thus they decide their best bet lies in witches of the past. Diana and Matthew timewalk to Elizabethan England, where they rely on Matthew's friends, the mysterious School of Night, to protect them. Plunged into a world of spies and magic, Diana and Matthew find themselves in a race against time to find Ashmole 782 and figure out the gaps in Diana's magical education. The past, however, harbors far more dangers than they ever imagined.


Book 2 in the All Souls Trilogy. 584 pages.

A Hopeless Romantic by Harriett Evans

A Hopeless Romantic by Harriett Evans

Laura Foster is very much a head in the clouds, daydreamer type. Her friends have always found it in parts amusing and exasperating; it was simply how Laura was. But when Laura lets her dreams carry her too far from reality, resulting in a broken heart and a probationary period at her beloved job, she decides a complete personality overhaul is in order. That, and a trip to the seaside with her parents and grandmother. At Chartley Hall, Laura meets Nick, the decidedly good-looking, funny estate manager. But with Nick, what one sees is not what one gets. Did Laura totally misread the situation--and the guy--again?

531 pages. 

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke

I love this story! I watched the BBC series first and wanted to delve into the book right after and, as always, the book has so much more detail that makes the world even better.

Two magicians in England try to bring back English magic (which has been dormant for many years) and learn that you should never mess with fairies. Resurrections, war, betrayals, and enchantments this book has everything that a fantasy fan could want. Though if you do not like having to read footnotes, beware because there are a lot of them that help describe the alternate history of and England with magic.

Rating: 4.5/5
Pages: 1006

Precious Stone Trilogy by Kerstin Gier

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This YA time travel story is actually a 3.5 for me, but I always round up. I'm definitely going to read on to book 2, as this really grew on me. When I first started the book, I wasn't quite feeling it, but then it hit this sweet spot where it started to reel me in.

Now I'm invested, and Gwyneth captured my attention for being so utterly normal for a 16-year-old girl. She's funny and clever, but she can't remember history facts, giggles with her best friend, and is altogether unimpressive for a YA MC. I think that's what I like best about her, because she's never pretentious. Despite that, she also never let's people push her around, and she takes charge in her own life, even when things are out of her control.

I think this won me over slowly, and I'm hoping that book 2 builds on that magic, as I do love a good time travel story.

Book 261 read in 2018

Pages: 337

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Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Gier

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This series has really grown on me. Gwyneth is unabashedly herself. I love that, and the time travel is fun, though I still have lots of questions.

Book 262 read in 2018

Pages: 357

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Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I still enjoyed this series overall, but I struggled a bit more with the final book and was not very wowed by the ending. This is probably more of a 3.5 or 3.75 for me, but I always round up.

There's a possibility that I wasn't as attentive of a listener with this book, but there's also a possibility that it just didn't hold my attention as well. Perhaps it was both. That being said, I still found this world and some of the events really interesting, but this didn't suck me in and demand my absolute full attention like I wish that it had.

Book 263 read in 2018

Pages: 464

Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch by Sally Bedell Smith

Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch by Sally Bedell Smith

In Elizabeth the Queen, readers are introduced to a young girl who was never meant to be queen. When her uncle, King Edward VIII, abdicates the throne to be with the woman he loves, Elizabeth's father is suddenly thrust into the spotlight. Now Elizabeth is "heiress presumptive," and her life is drastically changed and highly scrutinized. But Elizabeth would go on to meet all the hallmarks of a normal life during that time: falling in love, repairing army trucks during World War II, struggling to find a balance between motherhood and the demands of her job. With access to never-before-seen documents and interviews with those close to the Queen, biographer Sally Bedell Smith brings readers inside palace doors for a glimpse into the private life of a monarch who has led her country and Commonwealth with heretofore unseen grace, dignity, and intelligence.

663 pages.   

These Vicious Masks by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas

Summary: "In 1882 England when her beloved sister Rose vanishes, Evelyn, bored with society and its expectations, embarks on a search for Rose, encountering the reclusive, young gentleman Sebastian Braddock, who is also looking for Rose and claiming that both sisters have special healing powers."

I wanted to love this book. I started out loving it, as it was a mysterious take on a Jane Austen-type setting, filled with good humor and fun. But then it spiraled into confusion and lost its spunk.  

298 pages

The Titled Americans by Elisabeth Kehoe

The Titled Americans by Elisabeth Kehoe

The Titled Americans offers a glimpse into the lives of three privileged and glamorous sisters who married into the British aristocracy. When Leonard Jerome arrived in New York in 1850, he would go on to become a successful Wall Street speculator, whose fortunes rose and fell throughout his life. When his wife, Clarissa, took their three daughters, Jennie, Clara, and Leonie, to Europe in the 1860s, the girls would make quite a splash within the British upper class. Jennie married Lord Randolph Churchill, becoming the mother of Winston and the most famous of the three Jerome daughters. Jennie's marriage would launch her sisters into the highest circles of society, resulting in marriages for both. Titles do not guarantee happiness, however, but deep affection united the Jerome sisters so that they could weather life's sorrows and joys, in a bond only broken in death.

452 pages. 

Seven Stones to Stand or Fall by Diana Gabaldon

Seven Stones to Stand or Fall by Diana Gabaldon

A collection of seven novellas published in various anthologies over the years, Seven Stones to Stand or Fall deals with interesting side-stories within the Outlander universe. "The Custom of the Army" tells of Lord John Grey's time in Canada, where he and his comrades lay siege to the Citadel of Quebec. "The Space Between" encounters a grief-stricken Michael Murray, a nephew of Jamie Fraser, who has been charged with accompanying Joan MacKimmie, his kind-of cousin, to Paris so she can join a convent. Then there's the ever-troublesome Comte St. Germain .... In "A Plague of Zombies," we meet Lord John once again, this time in Jamaica, where he has been charged with putting down a slave rebellion. "A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows" details the tragic story of Roger MacKenzie's parents, Jerry and Dolly. In "Virgins," a young Jamie Fraser and his best friend, Ian Murray, become mercenaries in France, and both are rather worried they'll end up in hell for their actions. We learn the story behind how Lord John's older brother, Hal, meets and falls in love with his rather fierce wife, Minnie, in "A Fugitive Green." Lord John travels to Cuba in "Besieged," in order to save his mother, who is a guest of Governor Juan de Prado. But once he learns the British navy is preparing to wreak havoc on Havana, Lord John fears the Dowager Duchess of Pardloe could become a hostage. 

Part of the Outlander universe. 544 pages.

The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella

Summary: "Workaholic attorney Samantha Sweeting has just done the unthinkable. She's made a mistake so huge, it'll wreck any chance of a partnership. Going into utter meltdown, she walks out of her London office, gets on a train, and ends up in the middle of nowhere. Asking for directions at a big, beautiful house, she's mistaken for an interviewee and finds herself being offered a job as housekeeper. Her employers have no idea they've hired a lawyer--and Samantha has no idea how to work the oven. She can't sew on a button, bake a potato, or get the ironing board to open. How she takes a deep breath and begins to cope--and finds love--is a story as delicious as the bread she learns to bake."

I've been on a Sophie Kinsella binge lately, but I think it's time to step away and take a break. I noticed some similar themes and plot points in this novel as the Shopaholic books, and it's just a little too stale for me. Overall, this is a good chick-lit novel, and had some laugh-out-loud moments. I enjoyed all the characters and it was a good reflection on life's priorities. 

374 pages

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

I really enjoyed the Masterpiece Theatre production on PBS last year, so tried the novel.  Mantel immerses the reader in the court of Henry VIII with all its subterfuge and jockeying for power, but from the viewpoint of Thomas Cromwell, a person of low birth who becomes his chief advisor.  Cromwell is a master at the game of personal manipulation, but he is also quite the jack of all trades, skilled as a merchant, financier, and master of several languages. While much of the story covers the king's pursuit of a divorce from his first wife in order to marry Anne Boleyn, Mantel also makes clear how much general turmoil was going on not only in England but throughout Europe as Protestants, scientists and free thinkers began to question the dogma of the Catholic Church and its pope.  Excellent scene setting and character portrayal make this a stimulating read, although a bit long.  This book ends with the execution of Thomas More, while the sequel will continue the story of the royal court and Anne Boleyn's fateful demise.  532 pages.

Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is was good as everyone said that it was. It illustrates that much of what we believe is reality is based on perception. The book builds to a thrilling crescendo. The only downside is that I did not find all of the characters believable.

336 pages.

View all my reviews

"Why Love Matters" by Jay Northcote

Alastair is a man who does not like to touch or be touched by other people.  Unfortunately, he will soon be going to Italy to carry out a business deal with demonstrative people who may take offense.  Luckily his administrative assistant, Martin, grew up on a commune where his mother still lives and runs cuddle workshops for people like Alastair.  He's dubious but willing to try in order to close the deal.  Martin is patient and funny and takes Alastair's anxieties in stride.  This was an enjoyable and charming novella.  55 pages (Kindle edition).

Margaret the First by Danielle Dutton

 A strange little novella about Margaret Cavendish, a 17th century British duchess and noted for being one of the first women authors to be published.  Dutton has researched her life and times very well, and gives a convincing picture of the period and life among the royal court.  Margaret is quite an odd character, quite full of herself; she yearns to be not like others but 'Margaret the First'.  She has quite an imagination, which overflows into her writing but also leads to several stunts to attract attention.  An interesting view into an unusual life.  160 pages

"The Invasion of Tork" by Claire Davis and Al Stewart

Tork is a homeless young man with green hair.  Adam is a handsome but cocky know-it-all who has been forced to volunteer at a homeless shelter.  Tork struggles with mental illness, but his intelligence and humor win over Adam and his bad attitude.  Well-written and moving in its depiction of Tork's problems, I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.  82 pages (Kindle edition).

"When Skies Have Fallen" by Debbie McGowan

This touching story is about two gay men serving in England in WWII.  Arty Clarke is an airman and excellent dancer whose best friend and dance partner, Jean, helps his love blossom with Technical Sergeant Jim Johnson.  Homosexuality is against the law in England, but that doesn't stop them from falling in love and trying to be together.  But that love is tested when Arty is critically injured in an airplane accident, and Jim is called home to the United States.  This was another quiet but great story from McGowan that included lots of dancing, a strong female character in Jean, and a couple of cute cats.  296 pages (Kindle edition).

Ross Poldark: a novel of Cornwall by Winston Graham

The Poldark series, originally published in the 1940s, is the basis for a gritty PBS series about Cornwall in the 1780s.  Ross Poldark, a member of the gentry, returns from fighting for the British in the war for American independence to find that the woman he loves, Elizabeth, is now engaged to another.  He now has to pick up the pieces of his life and try to make a living on the small family farm he has inherited.  Graham creates a great moody atmosphere for Cornwall and vividly depicts both the struggles of the poor villagers and the tensions among the landowners and gentry.  I don't know if I would have enjoyed this as much if I had read the book first, as the actors gave very strong performances and rooted the characters in my mind.  The videos follow the story pretty closely, but included more emphasis on the broken romance between Ross and Elizabeth and the relationships with other members of the large Poldark family.  Ross is not afraid of bucking the conventions of his class and unexpectedly develops a love relationship with his kitchen maid, Demelza, and marries her to the astonishment of his family.  Demelza is a strong character in her own right, unschooled but a quick study, and Graham vividly describes the awkward scenes of her trying to fit into refined society and the cruelty of the gossip and hurtful remarks wielded by the other women.  The next volume in the series focuses on Demelza, and should be a fun read.  376 pages