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The White Queen is the second book in Philippa Gregory‘s series, and it absolutely leaves me wanting more. It‘s beautifully researched and written, bringing this fascinating period of history to life. At times, it can be confusing with so many characters sharing the same names—so many Edwards, Elizabeths, and Margarets!—but that‘s true to the era and part of what makes it feel authentic. I‘ll definitely be continuing with this series!

A haul from the library book sale today

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The White Queen follows Elizabeth Woodville as she rises to Queen of England and tries to hold the throne with her husband throughout the War of the Roses. Though it is historical fiction, Gregory again proves her prowess by making historical figures feel like relatable flesh and blood. Reading this once was enough for me but I'm looking forward to the next book following the queens of England throughout the War of the Roses.

Final book in the trilogy and it‘s the best by far.

King Henry is now out of the picture. Eleanor spends her time as Queen Mother and advisor to her children. Tons of tragedy for Eleanor, plus plenty of backstabbing and betrayal which has always been commonplace for life as a royal. My favorite part is the politics and decision-making in this installment, always with the goal of protecting borders. Great series, I really enjoyed my time with it.

Beach reading 🏖️🍹☀️

Excellent!! But stressful toward the end, with the Revolt of 1173 and Eleanor‘s subsequent capture. These are not spoilers; history tells us these things. What stood out most was Henry and Eleanor‘s tumultuous relationship and the way Henry forged alliances with neighboring lands to solidify his empire. So much scandal and betrayal! I‘m eager to continue with the third book, but I may take a short break since they‘re such dense reads.

Nearly halfway thru this one and I‘m enjoying this [fictional] deep dive into Eleanor of Aquitaine‘s life! I love her.

Every time I read medieval stories I‘m just blown away by how little agency women had in that era-even rich and powerful ones-and by how pregnancy and childbirth really sort of ruled their lives.

I don't have words for how much I love this book.

So here's some stats:

82 days to read
758 pages read

I bought the book cause I couldn't read fast enough.

Love this book enough I bought the other two in the trilogy.

I am so glad I started, stuck with, and finished this book!

Recent acquisition:

📖 Bosworth 1485: Psychology of a Battle by Michael Jones