pickMy #doublespin for November was this biography of a woman who could have been Elizabeth I‘s heir, was raised to consider herself in that light, used as a pawn, and then, when she finally chose a husband for herself without James I‘s permission, was thrown in the Tower of London. A bit of a chatty style but obviously well researched. I enjoyed it. Portraits of her as a toddler, teenager (in white) and adult. @TheAromaofBooks
pickI‘m really enjoying this series, and The Red Queen was a strong read. I didn‘t like Margaret Beaufort—she often mistook devotion for ambition and would do anything for power. The constant fighting between cousins still amazes me, and the battle scenes were brutal. Overall, it was an amazing book and an easy 5-star read.
pick🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑 I'm a little embarrassed to be enjoying such a cliche book series so much, but I admit it's captured my interest. I have to say the second book was even better than the first, and I'm a sucker for the futuristic world building and lore expansion. I'm even more of a sucker for the romantic tension, and this audiobook had me yelling at fictional characters while I did my chores listening to it.
"I wasn't here to win anymore. So how could I go out with a bang?"
pickAbsolutely loved this - almost “light Hilary Mantel” if that makes sense. More license taken with plot & characters,plus a whole lot of sarcasm & swearing! But it really puts you in a Tudor world, amongst the servants w their POV, or amongst the scheming nobles. Good writing, great understanding of the time, a little modern sensibility of the prejudices, and lots going on as a young boy falls into a plot against the new king.
Queen Elizabeth I ‘s court was ruthless! 😂 (And yes, I‘m immature enough to laugh out loud at this!)
pickThis is a glimpse into the life of the classic British elite. So many houses, so much travel, so many muddy boots and fuzzy jumpers, so many deer culled. This fascinating society revels in the eat or be eaten life as much as it does in the quality of silks. If you watched The Crown on Netflix, this book is the real life example of the Bloodlust episode where the family jovially enjoys dinner amidst the clear relics of England's violent history.
pickI've had this on my TBR for a while , so I was really stoked to find it at my library the other day that I picked it up.
This is definitely not what I was expecting and for that I'm in awe. It's not every day that a book surprises me and this did with it's tale of dark magic, murder, mayhem, and tense familial relationships.
pickThere is a lot of detail- approx 1/3 of the pages are footnotes- in this accounting of a 500 year old crime. It is well researched & I was impressed at how much documentation survives. It starts out by following the Provost of Paris who did some fine detective work w/i the technological limits of his time. We also get a fascinating look at French politics of the time- and there are unfortunate parallels to be drawn. Once the murder is solved the
Another Wednesday, another book + cocktail photo during Mama‘s Night Out! This week it‘s The Gown (I‘m apparently in my historical fiction era this month) and the Apples & Oranges which is a fall themed Moscow mule!
