IN DARKNESS BORN by Gemma Lawrence

 5 GOLD stars

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How I discovered this book: A favourite author

In a Nutshell: The early life of Katherine Parr, sixth and final wife of Henry VIII.

I loved this book, a very promising start to a new series, and I can't wait to read the next instalment!

Book #1 covers the period from childhood to the beginning of her second marriage, to John Neville, Lord Latimer.

I was looking forward to this series as Katherine Parr had such a varied and interesting life, with her four marriages and somewhat daring approach to religion (for the time), which of course she had to keep hidden from so many people in her life, not least of all her husbands. She was known as being educated, a thinker, an intelligent woman, but fewer men appreciated a woman such as she in the early 16th century.  

One important new friend she made was her first father-in-law's chaplain, Matthew, who did much to simplify the basics of religious reform for her, and showed her how she could truly submit to God away from all the pomp and corruption of the Catholic Church.  I loved the religious detail in the book; Katherine's thoughts echoed many of mine. I was fascinated by the extent of the avarice amongst the Church VIPs.  One of the main reasons for this hadn't occurred to me until I read this book - younger sons of landed gentry or aristocracy, who would not inherit, often faced a future in the Church whether they had strong faith or not, so they made the most of the opportunities available.

If you're interested in the religious reform of the 16th century, do read this! 

At the time, what happened at the court of Henry VIII affected and enthralled everyone, especially those born into nobility like Katherine, so there is a fair bit of talk about Henry's Great Matter, but it doesn't take over the story any more than it must have featured in their lives.  I particularly liked Katherine's mother's take on the proceedings.  A sometimes unreliable but at the same time wise narrator.

I noted how Katherine, with all her dreams of love and passion like that between Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, was level and wise enough to accept that she could still find happiness in her good life with Lord Latimer. 

Well done, Gemma! 

QUEEN ANNA (Stuart Queens Trilogy Book 1) by @tonyriches #RBRT

 5 out of 5 stars

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On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: The life of Anna, wife of James 1 of England.

I so enjoyed this book - particularly fascinating as I know next to nothing about the Stuart era, so I learned much.

Tony Riches portrays Anna as a woman who knew her own mind but was intelligent enough to know when to insist on what she wanted and when to keep quiet.  She felt like something of an 'old soul', even when she was younger; she was probably the best wife the inconstant James could have had.  I felt as though she understood her situation and decided, calmly, to make the best of it.  She never knew true romantic love, but she made up for this with her children, her interests, her friendships.

Of course the book is intricately researched, and I loved the detail about the masques that so absorbed Anna, about the customs of the time.  The novel flows beautifully all the way through, never too much information (I never had the feeling that Riches was writing from his research notes!), and it flows so well - it's a very 'easy read'.

I felt so, so sorry for Anna when she lost her children - Robert, Mary, Sophia and of course, Henry.  In an interview with the author that I read the other day, Riches describes Henry as the 'best king we never had', and that, coupled with what I read about him, made me wonder how we might have fared as a country, had there been a Henry IX.  Anna's failing health was very sad, too - if only she'd taken her doctor's advice early on, and kept away from the wine.

I highly recommend this book for all historical fiction lovers, especially if you're not already versed in the period - and I'm very much looking forward to the next book, about Henrietta, wife of Charles I.  Actually, I can't wait.

GONE LIKE A GOLDFISH by Anonymous

 5 GOLD stars

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On Goodreads

Blurb from Amazon

Alcoholic novelist Jim Hardwick-Callahan intends to kill himself at the end of one last sex-filled vacation to Japan with his ex-girlfriend, but a death in the family interrupts his plans. As the tragedies pile up and his life falls apart, his teenage twins begin to self-destruct. This anonymously written book is about loss and obsession. It is sad, vulgar, disturbing, and funny.

My Review

Excellent stuff, I loved it.

Jim Hardwick-Callahan deploys hedonism to mask his disappointment with himself, his guilt and pain, and because he really likes sex and drugs.  The temporary buzzes of alcohol, psychedelics, weed, recreational and kinky sex do a good job of masking the emptiness that calls out to him now and again. 

I stayed awake to finish it last night when I needed to sleep, because I was totally absorbed.  Then of course I lay awake thinking about it.  It's that sort of book.  This is a terrific writer, unusually so.  The book was produced in a very short time - this is mentioned in the author's note at the back, which you should definitely read - so I was surprised at how tight it was, such a great structure, spot-on dialogue and detailed labyrinths of inner thought that were sometimes so sad, other times droll, or breezy, or a mixture of all three.  The novel is perfectly paced, with never a wasted word.

Megan, with whom he is in love, is the main female character in that her actress name will appear second in the titles after that of Jim's when they make the film.  She's clever, creative and elusive, and has way too many issues for one person.  Just Jim's type.  

BTW, in case this marks your point of departure.  The Megan bits often contain lots of bad language and sex, some of it quite graphic.  Normally, I would choose not to read that, but I made an exception. It fits the book ... hard to explain.  If Jim had talked/thought/acted in a more delicate way it wouldn't have been Jim, it would have been a far less arresting character.  In other words, none of it is remotely gratuitous.  And it's often funny.

The book features scenes about Jim's father, Pete - I loved reading about him, and Jim's strange brother Cray.  Jim's twins Amanda and Todd are essentially sound kids but are both screwed up in the way only teenagers can be.  Enter ex-wife Pam.  Jim's relationship with her is subtly amusing.  Kind of tired.  The areas of friction are still there, but they've gone limp.  

Then there are the other women, comprising past, present and promising hook-ups.  

As Jim's world starts getting smaller, he becomes trapped in his own head...

Amongst all the grimly entertaining chaos are many threads of introspection, anger, loss and heartbreak laid bare.  A small amount of words that can illustrate the emotion so starkly; at one point I stopped reading in admiration.  'Boy can this guy write' moments were off the charts.  I expect I shall read it again before too long.

It's a snip at 77p, or free on Kindle Unlimited.

THE VERSION THAT SURVIVED by Vera Mercer #RBRT

 4 out of 5 stars

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On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: Psychological mystery about grief, guilt and lies

I was most intrigued by this book from the word go - I won't go into the plot as that's in the blurb.  I was struck by how clever the writing was, it flowed so well, and also I loved how the author did not reveal essential detail about the events the book hinged upon - I was thinking, what's going on here?  Happily, the writing was compelling enough to keep me wondering and turning the pages, as the picture came into focus.

Sadly, I did lose interest in the second half, much of which was dialogue between the main character (Nora), and various others, in which they discussed intricate points and details.  It started to feel like a report, rather than a story, which made the drama ebb, somewhat.  I realised then that I wanted to read the actual story from, when the accident took place, with Lydia's rise in real time, as they say.  Her scheming, her manipulation of just about everyone, her need to redeem herself.  She was a fascinating character, and I would have liked to see her in action.  Know more about her.  There is more than one way of telling a story - choosing the right one can be very difficult!

'The reveal' did bring all the threads together, and explain much that went before, with all its implications and long-ranging effects.  The change in character focus really worked.  Completely satisfying end (loved the very last lines), always appreciated.

This is a debut novel, and I wish Vera Mercer all the best in her literary career :)

ABIGAIL TRENCH by Randy Overbeck

 4 out of 5 stars

On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: Intrigue and divided loyalities during the American War of Independence

I found this story fascinating, as I knew little about the American War of Independence - good, well-researched novels can add so much to your historical knowledge of the world.  I hadn't realised this war went on for so long!  At all times, the atmosphere was realistic, with many day to day and small details that were clearly well researched.  The pace was just right, the plot well constructed.

Almost without exception, the British military activity was monstrous. I pictured the characters of all ranks with stained waistcoats stretched over portly stomachs, their noses red from drinking, their eyes dead and flat; they were horribly real!  In contrast, Washington's men, and every ragged pick-pocketer on the side of the rebels, had hearts of gold and courage.  But that wasn't a problem; I am sure many Reeves and Hollisters existed at the time, and I loved the character of Jamie (ragged pick-pocketer).  I have read a bit about the prison ships where the British incarcerated rebel prisoners, and the author has not exaggerated a bit.  The treatment of those poor men and boys was horrific.

I was slightly bothered by the English using American words and phrases (only a couple), and expressions too modern for the time, also the use of the word 'black' with a capital letter, whenever a servant was mentioned.  I realise this is a mark of respect for black people and their servitude of those days, but it felt out of place in this novel.

All in all, this is a book well worth reading.  Abigail is a fine heroine who you want to see have a happy ending, and ditto the Monteiths and Molly.  Most of all, though, I loved the detail about Washington's spy ring.  

COURAGE: Tales of History, Mystery and Hope by Judith Arnopp, Annie Whitehead, Anna Belfrage, Cathie Dunn, Helen Hollick and others

 5 GOLD stars 

On Amazon (universal link)

On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: I saw it advertised pre-release, expressed interest, and one of the authors was kind enough to offer me a review copy :)

In a Nutshell: A collection of stories spanning an almost 2000 year time period, on the subject of great courage under adverse circumstances 

*

This is what you want from a collection: not one weak story.  These 15 tales of courage in the most adverse circumstances are all excellent, every one a winner.  They're presented in chronological order, from Roman times to the present day, and take place in various settings around the world.  Here's a short overview of my favourites.  Purely subjective, of course - time and place has so much to do with this.  Show me England in the middle ages or occupied Europe in WW2, and I'm all over it!

Siflede by Judith Arnopp: London 1066, when the residents of Southwark must fight or flee the Norman invasion.  Judith is one of my most-read authors and this story was no disappointment.

Daisy Chain by Annie Whitehead: a mother's grief, on the road in 12th Century England. Nothing like a good 'road' story, no matter when it's set, and this shows early medieval times in all its dank glory.

Stepping Between by Anna Belfrage: Ludlow Castle 1308.  A young man finds his way out of a nightmare homelife.  I hadn't read Anna Belfrage before, and liked this very much.

The Portrait's Secret by Amy Maroney: a fascinating look at the world of portrait artists in Paris, 1536.  I love stories like this that describe an aspect of life I know virtually nothing about.  Reminded me of The Silk Code by Deborah Swift, for this reason.

Legacy by Jean Gill: Tudor England, 1558.  An honest man blows the whistle on a member of the aristocracy, and pays the price... heartbreaking yet uplifting!

A Sack of Potatoes by Antoine Vanner: the Netherlands, 1954, though most of it is set ten years earlier.  Brilliant story about two women who travel through occupied territory simply to find food.  I wanted it to be a whole book.  What those people endured... you hear that in the war the people of *insert name of country* were starving, but this really brought it home to me what that actually means.

A special mention for The Gate by Elizabeth St John, the last line of which made my mouth drop open.  No clues, you'll have to read it. :)

The book is beautifully presented, with Author's Notes that add interest every time.  Highly recommended, and thank you!

DRIVEN BY DECEIT by Georgia Rose @GeorgiaRoseBook

 4.5 out of 5 stars

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On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: I'd read the other books in the series so I knew it was coming!

In a Nutshell: Crazy woman moves into a village and causes mayhem

Driven by Deceit is the 5th book in the series A Shade Darker, an everyday story of country life in the fictional village of Melton, which enjoys more than its fair share of drama and colourful characters.

Laura runs a stable, and lives a fairly happy, quiet life, until a certain person from her past appears out of the blue, and causes a stir.  Soon, Laura and her friends are drawn into a the dark, deceptive web of Ms Cecelia Clark.  But why is she there?  What is she up to?

Cecelia is certainly a larger than life character and I enjoyed reading about her machinations - the story is a cracking yarn with never a dull moment!  

I always appreciate the structure of Georgia Rose's books; she knows exactly when to reveal the right amount of backstory to keep you interested.  I also very much liked the horse stuff - I know nothing of the equine world, so found the detail about how the stable was run, etc, most interesting.

I look forward to the next book!