Stacking the Shelves #109

 

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Reading Reality. It's a place to showcase any books I have purchased, borrowed, or been lucky enough to have been given an advance copy of. Hope you find something that looks interesting to you or that makes you remember a favorite book you need to finish. Happy reading y'all!

Click on the cover to learn more about the book!

Murder at Mallowan Hall by Colleen Cambridge (A Phyllida Bright Mystery Book One)

Kindle: Free with Prime membership

I've heard good things about this series and it involves Agatha Christie so that sounds fun! The author imagines what would happen if Christie had a housekeeper that helped solve murders with her. Loyal friend and employee Phyllida Bright uses what she has gleaned from being close friends with the murder mystery writer to investigate and find the murderer of a guest at one of their country manor's weekend parties. Can they catch the killer before he or she strikes again? 

King John: Treachery and Tyranny in Medieval England, The Road to Magna Carta by Marc Morris

Hoopla Digital borrow: Free

I have wanted to read this book ever since I finished Morris's A Great and Terrible King, about the life of Edward I. His grandfather John receives all the hate from everyone and I want to see how Morris portrays him.  Although I know a lot from previous reading, most of my information is from historical fiction or books where John is a secondary subject. I know what I learn from this book will be accurate and informative. Now I just need time to read it because this author's works are dense with a lot of information.

The Crownless Queen by Elizabeth Chadwick (Jeanette of Kent Duology Book Two)

Kindle purchase: 99 cents with credits

This is a book I probably won't get to right away. It is book two and I don't have book one but this was on sale for so cheap I got it now. There aren't a lot of books about the life of Joan of Kent, the wife of the Black Prince Edward and I'm sure Chadwick has done her history homework well as usual. This looks like a great read but I'd like to get book one before I begin this one.

Tales From a Kindergarten Teacher by Amanda Cisco

 

Publication Date:

October 17, 2026

Genre: 

Humor

Length:  

112 pages

Series:

None

Click on the book to learn more!

Book description courtesy of Amazon books

You will not want to put down this book of short stories down based on my experiences as a kindergarten teacher! Kindergarteners are notorious for saying the most hilarious things loud and proud for all to hear at the most inopportune times! Every child is unique and different with an ability to make their way into a teacher's heart forever. That's what makes the life of an educator full of laughter, tears, joy, love and of course challenges! This book of short stories was meant to give you a glimpse into the life of a teacher. To help you understand why we do what we do day in and day out despite the hardships we face. This book helps explain our "why" and hopefully to inspire teachers to continue their journey in education despite the rocky road we travel. I hope you enjoy "Tales From a Kindergarten Teacher".

My Thoughts:

I very rarely read or review modern books. It just isn't my thing. But that doesn't mean I can't. And when your teacher bestie writes and publishes her very own book....well....of COURSE I'm going to review it!! I am just bursting with pride to share this book of hilarious stories from my friend Amanda Cisco. She is one of the funniest people I've ever met and she teaches Kindergarten with skill and enthusiasm and I'm so proud she has allowed me to give you a glimpse into her first book based on all the mayhem that goes on in her little classroom each day.

Stacking the Shelves #108

 

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Reading Reality. It's a place to showcase any books I have purchased, borrowed, or been lucky enough to have been given an advance copy of. Hope you find something that looks interesting to you or that makes you remember a favorite book you need to finish. Happy reading y'all!

Click on the cover to learn more about the book!

The Absentee King by David Field (The Medieval Saga Book Five)

Kindle purchase: $4.99

I just finished up, The Lion of Anjou, which is the book right before this one in the series. I wanted to read this book in the coming week and so I went ahead and bought it on Kindle. This time Richard I is the focus and his obsession with France and the Holy Land. Although I know so much already, I am looking forward to seeing how Field adds his unique touches to this amazing story!

Murder in Manhattan by Verity Bright (Lady Eleanor Swift Mysteries Book Fourteen)

Kindle purchase: $4.99

I am on a bit of a buying spree this week....not like me, I'm usually very cheap! But I am feeling a need to catch up on several series and some like this one just aren't available without purchase. I love these cozy mysteries and this one takes place in New York, which should be interesting as most of these stories ones are in other countries than my own. 

Eleanor and a local policeman set out to  solve the murders of her building's doorman and another wealthy businessman. With her trusted butler Clifford, sweet bulldog Gladstone, and loyal staff she takes on two murders in Manhattan. 

A Murder Before Christmas by Isabella Bassett (Lady Caroline Mysteries Book Six)

Kindle purchase: $3.99

I love this cozy mystery series and I'd like to read this one for review in December. Lady Caroline and her eccentric Uncle Albert are trapped in a Yorkshire castle during a Christmas blizzard with a killer. 

These books are always witty and involve the Royal Society for Natural History Appreciation, her Uncle's special group he belongs to. This time Caroline travels to the castle to help him secure a special one of a kind book sure to boost his status, if they survive the killer!

The Lion of Anjou by David Field (Medieval Saga Series Book 4)

Publication Date:

August 26, 2022

Genre: 

Historical Fiction, Medieval Fiction

Length:  

226 pages

Series:

Medieval Saga

Book description courtesy of Goodreads:

When one war ends, another begins…

England, 1154

With King Henry II taking the throne, the long civil war that has ravaged England has finally come to an end. But conflict is now coming from overseas. Henry has inherited territories over the English Channel that are being contested by King Louis VII of France. And the new king’s marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine is strained – and becomes even more so when he threatens the Church of England and Thomas Becket.

The people of England once more find their loyalties divided as they struggle over whether to defend church or state. Will the conflict in the royal household influence Henry’s reign? Will Louis wage war on England? Will England ever find peace?

My Thoughts: 

I read this book out of the normal order. I enjoyed the whole saga but had skipped over this book and the next one because I already knew quite a bit about Henry II and Richard I's reigns. Then when I went to start the next series of Field's about the reigns of the three Edwards, I decided to finish this series first. I'm glad I did as the fictional characters continue generationally into the next set of books. Although I didn't learn a lot of new information about Henry, Eleanor, and their struggles, it was still a great read and I highly recommend it for those especially who are starting without a good base for this time period. 

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Corpse on the Bristol Train by Edward Marston (The Railway Detective Series Book 25)

 For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday hosted by Tressa at the book blog, Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, The Corpse on the Bristol Train, by Edward Marston. It says this is the "grand finale" of the series. The cover reminds me of an old fashioned mystery novel like those in the British Classic Crime series. Set in Victorian England with a male detective lead it also sounds a lot like the Anne Perry books I love.

In this story, a young woman is found dead on a train when it stops in Bristol and the detectives must untangle who she is, why she died, and who she was traveling with.

Cozy Mystery, Historical Mystery

October 22, 2026

Book description courtesy of Goodreads:

On the last train of the day London Paddington to Bristol, a young woman drifts into what appears to be a peaceful sleep - only to be discovered dead on arrival. With no sign of violence and no clue to her identity, the case threatens scandal for the Great Western Railway. Detective Inspector Robert Colbeck and Sergeant Victor Leeming are sent to uncover the truth behind the silent corpse. 

All witnesses agree on one she travelled with a devoted husband who vanished into the night. As the trail leads through railway stations, theatres and dark deception, Colbeck must expose a killer who hides behind superficial charm.