Can't Wait Wednesday: The Abandoned Queen by Austin Hernon (Berengaria of Navarre Medieval Trilogy Book Two)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring The Abandoned Queen by Austin Hernon. I purchased book one and intend to read it this year. Books two and three are out in 2024 and this is the second in the trilogy. At first I saw it as a romance type book but then I read the sample of book one and it was actually a pretty good start as a historical fiction book. The author is an older gentleman who has written another series about William the Conqueror's son, Richard. 

I hope you have found something you can't wait for on this Wednesday!

February 2, 2024

Historical Fiction

Description courtesy of Amazon books

Berengaria follows her king into the deadly heart of the Crusade…

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Having married Richard the Lionheart, Berengaria of Navarre is now preparing herself for the turbulent life of a queen.

Though he has not yet secured an heir, Richard is determined not to settle down until he has recaptured Jerusalem from the Saracen forces. Vowing to stay by his side for as long as possible, Berengaria accompanies him on the perilous voyage to the Holy Land.

Caught up in battle plans, Richard has barely a moment to spare for his new bride. And after witnessing a sea battle and a deadly siege in Akko, Berengaria is left disturbed by the king’s ruthlessness.

Surrounded by misery and bloodshed, the young queen begins to understand the true cost of war. And as Richard becomes ever more consumed by his ambitions, she starts to wonder whether their marriage will ever have a chance to flourish…

Will Richard survive his brutal Crusade? Will he and Berengaria return to England in triumph?

Or will the horrors of war tear their marriage apart?

The Abandoned Queen is the second historical novel in The Berengaria of Navarre Medieval Trilogy: Early Plantagenet novels set during the Third Crusade and the reign of Richard the Lionheart.

Stacking the Shelves #24

 

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. Enjoy your reading this week :)

Another cozy mystery on sale for 99 cents this week that I couldn't pass up. This is the first in the series which I like to start with if possible and looks like an original location. Who wouldn't love a Miss Fisher like mystery set on a beautiful French estate? 

I always gravitate to titles with anything Napoleonic Wars era. It is a time period I know little about and rare in historical fiction. While this is more of a story about a family and their troubles in the mid-1800's, it references back to the wars thirty years earlier. Set in Wales and written by a Welsh author it looks very unique. It is book one of the Carmarthen Chronicles. A veteran of the Napoleonic Wars recounts his years on the battle field to a younger friend. 

While out shopping for other things, I snuck into Half Price Books because I love to browse and see if I find anything I can't get on Kindle or just want to collect. I was so excited to find three Jean Plaidy books that I don't have. I started reading her books when I was in my 20's and I love to collect them. Some you can't even get at all anymore. This one is book 3 in her Catherine de Medici series. It was in perfect shape and looked hardly touched. For $7 it was a steal! 

The King's Commoner: The rise and fall of Cardinal Wolsey by David Field (The Tudor Saga Series Book Two)

 

Publication Date: 

July 24, 2019

Length:

271 pages

This is the second book in Field's Tudor series and although I have purchased the first one about Henry VII, I wanted to read this one first because I didn't know a lot about the story of Thomas Wolsey. 

Summary:

The story begins when Thomas is very young and becoming painfully aware of his place in society. Born in 1473, he is the son of a common butcher of modest means, ridiculed by the upper classes who attend mass with him and are jealous of his cleverness and academic wit. This becomes more apparent as Wolsey grows into manhood, completing his degree in divinity at the young age of fifteen and uses his skills and connections to work his way to becoming chaplain for the Archbishop of Canterbury. He soon finds himself in the service of King Henry VII who appoints him royal chaplain. When his son, Henry VIII becomes king, Wolsey is firmly entrenched as a valuable asset to the Tudor ruler and uses it to his great advantage, steering events in his favor while maintaining the needed reverence due to the King. 

Because Henry VIII is still young and impressionable, he finds himself relying heavily on Wolsey's guidance and affirmation. In the beginning, Thomas is able to amass great wealth and power by making himself invaluable to the King. As time passes though, he finds Henry is growing into his own as a man and ruler and it starts to become more difficult to manipulate things in his direction. Henry grows increasingly more set in his ways and through a series of events with France and Spain, he and Wolsey begin to have conflicts that bleed into their previously trusting relationship. When the King decides to rid himself of Queen Katherine and marry Anne Boleyn, Thomas is expected to deliver the annulment necessary to make this happen. He cannot. And he finds himself in real danger from Henry's wrath. 

My Thoughts: 

I love that Field's books include real people presented in an authentic way so that I feel like I'm getting to know them and their thoughts, not just reading historical events. In this book though it caused me to be conflicted about the main focus because halfway through I really started to dislike Wolsey both as a man and as a religious figure. This is probably exactly what was intended and shows Field's capability as a writer. Unlike Simon de Montfort in The Conscience of a King, Wolsey does not come off as a sympathetic figure at all. We see him begin with promise, incredibly smart, talented, and impressive at a young age.  As he grows more entrenched in royal favor and wealth he comes across as scheming and cynical. It makes it hard to feel badly for him when Henry turns on him.

I can't recommend these books enough if you need a good, solid, chronological timeline of English history. I can't wait to see what the future holds for Field's books as I'm really hoping for a series of books that take place surrounding events from de Montfort through the Tudor years. The three Edwards and Bolingbroke would be wonderful as they seem to be under represented in the historical fiction world. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series, Justice For the Cardinal, all about Thomas Cromwell and his devotion to Wolsey, his mentor, and the events after this book and Wolsey's downfall.

Can't Wait Wednesday: I Am Rome by Santiago Posteguillo

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring I Am Rome by Santiago Posteguillo. It is a novel about a young, unknown Julius Caesar. This is definitely a unique setting for a historical fiction novel as most pick up with his life much later in the timeline of history. I had not ever heard of this author either. He is from Spain and has several other published books about Roman times. 

I hope you have found something you can't wait for on this Wednesday!

March 5, 2024

Historical Fiction

Description courtesy of NetGalley

Every legend has a beginning . . .Rome, 77 B.C. The corrupt Senator Dolabella is about to go on trial for his crimes.

But Dolabella owns the jury. He’s hired the best lawyers in the city. And he’s very willing to use violence against those who oppose him. 

In all of Rome, no man dares accept the role of prosecutor—until, against all odds, an unknown twenty-three-year-old steps out to lead the case, defend the people of the city, and defy the power of the ruling elite. 

That lawyer’s name is Gaius Julius Caesar. 

So begins Santiago Posteguillo’s acclaimed masterpiece of historical fiction―a tale as epic as Caesar’s life itself. An irresistible page-turning novel of politics and betrayal, grand battles and impossible odds, shocking villainy and even greater acts of courage, I Am Rome brilliantly animates the moments that shaped this extraordinary young man’s fate—and in so doing, changed the course of history itself.

Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Goals for 2024

 

It is hard to believe that we are already here in January thinking about goals for 2024! Thanks as always to That Artsy Reader Girl for hosting Top Ten Tuesday each week. 

Some of my goals haven't changed since I last updated in October but it is always good to revisit them and see which ones to keep and which ones to let go of. Just knowing my blog is two years old is enough for me as I never thought beyond a month at a time when I started in January 2022. I hope your year of reading is rewarding whether you read one book or one hundred. It doesn't matter as long as you read what you love and continue to love to read. 

1.Drop the Classics Club

Hopefully this isn't forever. It is just something I have to do right now. It may not seem like a "goal" in the sense that I'm not striving towards something but it is a goal for me because I have a hard time letting things fall by the wayside. So my goal is to drop it and not feel guilty about it. I have tried and find myself dreading most of the titles I started out with. I guess a better way to phrase it would be to revise my list and pick it back up in the future. But it may be that for this time in my life, the classics just aren't for me.

2.Set aside daily reading minutes

You'd think this would be something I already do but it isn't. I read almost every day but it is very sporadic and unfocused and sometimes that really is all we can hope for. But I have found if I actually force myself to set aside a number of minutes to read I end up reading way more than I intend to. It's that idea of just get going and before you know it, you've read a whole chapter. 

3.Stay focused on the current book

This is a big one! While I will never be that person who reads only one book at a time, it is becoming clear that I need to force myself to work on one book in a reading session. I find myself reading a bit and then wanting to browse books online or skip to another book I want to start. But when I focus and work on the current book it is so rewarding when I finish it faster. 

4.Not care what others think of the books I'm reading

This goal will probably be included every time I write these goals. It is a big year for me...I turn 50 in July and sometimes I imagine I'm supposed to be this mature intellectual who only reads classics...see #1 goal...lol...so it is good for me to reiterate to the world....read what you love!! Just like friends, books can be for a season and time in your life that will change. It is okay not to be deep all the time. And it is okay to want to switch to something totally normally off your radar. My blog will always center around history and mysteries but there are so many variables within those genres that it includes many types and styles to try. I want to be happy with what I'm reading because when it becomes a chore, what is the point, right?

5.Keep my blog simple

One of my favorite things to do is browse other book blogs. There are so many creative people in the book world and I am in awe of the different styles and reviews. But I am not the most technology savvy person and I get overwhelmed trying to insert lots of pictures and graphics into my posts. So sometimes I just don't post at all for fear of being "boring." This year I'd like to write more and worry less about whether or not I am adding just the right colorful touches. Some of the best blogs I come across aren't fancy, but have fabulous content. If you take the time to just sit and read it.

6.Stop planning out my blogging schedule

While I will always have a general idea of what I'm going to write about each week (Stacking the Shelves, Can't Wait Wednesday usually) I spent 2023 often stressed about adhering to a certain posting and review schedule. I thought this would keep me on track, and it did, but it was also a lot to manage. I am glad I did it though because I discovered my own personal preferences about reading and blogging. I have busy weeks and slow weeks, like everyone else, and so I find that when I'm really busy I still get in a post or two but when I'm not busy I have great motivation to do more. I'm going to try to just go with the flow this year.

7.Interact more with fellow bloggers

Each week I check in with all of the blogs on my home page that I'm following. I absolutely love seeing the posts, reviews, and enjoy catching up on the ones who post about their personal lives. But I don't comment much and I should when possible. I realize this can get time consuming but you can just do a few each week and skip around. It is gratifying when people take the time to converse with you because blogging can be lonely if you feel like no one is reading your content. So this is a great goal for everyone!

8.Review only the books I want to review

When I first started this blog I never dreamed a real author would contact me. It was very exciting and humbling to have one ask me to read and review their books. And I thought initially I'd love to do this as a future goal. But I have realized that I just don't want my blog to be tied down to "have to's." Which is another reason I don't interact much with NetGalley anymore except to look for new books to promote. I have realized that while I love reading, reviewing, and promoting books I don't want to be in a position to promise someone I'll read and review their book when I either don't want to or don't have time to. It isn't fair to them or me. So I'm dropping the "have to" and will only review books I want to.

9.Go back to more actual physical books

While I love my Kindle, there is something different about paper books. I find when I'm reading them it is more personal. Due to my age and deteriorating eyesight my Kindle is so important to have. And when I go on vacations it is essential for space management. But I always want to keep at least one physical, paper book going to remind me of what reading was like when I was younger. I miss it. And so I'm going to see if I can do more of it when I'm home and have the right lighting!

10.Keep my book stack to three books or less at a time

This seems to be the sweet spot for me! A physical book and two Kindle books. I have played around with more or less and I always seem to come back to three at a time. I usually have one historical cozy mystery book, one more serious historical fiction book that is long and detailed and takes months to finish, and a shorter historical fiction book that I can read and review within a span of a week. Then I throw in a straight history book every month or so but I'm not finding I'm as interested in that genre as often as I used to be. This is a good goal for me to continue as I do get bored reading only one book at a time but have a tendency to take on way too many if I don't set a limit. 

I look forward to reading all about my fellow bloggers' bookish goals for 2024. I hope everyone has a wonderful year!!