Stacking the Shelves #28

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 :) 

This is the first full length biography about Edward III's queen. The author is one who has extensive knowledge of the time period and has written several books about the major players and events of the middle ages. I feel Philippa of Hainault is overlooked in both historical and historical ficition books and had a remarkable life. I wish I could find more on her. This one is hard to come by in the U.S. so it had to be purchased.

This is book one of the Lady Caroline mysteries. I love cozies but have become a bit pickier about which ones I'll read. Bassett did a great job with the one set in Egypt. She actually created the atmosphere and had some history and authentic details throughout the book. So I'm willing to give her series a chance. I confess I may be listening to this one on audiobook if I am pressed for time but I went ahead and purchased this for my Kindle. A steal at $2.99. 

I confess I have only read one Chadwick book so far. I know, I know, in the historical fiction medieval world that is unheard of. But I just have been so engrossed in Penman novels the last few years, I haven't tackled these yet. This one is about a unique subject, Joanna of Swanscombe, whom I know nothing about and it was on sale for $0.99. I hope to get to it this year. 

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Schoolmaster by Jessica Tvordi

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring The Schoolmaster by Jessica Tvordi. It tells the story of a young King James VI, son of Mary Queen of Scots and his tutor. It follows James as he grows into a man and the loves of his life.  A unique take on the subject to be sure. 

Hope you have found something you can't wait for this week!

June 1, 2024

Historical Fiction

Description courtesy of Net Galley

Scotland, 1570. Catholic followers of the exiled Mary, Queen of Scots wage war against those of her four-year-old son, King James VI. Enter Master Peter Young, a Geneva-educated merchant’s son. Eager to make his way in the world, Peter is appointed to serve as the king’s tutor alongside the formidable George Buchanan. Their objective? To shape Scotland’s young monarch into a perfect, Protestant ruler—a difficult task in a world filled with religious violence, power-hungry lords, and the petty squabbles of both boys and men.

Over the years, Peter sees success with his pupils, proves an invaluable friend to the king’s caretaker, the Countess of Mar, and her troubled son, Johnny Erskine, and gains status at court. But when the king’s French-raised cousin Esmé Stewart, Seigneur d’Aubigny, arrives in Scotland, Peter and his friends must discover whether this seductive stranger is an agent of Catholic Rome or another greedy relation hoping for preferment.

The Schoolmaster is a coming-of-age story, as King James rejects lessons of the schoolroom for love, and Peter navigates treacherous political waters to ensure the nation's security. Through Peter's eyes, readers are transported to a pivotal moment in Scottish history: the arrival of the first of King James’s many controversial lover-favorites. 

Top Ten Tuesday: Reasons I DNF'd a Book

 

Reasons I DNF'd (Did Not Finish) a Book

Well it has been awhile since I have posted for Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. I don't know why but these posts seem to take a lot of work and thinking for me. I love doing them but they are time consuming. Today I'm just going to make a list and join in! No book covers or titles, because I wouldn't want to actually name these books and discourage the authors. So here is my list as to why I didn't finish certain books. (You can decide if they are "petty" reasons as the original challenge is titled :) 

1. The terrible dialogue- I just can't with some of these modern books and inserting modern discussion into historical novels. Makes me want to toss the book across the room.

2. Too long- Don't get me wrong, I love an epic as much as anyone but some books just don't need to be 1,000 pages. You could cut it in half and still get the gist of the story.

3. The plot twists in a way I find unbelievable- Sometimes I'm halfway through a book and it just becomes too far fetched. I just can't buy into it anymore and want to stop reading.

4. I've figured out whodunnit quickly- When reading a mystery if I really think it's too easy I will skip to the end or just stop reading. This is terrible I know but I'm being honest, I do this!

5. Annoying Main Characters- I have to have some buy in with the main character. If I don't like them and I'm supposed to (meaning they aren't the villain) I don't always want to continue with the story.

6. Written in present tense language- This seems to be the new trend and I do not enjoy it! Give me the old fashioned narrator style.

7. A better book caught my eye- I do try to finish books I like before straying off to start a new one. But sometimes I come across a book I just have to begin reading today! And I ditch the other book and forget to get back to it. This is a bad habit to get into where you have all these half finished good books.

8. Politics enters the story- When I'm reading a good historical fiction book or mystery the last thing I want is someone preaching at me about modern day standards. So if I get the sense that is happening I'm apt to DNF that book quickly. It better have a realistic sense of the time or I'm out.

9. The story just moves too slowly- The book starts out strong and I'm really hooked. But halfway through I start realizing there is nothing new happening and the author is just rehashing and dragging out the ending. I confess this is when I start skimming, which I hate to do but sometimes you just have to.

10. Part of a series that isn't evolving- I absolutely love books that are part of a series. I know I'll never be able to read all of them but I love knowing the same characters are there if I want to meet them again. So I have to choose wisely and if a series is getting stale with the same plot lines told over again, I ditch it. And start another series. 

The Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie (Miss Marple Mysteries Book One) Read Christie 2024 April Selection

 

Publication Date:

October 1930

Length:

256 pages

Summary:

This is the first Christie story to feature Miss Marple and for that reason alone I wanted to read it. Reverend Lawrence Clement narrates the story. He is the vicar of St. Mary Mead and lives with his wife Griselda who is a much younger and cheerful lady. His nephew Dennis lives with them. Clement dislikes the church warden he works with, Colonel Protheroe, and that sentiment is shared by many in the village. When Protheroe is shot to death in Clement's office one evening while the vicar is called away, Clement is pulled into finding out who did it and why. 

Prior to the shooting, Clement observed Protheroe's wife, Anne in a romantic encounter with one Lawrence Redding, an artist who is just visiting the village and although he doesn't out them at the time, he now wonders if they had anything to do with the murder. 

The police are unable to narrow down a working timeline of the murder due to conflicting notes and reports of the actual time of the gunshot. Miss Marple, local villager and shrewd amateur detective of sorts has her own theories. She believes there are seven people who could have had the means and motive and begins to zero in on their wherabouts and likelihood of guilt. The hardest clue to discern the answer to is the sound of the gunshot itself. Witnesses claim to have heard the sound coming from the woods, not the vicar's house. Also, at least one of the suspects was seen near the woods, but not carrying a pistol. It is tough for Miss Marple to puzzle out.

Meanwhile, Clement, who despises the Inspector Slack assigned to the case, finds his curate, Hawes, dying from an overdose and confessing to stealing from the church accounts. He also has a note that appears to confirm his guilt. Can Miss Marple narrow her suspect list down to find the real murderer in time? Or is is Hawes?

My Thoughts:

I liked the narration of Clement and his way of thinking. He is an interesting character and it is fun to hear his depictions of his wife and the local, colorful people in the town. Sometimes he doesn't sound much like a vicar in that he is very human, but that is what makes him interesting. Miss Marple doesn't figure in the story nearly as much as him, although we definitely see her personality come through with her sleuthing skills. 

I found the women in the story to be a bit shallow and irritating: Griselda, Clement's wife, Lettice Protheroe, the Colonel's daughter, and Anne Protheroe, the Colonel's wife all seem a bit scatterbrained and helpless. 

I thought the story moved a bit too slowly and had a lot of repetition sometimes when going through the clues but the ending made up for it. It was cleverly done as always and although I did suspect someone correctly I was wrong about the how and why. Overall it turned out to be a good, intriguing story with all the loose ends wrapped up neatly. Everyone who is a Christie fan needs to read it just because it is the first Miss Marple story. 

A Royal Murder by Verity Bright (Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery Book 9)

Publication Date: 

Februrary 28, 2022 

Length:

290 pages

Summary:

This ninth book in the series doesn't take us to an exotic location but does include plenty of royal excitement. Eleanor is attending the royal regatta boat races with her friend Tipsy Fitzroy. Tipsy has taken it upon herself to "help" Eleanor with her image...clothes and bearing. Eleanor, who is new to the whole lady persona she inherited upon her Uncle's death and the acquisition of his money and home, Henley Hall, obliges without enthusiasm. 

Hoping to enjoy the day peacefully, she stumbles into another murder mystery when the King's cousin, Lord Xander Taylor-Howard drops dead after drinking a glass of champagne during the after races ceremony. At first everyone thinks it might be an innocent tragedy but it soon becomes apparent that foul play is involved. 

Because of her past track record with solving suspicious deaths, Eleanor is asked to help Sir Percival, the head of the royal police, in solving the murder. She is surprised but happy to put her skills to use. She is also thrilled to be in the company of Detective Hugh Seldon, her love interest and someone she has worked with before, usually without Seldon's approval. 

As they follow the clues they have many options before them: was it gambling debts owed? Family secrets? A Russian mobster? Or a jealous lover's husband? So many suspects and directions to pursue. Of course Clifford the butler and her adorable staff pitch in when they can especially Clifford, who is always one step ahead of everyone else with background knowledge and insight. 

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this one. I like it when my cozy mysteries move to a special location outside of England or America but this time the story was fun and intriguing enough that it didn't need that. The clues were interesting and kept me guessing right up until the end. There was a twist that I expected right before it was revealed and although I got the gist of it correct, there was still another piece that I didn't see coming. I absolutely love the characters in these stories, especially Clifford and his witty comments. The Henley Hall staff is so cute and work so hard to make everything perfect and beautiful and I always learn little things about the time period and running a country estate in the 1920's when they are cleaning or cooking something. 

The royal link doesn't factor in a whole lot, I think it is just there to make the story seem more surprising. But it works because it's more fun to read about Lord Xander than just plain old Xander, right? I will be reading and reviewing the next three books this year as the season dictates with their theme. The latest book 18, Murder in Mayfair, will be released in June. Wonder if I'll ever catch up?