Author: hmalagisi

Book Review: “The Queen and the Countess” by Anne O’Brien

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Medieval wars were not just fought on the battlefield. They also fought in court through marriage alliances and politics. While we often think about wars and men, we should also consider the women who played their parts either in exile or glistening palaces. We often think about medieval queens like Margaret of Anjou as these strong women who fought in their ways, but we have to consider the wife of Richard Neville Earl of Warwick, known as the Kingmaker; her name was Anne Beauchamp Countess of Warwick. The relationship between Margaret of Anjou and Anne Beauchamp has not been discussed much until now. Anne O’Brien tells the stories of these two women and the wars that bound them together in her latest novel, “The Queen and the Countess.”

I want to thank Orion Publishing and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this novel. What attracted me to this novel was the cover at first and then the description. I love reading novels about the Wars of the Roses, so when I saw it was a novel featuring both Margaret of Anjou and Anne Beauchamp Countess of Warwick, it was a must read for me.

We begin in the year 1480 as both Margaret and Anne reflect on their lives while they are in exile. Then, we get a flashback to the famous Love Day “celebration” of 1458, when members of the Lancaster and York families joined hands as a way to try to mend the rift that was bound to tear the country apart. It is the idea of King Henry VI that his wife, Margaret of Anjou, joins hands with the Duke of York. It is a complete and utter failure as the Wars of the Roses kick off in full force. Since the King is very weak, it is Margaret who must take the reigns of government to protect the Lancaster family and the throne for not only her husband but also for their only son, Prince Edward.

On the other side of the conflict is Anne Beauchamp Countess of Warwick, the wife of Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, also known as the King Maker. She is the mother of two daughters, Isabel and Anne, but she desires a son. Being on the rebellious Yorkist side means that Anne is directly an enemy of Margaret of Anjou, but something remarkable happens: the two women form a thorny friendship. For over twenty years, the relationship between Anne and Margaret ebbs and flows as the crown passes from Henry VI to Edward IV like a ping-pong ball. Both Anne and Margaret understand what it means to lose their husbands and children whom they love; they know the glory of victory, the terror of defeat, and the uncertainty of being in exile.

I enjoyed this novel very much. It gave more depth and heart to the conflict as a whole, as well as a better understanding of both women. Anne O’Brien was able to create such dynamic characters and a thrilling novel that any fan of medieval novels will enjoy. If you are a fan of novels set during the Wars of the Roses featuring strong women, I highly suggest you read, “The Queen and the Countess” by Anne O’Brien.

Guest Post: “New Release Book Blast for ‘Ghost Encounters: The Lingering Spirits of North Devon’ by Helen Hollick with Kathy Hollick”

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I am pleased to welcome Helen and Kathy Hollick to my blog today to share a blurb for their book Ghost Encounters: The Lingering Spirits of North Devon. I want to thank The Coffee Pot Book Club and Helen and Kathy Hollick for allowing me to participate in this blog tour.

Blurb: 

Everyone assumes that ghosts are hostile. Actually, most of them are not.

You either believe in ghosts or you don’t. It depends on whether you’ve encountered something supernatural or not. But when you share a home with several companionable spirits or discover benign ghosts in public places who appear as real as any living person, skepticism is abandoned and the myth that ghosts are to be feared is realized as nonsense.

It is a matter for individual consideration whether you believe in ghosts or not, but for those who have the gift to see, hear, or be aware of people from the past, meeting with them in today’s environment can generate a connection to years gone by. Kathy and Helen Hollick have come across several such departed souls in and around North Devon and at their 18th-century home, which they share with several ‘past residents’.

In GHOST ENCOUNTERS: The Lingering Spirits Of North Devon, mother, and daughter share their personal experiences, dispelling the belief that spirits are to be feared.

Ghost Encounters will fascinate all who enjoy this beautiful region of rural South-West England, as well as interest those who wish to discover more about its history… and a few of its ghosts.

(Includes a bonus of two short stories and photographs connected to North Devon)

cover design: Avalon Graphics
cover artwork: Chris Collingwood 

Buy Link:  

Universal Buy Link: https://mybook.to/GhostEncounters 

This title will be available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

Author Bios: 

ABOUT HELEN HOLLICK 

Known for her captivating storytelling and rich attention to historical detail, Helen might not see ghosts herself, but her nautical adventure series, and some of her short stories, skillfully blend the past with the supernatural, inviting readers to step into worlds where the boundaries between the living and the dead blur.  

In addition to her historical fiction, Helen has written several short stories, further exploring themes of historical adventure or the supernatural with her signature style. Whether dealing with the echoes of the past or the weight of lost souls, her stories are as compelling as they are convincing. Through her work, she invites readers into a world where the past never truly lets us go. 

Helen started writing as a teenager, but after discovering a passion for history, was published in the UK with her Arthurian Pendragon’s Banner Trilogy and two Anglo-Saxon novels about the events that led to the 1066 Battle of Hastings, one of which, The Forever Queen (USA title – A Hollow Crown in the UK) became a USA Today best-seller. Her Sea Witch Voyages are nautical-based adventures inspired by the Golden Age of Piracy. She also writes the Jan Christopher cozy mystery series set during the 1970s, and based around her, sometimes hilarious, years of working as a North London library assistant. 

Helen, her husband Ron, and daughter Kathy moved from London to Devon in January 2013 after a Lottery win on the opening night of the London Olympics, 2012. She spends her time glowering at the overgrown garden and orchard, fending off the geese, helping with the horses, and, when she gets a moment, writing the next book… 

ABOUT KATHY HOLLICK 

Diagnosed as severely dyslexic when she was ten, Helen pulled Kathy out of school at fifteen to concentrate on everything equine. 

When not encountering friendly ghosts, Kathy’s passion is horses and mental well-being. She started riding at the age of three, had her Welsh pony at thirteen, and discovered showjumping soon after. Kathy now runs her own Taw River Equine Events, and coaches riders of any age or experience, specializing in a positive mindset and overcoming confidence issues via her Centre10 accreditation and Emotional Freedom Technique training. EFT, or ‘tapping’, uses the body’s pressure points to aid calm relaxation and to promote gentle healing around emotional, mental, or physical issues. 

Kathy lives with her farmer partner, Andrew, in their flat adjoining the main farmhouse. She regularly competes at affiliated British Showjumping, and rides side-saddle (‘aside’) when she has the opportunity. She produces her horses, several from home-bred foals. 

She also has a fun diploma in Dragons and Dragon Energy, which was something amusing to study during the COVID lockdown. 

Authors’ Links: 

Helen: 

Website: https://helenhollick.net/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HelenHollick 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helen.hollick 

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/helenhollick.bsky.social  

Amazon Author Page: https://viewauthor.at/HelenHollick 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/helenhollick 

Blog: supporting authors & their books https://ofhistoryandkings.blogspot.com/ 

Monthly ‘newsletter’: Thoughts from a Devonshire Farmhouse.  

https://thoughtsfromadevonshirefarmhouse.blogspot.com/ 

Kathy:  

Website: https://www.white-owl.co.uk/ 

Facebook: North Devon – Taw River Equine Events https://www.facebook.com/groups/1491518561152309 

Book Review: “Boy” by Nicole Galland

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Have you ever had a dream for your life that seemed so impossible that you would do anything to make sure it happened? Whether the matter of age or gender or even circumstances of one’s birth, there is always that one dream that keeps you going even during the most difficult times. Sander Cooke and his best friend Joan Buckler have dreams that seem impossible, especially living in Elizabethan England. Sander wants to stay young so he can continue to act in female roles in plays whereas Joan wants to be a natural philosopher even though she is a woman. Can they achieve their dreams or will they be doomed to fall to greater powers? The story of Sander and Joan is told in Nicole Galland’s latest novel, “Boy.”

I want to thank William Morrow and NetGalley for sending me a copy of this novel. The cover caught my eye first, and I was impressed by its simplicity. Then, I read the description, and I knew it was right up my alley. I don’t read a lot of novels about Elizabethan theater life or natural philosophy, so I was excited to see how she could incorporate these ideas into one cohesive novel.

We begin with Alexander ‘Sander” Cooke who is one of the best boy players in the Chamberlain’s Men. He can get any female part that he wants that is written by William Shakespeare. Sander is renowned for his beauty and his acting skills, but he knows that his youth will not last forever so he is working feverishly to create connections at court. Meanwhile, Sander’s friend Joan just wants an opportunity to show that she can study just like a man can. She has no formal education, but she wants to study in the halls of the Barber-Surgeons and with natural philosophers.

It seems that both Sander and Joan’s problems are solved when Sander is introduced to Sir Francis Bacon, a natural philosopher. Sander comes up with a scheme for Joan to converse with Bacon, but Joan must dress as a male servant. While Joan has to deal with masquerading as a man, Sander has his issues as he is close to Robert Devereux Earl of Essex, and his sister Lady Penelope Rich. While there are areas of love, danger, and intrigue, what grabbed my attention was how revolutionary some of the scientific and philosophical experiments made me think about their discussions in depth. It was refreshing and innovative in its approach with the historical figures we all know from this period of the past taking more of a back seat.

This was an evocative novel that gave even more depth to an already rich period of the past. It shows the lives of the common people striving for better lives and how to better the world around them through the arts or scientific discoveries. I did not know what to expect when I first selected this book, but I am so glad I read it. If you want a novel with a fresh take on Elizabethan England, I highly suggest you read “Boy” by Nicole Galland.

Book Review: “Preparing Tudor Kings and Princes to Rule: The Men and Women Who Trained the Royals” by Julia A. Hickey

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In life, when it comes to a new skill or job, you must be trained to become good at it. The same can be said for the monarchy, which in a sense is a job that encompasses one’s entire life. You have to understand different languages, rhetoric, the arts of dancing, and music, as well as diplomacy and physical activities if you want to rule a nation. It may seem like a lot for one person to handle, but from the moment of their birth, a prince or princess has a team of people behind them to make sure that they are ready to either rule their home country or create an alliance with other nations. The Tudors knew how important educating their future monarchs was for the survival of the dynasty. Julia A. Hickey examines the people behind the teams raising the future Tudor monarchs in her book, “Preparing Tudor Kings and Princes to Rule: The Men and Women Who Trained the Royals.”

I want to thank Pen and Sword Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. The premise of this book was fascinating to me and I wanted to see if Hickey would introduce any new people from the Tudor dynasty in this book.

Hickey begins her book by exploring the origins of the Tudor family, starting with the matriarch herself Margaret Beaufort, followed by Owen, Edmund, and Jasper Tudor, and concluding with how Henry Tudor’s education and his lifestyle shaped him to become the first Tudor king. While I do enjoy a review section about the Wars of the Roses, I felt like this section went a bit too long.

Once we see Henry Tudor on the throne, we get to see how the Tudor dynasty grew with the children of Henry Tudor and Elizabeth of York. We get to see how Arthur Tudor as the heir had a much different education than his brother Henry, who was deemed a spare. The education of the princes was vastly different than the education allocated to the princesses even though it was based on humanism. With the death of Prince Arthur, Henry had to go through a crash course on how to rule a country before his father died in 1509. Hickey also shows her audience how the children of Henry VIII, Mary I, Henry Fitzroy, Elizabeth I, and Edward VI, were raised and educated. She also takes the time to show what happens to his children after Henry VIII’s death. Finally, we do get appendixes that feature mini-biographies for all the men and women who are featured in this book to show a different aspect of the Tudor court.

Overall, I found this a rather nifty little book about the Tudor court. Hickey does a decent job of telling the stories of these men and women who trained the Tudor rulers, both male and female. If you want a book that explores what it takes to rule England during the Tudor dynasty, you should check out “Preparing Tudor Kings and Princes to Rule: The Men and Women Who Trained the Royals” by Julia A. Hickey.

Guest Post: “Audiobook Extract from ‘A Woman’s Lot’ by Carolyn Hughes

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I am pleased to welcome Carolyn Hughes back to my blog to share an audiobook extract from her novel, “A Woman’s Lot.” I want to thank The Coffee Pot Book Club and Carolyn Hughes for allowing me to be part of this blog tour.

Audiobook Extract

The following link is the extract for the audiobook for “A Woman’s Lot” by Carolyn Hughes, narrated by Alex Lee. 

https://soundcloud.com/cathie-dunn/a-womans-lot-agnes-by-carolyn-hughes

Blurb: 

How can mere women resist the misogyny of men?

1352. In Meonbridge, a resentful peasant rages against Eleanor Titherige’s efforts to build up her flock of sheep. Susanna Miller’s husband, grown melancholy and ill-tempered, succumbs to idle gossip that his wife’s a scold. Agnes Sawyer’s yearning to be a craftsman is met with scorn. And the village priest, fearful of what he considers women’s “unnatural” ambitions, is determined to keep them firmly in their place. 

Many men hold fast to the teachings of the Church and fear the havoc the “daughters of Eve” might wreak if they’re allowed to usurp men’s roles and gain control over their own lives. 

Not all men in Meonbridge resist the women’s desire for change – indeed, they want it for themselves. Yet it takes only one or two misogynists to unleash the hounds of hostility and hatred… 

If you enjoy immersive historical fiction with a strong authentic feel, set in a time of change and challenge, especially for women, you’ll love A Woman’s Lot, the second MEONBRIDGE CHRONICLE. Find out for yourself if Meonbridge’s “unnatural” women stand up to their abusers! 

Praise: 

“This book exceeded all my expectations. I did not read this story. I lived it!”  

~ The Coffee Pot Book Club 

 

“A treat for all the senses…totally true to its time and setting…”  

~ Being Anne  

 

“I didn’t so much feel as if I were reading about medieval England as experiencing it first hand.” 

~ Linda’s Book Bag 

 

“An absorbing account of the times.” 

~ Historical Novel Society 

Buy Link: 

Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/4jzKJY  

This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited. 

Audiobook Links: 

Audible: https://buff.ly/4gw1xs3  

Audible UK: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/A-Womans-Lot-Audiobook/B0DW4HR5HW  

Audible US: https://www.audible.com/pd/A-Womans-Lot-Audiobook/B0DW4FZLCZ  

Author Bio: 

Carolyn Hughes has lived much of her life in Hampshire. With a first degree in Classics and English, she started working as a computer programmer, which was a very new profession. But it was technical authoring that later proved her vocation, word-smithing for many different clients, including banks, an international hotel group, and medical instruments manufacturers. 

Although she wrote creatively on and off for most of her adult life, it was not until her children flew the nest that writing historical fiction took center stage. But why historical fiction? Serendipity! 

Seeking inspiration for what to write for her Creative Writing Masters, she discovered the handwritten draft, beginning in her twenties, of a novel, set in 14th-century rural England… 

 

Intrigued by the period and setting, she realized that, by writing a novel set in the period, she could learn more about the medieval past and interpret it, which seemed like a thrilling thing to do. A few days later, the first Meonbridge Chronicle, Fortune’s Wheel, was underway. 

 

Six published books later (with more to come), Carolyn does now think of herself as an Historical Novelist. And she wouldn’t have it any other way… 

 

 

Author Links: 

 

Website: https://carolynhughesauthor.com  

Twitter: https://x.com/writingcalliope  

Facebook: https://facebook.com/CarolynHughesAuthor  

Bluesky: https://carolynhughes.bsky.social  

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/carolyn-hughes 

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Carolyn-Hughes/author/B01MG5TWH1  

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16048212.Carolyn_Hughes  

 

 

Book Review: “The Duty of Women” by Caroline Willcocks

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The Tudor court during the reign of King Henry VIII was a treacherous place to be, even for the humble female musician. It was full of men and women vying for a position of power, and they were ready to give anything and everything for that power. This is the world that Kat Cooke finds herself in. After faithfully serving Queen Katherine of Aragon for years, she must switch her loyalties to Anne Boleyn, but when things get dangerous, where will Kat’s loyalties lie? Can Kat survive such turbulent times or sacrifice everything she holds dear? Kat’s story is told in the second book of Caroline Willcocks’ Tudor Queens series, “The Duty of Women.”

I want to thank Atmosphere Press and NetGalley for sending me a copy of this novel. While I have not read the first book in this series, “Of Aragon,” I did want to read this book because the premise sounded intriguing, and I have seen this book floating around on social media. I have not read any books by Caroline Willcocks, so I was looking forward to seeing what her writing style and approach to the Tudors was like.

Kat Cooke is an adopted foundling living in the court of Henry VIII. She is a married woman, and throughout she tells her story to her daughter. It should be noted that Kat is not an ordinary adopted foundling; she is the daughter of Katherine of Aragon and Henry VIII, who was believed to have been born stillborn, which was revealed in book one of this series. Having Kat in the court as the unknown child of Katherine of Aragon and Henry VIII adds depth to her character as Kat is both inside and outside the court circle. We enter the story with Queen Katherine of Aragon away from court and Anne Boleyn starting to create her influence over the court. It is at the height of the Great Matter, and we get a chance to see Thomas Cromwell working with Kat’s husband, Will, to put Anne Boleyn on the throne while dismantling the Catholic church in England.

It is through Kat’s story to her daughter that we get to see how the court interacts with one another during this tumultuous time. Willcocks portrays the relationship between Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour as a Mean Girls situation. We also get to see the relationship between Anne and Henry, Anne and Cromwell, and Sir Thomas Wyatt’s affection for Anne. Although Sir Thomas Wyatt and Anne Boleyn never were a couple, Kat and Thomas do develop quite an interesting relationship that will shape her entire future and shake her relationship with Will forever.

Overall, I think this was a decent book with a unique take on the story of the Great Matter, the rise and fall of Anne Boleyn, and the short reign of Jane Seymour. The story of Kat and Will Cooke is fresh and welcoming when compared to other Tudor novels. I am interested in reading the first book in this series and the other books in the series when they are published. I think if you want a fresh take on the Great Matter, “The Duty of Women” and the Tudor Queens series by Caroline Willcocks should be something you check out.

Book Review: “A Tapestry of Treason” by Anne O’Brien

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The medieval world could be a treacherous place to live in, especially when it comes to life in the medieval court. There was so much backstabbing and men reaching for titles and crowns that were not given to them. Take, for example, the House of York. Now, we will assume that their desire for the throne truly came to fruition during the period known as the Wars of the Roses in the 15th century. However, the sons and the daughter of Edmund of Langley and Isabella of Castile were fiercely loyal to those they served and were ruthless to those who they deemed as their enemies. This is the world that Constance of York, Lady Despenser, is raised in, but when her world is turned upside down, will she choose to stay on the sideline, or will she scheme with her family and fight for what they believe is right? Constance’s story is woven together in Anne O’Brien’s novel, “A Tapestry of Treason.”

I did have Anne on my blog with a guest post for her novel, “The Queen’s Rival,” and read it, which was a lot of fun, so I decided that I wanted to read more of her novels. I didn’t know a lot about Constance of York before this book, so I was excited to see she would tell Constance’s story.

We begin our tale in 1399 when Richard II sits on the throne, and the House of York is riding high. Constance of York is married to Thomas Lord Despenser, and her family, led by her father Edmund Langley, are sitting in good favor of their cousin, the king. However, things do not stay the same for long as Henry Bolingbroke comes back from exile to take back his Lancastrian titles and lands, but he ends up taking the throne as Henry IV and imprisoning Richard II. Well, Constance and her family simply cannot have an usurper take the throne from their cousin. So, a plan is hatched with Constance’s husband, Thomas, at the center to try and free Richard II from his captivity. To say this failed massively would be an understatement, as it led to the execution of Thomas Lord Despenser. 

As a widow, Constance hopes to live a normal life, especially after she falls in love with Edmund Holland, Earl of Kent. He wishes to marry Constance, but her family gets in the way of this love match. Constance is asked to help with a scheme to put one of the Mortimer boys on the throne and overthrow King Henry IV, but to do so, Constance must free the boys from their captivity. Constance agreed, and I wanted to scream at her. She throws away her chance at happiness for a plot that was easily foiled, and Constance ends up imprisoned herself. She loses the one real chance at marrying the man she truly loves as he marries another, and to top it all off, she ends up pregnant with his child. 

While Constance of York was not a main character that I particularly enjoyed, O’Brien’s writing style is engaging, and it shows how tumultuous this period was for those closest to the throne. Overall, I enjoyed this novel and I am looking forward to reading more novels by Anne O’Brien. If you are like me and want to read a novel about a time in medieval England that’s not discussed much, I would suggest you read, “A Tapestry of Treason,” by Anne O’Brien.

Book Review: “Murder in Anglo-Saxon England: Justice, Weregild, Revenge” by Annie Whitehead

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What’s better than snuggling up on a cold winter’s day and reading a murder mystery? How about an entire book about historical murders and the laws about murder and revenge? While we do have murder mysteries in every century and every walk of life, the farther back into the past we go, the more difficult it can be to discern fact from fiction. Take, for example, the stories of murder, betrayal, and revenge in Anglo-Saxon England. Annie Whitehead hopes to reveal a deeper understanding of this period through numerous murder cases in her latest book, “Murder in Anglo-Saxon England: Justice, Weregild, Revenge.”

I want to thank Amberley Publishing for sending me a copy of this book. I have read a few of Annie Whitehead’s books, including “Mercia: The Rise and Fall of a Kingdom,” and “Women of Power in Anglo-Saxon England,” so when I heard that she was writing a new book about this era, I knew I wanted to read it. Whitehead has always been able to make this era come alive, so I hoped to learn more about this period in English history.

Whitehead begins by explaining that she will cover close to a hundred cases of murder and revenge in this book from the 7th century to the 11th century. Each chapter focuses on a different kingdom: Northumbria, Mercia, East Anglia, and Wessex, as well as a different concept like laws, women killers, and Anglo-Saxon saints. It is a lot of ground to cover in a book, but she also decided to include the different law codes that defined the era and how murder was dealt with in a legal sense. Whitehead also decided to take on myths and legends of how saints and martyrs were killed, as well as the mythological killing method of the Blood Eagle employed by the “Vikings.”

There are so many colorful stories full of betrayal, political intrigue, and legal implications. These stories and myths of killings tell us more about the period of the past. Anglo-Saxon England was not a lawless society as we do see how taxes like weregild and their punishments for murder evolved. These were not just some stories written down on paper. The men, women, and children lived and ultimately died at a time when England was figuring out its identity. Although most of these incidents are isolated cases of murder and revenge, the St. Brice’s Day Massacre saw the execution of many Danish men on English soil.

I found this book extremely informative and easy to follow. Whitehead does it again and makes the world of Anglo-Saxon England come alive with her extensive research and her writing style. I may be a novice to the Anglo-Saxon period in English history, but it is books like this that make me want to continue to study this era. If you are interested in murder mysteries from the Anglo-Saxon world, I highly recommend you read “Murder in Anglo-Saxon England: Justice, Weregild, Revenge” by Annie Whitehead.

Book Review: “Searching for the Last Anglo-Saxon King: Harold Godwinson, England’s Golden Warrior” by Paula Lofting

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We all know the story of William the Conqueror and the Norman Conquest. William claimed he was the heir of Edward the Confessor instead of his rival Harold Godwinson. Harold was seen as a villain throughout history thanks to the Norman sources, but what was the historical Harold Godwinson like? Was he a malicious usurper who had to die at the Battle of Hastings for the rightful King William I to take the throne or is there more to his story than his death? Paula Lofting scoured the archives to find the truth about this maligned man in her book, “Searching for the Last Anglo-Saxon King: Harold Godwinson, England’s Golden Warrior.”

I want to thank Paula Lofting and Pen and Sword Books for sending me a copy of this book. I will be honest I am not super familiar with the life of Harold Godwinson other than his role in the Battle of Hastings and from the book “The House of Godwin” by Michael John Key. It’s been a while since I dived into the story of the Godwin family and the Norman Conquest, so I was hoping to learn something new about Harold Godwinson.

Harold Godwinson was King of England for only nine months and nine days, but he left quite an impact. What makes him an interesting character is how he rose to the position of power to become a king. It all had to do with his family connections. Lofting lays out the origins of the Godwins, especially Harold’s father Earl Godwin. What makes the Godwin family is that Harold’s father Godwin and his brother Tostig would end up in exile or an enemy to the crown numerous times and yet it was Harold, his brother-in-law, who Edward chose to succeed him due to his loyalty and his strengths.

Then, in walks William Duke of Normandy, the illegitimate son of Robert Duke of Normandy, who not only became the new Duke of Normandy but desired the crown of England. Well, the only thing Harold could do was defend England from this invasion. Lofting goes into great detail about the multiple battles that were fought the most famous one, the Battle of Hastings, where King Harold died. She also goes into detail about the theories about where Harold Godwinson might have been buried after the battle.

As someone who is a relative novice to this subject, I found myself getting lost while reading the first half of this book which detailed the origins of the family and the drama that led Harold to the throne. It was very detailed and a real challenge for me to follow along. Once we hit the introduction of Duke William and Harold’s path to the throne, it became a better read for me. I think if you are interested in the Anglo-Saxon world, the Godwins, and the Battle of Hastings, I would recommend you read, “Searching for the Last Anglo-Saxon King: Harold Godwinson, England’s Golden Warrior” by Paula Lofting.

Book Review: “Isabella: The Warrior Queen” by Kirstin Downey

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In an age when most women of power did not have much power outside their own countries, one stood higher than most. She was not even supposed to become queen, but fate had a bigger mission for the young woman: rescue Christianity from dying out. As a ruler, this seems like a monumental task to complete especially when their enemies were the Ottoman Empire and the Turks at the height of the power. There was one woman who was up to the challenge while fighting to reclaim Spain for the Christians, exploring the new world, and dealing with her family drama. Isabella of Castile is either viewed as a saintly queen or a horrible woman ruler, but what do the archives tell us about her reign? Kirstin Downey tells the story of this revolutionary queen in her biography, “Isabella: The Warrior Queen.”

I knew a little bit about Queen Isabella of Castile from my research into her daughters Catherine of Aragon and Joanna. I learned about the stories of Christopher Columbus mostly through school. Finally, when it comes to the Inquisition and the Reconquista, it was mostly from movies and television shows. In other words, I did not know much about the reign of Queen Isabella and the history of Spain during this period, so I was excited to start learning through this biography.

Isabella of Castile may have been the daughter of King Juan II and his second wife Isabella of Portugal, but she had two brothers, Alfonso and her half-brother Enrique IV. As the son of King Juan’s first wife Maria of Aragon, Enrique IV became King of Castile after the death of King Juan. Enrique IV helped raise Isabella and Alfonso, but his court was filled with trials, tribulations, and battles. While Enrique IV did marry twice to Blanche II of Navarre and Joan of Portugal, he only had one child, a girl named Juanna le Beltraneja, but a woman could not rule, so the crown was supposed to pass to Alfonso. However, Alfonso died unexpectedly, which left Isabella and Juanna to fight for the throne after Enrique died. Isabella was a prize on the marriage market, but she decided to take her fate into her own hands instead of being a pawn in the game of international politics; she married a man of her choice, the future King Ferdinand II of Aragon.

However, this is not the only time that Isabella took matters into her own hands. When King Enrique IV of Castile died in December 1474, Isabella decided to crown herself Queen of Castile. Although she was married to Ferdinand, she ruled Castile on her own. Ferdinand was not a faithful husband as he was known to have dalliances on the side, but Isabella and Ferdinand did have children who would marry and influence European countries. Isabella was not a wallflower queen as she channeled the spirit of Joan of Arc, especially when it came to battles against the Ottoman Empire under the command of Mehmed II the Conqueror, the fall of Granada in 1492, and ended a struggle between Christians and Muslims in Spain. Isabella also created some questionably dark moments in European history including the Reconquista of Spain, the Inquisition, and the voyages of Christopher Columbus. While we often remember these events as something done by Ferdinand and Isabella, it should be noted that most of these were done according to Isabella’s will. It was not until the death of Isabella that one gets a sense of the type of ruler Ferdinand truly was as he fought against Philip the Handsome and Joanna of Aragon, Ferdinand’s daughter, for the right to rule Castile.

I found this book extremely accessible and informative. Downey was able to be balanced and fair when it came to the more controversial topics about Isabella’s reign. I have a new appreciation for Isabella’s life, her reign, and the history of Spain in general. If you want a fantastic biography about Isabella of Castile that is well-balanced and well-researched, I highly recommend you read, “Isabella: The Warrior Queen” by Kirstin Downey.