Category: Book Reviews

Book Review: “Heresy” by S. J. Parris

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Tudor England was a chaotic dynasty, especially when it came to issues pertaining to religion. If you were a citizen, you had to either sacrifice your faith to stay alive or sacrifice yourself for your faith. This animosity between Catholics and Protestants came to the forefront during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, and the most prominent battleground was the universities. To protect the queen, Sir Francis Walsingham has decided to send Giordano Bruno to Oxford University to uncover a Catholic conspiracy, but as soon as he arrives, the murders begin. Can Bruno uncover the conspiracy and find the murderer before they murder him? And can Bruno find his own treasure at the university? This is the premise of the first novel in the Giordano Bruno series by S.J. Parris, “Heresy.”

I am always looking for a new take on the Tudors. I have heard about S. J. Parris’s novels online, but I have yet to read any of her books. The description of this novel was intriguing, and Bruno sounded like a Shardlake-esque character, which I love.

So let’s talk about Bruno. Giordano Bruno was a free thinker and a monk at the monastery of San Domenico. Bruno is not afraid to read controversial texts, even if it means that the Inquisition is fast on his heels. We jump a few years ahead when Bruno is living in England and is friends with Sir Philip Sidney. Sir Francis Walsingham has heard about Bruno and asked him to visit Oxford to uncover a Catholic conspiracy, which works out well since Bruno was planning on debating the Copernican theory of the universe with one of Oxford’s greatest minds. But Bruno also has another goal in going to Oxford, which is to find a controversial book that is rumored to be at Oxford, for his own enjoyment.

Unfortunately, things at Oxford are not as calm as they seem. A sinister plot begins to unfold as it is discovered that a man is mauled to death by a dog. It seems to be a tragic accident, but Bruno soon discovers that this was only the beginning of a series of murders. While the murders may not seem connected, Bruno finds out that there is a Catholic thread connecting them all. Rector Underhill may want to hide these murders from the public to protect the school, but he struggles to protect his own family, especially his headstrong daughter Sophia.

Bruno reminds me a lot of Shardlake in the best possible way. The man is intelligent and is willing to find out the truth no matter what it takes. This novel felt so similar in style but unique in the writing style, the characters, and the macabre crimes. It is so compelling that I cannot wait to read more of this series. If you want a mystery series set during the reign of Elizabeth I with a religious twist, I highly suggest you read book one of the Giordano Bruno series, “Heresy” by S. J. Parris.

Book Review: “The Ghost of Rataskaevu Street” by Indrek Hargla

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In 15th-century Livonia, peace was restored after the chaos caused by the notorious pirates, the Victual Brothers, was brought to an end. The town of Tallinn has begun to rebuild, but things do not stay quiet forever. The deaths of a prostitute, a Flemish painter, and a Tower watchman may not seem connected until the detail that they all allegedly saw a ghost on Rataskaevu street before they died. Now, it is up to Apothecary Melchior Wakenstede to figure out if something supernatural was the killer or if it was a human with a grudge. Can Melchior solve the case, or will the spirit from the past get away with murder? This is the premise of book two of the Apothecary Melchior Mystery series, called “The Ghost of Rataskaevu Street” by Indrek Hargla. 

I would like to thank Pushkin Vertigo and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this novel. Earlier this year, I read the first novel of Hargla’s Melchior series, called “The Secret of Saint Olaf’s Church,” which I did enjoy, so when I saw the second novel was available, I wanted to see if I would continue to enjoy the series. 

We join Melchior and the town of Tallinn a few years after the incident in the first book. Like the previous book, Hargla pulls the story from the archives and gives it more of a twist. The story begins with the death of a soldier named Tobias Grote, who was a Tower watchman. Before he died, he is said to have seen a ghost on the infamous Rataskaevu street. However, as Melchior soon discovers, Grote was not the only one to die that day, nor is he the only one who saw a ghost on Ratatskaevu Street. Soon, we see the deaths of a merchant, a prostitute, and a beggar. These deaths do not seem connected, but when the stories of two families come to life, the strings that tie these murders together get tighter.

I enjoyed how Hargla continued to develop his existing characters and the world of Tallinn in this second mystery. He stuck with the murders, which contained many layers and twists that I was not expecting. For a novel that was originally written in Estonian, it is well translated and compelling in English.  If you enjoyed the first book in the Apothecary Melchior mystery series, I think you would enjoy book two, “The Ghost of Rataskaevu Street” by Indrek Hargla.

Book Review: “Teach the Torches to Burn” by Christina Dodd

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A wedding can be one of the happiest days for a couple, but the lead-up to the nuptials can be the most chaotic time not only for the couple but also for their families. You take multiple families with differing personalities to the same location as you wait for the nuptials that will blend the families. Now imagine combining the Montagues and the Capulets with a royal family when the daughter of famed star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet, marries into the noble house of Leonardi; family chaos ensues with fighting and even murder. Can Rosie and her husband-to-be, Prince Cal, solve the case before they say I do, or will their marriage follow the path of how her parents’ story is often told? Christina Dodd continues the story of Rosie in the Daughter of Montague series in the latest novel, “Teach the Torches to Burn.”

I would like to thank A John Scognamiglio Book/Kensington Publishing and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I previously read the second book in this series, “Thus With a Kiss I Die,” so when I heard she had another book coming out following the adventures of Rosie and Cal, I jumped at the chance to read it.

We join Rosie and Cal with their families enjoying a night of entertainment when Princess Ursula decides to do a séance, which feels a bit unusual for 14th-century Italy. During the seance, Ursula sees three prophecies: a long marriage for Rosie and Cal, a feud ended when a lost treasure is found, and someone is going to die. Such a cheerful evening. Things run normally until Rosie’s great-uncle Magno Montague decides to invite himself to the wedding, and with him drama follows. 

Shortly after he arrives, a party of wine drinkers, including Magno and Romeo, falls victim to poisoning, which leaves a man dead. Rosie and Cal must arrange their marriage, keep the Montagues and Capulets from killing each other, and find the murderer before they can kill Great-Uncle Magno, who seems to be the target. Rosie is sharp as ever, and seeing other members of the blended Montague-Capulet family was fun. We get to see Rosie and Cal’s love blossom, which is lovely to see. However, even though I am used to this series breaking the fourth wall, the mention of Disney in one passage threw me for a loop. I also felt like the murder mystery element was lost in the other plots until the very end. 

Overall, I found this an enjoyable read that has hints of the 14th century with a whimsical take on what if Romeo and Juliet lived and had a very headstrong eldest daughter. If you want something a bit lighter in tone but you want a novel with a 14th-century murder mystery, I recommend this series, especially the third novel, “Teach the Torches to Burn” by Christina Dodd.

Book Review: “The Borgias and Their Enemies: 1431-1519” by Christopher Hibbert

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For centuries, Italy has been a powerhouse of a nation, but it has been shaped by powerful families. There were the de Medicis, the Estes, the Sforzas, and the Orsinis. However, there is one family that lives in a bit of infamy. The father became a pope, and his illegitimate children would create their own legacies. They were the Borgias, mainly Lucrezia, Pope Alexander VI ( Rodrigo Borgia), and Cesare, and they have fascinated novices and history nerds alike for centuries. Christopher Hibbert tells their story in his nonfiction book, “The Borgias and Their Enemies: 1431-1519.”

I found this book at a used book store. I have been interested in the Borgia family ever since I read “Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia: Brother and Sister of History’s Most Vilified Family” by Samantha Morris. I have wanted to read more about this family and see how other historians approach their lives.

Hibbert begins this joint biography of the Borgias with a quick overview of how the papacy moved from Avignon back to Rome and the countless popes who came before Rodrigo Borgia. Rodrigo was the nephew of Calixtus III and was a man known as a scholar, which came in handy as he climbed the ranks of the church, mostly thanks to his connections to the pope. Nepotism would be a common theme when it came to the Borgias. Rodrigo would eventually become a cardinal, but he enjoyed the finer things in life, including mistresses such as Vannozza dei Cattenei, the mother of Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia. 

Rodrigo Borgia would eventually become Pope Alexander VI, and his children would benefit greatly. Yet again, a case of nepotism. Cesare would become a strong military leader who depended on his Spanish allies and his father, but gained numerous enemies. Lucrezia would marry three times. Her first marriage was to Giovanni Sforza, but it was annulled. Her second husband, Alfonso of Aragon, was assassinated. And finally, she married Alfonso d’Este and was able to provide him with several children. The Borgias had to deal with assassinations and war while their legacies were dragged through the mud. Their rise was as quick as their fall after the death of Pope Alexander VI.

I thought this was an okay book. The pacing seemed rushed in places and slower in other while the information presented wasn’t really new to me. If you want a decent introduction to this infamous family, I recommend you give “The Borgias and Their Enemies: 1431-1519” by Christopher Hibbert a try.

Book Review: “The Boleyn Secret” by Alison Weir

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The Boleyns were one of the most infamous families during the Tudor reign in England. The rise and fall of Anne Boleyn, her father, Thomas, and her brother, George, were seismic. However, there was one Boleyn who didn’t get nearly enough attention, and that is Mary Boleyn, Anne Boleyn’s sister, who was mistress to King Henry VIII before Anne was even part of his life. Throughout history, it has been debated that Mary’s children with her first husband, William Carey, were in fact the illegitimate children of Henry VIII. Alison Weir explores the life of Mary Boleyn’s daughter, Catherine Carey, in her latest novel, “The Boleyn Secret.”

I would like to thank Ballantine Books and NetGalley for sending me a copy of this novel. Alison Weir is one of my favorite historical fiction authors, so whenever I hear that she has a new novel coming out, I jump at a chance to read it. The idea of a new novel about Catherine Carey was an appealing concept, and I could not wait to see how she would approach Catherine’s story.

Catherine, known in this novel as Kate, did not have the greatest start at court, as her first assignment was to assist her aunt Anne Boleyn in the Tower as she awaited her execution. For a young woman, it was a time that would change her life forever. Kate would help serve her cousin, Elizabeth Tudor, the recently declared bastard child of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII. The two cousins have a strong connection that will last for decades. However, Kate falls in love with a young courtier named Francis Knollys, and they begin a life away from court at their new home, Greys Court.

While Kate is creating a family with Francis, she learns two major aspects that will define her life moving forward. She becomes aware of the secret that her mother kept until her deathbed about who Kate’s true father was. This secret will radically alter how she views her own family and her connection to Elizabeth. Kate also explores her own faith, becoming one of the Reformist faith, like Francis, but it puts the family in danger during the reign of Mary I. We get to see the struggle of those who did reform during Mary’s reign, seeking refuge in other European countries like Germany, which, at the time, was more lenient towards Reformers. When Elizabeth becomes queen, Kate believes that this will be a time of peace for her and her family. But Kate learns that Elizabeth’s love towards her cousin is possessive, and Kate is in a constant state of tug-of-war between Elizabeth and Francis with her 16 children.

Catherine Carey/Kate Knollys’ story is one filled with love and dangers of living with a secret that, if it were revealed, would alter history forever. Kate’s story is often overlooked when we talk about the Tudor dynasty, but it shows the dangers of the dynasty and what it meant to fight for your family and for love in the 16th century. I thoroughly enjoyed the way Alison Weir wrote this novel and gave Kate her own voice. If you want a delightful novel full of love and danger set in the midst of the Tudor court and focusing on a Boleyn cousin of Elizabeth I, I highly recommend you read “The Boleyn Secret” by Alison Weir.

Book Review: “Mary Tudor: The Spanish Tudor” by H.F.M. Prescott

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Mary Tudor, the daughter of Katherine of Aragon and King Henry VIII, has been viewed as a villainess for centuries due to her treatment of Protestants. She has unfortunately been given the nickname of “Bloody Mary.” However, if we really take a look at this woman’s life, we will see that it is full of tragedies and the search for love. Who was Mary Tudor, later known as Queen Mary I, the first ruling Queen of England, and why has she been misunderstood for centuries? H.F.M. Prescott explores the life of this much-maligned queen in her biography, “Mary Tudor: The Spanish Tudor.”

This was a used bookstore find for me. When I began studying the Tudors when I was younger, I fell into that category of seeing Mary I as a horrible villainess, but as I have gone on with my adventures into the Tudor dynasty, I have felt more sympathetic towards Mary’s story. I wanted to read a biography about her, so when I saw this thick tome, I decided to give it a try.

Mary Tudor, later Queen Mary I of England, was the only child of Katherine of Aragon and King Henry VIII. Since she was the only legitimate child of Henry VIII at the time, she was named Princess of Wales. Things were going well until Henry decided to divorce Katherine to marry Anne Boleyn. By the time Anne Boleyn had her daughter, Elizabeth, Mary was declared a bastard, separated from her mother, Katherine, forever, and forced to serve her half-sister. The humiliation as she was forced to submit to her father’s authority as the Supreme Head of the Church of England. Only after she submitted to her father was she able to return to his favor for a bit, and Mary and Elizabeth were returned to the line of Succession until he died in 1547.

Mary’s younger half-brother, Edward, was now King, which meant that he could bring forth a more Protestant-leaning government, putting Mary, a devout Catholic, in a dangerous predicament. Mary thought about running away, but she ultimately decided to stay and wait it out because she believed that she would be queen after Edward died. She was right, but it took a few days to figure it out as Edward chose Lady Jane Grey to be the next queen. Eventually, Mary did become the first ruling Queen of England, but she soon learned that just because she wore the crown did not mean she would gain the love she so wanted. She fought for her religion, the love of her husband, Philip II of Spain, and the child she would never have. In the end, Mary’s life and legacy were tarnished for centuries, which is a sad conclusion to such a tragic tale.

Prescott does a great job telling Mary’s story with a more sympathetic look. While I did enjoy this biography, I wish we had a bit more about Mary’s reign, as it felt a bit rushed compared to the rest of the biography. I also wish she had provided translations of the Latin texts she had within the biography for those of us who are not familiar with Latin. Overall, I found this biography informative and well-researched. If you want a solid biography about Queen Mary I, I recommend you read “Mary Tudor: The Spanish Tudor” by H.F.M. Prescott.

Book Review: “Anne Boleyn: Reputation, Revolution, Religion, and the Queen Who Changed History” by Martha Tatarnic

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The Tudors and their tales have been told for centuries, and one of the most famous figures of this period was Anne Boleyn. A woman who caught the eye of the king became queen after he divorced his first wife in the hopes that Anne would give him a son, but she had a daughter, and had one of the most dramatic falls from grace in English history. We all know Anne’s story, but what is it about her story that has appealed to so many people for centuries? How would her story look if it were told through a feminist lens? And how did Anne’s story affect a woman Anglican priest in our modern world? Martha Tatarnic tells her tale and how Anne affected her life in her latest book, “Anne Boleyn: Reputation, Revolution, Religion, and the Queen Who Changed History.”

I would like to thank Morehouse Publishing and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I had heard about this book on social media and a few podcasts that I follow, so I was intrigued to give it a shot. I am always looking for a new approach to the Tudors, so when I read the description, I was hoping to learn something new about Anne Boleyn.

I will say this is one of the more unique books about Anne Boleyn that I have read so far. As Tatarnic explains in her introduction, she has been fascinated by Anne Boleyn for most of her life because she didn’t fit the mold of a typical English queen and because of her religious convictions, which helped shape the Anglican Church. Anne is seen as an icon to Gen Z alongside Joan of Arc, but the question is, why these two women? Tatarnic includes her own stories in this analysis of Anne’s life, as well as some nods to modern pop culture.

I really wanted to like this book, but the more I read, the more frustrated I became.  Tatarnic tended to jump from topic to topic with no real order, so you will be reading about Anne’s fall from grace, then it jumps to the queens and children who ruled after Anne’s death, and finally, jumping back to the letters to start the whole affair. While I do appreciate Tatarnic trying something different by incorporating her story and modern pop culture references, I feel like there was a bit too much of this aspect, which took away from Anne’s story. Finally, I thought there was a place where the book should have ended because it made the most sense, but then Tatarnic continued in almost a rant. In this case, I think less is more, and expanding on her ideas would have made it a better book, even though her writing style was easy to follow.

Overall, I felt that the concept of telling Anne’s story through a feminist lens was unique, but the execution of this book fell a bit flat for me. If you are someone who wants to read about Anne Boleyn’s story through an original feminist lens, you might enjoy “Anne Boleyn: Reputation, Revolution, Religion, and the Queen Who Changed History” by Martha Tatarnic.

Book Review: “The Queen’s Sister” by Carol McGrath

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The Seymour family was a gentry family that rose to prominence and nobility through their illustrious marriages. When we think about the Seymours and their marriages, the one marriage that shaped the future of the family is the marriage of Jane Seymour and King Henry VIII. But our story focuses on another Seymour daughter during the time of the Tudors. She was Jane’s sister who married three times and had numerous children. Her second marriage was to Gregory Cromwell, the son of Thomas Cromwell pushes Elizabeth Seymour straight into the middle of the Tudor court. Elizabeth soon learns that dark plots and conspiracies are afoot in the midst of religious change. Can Elizabeth and her family survive, or will the Tudor court be their downfall? Carol McGrath explores Elizabeth’s life in the Tudor court and in her family homes in her latest novel, “The Queen’s Sister.”

I would like to thank Carol McGrath and Headline Accent for sending me a copy of this novel. I have enjoyed the previous novels that I have read by Carol McGrath, so when I saw that she was exploring the world of the Tudors yet again, I was excited. I have heard of Elizabeth Seymour, but I did not know much about her story, so when Carol McGrath reached out and asked if I would be interested in reading and reviewing this novel, I was thrilled. 

We begin Elizabeth’s story in 1537, when she is about to marry her second husband, Gregory Cromwell. Her sister Jane has recently married King Henry VIII after the death of Anne Bullen, and now Jane is pregnant with hopefully Henry’s heir. Elizabeth remembers her first marriage to Sir Anthony Ughtred. She had two children with Anthony, a son named Henry and a daughter named Margery, but Anthony never met his daughter as he died while Elizabeth was pregnant. Elizabeth moves to Kexby Manor and learns to be Lady Ughtred as well as a widowed mother. 

Time passes, and her family decides that Elizabeth should remarry, and the man they have chosen for her is the son of Thomas Cromwell, Gregory Cromwell. Elizabeth and Gregory built a happy life full of love and many children, but life has a way of throwing curveballs. In this case, it was religious conspiracies, a former love, spies, the Pilgrimage of Grace, and the fall of Thomas Cromwell. Elizabeth has to navigate it all while looking after her family and her beloved Kexby Manor. 

Our protagonist, Elizabeth, is a hard-working noblewoman who might have been the inspiration for Hans Holbein’s “Portrait of a Lady,” whose story deserves to be told, and McGrath was the perfect author to tell her tale. It gives more depth to the Tudor era, especially during the reigns of Jane Seymour and Anna of Cleves. If you are a fan of reading novels about lesser-known members of the Tudor court, I highly suggest you read “The Queen’s Sister” by Carol McGrath.

Book Review: “Embroidering Her Truth: Mary, Queen of Scots and the Language of Power” by Clare Hunter

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The field of history is ever-expanding as we find new artifacts and documents that change our understanding of the past. Some of the more precious artifacts are textiles, from clothing to embroidery and even wall hangings and bedding. They can tell us a lot about their owner if you understand the symbolism. While some symbolism can be rather simple, other textile symbolism could help display the voice of a woman who was silenced, like the women of the 16th century. One woman who used textiles to display her power and her own voice was Mary Queen of Scots. Clare Hunter explores Mary’s life through the textiles connected with her life in her book, “Embroidering Her Truth: Mary, Queen of Scots and the Language of Power.”

I have seen this book mentioned on a few pages and podcasts, and it sounded alluring to me. I have tried my hand at embroidery, so I appreciate the craft itself. I have wondered about textiles and how they could be interpreted, which is why this appealed to me so much. I couldn’t wait to own it and read it.

So how do you tell the story of Mary Queen of Scots through the textiles connected to her life? Well, for Hunter, she decided to weave her own interactions with these textiles into Mary’s life in chronological order while analyzing the textile artifacts. Each chapter focuses on a different stage of Mary’s life, as well as the textiles that fit that period. Some of the examples of the artifacts that are mentioned in this book include the gowns she wore when she was about to marry the Dauphin, the fashion dolls to help bring French fashion to Scotland, Catholic banners, and memorabilia to spread the faith. We also get to see the embroideries that she planned meticulously while in custody with Bess of Hardwick, to spread their own truths and their political power while being silenced. Finally, Hunter explores the dress that Mary wore during her execution and what happened to her clothing after her death.

I will say that this is one of the most original nonfiction books that I have read in a long time. It presented Mary’s life through a different lens and showed that she did have power even as a prisoner. It gave me a better appreciation for Mary’s life and the amount of effort it took to craft such intricate pieces of textiles. I hope Hunter writes more about the history of textiles beyond the 16th century because I think her writing style and knowledge of the subject can help grow interest in this area of historical studies. If you want a book that explores the life of Mary Queen of Scots from a different angle, I highly recommend you read “Embroidering Her Truth: Mary, Queen of Scots and the Language of Power” by Clare Hunter. 

Book Review: “Anne Boleyn’s First Love: The Life of Henry Percy” by Jan-Marie Knights

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Every Tudor nerd knows the story of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII. A relationship that started with lust/love turned tragic with the execution of Anne. However, Henry VIII was not the only man who was vying for Anne’s affection. The first man who ever asked for Anne’s hand in marriage was Henry Percy, the man who would become the 6th Earl of Northumberland. The relationship obviously did not happen, and for many, Henry Percy became an obscure figure in Tudor history. Who was Henry Percy, and what happened to him after Wolsey broke up the relationship between Henry and Anne? Jan-Marie Knights explores his life in the first full-length biography of Henry Percy in her latest book, “Anne Boleyn’s First Love: The Life of Henry Percy.”

I would like to thank Amberley Publishing for sending me a copy of this book. I am always interested in reading about lesser-known figures during the time of the Tudors, so when I saw this title, I was intrigued. I knew a little bit about Henry Percy, so I was hoping to learn more about his life.

To understand Henry Percy’s place in Tudor society, we have to go back to the origins of the family, which traces back all the way to William the Conqueror. Knights follow the branches of the Percy tree, with the many Henrys, to the Henry Percy who this biography is about, including the infamous Henry “Hotspur” Percy. Our Henry was the son of Henry Algernon Percy, 5th Earl of Northumberland, and his wife, Catherine Spencer. We get to see Henry become a page for Cardinal Wolsey and become a knight in his own right.

Henry wanted to marry and start a family with Anne Boleyn, and it seems like, at the time, she was interested in him as well. However, it was not meant to be, as King Henry VIII also had his eyes on Anne. Obviously, the King would marry Anne, and Henry would marry Mary Talbot. Both relationships did not have a happy ending. Besides his troubled marriage with Mary, we get to see how Henry dealt with conflicts near the border with Scotland and the Pilgrimage of Grace, which hit a bit closer to home. Henry died without any heirs, so Knights shows what happened to the earldom of Northumberland.

I was a bit underwhelmed with this biography. I wanted more information about Henry Percy, but I felt like his story was buried with information about his family, his father, and the story of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn’s romance. I think Knights did a decent job with the research aspect of this book. If you want a good introductory biography to the Percy family and Henry Percy’s role in the Tudor court, you might want to try “Anne Boleyn’s First Love: The Life of Henry Percy” by Jan-Marie Knights.