My Lady Anne by Gordon Thorburn

My Lady Anne by Gordon Thorburn

Publisher: Endeavour Press

Published: 13th May 2016

Format: Ebook

Pages: 176

ISBN: 978-1534729216

 Synopsis:

The Lady Margaret Russell, Countess of Cumberland, is woman ahead of her time.

When she learns that her husband’s property will revert to his brother upon her death, leaving her daughter with nothing, she hires lawyers to change this.

And this is simply not done in England in the early 1600s.

Margaret’s daughter, Anne, is old enough to see that her beloved mother is a force to be reckoned with, and even though the process is slow, Anne finds herself with lands and homes and money.

After all her mother went through to secure her inheritance, Anne finds herself married to an Earl who likes to gamble, although he is very bad at it.

When his debts accumulate, he asks for access to her land and money, and when Anne refuses to sign them over, he leaves, taking Anne’s beloved daughter, Margaret, named for her own mother, with him.

But Anne is not one to give up, not even when family friends turn against her, and the king himself becomes involved.

Set during the time of Shakespeare, The Gunpowder Plot, the execution of King Charles and the rise of Cromwell, Lady Anne’s life, dutifully recorded by her faithful servant Samuel, shows a world in change through the eyes of a strong, capable and loyal woman.

My Thoughts:

Firstly thank you to NetGalley and to Endeavour Press for approving me and allowing me to read and review this book.

Well, where to start? Lady Anne has quite an in depth story and a long one spanning 86 years. She was in court during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I and died during the time of King Charles II. I do feel that her story could have been told a bit more in depth. But I didn’t like the way the story was told either. It has been told in a kind of diary format, but I never knew where the diary ended, and the narrator started again.

I loved Anne and her stubbornness, even when a King got involved in her affairs with her husband, she was still stubborn. Her stubbornness and patience won out in the end. Anne married twice and had 2 daughters. She did also give birth to 5 sons but all 5 died. She certainly had a tough time with her 2 husbands although she loved both fiercely.

In all this was a good book, even though I did have a tough time trying to keep up and also trying to figure out the end of a diary entry and the start of the narrators entry (I got rather confused, truth be told). I’m going to give this book a 3/5 rating because of the way it has been written and the fact I got confused.

 

Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris

Behind Closed Doors by B. A. Paris

Publisher: St. Martins Press

Publish Date: 9th August 2016 

Format: Ebook

Pages: 352

ISBN: 978-1848454125

Synopsis:

Everyone knows a couple like Jack and Grace: he has looks and wealth, she has charm and elegance. You’d like to get to know Grace better. But it’s difficult, because you realize Jack and Grace are never apart. Some might call this true love.

Picture this: a dinner party at their perfect home, the conversation and wine flowing. They appear to be in their element while entertaining. And Grace’s friends are eager to reciprocate with lunch the following week. Grace wants to go, but knows she never will. Her friends call—so why doesn’t Grace ever answer the phone? And how can she cook such elaborate meals but remain so slim?

And why are there bars on one of the bedroom windows?

The perfect marriage? Or the perfect lie??

My Thoughts.

Firstly I would like to thank St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the chance to read and review this book.

After all the historical fiction I’ve been reading recently I fancied something a little different. This was certainly that and I read it in 24 hours.

After a couple of pages I found myself really not liking Jack Angel, and feeling immensely sorry for Grace. Mainly because of the behavior and what can only be described as the “body language” of Jack. On the outside and to friends and family they really do seem like the perfect newly wed couple. But very quickly we learn that Jack is a sadistic psychopath. But how none of the couples friends could figure things out is beyond me. The only one that did was Esther who is a new found friend that helps in the end.

Personally I think a lot more could of been wrote in this book. For example although we know a little bit of Jack’s history I would have liked to have heard from him as well and he told his side so we can all look into his mind and how he thinks.

I’m going to rate this book at 4/5. I did really enjoy it and it was completely different to what I’ve been reading a lot of recently. It was a welcome change. More could of gone into the story and backgrounds but it was still an enjoyable book.

Something Unexpected

Afternoon all,

Well, something unexpected just happened. I have just been booked for my very first blog tour. How exciting! Although a little daunting as it’s my first.

Wish me luck!

On a different note, all my reading today will be on my training for the new job and there’s a lot of it. I am making my way through Angelfall quite rapidly though so expect my review in the coming days.

 

Forbidden by Katrina Snow

Forbidden by Katrina Snow

Publisher: KL Anderson

Published: 11th November 2015

Format: Ebook

Pages: 436

ISBN: 9780997002409

 Synopsis: 

 Off-limits has never been so irresistible…

Lady Katherine Durant has perfected the art of hiding her Gifts—a valuable skill in a land where any hint of sorcery could lead to the burning stake. But, hiding her Gifts isn’t the same as not using them, and that troublesome difference has led to capture each time she’s run from her uncle.

Now, using a newly-discovered spell, she binds her powers and flees again—this time for her life. Unfortunately, her plan to hide as a maid in a distant kingdom goes awry when she unwittingly gets entered into a festival competition for the hand of a prince—a man with a wicked kiss and a sense of adventure that rivals her own.

All she’s ever hoped for is a quiet existence as a servant, never imagining she could find laughter and belonging and love. And now the mischievous prince has her dreaming of all those things.

 With a bounty on her head, sorcerers closing in, and a prince threatening to steal her heart, could it finally be time to stop running? Time to trust? Time to love?

My Thoughts

I would like to thank KL Anderson and NetGalley for the chance and approval to read and review this book.

This book was once again different to what I’ve read for a while. This book has romance, fantasy and in a couple of places it can get steamy. I felt sorry for Kate in the beginning as she didn’t know what she was actually capable of. When she ran away I might of had a slight fist pump moment and I thought “Go Girl!”.

She quickly meets Prince Edmund (disguised as a bandit) and they are all en route to his fathers castle for 2 wedding festivals. A series of tasks and competitions to find a bride for Prince Edmund and a groom for his sister Princess Rachel.

 As you can imagine the story line after this becomes quite predictable. Kate falls in love with the Prince, even though she knows she can’t have the Prince. The Prince falls in love with Kate, even though he knows he can’t marry her.

The middle of the story was slightly dragged out and then it was over all too quick. It was a quick and enjoyable, although a predictable read. You can’t help but route for Kate and hope she does get the Prince.

 I’ll give this book a rating of 3/5, it was enjoyable, but predictable and dragged out and was over all too quick.

Last Seen Alive by Claire Douglas

Last Seen Alive by Claire Douglas

Publisher: Penguin UK – Michael Joseph

Published: 13th July 2017

Format: Ebook

Pages: 389

ISBN: 9781405926423

Synopsis:

THE HERO : Libby Hall never really wanted to be noticed. But after she saves the children in her care from a fire, she finds herself headline news. And Horrified by the attention. It all reminds her of what happened nine years ago. The last time she saw her best friend alive.

THE SWAP

Which Is why the house swap is such a godsend. Libby and her husband Jamie exchange their flat in Bath for a beautiful, secluded house in Cornwall. It’s a chance to heal their marriage – to stop its secrets tearing them apart.

THE HIDEAWAY

But this stylish Cornish home isn’t the getaway they’d hoped for. They make odd, even disturbing, discoveries in the house. It’s so isolated – yet Libby doesn’t feel entirely alone. As if she’s being watched.

Is Libby being paranoid?

What is her husband hiding?

As the secrets and lies come tumbling out, is the past about to catch up with them?

My Thoughts:

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin UK – Michael Joseph for allowing me to read and review this book.

This book had me hooked from the start. I really liked Libby “The Hero” and really felt her sorrow from being the hero. You soon learn that there was a trip in her past but no details are revealed. Jamie seems to be a ruggedly handsome man who is Libby’s husband. Bring in his family, a mother who is a psychiatrist, his sisters and then of course the ex girlfriend and her son.

A getaway for our couple is definitely needed. So off they trot to Cornwall doing a house swap. I won’t give any spoilers but the twists this book gives off once they are back from their holiday is unreal!

I loved this book, the way it was written, the way Claire moved between the characters is just brilliant. This definitely kept me guessing and I always try and figure out a book as I’m reading and this one I couldn’t. I’m giving this book a 5/5 rating. It’s truly fantastic and absolutely gripping from start to finish.

The History Major: A Novella by Michael Phillip Cash

The History Major: A Novella by Michael Phillip Cash

Publisher: Chelshire, Inc

Published: 17th December 2015

Format: Ebook

Pages: 132 

ISBN: 9781518893797

Synopsis

After a vicious fight with her boyfriend followed by a night of heavy partying, college freshman Amanda Greene wakes up in her dorm room to find things are not the same as they were yesterday. She can’t quite put her finger on it. She’s sharing her room with a peculiar stranger. Amanda discovers she’s registered for classes she would never choose with people that are oddly familiar. An ominous shadow is stalking her. Uncomfortable memories are bubbling dangerously close to her fracturing world, propelling her to an inevitable collision between fantasy and reality. Is this the mother of all hangovers or is something bigger happening?

My Thoughts

Thank you to NetGalley and Chelshire, Inc for approving me to read and review this book.

Amanda Greene is transported to what can only be described as a different dimension, how we get there I won’t discuss as I don’t want to give away any spoilers. History plays a part in this little novella as well. It’s all about association, how moments in history can take us back to one of our own memories. Her history lesson is taught by Aristotle, The Aristotle, which to me was slightly strange. But it definitely brought the book to a whole new level.

I enjoyed this little book. It was short and sweet and I honestly don’t think anything else could of been said or wrote. It was well thought out and well wrote. This novella does certainly make you stop and think about association and things we associate with certain memories.

I’m going to give this a rating of 4/5 as it was very well wrote and it transported me to a different place, even for the brief moments it took to read the book.

Dream Girls: Nicole by Carrie Thomas

Dream Girls: Nicole by Carrie Thomas

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Published: 9th February 2016

Format: Ebook

Pages: 292

ISBN: 9781530054572

Synopsis: 

Nicole Garrett, a self-proclaimed nerd, has had her future planned out for years. Taking chances has never appealed to her on any level, but growing up means adapting to change and accepting that life moves on no matter what. With her best friends, Piper and Stephanie both starting families of their own, Nicole finds herself concentrating harder on her plan to become a doctor, leaving little time for anything else, other than working at the local pub to help cover her living expenses. There is nothing worth more to her than making something of herself—unless you count Corey Tate. 

Corey Tate isn’t a self-proclaimed anything. He doesn’t care enough. But ask anyone who has ever been around him and they’ll tell you he’s a bad-boy-recluse, who has a somewhat short fuse. He works hard and plays harder. Even though he has no clue what is involved in having an authentic relationship with a woman, Nicole Garrett has him curious enough to consider trying. Having zero experience in relationships proves to be a challenge for him, both mentally and emotionally. 

Timing is everything, right? How much time has to pass before the moment is lost? Two years of knowing glances, private talks, and a connection that surprises them both, come to a head when Corey draws a line in the sand. Can these two very different people find their way to a love that can last forever, or will their own flaws ruin what could have been? If Corey and Nicole could get out of their own heads, they might just find out the difference between falling in love and being in love.

My Thoughts

Thank you to NetGalley and CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform for approving me to read and review this book. This is actually book 3 in a series, but I decided to not let this put me off.

Nicole really is such a nerd, but she’s fantastic. She’s strong willed and very determined. She is in medical school training to become a pediatric doctor. I think she is absolutely fantastic.Corey works in construction and is a short fused bad boy, the complete opposite of Nicole and yet after 2 years they both find love. Neither Nicole or Corey had any experience at being in relationships but they made it work, for a while. I’m not going to give away any spoilers so you’ll have to find out what happens for yourselves and read the book. These two people are definitely made for each other and belong together.

I loved this book and I’m definitely going to be finding the other 2 in the series to read. It truly was beautifully written and I found some parts were laughable and I found myself with a silly grin on my face (with the partner looking at me like I’m bonkers). Then towards the end I found myself with tears in my eyes. It truly is a beautiful story and it shows that sometimes love does conquer all.

I’m definitely giving this book a 5/5, it’s beautiful, and it really does make me want to read the whole series.