Category: books
-
Book review: Time and Chance by Sharon Kay Penman
Time and Chance by Sharon Kay Penman My rating: 5 of 5 stars I rarely give 5 star ratings, but Sharon Penman’s novel on Henry II, Eleanor of Aquitane, and Thomas Becket deserves the rating and more. This is the second in the author’s Angevin series. And while I think no writer or historian can…
-
Book review: On What Grounds by Cleo Coyle
On What Grounds by Cleo Coyle My rating: 3 of 5 stars This is the first in the Coffeehouse Mysteries book series. I wish I could give half-stars as ratings because this book definitely deserves a 3.5 star rating. Clare Cosi is the manager of a niche coffeehouse who finds her assistant manager at the…
-
Book review: The Gates of Sleep by Mercedes Lackey
The Gates of Sleep by Mercedes Lackey My rating: 3 of 5 stars This book is a retelling of the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale. I’ve been a fan of the author’s earlier works (her Valdemar series–especially the early books–was excellent). I’m a bit ambivalent about this one. The author does a vivid and convincing job…
-
Book review: The Sanctuary Sparrow by Ellis Peters
The Sanctuary Sparrow by Ellis Peters My rating: 4 of 5 stars Below is why I love this series so much: The last lines of the book (no spoilers): “And now, I suppose,” he said, seeing his friend’s face still thoughtful and undismayed, “you will tell me roundly that God’s reach is longer than man’s.”…
-
Book review: How to be a High School Superstar by Cal Newport
How to Be a High School Superstar: A Revolutionary Plan to Get into College by Standing Out by Cal Newport My rating: 4 of 5 stars As the parent of two teenagers, this was a really interesting book. The premise is that to get in the college of your choice, a student should focus on…
-
Book review: The Adventures of the Bloody Tower by Donald MacLachlan
The Adventure of the Bloody Tower: Dr. John H. Watson’s First Case by Donald MacLachlan My rating: 4 of 5 stars The question of who murdered the Princes in the Tower (Edward V and his younger brother, Richard) has puzzled historians for centuries. Richard III, their uncle, has long been the leading suspect for those…
-
Book review: The Scribe’s Daughter by Stephanie Churchill
The Scribe’s Daughter by Stephanie Churchill My rating: 4 of 5 stars I’m a fan of the fantasy genre and picky about my books. This is a very well written book with several interesting plot twists and surprises. The characters are well drawn, and the heroine is especially entertaining with her sarcastic sense of humor…
-
Book review: Outlaw by Angus Donald
Outlaw by Angus Donald My rating: 4 of 5 stars A good friend recommended this book to me, since I am also a huge fan of Sharon Kay Penman’s and Bernard Cornwell’s books. I won’t admit this to my friend, but he was spot on with his recommendation. 🙂 “Outlaw” is the story of Robin…
-
Book review: Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear
Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is the second in my newest mystery series discovery, the Maisie Dobbs series. This time, Maisie is looking for a woman who has disappeared on behalf of the woman’s father. She discovers that the daughter’s disappearance is somehow linked to the…
-
Book review: Notorious Nineteen by Janet Evanovich
Notorious Nineteen by Janet Evanovich My rating: 4 of 5 stars I really enjoy the Stephanie Plum mystery series. The books are perfect beach reads (regardless of whether you are actually at the beach or not). I enjoyed “Notorious Nineteen” immensely, and it’s one of the stronger entrants in the series of late. The plot…