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graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Sisi: Empress on Her Own: A Novel in Books

Feb 15, 2019  
Sisi: Empress on Her Own: A Novel
Sisi: Empress on Her Own: A Novel
Allison Pataki | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
First of all, I'd definitely recommend reading The Accidental Empress, part one of Empress Elisabeth's life. I found it to be the better book of the two, although Sisi: Empress on Her Own is far from bad.

I commend the author in all the research she did as I think she did an astounding job bringing Sisi to life, showing both her strengths and weaknesses. Most everything was brought to life in a way that was easy to visualize. However, in this book I found there to be more telling than showing as far as politics go, which could be a tad boring, plus I felt there were redundancies here and there. I didn't notice any major anachronism other than one phrase that jolted me out of the book that I dearly hope is not in the final edition (<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_time_no_see"; targeet="_blank">"Long time no see."</a> if interested). The author provides a thorough section where she notes what was taken from history, leaving me to conclude what must be fiction. I found the fictional parts to be either likely or at least not implausible, excepting a couple incidents in Rudolf's (Sisi's son) youth that felt odd. I won't even touch on Sisi as a person, she's too complex and confounding to decribe in few words, but I felt that Pataki did the best she could at humanizing her while remaining true to her historical record.

Sisi (and the aforementioned The Accidental Empress) are a worthwhile addition to the genre that show a royal family not much touched upon in historical ficiton.
  
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BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated A Lesson in Love and Murder (Herringford and Watts Mysteries, #2) in Books

Jan 2, 2019  
AL
A Lesson in Love and Murder (Herringford and Watts Mysteries, #2)
Rachel McMillan | 2016
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
From the iconic cover through to the Epilogue, Rachel McMillan has delivered another thrilling Herringford & Watts adventure. Filled with love and mystery, sorrow and murder, trust and anarchy...You will be drawn into the story and fight alongside Merinda and Jem for justice and freedom. Can I just say..."Mounties"...Even this redneck American girl can appreciate the Royal North-West Mounted Police. And I was giddy with delight that Rachel incorporated them into this story. I loved this book so much (more than the first one I think). There was so much going on in history at this time. It was interesting to watch those with the desire to bring change, they had the passion and drive to see things through to the end...But they had a warped view of how to go about it. Unfortunately, it reminds me of society today. It breaks my heart knowing that not much has changed in that aspect. Protests, bombings, violence and murder...These are not the answers. That is all I will say about that...Back to the book...Full of the same witty dialogue and precarious circumstances that I have come to expect (and adore) from Herringford & Watts. The footnotes also make their appearance in this story, which I still think is BRILLIANT! If you are interested in mystery, humour, and romance, these are the books for you. You will want to start with the first book, A Bachelor Girl's Guide to Murder. Trust me, you don't want to miss out on this adventure. I received a free copy of A Lesson in Love & Murder in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.