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The Queen’s Rival
The Queen’s Rival
Anne O'Brien | 2020 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Plantagenets and Tudors are my first love in historical fiction, and I seem to be reading more Anne O’Brien books lately. I like how she tells a story from the woman’s perspective. This is a side of the story that we rarely hear from in the real history books - men wrote them, and many women weren’t encouraged to read and write (I’m very sure some did, by the way!).

I liked the way this was set out: from the letters between characters, to the fictional England’s Chronicle (which had some great sarcastic comments).

Cecile Neville, Duchess of York, was Edward IV and Richard III’s mother. She lived through some pretty turbulent times, and must have feared for her own and the lives of her children on several occasions. But she always remained true to her husband and their belief that they were the true rulers of the realm. What a time to have lived!

The emotions were so well conveyed, the historical information so well explained, and it never felt like a history lesson. Just a really great read!
  
Death on the Nile (2022)
Death on the Nile (2022)
2022 | Mystery
I really wanted to like this because I grew up on Agatha Christie books and watching the PBS Poirot series with my grandmother. I love Poirot and I like this book, but the screen adaptation is odd. There were strange decisions like including the character Bouc when he's not even in this book and having something happen to him that is not part of the story at all. The pacing felt off with the movie feeling boring and slow in some spots and then a few moments of interesting sprinkled here and there. There didn't seem to be a lot of chemistry among the cast and the actress with four credits to her career so far did a better job emoting and acting than longtime veterans. Branagh did great as Poirot, he was great in the first movie too, but the movie took so long to get going and then when it got to the big reveal it got better. It felt so uneven and I was disappointed. It's not a complete disaster, but it's not stellar either.
  
Holding
Holding
Graham Norton | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
3 of 235
Book
Holding
By Graham Norton
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The remote Irish village of Duneen has known little drama, and yet its inhabitants are troubled: Sergeant P.J. Collins hasn’t always been this overweight; Brid Riordan, a mother of two, hasn’t always been an alcoholic; and elegant Evelyn Ross hasn’t always felt that her life was a total waste.

So when human remains—suspected to be those of Tommy Burke, a former lover of both Brid and Evelyn—are discovered on an old farm, the village’s dark past begins to unravel. As a frustrated P.J. struggles to solve a genuine case for the first time in his professional life, he unearths a community’s worth of anger and resentments, secrets and regrets.

I’m always a bit weary of novels written by celebrities as they never reach that expectation. But this was so good I really enjoyed delving into this little Irish village and it’s hidden secrets. If you haven’t read it I recommend I just love Graham Norton.
  
Murder of a Mail-Order Bride
Murder of a Mail-Order Bride
Mimi Granger | 2022 | Mystery
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
After Marriage Comes Murder
Long time bachelor Al Little has found a bride thanks to the internet, and he is thrilled that Svetlana is coming to town. Lizzie Hale, owner of the romance bookstore in Tinker’s Cover, Ohio, gets roped into helping make sure their first meeting and their wedding is perfectly romantic. But when Svetlana turns up dead in the middle of the reception, the question becomes, who would want to kill a new comer to town?

This is a strong second book. The plot kept me engaged the entire time. I did guess a couple of plot points early, but there were so many more I didn’t see coming, including the ending. The book is focused on the new characters central to this mystery, and they are all strong. We do have a small core cast of characters who are back, and they are fun. I also enjoy watching Lizzie’s romantic life, which is a great romantic comedy sub-plot. If you are looking for a slight twist on a cozy mystery set up, this is a series you will love.