Review: Bloody Mary: Tudor Terror, 1553-1558

Bloody Mary: Tudor Terror, 1553-1558 by Phil Carradice
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a very interesting read about Mary Tudor who was the daughter of Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon. Mary Tudor reigned for 5 years and is most known for the hundreds of people put to death as a consequence of their Protestant faith.
So, this was a bit of short book but I thought it covered her life well. It covered her whole life especially pointing out things in her life that helped to shape her into the woman she would become. It accurately depicts the terror that Mary brought upon the Protestants and the way in which they proudly went to their deaths. It goes into detail on some of those that were accused.
This was definitely an easy read. It did not seem dense at all and I flew through it. This would be a great book to pick up if you are interested in Tudor History.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing an Arc of this book.


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Review: Jane Seymour: The Haunted Queen

Jane Seymour: The Haunted Queen by Alison Weir
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Alison Weir did it again! I absolutely loved this novel. This is the third in her Six Wives historical fiction series.
It follows Jane Seymour who was the third wife of Henry VIII. She is considered the most cherished as she gave Henry what he most wanted most which was a son. She also had a very short life herself. This book shined a light on Jane’s life from childhood to her death. Jane is depicted as a very kind person and very religious, always trying to do right by God and by her family. As she gets older, she is brought to court as a Lady in Waiting for Katherine first and then for Anne Boleyn. Over time, Henry begins to notice Jane and she becomes a key player in history. Jane becomes dragged into the politics and scheming of court life as she works her way to becoming Queen.
As with everything Weir writes, this book was well researched and her storytelling ability is unmatched. This book flows so well that it flies by when reading it. Fantastic read for anyone interested in the Tudors.
This book is being published on May 15th.

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Review: The Showrunner

The Showrunner by Kim Moritsugu
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Wow! This book was quite the ride. I did enjoy parts of this book but I also think it was a bit predictable.
This book follows two women who are Executive Producers of a popular show on network TV. One woman, Ann, is an aging producer who has built up credibility through decades of work. The second woman, Stacy, is a much younger producer who was once the assistant to Ann. There is constant tension between them as Ann’s main motive is to criticize and sabotage Stacy so that she can remain the top boss. Things progress as Ann spirals further down, lost in paranoia and becomes convinced that Stacy and others are conspiring against her.
Parts of this book had me laughing as it had some fun banter. However, I became frustrated by Stacy never sticking up for herself. Also, as Ann’s paranoia grew, I quickly knew how this would go down.
Despite all that, I did enjoy many parts of this book. I enjoyed the buildup of the characters decent into madness. I thought it was built up well over time and believable in that sense. I enjoyed getting the dual perspectives of the two women. I also enjoyed Jenna as a side character.
This book was fast paced read and very entertaining.


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