Review: The Phantom Tree

The Phantom Tree by Nicola Cornick
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I thought this book was good and I enjoyed it for the most part.
The book is a mix of fantasy, history, mystery and romance. It alternates chapters between Elizabethan times and the present time. It follows two main characters each struggling to find their place in the world during childhood and facing obstacles as they grow up. First, it follows Mary Seymour who is the daughter of Katherine Parr and is now an unwanted orphan. She is sent to Wolf Hall to live for a few years and goes missing in her late teens. We also follow Alison Banestre who is also orphaned and lives with Mary in Wolf Hall. Mary and Alison deal with the problems of growing up in 16th century England and things escalate when Alison finds herself pregnant. As events unfold, Mary and Alison go their separate ways while promising each other to keep in touch through clues left.
In modern times, Alison is well into her adult years and has been stuck in the present for many years. She finds herself stuck and wants only to go back and find her lost son. She also reunites with an Ex who discovers a never before seen painting of Anne Boleyn which Alison knows is really a painting of Mary Seymour. They team up in discovering the truth and Alison secretly also hides her agenda in finding a way back home to her time.
I thought this book was enjoyable. The plot was bittersweet but a bit slow in the middle. It was an overall easy read and I loved the fantastical elements.

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Review: The Masterpiece

The Masterpiece by Fiona Davis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a fascinating read and I really enjoyed it. This book follows two women separated by fifty years as they try and make it in the world. The story revolved around the history and majesty of Grand Central Terminal in New York City.
I can't describe how awesome it was to read about the beauty and grandeur of Grand Central in the 1920's and the decay of it in the 1970's. There is a lot of fact in this fiction also which was so wonderful. This book also revolves very much around art.
We first follow Clara in 1928. Clara is an artist and also teaches in the Art School School that is located in the upper floors of Grand Central. This was a time period when Grand Central was the highlight of the city. She is very much fighting tooth and nail to be taken seriously as an artist during a time when women were not really taken seriously.
Secondly, we follow Virginia in 1974. She works for Grand Central during a time when it was very dirty, dark, and scheduled for demolition. Virginia recognizes the beauty under the grime and joins a fight to stop the demolition. She also discovers the remains of the old art studios in the now dark corners of the terminal.
These two stories converge in a surprising way. I loved every minute of reading this. Grand Central Terminal is fully restored now and is once again an artistic jewel and deserves its status as an official landmark.

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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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Review: The Solace of Water

The Solace of Water by Elizabeth Byler Younts
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wow. This was a very emotional and powerful read. I was very moved.
This book takes place in 1950's Pennsylvania where the division of race was very prevalent and boiling over. Racism was rampant and segregation was the norm. We follow two women and a young girl. The chapters alternate points of view from each. These women form an unlikely friendship and bond.

First we follow Delilah who is an African American preachers wife. When we meet her, she is a broken shell after just having lost one of her children. We also get the point of view of Delilah's oldest daughter Sparrow who is also suffering at the loss of her little brother.
Second we follow Emma who is an Amish wife and mother. Her husband is the deacon of the community and has formed a secret dependency on alcohol which is forbidden except in church. There are also other issues that you learn about throughout the book.

This book just touched my soul. I really felt for each of the characters and despite the deep suffering, there was a chance of hope and redemption. I will say that this was a hard book to get through and it is slow going in the beginning. Also, the book did get a little bit preachy which brought my rating down a bit. However, it didn't take away my enjoyment of the book. Overall, there is a lot of pain but there is also solace in the end.


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Review: The Fireman

The Fireman by Joe Hill
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Such a great book and right up there with Stephen King. The writing is so similar to King's and it drew me in from the start.
This book introduces a plague that has swept the world and is spreading like wildfire. This plague is called Dragonscale and it transmitted through contact with a spore. When someone contracts Dragonscale, they start to get black and gold lines and stripes all over their body. The illness is fatal ending in the person spontaneously combusting into flames. At the beginning of the book, the world is already in chaos with the government attempting to round up the sick and killing them is mass genocides.
The main character we follow is Harper who is a nurse working in a hospital and attending to the mass crowds of sick people including those with Dragonscale. Harper is compassionate, empathetic, and really cares for her patients. Harper soon learns she is pregnant and soon after, she contracts Dragonscale. She is determined to survive on the run and live until her baby is born.
As the book goes on, we get introduces to many more characters coping with this new world and seeing if survival with this illness is possible. There are many pop culture references that I really enjoyed. For example, Harper is a huge fan of Mary Poppins and Julie Andrews. She often uses the phrases or sings the songs from the movie. Overall, this book was just so much fun. I highly recommend it for fans of weird fiction or if you like Stephen King.

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