Review: A Well-Behaved Woman: A Novel of the Vanderbilts

A Well-Behaved Woman: A Novel of the Vanderbilts by Therese Anne Fowler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a fantastic historical fiction based on real people and real events. There is a lot of fact in this fiction. The book follows the Vanderbilt family in the late 19th Century. We get to follow Ava from a young girl when she meets William K. Vanderbilt, marries him, and is thrown into the fierce and competitive upper crust society of New York City. We view things through Ava’s perspective and the author presents her with a soft sympathetic portrayal. We watch as Ava, who is known as Mrs. Vanderbilt, fights for acceptance with the snobby elite of the time. The story gets better as we continue to follow Ava and the Vanderbilt family through the years.
This book takes place during the famed Gilded Age. It is a fascinating portrayal of the famous upper crust during their heyday. I loved the descriptive writing and the portrayal of this sensitive, stubborn and sassy woman. I really enjoyed getting a glimpse of that time period.
If you like historical fiction, historical drama or the Gilded Age in general, I think you would enjoy this novel.


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Review: Season of Wonder

Season of Wonder by RaeAnne Thayne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was such a sweet heartwarming story. It follows a single mother Dani who has two girls as they start a new life in the little town of New Haven. Dani heads up the town veterinary hospital after spending a year interning under the mentorship of Dr. Morales who recently retired and had Dani take over. Dani and her daughters struggle to adapt to this small town and she also has a troubled past and finds it hard to connect to people. After some trouble occurs she finds herself in the company of Ruben, who is her next door neighbor, the deputy sheriff, and the son of her mentor. There is instant attraction but Dani resists. She doesn't want to take the risk of falling in love, thinking that it will eventually be taken from her. Plus she is hiding a past that she doesn't want revealed.
This was a really fast read and I loved the way the story unfolded. I loved the characters, especially the children, and thought they were so believable. I adored this sweet swoon worthy story.

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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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