The Boleyn Reckoning

The Boleyn Reckoning by Laura Andersen     416 pages

Perfect for fans of Philippa Gregory and Alison Weir, The Boleyn Reckoning heralds the triumphant conclusion of Laura Andersen's enthralling trilogy about the Tudor king who never was: the son of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn--Henry IX--who, along with his sisters and those he holds most dear, approaches a dangerous crossroads. 

Meh. The ending of this series was overly dramatic and ultimately blah. It just solidified my dislike of love-triangles. Not only was a love-triangle the sole plot of this book, but it ends up taking over every character's actions and what you get is a sopping mess of drama, rage, revenge, grief, despair, and on and on. It gets a little tedious.

I absolutely love Tudor history, but this story makes it less interesting when it focuses on indirect Tudor characters - Minuette and Dominic are nice and all, but their love is not as interesting as the rest of this alternative history unfurling. And the ending - I don't know what to make of <spoiler> Elizabeth threatening Minuette about her child's probable lineage (as William's) to get her to do what she wants. That seems oddly out of character for this series so I don't know what Andersen was trying to do there. And she couldn't have just left it a mystery as to who the father is? I'm just dissatisfied with it ultimately being Williams.</spoiler>.

Dissatisfied and not likely to pick up Andersen's follow-up series about Elizabeth I.

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton     521 pages

At a gala party thrown by her parents, Evelyn Hardcastle will be killed--again. She's been murdered hundreds of times, and each day, Aiden Bishop is too late to save her. Doomed to repeat the same day over and over, Aiden's only escape is to solve Evelyn Hardcastle's murder and conquer the shadows of an enemy he struggles to even comprehend--but nothing and no one are quite what they seem.

This book was amazing. I was immediately hooked, the writing was so brilliant. I didn't want the book to end, and at the same time I wanted to get to the end so I could solve the mystery. It was everything I wanted it to be and I am so, so glad this book exists. I'll definitely be reading it, recommending it to all my friends and anyone I meet because IT. IS. A-MAZING.

If you love mystery/thrillers - this is for you. If you love Agatha Christie - this book is for you. If you love puzzles, twists, or being kept on your toes - this book is for you. If you like time travel or "Groundhog Day"-esq tropes - THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU!

I Capture the Castle

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith   343 pages

This book is Cassandra's journal but it doesn't read like a journal. Her family is from the upper class but they are poor and live in a rundown castle. They are an eccentric lot. Her dad is a writer who wrote one successful book but hasn't written anything since.

The status quo changes when their landlord passes away. The Cottons inherit Scoatney Hall and show up one day. Cassandra and her sister Rose are intrigued by the Cotton brothers. Rose becomes engaged to the older brother Simon. The Cottons seem to have inspired her dad to start writing again but the family is not sure. Things are not so simple though. Does Rose love Simon? Has her dad just gone mad? Along the way, Cassandra matures and hijinks ensue with an ambiguous ending that might upset some readers.

I certainly enjoyed this book. There are memorable characters and a good plot. There are some humorous parts in this book that may have you laughing. I would recommend this book to anyone that likes coming of age stories or period dramas.