The National Bestseller

In the autumn of 1558, church bells across England ring out the joyous news that Elizabeth I is the new queen. One woman hears the tidings with utter dread. She is Amy Dudley, wife of Sir Robert, and she knows that Elizabeth’s ambitious leap to the throne will draw her husband back to the center of the glamorous Tudor court, where he was born to be.

Philippa Gregory’s The Virgin’s Lover answers the question about an unsolved crime that has fascinated detectives and historians for centuries. Intelligent, romantic, and compelling, The Virgin’s Lover presents a young woman on the brink of greatness, a young man whose ambition exceeds his means, and the wife who cannot forgive them.

As my yearly renaissance festival rolls closer I decided to embroil myself for a little bit into the time period by reading The Virgins Lover by Phillipa Gregory. I have been a big fan of her stories, and am always happy to read a tale as told by her. I was however a little disappointed in this book. The same enamoring story just was not there for me with The Virgins Lover.

The story of Robert Dudley and Elizabeth is not a new one, but I had hoped for some excitement from one of my favorite historical authors. But I was a bit disappointed. The Virgins Lover was to me the same rehashing of one of the best known assumed romances. It was a dragging read for me. So as much as I love Phillipa to me this is one to skip. But it won’t stop me from continuing to read her works. They can’t all be winners after all.

At the first of every month, when the office has reached its pinnacle of hysteria, Maggie, Roxanne, and Candice meet at London’s swankiest bar for an evening of cocktails and gossip. Here, they chat about what’s new in their lives and what’s new at The Londoner, the glossy fashion magazine where they all work. But beneath the girl talk and the laughter, each of the three has something to hide: High-achiever Maggie is pregnant, and terrified at the prospect of becoming a mother; glamorous Roxanne is losing hope that her secret lover will leave his wife; and kindhearted Candice cannot escape the guilty secret that as pursued her since childhood.

When a chance encounter at the cocktail bar sets in motion an extraordinary chain of events, their lives quickly spin out of control and their friendship is stretched to the limit. Suddenly Maggie, Roxanne, and Candice must face their fears and troubles alone, and it is only a matter of time before one of them snaps.

Three ladies who make sure to have a meeting of the minds every month. The general theme of the book smells of Sex in the City, but for me that was an okay thing to go into as I loved the show (and plan to read the book). So I had some good hopes going into the book. I also was excited because so far I have enjoyed the Shopaholic series, and this is the same Author, different name.

Sadly the book did not live up to my hopes. While I love Sophie Kinsella but under the name Madeline Wickham she just falls flat. The book is not nearly as funny as the shopaholic series, and there just seems to be something else missing as well. The women in this book come off as just plain shallow to me. Where while our lovely Shopaholic has issues, she also shows she can be a good human. I just don’t see that in Three Cocktails, so in my humble opinion this is a big pass.

Pledged since childhood, Magdalene and Jeshua united in love and a shared sacred purpose. Despite challenges and adversity, his profoundly wise teaching, and their love story, changed the world forever.

The first thing I can say about this book is that it is not your typical read. The second thing I can say about this book is that I enjoyed it very much. Linda M Moore builds and weaves a story that you want to read. It is not a long read but a very enjoyable one. Follow this story and let it be your guide to some thinking. I know after I finished reading it I had to sit down and think about it. A first book, and personally I hope we see more from this talented author.

In which Daniel Waterhouse, fearless thinker and courageous Puritan, pursues knowledge in the company of the greatest minds of Baroque-era Europe — in a chaotic world where reason wars with the bloody ambitions of the mighty, and where catastrophe, natural or otherwise, can alter the political landscape overnight.

The year is 1845. Elizabeth Barrett is a published poet — and a virtual prisoner in her own home. Blind family loyalty ties her to a tyrannical father who forbids any of his children to marry. She has resigned herself to simply existing. That is, until the letter arrives… “I love your verses with all my heart,” writes Robert Browning, an admiring fellow poet. And as friendly correspondence gives way to something more, Elizabeth discovers that Robert’s love is not for her words alone. Could it be that God might grant her more than mere existence? And can she risk defying her father in pursuit of true happiness? Nancy Moser has crafted a romantic, emotion-charged novel based on the true story of beloved poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

Let me first say that I love Nancy Moser’s work, anyone who has been reading this blog knows this. I have reviewed three works by her on my blog, and all have gotten top marks. That said I wish I could give How Do I Love Thee? those top marks. But I cannot. Perhaps it is because I myself do not know much about the poet Elizabeth Browning, or perhaps it is the subject matter of a woman who spends most of her time inside due to illness at first (that is me right now) and than by fear of the outside world. I am fully able to admit that could be the reason I did not enjoy this one that much.

The story is an emotional one and it goes through many up’s and downs. It is accurate to the time that it is in, and I found myself learning a lot which I can always appreciate in a book. But the poet’s life was not a thrilling one like Lady Washington and it was not like that of Jane Austen from Just Jane. And perhaps these expectations as a reader are my own faults. When all is said and done I do feel that the book is worth reading. If you can handle the slightly slow pacing and look at the true deep emotions of the book you will enjoy it.

Jen Lancaster was living the sweet life-until real life kicked her to the curb.

Filled with caustic wit and unusual insight, it’s a rollicking read as speedy and unpredictable as the trajectory of a burst balloon.

This book was just not for me. I was a little upset that I didn’t like it. But mostly because it had been on my wish list for a long time on PaperbackSwap, and I had been excited to get it. And now I wish I hadn’t. The main character was just a picky, finicky woman who I would use a stronger wording for but I am trying to remain PG. Now I suppose to some people that might be funny. But to me it was just pointless. I almost stopped reading but by the time I was going to I was almost half way through. And at that point I had used enough time on it that I didn’t wish to stop. So at least the book counts for my 2009 Challenge but that is about all it counts for. If you want my opinion skip this book, you will save yourself some trouble.