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Review: The Familiars by Stacey Halls

Review of The Familiars, an historical fiction novel set in 17th century England by Stacey Halls.

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Synopsis

Fleetwood Shuttleworth has suffered three miscarriages, is now pregnant again, and just found a letter from a doctor advising her husband that his wife would not survive another pregnancy. Anxious to provide her husband with an heir, she hires Alice Gray, a local midwife with extraordinary abilities.

Then Alice is caught up in the Pendle Witch Trials. Convinced that she must have Alice with her when she gives birth, Fleetwood throws everything she has behind keeping Alice from being arrested. Three lives depend on her success.

However, she uncovers a devastating secret and Alice is still imprisoned. She continues to fight, but the truth doesn’t come to light until Fleetwood goes into labour on the day of the trials.

Review

The Familiars is an average book. I enjoyed reading it, but it’s nothing spectacular and I won’t be returning to it again and again. There is another book by Stacey Halls that looks interesting (The Foundling) but having read The Familiars, I’m hesitant to pay full price for another book by this author.

I enjoyed how there were real-life people and events scattered throughout the book. The story is based on the real-life Pendle Witch Trials. Fleetwood was the name of the lady of nearby Gawthorpe Hall at the time of the trials. However, there is no evidence that the real-life Fleetwood was involved in the trials or knew any of the Pendle witches (otherwise, it’s detailed and informative).

The author succeeded in creating a brilliantly poignant, fraught atmosphere. The pacing is never hurried but doesn’t drag either. I liked how the straightforward writing complimented Fleetwood’s uncomplicated character. Together, the heavy atmosphere, unhurried pacing, and straightforward writing builds suspense, especially around Fleetwood’s doubting those she should trust.

I searched the stacks of letters organised and filed in some unknown method, remembering how James had brought me the neat parcel or correspondence about my failed pregnancies. Another rage was burning inside me: Richard did not think it prudent to inform me of my impending death, and now he had removed from the house the only person I could trust to save me. I realised I was shaking, and hot tears were blurring my sight.

Fleetwood underwent a great deal of growth during the story. At the beginning, she accepts the way her world is and trusts people easily. By the end, she has taken risks to protect her friend and questioned previously accepted ‘facts’. Throughout the book, she shows hope and determination, and develops courage and an unbreakable friendship.

Conclusion

Have you read The Familiars? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.

If you haven’t, you can buy it at Book Depository (they have free international shipping!) or Waterstones (free delivery on UK orders over £25, will ship internationally).

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Bridgerton Book(s) vs. Netflix Show: Thoughts and Comparisons

Bridgerton Book(s) vs. Netflix Show: Thoughts and Comparisons
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Bridgerton is Netflix’s new, top watched original series. In it, Daphne Bridgerton and Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings, start a false courtship, which quickly leads to real feelings.

However, Simon is determined to get revenge on his father for his difficult childhood by never having children. This causes problems, as Daphne is the fourth of eight children and wants nothing more than to marry and have a family.

As the show is based on a series of books by Julia Quinn, I thought I would read the books and write out my thoughts on how they compared to the show. Season one is based on the first book; you can find my review of The Duke and I here.

Time Spent on Different Characters

I didn’t like how the TV show had so little time focused on Simon and Daphne. Usually, romances spend the majority of the time looking at the hero and/or heroine and their relationship. Bridgerton filled a lot of screen time with the exploits of the other siblings.

In my review of The Duke and I, I said that I thought the first half of the book felt like a set-up for the rest of the series. Book-Simon and book-Daphne’s relationship doesn’t develop at a realistic pace, but other characters are expertly introduced. There’s space for TV-Simon and TV-Daphne’s relationship to develop more realistically.

It felt like the TV show also used this first season as a set-up for the rest of the series. The show told the other Bridgerton sibling’s backstories around the main story (didn’t leave much for future seasons, really). Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough time focused on Simon and Daphne’s story for me to feel invested in their relationship.

Lady Whistledown

In the books, we don’t find out the identity of Lady Whistledown (the scandal writer) until the fourth book (Romancing Mister Bridgerton). In fact, The Duke and I spends no time pondering Lady Whistledown’s identity. (Aside from the occasional “she must have a spy in the family” comment, of course).

However, the TV show characters spend quite a bit of time discussing who Lady Whistledown might be. Eloise even launches her own amateur investigation into the matter.

Actors of Colour

One of the major differences between the Bridgerton books and TV show is the numbers of coloured people. The book characters are all lilywhite English aristocrats typical of the genre. The Netflix show has been praised for “colour blind” casting.

There is a theory that the Queen at the time may have been part black. Evidence includes a rather unflattering comment made by a royal physician and a portrait where she has unfashionably full lips. Additionally, her family tree has been traced back to a Portuguese noblewoman who may have been coloured (the evidence for this is far from conclusive, however).

Apparently, the show is set in an alternate reality where Queen Charlotte was half-African and favoured other part-African people. Even in such circumstances, I highly doubt that the Queen would have been able to elevate so many people of colour to so many (usually hereditary) positions in the 50-odd years she was married to King George.

Queen Charlotte and Prince Frederik

The Queen doesn’t appear at all in The Duke and I. I didn’t particularly like Queen Charlotte, but she certainly added to the story. By all accounts, the real-life Queen Charlotte took an active interest in society, so including her was realistic. And her hair and gowns were generally magnificent.

Her presence also made it easy to introduce Prince Frederik to the story. Daphne’s relationship with Prince Frederik adds another dimension to Simon and Daphne’s relationship that I enjoyed. Additionally, it creates some interesting action for the time that Simon and Daphne grow closer.

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Anthony and Siena

In The Viscount who Loved Me, we find out that Anthony (Daphne’s eldest brother) is convinced he will die before his 39th birthday because his own father died aged 38. For this reason, he is afraid of falling in love. Apparently being in love would make his limited lifespan painful to live with.

On the TV show, Anthony appears to be in love with Siena (or at least thinks he is). This makes it look like Anthony’s problems with love are going to stem from previous heartbreak, not his father’s death.

At present, I don’t like this change, but we’ll see how they deal with it in season 2.

Simon’s Backstory

In The Duke and I, Simon’s backstory is told almost all at once in the prologue and first chapter. The show used flashbacks sprinkled throughout the episodes to tell the same backstory.

I liked how the show kept the backstory itself the same, but preferred the way the book delt with it. However, I loved how the show included a high-tension scene where Simon makes a vow to his father on his deathbed – so dramatic, and really highlighted just how much Simon hated the old duke.

Why can’t Daphne find a husband?

The reasons behind Daphne being unable to find a husband differed between the book and the show.

In the book, she’s a rather ordinary girl who becomes everyone’s friend but no one’s romantic heroine. Sure, Simon speculates that her overbearing elder brothers might have something to do with it, but it’s not the main reason.

In the show, Daphne is “flawless,” and every man wants to court her. Her inability to snag a husband has everything to do with Anthony scaring away potential suitors.

I preferred the book version. Book-Daphne was so much more relatable. The book also made Nigel Berbrooke more redeemable; he may be a minor character, but he does appear briefly in the book’s epilogue and The Viscount who Loved Me.

Favourite Scenes

I watched season one of Bridgerton before reading The Duke and I, and there were a couple of scenes that I hoped would also be in the book. I loved the scene where Anthony and Daphne try to turn on the stove so they can have warm milk without waking any of the servants.

As great as TV-Simon and Daphne’s conversation at the inn was, I preferred the book version of Violet telling Daphne about marriage, and the ensuing wedding-night conversation. It was just so funny. Daphne’s mother failed so completely to tell her anything useful and it led to such a hilarious misunderstanding.

Have you, also, watched Bridgerton on Netflix and read the books? How do you think they compare? Let me know in the comments below.

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Review: The Viscount who Loved Me by Julia Quinn

Book review of The Viscount who Loved Me by Julia Quinn, an historical romance novel set primarily in regency London.

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This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see our full disclosure for further information.

Synopsis

Kate Sheffield is determined to protect her younger sister, Edwina, from society’s rakes while they are in London for the season. This creates quite a problem for Anthony Bridgerton, who has decided that it’s time he found a wife. Edwina fits his requirements, so he pursues her.

As the sisters get to know Anthony, Kate realises that Anthony isn’t as terrible as she had thought. But just as she removes her objection to Anthony courting Edwina, Kate and Anthony are found in a compromising situation involving a bee.

Their ensuing marriage works out well, until Anthony realises he might be falling in love with Kate. Because of his certainty that he will die sometime in the following nine years, this terrifies him. Can he and Kate defeat their demons? Will they be able to love each other freely?

Review

The Viscount who Loved Me is the second of Julia Quinn’s books about the Bridgerton siblings. It tells the story of how Anthony, the eldest Bridgerton, finds love and marries the next viscountess.

I liked how Kate isn’t the ravishing beauty who is the typical heroine in romance novels. She has an inner beauty that Anthony eventually recognises, but she is always compared to the more fashionably beautiful Edwina. It’s such a refreshing change from the norm.

Kate is brilliant. She is intelligent, has a sharp wit, and cares for others. When Anthony is less than perfectly polite, Kate doesn’t hold back from being rude right back. And the way she delights in Anthony’s discomfort is hilarious.

I also loved the relationship between Mary and Kate. They have a really strong bond and I might have forgotten they weren’t mother and daughter if it wasn’t mentioned so much. Mary is so unlike the stereotypical evil stepmother I just had to like her.

My favourite scene has to be the scene where they all play Pall Mall. It showed Anthony’s devotion to his family and further built his relationship with Kate. Before this, Anthony was difficult to like (not great for a romance hero); his views on marriage and how he treated Kate were so annoying.  I also loved the glimpse of Daphne and Simon, the protagonists from the first book in the series (The Duke and I).

The Viscount who Loved Me is full of hilarious dialogues. Anthony and Kate have the best banter. They also exchange veiled insults and share tender moments. It was such fun to read.

Unfortunately, the steamy and tension-filled scenes between Anthony and Kate became a bit lukewarm towards the end of the book. Their banter is no longer fun and light, but grows serious.

Conclusion

Have you read The Viscount who Love Me? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.

If you haven’t, you can buy it at Book Depository (they have free international shipping!) or Waterstones (free delivery on UK orders over £25, will ship internationally).

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Review: The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

Review of The Duke and I, a regency era romance set in 1813 London by Julia Quinn.

The Duke and I by Julia Quinn cover
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This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see our full disclosure for further information.

Synopsis

After two seasons of minimal success on the marriage mart, Daphne Bridgerton is uncertain if she will ever meet a man she can marry. Then she meets Simon Basset, newly minted Duke of Hastings.

Simon was rejected by his father for having a stutter as a child. Because of this, he is determined never to marry or have children to carry on the family line. He suggests to Daphne that they pretend to be courting. Hopefully, this will keep the Ambitious Mamas of marriageable-aged daughters from bothering him and make her more attractive to potential suitors.

However, Simon is increasingly attracted to Daphne, and Daphne cares more and more for Simon. And after they are found in a compromising position in a garden, Daphne’s elder brother demands they marry. Simon eventually agrees, but his constant dedication to spite his father comes between them. Can Daphne defeat Simon’s hatred of his father?

Review

The Duke and I is the first of Julia Quinn’s novels about the Bridgerton siblings. It tells the love story of how Daphne, the eldest Bridgerton daughter and fourth Bridgerton child. It is also the inspiration for the first season of Netflix’s fantastic new show: Bridgerton.

The first half of the story almost seemed like a different book to the second half. I think the author may have used the first half to set the scene for the rest of the series. She introduced the large and lively Bridgerton family masterfully. Aside from some serious physical attraction, the relationship between Simon and Daphne didn’t develop much. This made the kissing in the garden scene feel a bit sudden.

The chemistry between Simon and Daphne was beautiful. I just couldn’t help falling in love with them as a couple. I liked how they have vastly different backstories but still have a connection and common purpose. And the banter between them was fun and adorable.

“Sir! Sir!”

With great reluctance, he dragged his eyes up to her face. Which was, of course, delightful in and of itself, but it was difficult to picture her seduction when she was scowling at him.

“Were you listening to me?”

“Of course,” he lied.

“You weren’t.”

“No,” he admitted.

A sound came from the back of her throat that sounded suspiciously like a growl. “Then why,” she ground out, “did you say you were?”

He shrugged. “I thought it was what you wanted to hear.”

Daphne is such an amazing young woman. She’s intelligent, friendly, and clear-headed. She has a sly sense of humour and a fantastic grasp on how to deal with men. I loved how she wasn’t afraid to interfere in things that affected her even though the men tried to exclude her.

Some parts of the story were repeated a bit often. These include the fact that Simon’s stutter is brought on by stress and anger and that Daphne is from a large and loving family with overbearing brothers. It keeps things consistent, but gets a bit overdone.

The Controversial Scene

About 80% of the way through The Duke and I, there is a controversial, potentially triggering scene. Some people would say that Daphne raped Simon. I’m not so sure – it’s very much more complicated than that.

Because of his problems with his father, Simon has decided that he will never have children. So before agreeing to marry Daphne, he tells her that he cannot have children. Daphne takes this to mean that there is something physically wrong with him and because she’s so innocent, she doesn’t notice the little thing he does to ensure that she will never conceive.

Two weeks into their marriage, Daphne puts two and two together and realises what Simon has been doing. They fight about it, and after a failed reconciliation, Simon gets very drunk. After a short nap, they have some apparently mutually consensual sexy times that becomes less mutually consensual at the end. Simon (understandably) becomes very angry and leaves.

I’m not going to get into the debate of who was right or wrong. However, I didn’t like the way it was delt with in the story. Simon and Daphne separate for a time, but come back together fairly easily.

Neither of them acknowledges their mistakes or apologises to the other. There’s very little discussion afterwards, and what discussion they have is centred around having children, not the issues they’ve had. I find it difficult to believe that a couple could get over something so major so easily.

Conclusion

Have you read The Duke and I? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.

If you haven’t, you can buy it at Book Depository (they have free international shipping!) or Waterstones (free delivery on UK orders over £25, will ship internationally).

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Linlithgow: the Best Day-Trip from Edinburgh

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Linlithgow is a gorgeous little town west of Edinburgh and makes a great day trip from Scotland’s capital. There’s palace ruins and an historic church to explore, and cute shops on an old-timey feeling main street.

While I visited on a day trip, I think it would be a lovely place for a quiet getaway. Maybe one day…

Getting there

Linlithgow is on the train line between Edinburgh and Glasgow, about half an hour from Waverly Station. An off-peak return ticket from either Waverly or Haymarket costs £8.80. Trains run between Edinburgh and Linlithgow every 15-20 minutes (about).

Alternatively, the X38 bus stops in Linlithgow. The bus runs between Edinburgh and Stirling and leaves every 15 minutes until mid-afternoon, at which point it becomes a bit more irregular but still frequent. The trip takes a bit under an hour and apparently costs £6 each way. It seems more sensible to me to take the train.

What to do

Linlithgow Palace

Linlithgow Palace Scotland

The Palace (not a castle) has been a roofless ruin since a fire in the 18th century. In its’ day, it seems to have been a favourite among royal wives and if the souvenir guidebook is to be believed, was absolutely stunning. It’s still beautiful, but in a bleak kind of way.

Construction was started in 1424 by King James I of Scotland following a fire that destroyed the previous royal residence in Linlithgow. Later King Jameses continued building but later royals spent very little time at the palace following James VI’s ascension to the English throne.

Its primary claim to fame is as the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots. She was born here in 1542; we don’t know for sure which room she was born in, but historians have made some good guesses.

Linlithgow Palace was also used as a filming location in season 1 of Outlander. The man in the gift shop sounded almost proud as he told me “Claire vomited just out there” after I bought a postcard.

St Michael’s Parish Church

Next door to Linlithgow Palace, St Michael’s looks like it’s part of the Palace complex. Having been massively damaged in the 15th century fire that destroyed the old royal, the current building dates from the 15th and 16th centuries. It’s much grander than you would expect a parish church to be.

Over the years, the church has had some troubled times. Though repairs have been made when needed, the building still shows small signs of these events. For example, there are marks on the back wall from Oliver Cromwell’s roundheads doing target practice.

The day I was there, there was an overly enthusiastic young man playing Highland Cathedral on the church organ. However, he was playing it way too fast and with the occasional long-drawn-out note. It made it difficult to talk with the volunteer guides.

Note: in winter, St Michael’s closes at 1pm, so I recommend visiting in the morning, before Linlithgow Palace. The walk down to the town is very short, so it’s easy enough to stop for lunch in between.

Linlithgow Museum

Linlithgow Museum Scotland

Usually, local museums of this type tend to be small and poorly put together. The Linlithgow Museum, however, is tidy, free of dust and clutter, and thoughtfully put together. There are three galleries with displays on local industries and life in Linlithgow.

Displays include a life-size statue of Mary Queen of Scots, a set of leather-working tools, and items that belonged to famous people associated with Linlithgow. Interesting fact: the town claims that Montgomery Scott, the engineer from Star Trek, will be born in Linlithgow in the year 2222.

Note: the museum is closed on Tuesdays, so if you really want to visit, go to Linlithgow any other day of the week. Also, the museum is housed in the same building as the library, community police, and other council services.

Places to eat

The Four Marys

The Four Marys pub Linlithgow Scotland

This is the place that I chose to have lunch. I had the haggis fritters with whiskey sauce (it was so good). It’s technically an entrée, but there was a family at the table next to us and their mains looked massive; I didn’t need that much food.

Inside, it has that cosy, old pub feeling while being large and spacious. There was a fireplace with a roaring fire. Having thoroughly saturated my shoes in the snow outside, I was grateful for such a great place to warm up and dry off a bit.

The name “The Four Marys” comes from Mary Queen of Scot’s four ladies-in-waiting, all of whom were called Mary. The pub has appropriately historical décor with items related to Mary Queen of Scots displayed on the walls. It’s so cool.

Old Post Office

True to name, the Old Post Office Bar is housed in the old post office building. I haven’t eaten there myself, but online reviews are largely positive. Looking at their menu, they serve good pub food at reasonable prices.

Picnic in The Peel

Alternatively, there is a Tesco’s supermarket at the end of town, just past the train station. In summer, it would be nice to grab a bite to eat there and picnic in the Linlithgow Peel. I was there in winter, and while it was beautiful, it was also covered in snow (not picnic suitable).

The Peel is a royal park with a large loch just under the palace. Large numbers of birds live around the loch (especially in summer) and is protected as a “Site of Special Scientific Interest.” With wildlife and dog-walking locals, I would love to sit and look around on a sunny day.

Please remember to check local restrictions before travelling during a pandemic and follow the rules. Also, if you have any questions about planning your own day-trip to Linlithgow, feel free to ask them in the comments.

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Review: The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

Book review of The Other Boleyn Girl, an historical fiction novel set in Tudor England by Philippa Gregory.

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This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see our full disclosure for further information.

Synopsis

This book follows Mary, sister of Anne Boleyn (Henry VIII’s second wife). Mary is lady-in-waiting to Queen Katherine of Aragon when she catches the king’s eye. Her ambitious and overbearing uncle sees an opportunity and quickly removes Mary from her husband’s household. Before long, she is in the king’s bed advancing her family’s fortunes.

After she has borne him a daughter and a son, Henry’s attentions stray to Mary’s beautiful older sister, and Mary is ordered to help Anne catch the king. As always, she obeys, but then Anne falls out of favour and their entire family is put at risk.

Review

Like Philippa Gregory’s other Plantagenet/Tudor books, The Other Boleyn Girl is heavy reading with many historical tidbits. Generally, I find that Philippa Gregory sticks to the historical record, but also goes along with whatever current theories happen to be popular. When reading this book, you do have to keep in mind that it is a novel, and as such is not historically perfect.

I loved the relationship between Mary and William Stafford. William was obviously able to give her the kind of life she wanted but couldn’t have being at court all the time. I really admire Mary’s strength in standing up to her uncle and leaving her family with William. I’ve come across Thomas Howard before and he was clearly a Horrible Man.

“Who d’you think is hearing the evidence against these men? Who will be president of the court against your brother? Your own uncle! Does he use his influence to save him? Does your father? No.”

Most of The Other Boleyn Girl is written from Mary’s POV. This makes some of the characters seem one-sided. For example, Catherine of Aragon is portrayed as an older woman/role-model who can do nothing bad.

The exception to this is Mary’s brother and sister. Mary has a real love/hate relationship with George and Anne. She loves them both dearly, but is often jealous of or frustrated at them. Like when Anne denies Mary permission to see her children, Mary hates Anne.

That being said, this book didn’t push sympathy for Anne Boleyn under the reader’s nose. Many people see Anne as a victim, and she is usually portrayed as one. The Other Boleyn Girl shows her doing some questionable things but also as a victim who had few choices and did what she was pushed to.

Conclusion

Have you read The Other Boleyn Girl? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.

If you haven’t, you can buy it at Book Depository (they have free international shipping!) or Waterstones (free delivery on UK orders over £25, will ship internationally).

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My Next Dream Trip to the UK

My next UK trip - Travelling Book Nerd
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With the current travel restrictions, I have been looking back on my 2019/2020 trip to (mostly) the UK and thinking on what I want to do when I get back there. Here are my thoughts on my next (God willing) trip to the UK.

Cambridge

One of my sisters lives near Cambridge and I had planned on seeing quite a bit of the city while staying with her. Unfortunately, I found myself more inclined to stay “home” and relax rather than going out and seeing things.

Next time, I’ll try staying in the city itself. A night at Cambridge’s one hostel might cost a similar amount to the return train ticket between Cambridge and my sister’s place, but hopefully staying in the city would give me the boost of motivation I’d need to get out and see the museums, churches, and university colleges that I want to see.

Oxford

Planning that last trip, I looked into spending a week in Oxford. As I was going to do Cambridge, Oxford seemed like a natural choice. Afterall, how am I to choose which city I prefer if I haven’t been to them both.

However, all three hostels were relatively expensive and sounded like they had noise problems (two were close to busy clubs). I was trying to avoid hostels where the reviews indicated that they were noisy, “party” hostels (I really do need a good night’s sleep). I’ll go to Oxford when I’m able to afford a room in a hotel or a BnB.

York

I absolutely love York. I was there for about a week and a half in January, I did everything, and it was awesome. Even though there isn’t much in York that I haven’t done and there are so many other great places to see, I still want to go back. Next time, I would like to time my trip so that I could check out the Jorvik Viking Festival in February or the Eboracum Roman Festival in June.

There are also a couple of small towns/cities near York that would make interesting day trips if I went back. The one that first springs to mind is Whitby. Whitby was once home to James Cook, the captain of the first ship to circumnavigate New Zealand (where I live!!!) and map the coast. There are also some gorgeous looking abbey ruins a medieval church that I would love to walk around.

Salisbury/Winchester

When planning my last trip, I looked at spending time in Winchester or perhaps Salisbury. Winchester was the capital city of all the greatest Saxon kings, Salisbury is close to a whole bunch of interesting prehistoric stuff, and both cities have gorgeous cathedrals. The big problem was that there were no hostels in either city; I couldn’t afford anything else.

Also, Winchester has lots of literary links. Jane Austen in buried in Winchester Cathedral. Arthur Conan Doyle mentioned Winchester in at least three Sherlock Holmes books. Furthermore, John Keats lived in Winchester for a couple of months, where he wrote a poem and some letters. For more information, check out this page from the Winchester tourism website.

Stirling

While I had initially wanted to spend the last 10 days of my trip in Edinburgh, the hostel I wanted to stay at had a seven-night maximum stay. I considered spending the remaining days in Stirling but eventually settled on heading back south. It turned out well, though – there was a big storm the day before I left the UK, and if I hadn’t already been in London, I might not have made it to the airport on time.

Still, there are several things in Stirling that I want to see. Afterall, it has played an important part in Scotland’s history (‘he who holds Stirling, holds Scotland’ and all that).

London

London is such a busy city, I think that I could easily find something new and interesting to do every day even if I lived there for 10 years. There are dozens of museums (I love museums), many of which are free to visit, and I’ve only been to like three or four of them. There’s so much in London that I want to do; I just have to be there to do them.

Wales, the West Country, and the rest of the UK

I have it on good authority (i.e. my sister-in-law) that I would love western England and Wales is beautiful. All in all, there are very few places in the UK that I wouldn’t like to visit. For instance, I recently read a book about Empress Matilda and her step-mother, Adeliza of Louvain, and now I really want to visit Castle Rising in Norfolk.

There are so many places to see and so little time to see them. The above list is just a drop in the bucket. That’s one of the reasons I want to move to Europe. In addition to those places in the UK, I want to see most of Europe, and then there’s the rest of the world. Do you have any favourite places that you think I should add to my list? Tell me in the comments below.

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Review: One Corpse Too Many by Ellis Peters

Review of One Corpse Too Many, the second Chronicle of Brother Cadfael by Ellis Peters, a mystery set in 12th century England.

One Corpse Too Many by Ellis Peters cover
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Synopsis

Following the 1138 Siege of Shrewsbury, 94 people are executed. Brother Cadfael volunteers to clean and dispose of the bodies. Counting them, Cadfael notices that there are 95 bodies. He identifies the extra corpse and is convinced that he must find the killer.

His breakthrough comes when his new helper finds the dead man’s friend lying behind some bushes, badly wounded. Together, the three of them work to gather evidence and Cadfael finds who was behind the attack, and why they attacked.

Review

I really enjoyed One Corpse Too Many. It has a couple of romantic sub-plots, lots of lively intrigue, and interesting characters. The overall story is well constructed. I love the way this author writes; the language feels like it fits the historical setting and it doesn’t linger on the gore-y bits.

One Corpse Too Many was the first of the Chronicles of Brother Cadfael that I read and even though it’s technically the second book in the series, it’s a great starting point. It’s the book that introduces Hugh Beringar; even though Hugh becomes important in the rest of the series, it’s not obvious in this book.

The evidence was attained a bit too conveniently. Cadfael seems to stumble across much of the evidence, especially the last piece that proves who the murderer is, accidentally. Even once he knows who the murderer is, the murderer is only convicted through trial by combat. Granted, it took intelligence to put all the pieces together.

Cadfael was walking back to the hall when his eye fell upon a lad of about twelve, who was sitting in the torchlight on the inner side of the gate house, his back comfortably against the wall, carving his meat into small pieces with a narrow-bladed knife. Cadfael had seen him earlier, in the kitchen, gutting fish with the same knife, but he had not seen the haft of it, and would not have seen it now if the boy had not laid it down beside him on the ground while he ate.

Cadfael halted and gazed, motionless. It was no kitchen knife, but a well-made dagger, and its hilt was a slender shaft of silver, rounded to the hand, showing delicate lines of filigree-work, and glowing round the collar of the blade with small stones. The hilt ended in a twist of silver broken off short. It was hard to believe, but impossible not to believe. Perhaps thought really is prayer.

I liked how Ellis Peters respects both sides of the ongoing war. She doesn’t favour either Stephen or Maud (Matilda) over the other. In fact, many of the characters seem unconcerned about who sits on the throne and it makes no difference to the story.

Conclusion

Have you read One Corpse Too Many? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.

If you haven’t, you can buy it at Book Depository (they have free international shipping!).

Want to get more from your reading? Get my free book review template here.

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Review: The Tartan MP3 Player by C. A. Szarek

Review of The Tartan MP3 Player by C. A. Szarek, a time-travelling historical romance set in 17th century Scotland.

The Tartan MP3 Player by C.A. Szarek cover
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This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see our full disclosure for further information.

Synopsis

Claire McGowan finds herself running naked along a cold beach. At first, she thinks she is having a particularly vivid dream, but when she meets Duncan MacLeod it becomes apparent that she is in the Scottish Highlands in the 1600s.

Duncan’s brother, Alex, was captured by the Fae King Fillan six months earlier. Since then, Duncan has been searching for the Faery Stones so that he can enter the Fae Realm and rescue Alex. Now, he has found a strange woman who looks to have come through the very same Stones that he has been looking for. He takes her in, hoping that she knows something that will help him.

After a week of fighting to keep their attraction to each other under control, Duncan insists that they marry. By the time they find the stones and begin their attempt to save Alex, both Duncan and Claire are struggling with their feelings and eminent separation.

Review

The Tartan MP3 Player looks a lot like it started as Outlander fanfiction, especially at the start. A woman is transported back in time through stones where she marries a man that she then falls in love with and stays in the past for. Very Outlander. However, the style is very different and as the story progresses the fantasy element comes out more, the differences become more obvious.

Usually, I don’t like books with a lot of magic or a strong fantasy element. However, the way it was dealt with in this book was quite believable and I found that it didn’t feel strange or unusual. The author managed to weave the Faery world and the real world together in a very convincing manner.

“The Fae might be in stories, but they’re very real, Claire.”

She scoffed, and the water shifted in the tub with her movements, splashing against the side of the tub.

“Ye’ve come through time, yet ye doubt?”

Claire paused, her green eyes boring into him. “True. I was still hoping this is all a dream.”

Duncan smirked. “Nay, lass.”

“So the Fae are real?” Her tone was a combination of curiosity and disbelief.

“Aye, and they hold my brother captive.”

There were a couple of erotic scenes in the middle of the book that were excessively explicit. It wouldn’t have been too hard to tone them down a notch. We don’t need to know that much!

I wonder why Alana, the Fae Princess that Alex married, didn’t leave the Fae realm earlier, perhaps when she first married, or when she had Angus. Of course, if she had there would be no story and this book would be absolutely rubbish. Perhaps she loved the Fae and didn’t want to leave them, but she obviously loves her son and husband.

The writing style is a bit abrupt. There are a lot of short sentences and one-line paragraphs that make it feel jumpy or startling (I’m not entirely sure what word would best convey what I’m thinking). There are also a couple of bits where the author explains things that happened earlier, which seems a bit amateurish.

Despite the above comments (most of which appear to be negative), I got hooked into this book, read it several times in a row, and want to read the other books in the series.

Conclusion

Have you read The Tartan MP3 Player? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.

If you haven’t, it can be bought at the following stores:

Waterstones
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Review: Daughter of Time by Sarah Woodbury

Review of Daughter of Time by Sarah Woodbury, prequel to the After Cilmeri series of time-travelling historical fiction set in medieval Wales

Daughter of Time by Sarah Woodbury cover
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This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see our full disclosure for further information.

Synopsis

Meg has been going through a rough time when a car accident throws her and her two-year-old daughter into 13th century Wales. Her car lands in a marsh and she is rescued by Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, Prince of Wales. Unsure what to make of her, he takes Meg with him as he deals with a rogue lord.

Along the way, Meg shares what she knows about Welsh history, particularly about Llywelyn’s betrayal and death 14 years later. As they spend more time together, they grow to care about each other and face various challenges together.

Review

It’s pretty obvious that Daughter of Time is a prequel. The story-line is weak (the main villain and conflict are unclear), there is very little character development (Meg doesn’t grow personally at all), and the secondary characters are insubstantial (it might have been easier to care for them if you had already read the main series).

Meg’s reaction to being in Medieval Wales is very believable. She initially distrusts the people around her and doesn’t immediately fall in love with her rescuer. She doesn’t magically understand the local language. However, she also doesn’t think much about her mother and sister at home; they must have been going mad worrying about her disappearing.

I had no idea what he’d said. Confused because his words were unintelligible, even as they tugged at my ear with familiar tones, I didn’t move or say anything, just stared. He tried again. I shook my head, uncertain.

He stayed relaxed, his hands at his sides and walked toward me, speaking a little louder, as if somehow that would help. I was desperately trying to make sense of what he was saying, but as he got closer, my breath rose in my chest until it choked me. He must have seen the fear in my face because he stopped, about three feet from the bed. I finally found my voice.

“What?” The words came out as little more than a squeak. “Who are you?” I dragged my eyes from his face and flashed them around the room again, seeking somewhere to run but no seeing anything but the long distance to the door and the man standing between it and me.

There were a few things that bothered me about Anna. For example, she seemed way too advanced for a 2-year-old; the sentences she uses are too complex. While I loved how everyone treated Anna (especially Llywelyn’s knights), it seemed like she was an extra character that was there because the author was stuck with her, not because she played any part in the story.

The ending made me want to scream. Meg’s return to the present is so sudden; it just happened. I’m not even sure if whatever story-arc the author was pursuing in the 13th century had a conclusion. I assume all the questions I was left with would be answered if I read the first book in the series.

Conclusion

Have you read Daughter of Time? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.

If you haven’t, you can buy it at Book Depository (they have free international shipping!). However, I got a copy of the eBook for free on Face Book (obviously the author giving away the prequel in order to get people hooked and buying the rest of the series); if you don’t mind eBooks, go and take a look.