The Brothers York

The Brothers York: A Royal Tragedy- Thomas Penn
Simon & Schuster
Release Date: June 16, 2020

Rating:
📚📚📚📚📚

Synopsis: In 15th-century England, two royal families, the House of York and the House of Lancaster, fought a bitter, decades-long civil war for the English throne. As their symbols were a red rose for Lancaster and a white rose for York, the conflict became known as the Wars of the Roses.

During this time, the house of York came to dominate England. At its heart were three charismatic brothers—King Edward IV, and his two younger siblings George and Richard—who became the figureheads of a spectacular ruling dynasty. Together, they looked invincible.

But with Edward’s ascendancy the brothers began to turn on one another, unleashing a catastrophic chain of rebellion, vendetta, fratricide, usurpation, and regicide. The brutal end came at Bosworth Field in 1485, with the death of the youngest, then Richard III, at the hands of a new usurper, Henry Tudor, later Henry VII, progenitor of the Tudor line of monarchs.

Fascinating, dramatic, and filled with vivid historical detail, The Brothers York is a brilliant account of a conflict that fractured England for a generation. Riven by internal rivalries, jealousy, and infighting, the three York brothers failed to sustain their power and instead self-destructed. It is a rich and bloody tale as gripping as any historical fiction.

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For history lovers looking to read a definitive book on an English monarch or their era (such as Henry VIII and the Men Who Made Him or Good Queen Anne), in my opinion the book to read for King Edward IV's reign is The Brothers York: A Royal Tragedy by Thomas Penn.  Encompassing not only Edward IV's life and times, The Brothers York weaves together the stories of the battles between the Lancasters and the Yorks, Nevilles, Percys, Woodvilles, Rivers, and more.  More importantly, it also puts into context the lives of Edward's brothers George, the Duke of Clarence, and Richard, who would become King Richard III.  

What the average person knows of this family is probably little to nothing, and then their 'knowledge' is based on Shakespeare's evil King Richard destroying his family.  In Penn's Brothers York we meet the ambitious Edward and his advisor Warwick "the Kingmaker", the fascinating politics behind how Edward rewarded his favorites, and his unusual (and questionable) ways of constantly increasing the royal coffers.  Edward focused on the image of the royal family as a united front, heads above everyone else, and Penn argues that if Edward and his brothers had been able to remain united, there is probably little they couldn't have done.  But politics and personalities interfere and jealousy and the lures of ever increasing power were too much to keep the brothers united.  But the fractures didn't occur the way you think they did.

This is not your Shakespearean family, but a well-researched, well-written, neutral, and detailed account of Edward IV's reign, the multiple betrayals by the spoiled Clarence, and the warrior brother Richard, who was loyal to his elder brother until Edward's death- but not beyond.  The Brothers York is a fascinating history of brothers seeking to end conclusively the "Wars of the Roses", written in a casual, story-telling style that, combined with the drama and larger than life personalities involved, makes the pages fly by. An absolute must read for history lovers!       

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

The Marriage Game

The Marriage Game- Sara Desai
Berkley/Penguin Group
Release Date: June 9, 2020

Rating:
📚📚📚📚

Synopsis: After her life falls apart, recruitment consultant Layla Patel returns home to her family in San Francisco. But in the eyes of her father, who runs a Michelin starred restaurant, she can do no wrong. He would do anything to see her smile again. With the best intentions in mind, he offers her the office upstairs to start her new business and creates a profile on an online dating site to find her a man. She doesn’t know he’s arranged a series of blind dates until the first one comes knocking on her door…

As CEO of a corporate downsizing company Sam Mehta is more used to conflict than calm. In search of a quiet new office, he finds the perfect space above a cozy Indian restaurant that smells like home. But when communication goes awry, he's forced to share his space with the owner's beautiful yet infuriating daughter Layla, her crazy family, and a parade of hopeful suitors, all of whom threaten to disrupt his carefully ordered life.

As they face off in close quarters, the sarcasm and sparks fly. But when the battle for the office becomes a battle of the heart, Sam and Layla have to decide if this is love or just a game.

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Sam Mehta is a calm and control-oriented person.  He doesn't do noise, family, fun, or distractions.  Blaming himself for his sister's bad marriage and current pain, he has one focus: make the man who hurt her face justice.  But his plans- and his new office- get derailed when his landlord gives his office to someone else and has a heart attack before telling Sam about the change.  Layla is all energy, colors, and chaos as she tries to pull her life together and start her own business, but now she finds herself sharing an office with an uptight jerk who won't leave.  When Layla finds out her father set up blind dates for her, Sam and Layla make a deal: she'll go on the dates and if she gets married to one of the men, Sam can have the office.  No marriage means Sam's out.  Sam might start out as trying to save Layla the way he couldn't save his sister, but somewhere along the way his feelings to Layla become anything but  brotherly.

The Marriage Game is a definite opposites attract book.  Layla is all about emotions and empathy, helping her family and trying to move forward after bad things happen. She claims to not know who she really is and what she really wants, but instinctively she goes for exactly what is right for her- and only starts messing up when she thinks about it.  Sam is all about control, safety, and security. He thinks he knows what he should do and believes that he doesn't deserve happiness.  Both have suffered and I love how Sara Desai shows us the different ways people react to the troubles life brings us.  People can (and as this book shows us, do) become confusing contradictions of thoughts, feelings, and actions when it comes to trying to fix things that are broken and to prevent future pain.  

Desai celebrates Indian culture through food and family, and immerses the reader in a beautiful world of scents, sounds, and colors that explode from the page.  Sam and Layla may be in an office upstairs, but the reader can smell the scents of traditional Indian food cooking in Layla's family restaurant downstairs.  Busybody aunties drive everyone crazy with their matchmaking ways and odd attempts at American-Indian fusion food.  Bad dates mean a variety of humorous situations that inadvertently bring Layla and Sam closer together.  I wish we'd gotten the chance to get to know more of the people in Sam's life, like his sister Nisha, but I recognize that this was part of the point: Sam had closed himself off from his family and we only got to see them through Sam's pinhole vision. It works very well and makes you feel even sorrier for Sam- if we want to get to know Nisha better, think what her own brother is missing out on!

The Marriage Game is about discovering what really matters to you.  Who are you when everything falls apart?  What do you want moving forward? What are you willing to fight for?  Sam is about to discover that sometimes the worst thing that can happen to you is also the best thing that can happen to you.   

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Alpha Night

Alpha Night (Pay-Changeling Trinity #4)- Nalini Singh
Berkley/Penguin Group
Release Date: June 9, 2020

Rating:
📚📚📚📚📚

Synopsis: Alpha wolf Selenka Durev’s devotion to her pack is equaled only by her anger at anyone who would harm those under her care. That currently includes the empaths who’ve flowed into her city for a symposium that is a security nightmare, a powder keg just waiting for a match.
 
Ethan Night is an Arrow who isn’t an Arrow. Numb and disengaged from the world, he’s loyal only to himself. Assigned as part of the security force at a world-first symposium, he carries a dark agenda tied to the power-hungry and murderous Consortium. Then violence erupts and Ethan finds himself crashing into the heart and soul of an alpha wolf.
 
Mating at first sight is a myth, a fairytale. Yet Selenka’s wolf is resolute: Ethan Night, broken Arrow and a man capable of obsessive devotion, is the mate it has chosen. Even if the mating bond is full of static and not quite as it should be. Because Selenka’s new mate has a terrible secret, his mind surging with a power that is a creature of madness and death…

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Mating at first sight is a myth.  The kind of story for soap opera dramas and not real life.  Yet the minute Alpha Selenka Durev meets Arrow Ethan Night, her wolf knows they belong together- and grabs him.  Ethan has lived his adult life in a fog, not a part of anything- including his squad.  He believes between his tortured childhood under Ming LeBon and his current power fluctuations, he's damaged at best and one short step from being a murderous lunatic at worst.  So it comes as something of a shock to him when a powerful alpha wolf says he's hers and he instinctively agrees.  With the hard part out of the way they just have to work to help prevent the disintegration of the PsyNet, stop those actively trying to destroy it, figure out why theirs isn't a normal mating bond, and find a cure for what seems to be a fatal psychic illness destroying Ethan's brain from the inside out. 

Selenka is an awesome alpha- all teeth, claws, and heart- and Singh does an excellent job highlighting both of those roles in Selenka's day-to-day life.  She's also perfect for Ethan, able to teach him to play while also teaching him that it's possible to be both a killer and a protector instead of a monster.  Ethan is one of those gorgeous, deadly, and damaged creatures you just want to cuddle until everything is ok again.  Childhood trauma doesn't come close to describing the hell he grew up in, but he still grew up with his sanity intact- if perhaps hidden behind a few shields to let him cope.  But we meet Ethan while he's still willing to experiment and reach beyond those shields, still willing to try and feel things and not beyond saving.  

Selenka and Ethan have a chemistry that's unbelievably hot- and a rather shocking introduction to the world of emotions for poor Ethan!  They work perfectly together on every level.  Singh continues to give readers perfectly paired and complex couples that leave you saying "thank you!" after you meet them.  Singh (Wolf Rain) also continues in her amazingly intricate world building- it grows, develops. and makes the reader feel like they are immersed in the world on every single page.

As with all of the Psy-Changeling series, Alpha Night could be read as a stand alone book.  Many characters from previous books make appearances that will delight long-time readers (personally I'm a big fan of Kaleb and Nikita) but won't confuse newbies.  Several of the threats currently facing the PsyNet however, new readers won't get as much out of (and may get a little confused) if they haven't read at least the earlier Trinity books before.  But new readers should love Alpha Night enough that they'll immediately need to go read the other books anyway (and then re-read this one!), so it should work out. Alpha Night doesn't end as a cliff-hanger (thank you Nalini for rarely doing that to us) but readers will still be on the edge of their seats to discover what happens next in a world that seems just as read as our own.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review 

James Monroe: A Life

James Monroe: A Life- Tim McGrath
Dutton/Penguin Group
Release Date: May 5, 2020

Rating: 📚📚📚📚


Synopsis: Monroe lived a life defined by revolutions. From the battlefields of the War for Independence, to his ambassadorship in Paris in the days of the guillotine, to his own role in the creation of Congress's partisan divide, he was a man who embodied the restless spirit of the age. He was never one to back down from a fight, whether it be with Alexander Hamilton, with whom he nearly engaged in a duel (prevented, ironically, by Aaron Burr), or George Washington, his hero turned political opponent. 
 
This magnificent new biography vividly recreates the epic sweep of Monroe’s life: his near-death wounding at Trenton and a brutal winter at Valley Forge; his pivotal negotiations with France over the Louisiana Purchase; his deep, complex friendships with Thomas Jefferson and James Madison; his valiant leadership when the British ransacked the nation’s capital and burned down the Executive Mansion; and Monroe’s lifelong struggle to reckon with his own complicity in slavery. Elected the fifth president of the United States in 1816, this fiercest of partisans sought to bridge divisions and sow unity, calming turbulent political seas and inheriting Washington's mantle of placing country above party. Over his two terms, Monroe transformed the nation, strengthening American power both at home and abroad. 

Critically-acclaimed author Tim McGrath has consulted an extensive array of primary sources, many rarely seen since Monroe's own time, to conjure up this fascinating portrait of an essential American statesman and president.

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James Monroe is one of those presidents you can usually name, but otherwise probably don't know too much about.  That was the case for me at least.  Tim McGrath's new biography on Monroe is a brilliant introduction to the man, the politician, and the world he lived and worked in.  Monroe's early life is covered without getting into the minutiae that some biographers enjoy- McGrath knows that in Monroe's case at least, the man Monroe would become formed not in his childhood, but as a young lawyer studying under Thomas Jefferson and as a soldier crossing the Delaware with General Washington.

Monroe is pictured from the beginning as a man who believes in doing his duty by his country, despite what that may cost him personally and financially.  The intricacies of politics might not have come as naturally as the job of soldiering, but Monroe learns as he goes, not only from friends like Jefferson and Madison but from opponents, even enemies, and never forgets the lessons that he learned.

McGrath does a brilliant job showing Monroe's development as a politician- from highly partisan to trying to follow in Washington's steps and erase the two-party system. He brings to life the partisan and highly personal fights in Congress as Monroe's enemies work to prevent Monroe and his Cabinet from accomplishing anything, and brings the reader behind the scenes into Cabinet meetings where Monroe takes the slightly unusual approach of listening to all of his Cabinet members and letting free speech and debate fly across the table before asking questions, and allowing himself to have his mind and policies changed if he truly hears convincing arguments.

James Monroe was not a perfect man, and McGrath doesn't try to convince us that he was.  Apologies are not made, although by understanding the world and time he lived in, maybe some of what today we would call his mistakes are more understandable.   Modern readers will cringe at Monroe's thoughts on slavery and Native American policy- but McGrath reminds us that for his time Monroe was considered progressive, especially compared with someone like the up and coming Andrew Jackson.

This is a well-written, well-researched, and thorough biography of a little known president.  Despite the seemingly daunting length of the book (750 pages) the pace flows well and doesn't get bogged down with extraneous details and lectures.  Although McGrath does fall into the trap of foreshadowing-especially at the end of chapters- his "of only Monroe knew then" approach doesn't happen often enough to get truly aggravating.

A definite win for history lovers seeking to learn more about the founding of America and James Monroe, one of the often overlooked founding fathers.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Say Yes to the Duke

Say Yes to the Duke (Wildes of Lindow Castle #5)- Eloisa James
Avon/HarperCollins 
Release Date: May 19, 2020

Rating:
📚📚📚📚📚

Synopsis: Miss Viola Astley is so painfully shy that she’s horrified by the mere idea of dancing with a stranger; her upcoming London debut feels like a nightmare.

So she’s overjoyed to meet handsome, quiet vicar with no interest in polite society — but just when she catches his attention, her reputation is compromised by a duke. 

Devin Lucas Augustus Elstan, Duke of Wynter, will stop at nothing to marry Viola, including marrying a woman whom he believes to be in love with another man. 

A vicar, no less.

Devin knows he’s no saint, but he’s used to conquest, and he’s determined to win Viola’s heart.

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After an incident at her first ball years ago, Viola Astley is so shy around men that she can't even contemplate having a Season and finding a husband.  Her happy discovery of a vicar who doesn't terrify her is overshadowed by meeting the stern Duke of Wynter.  But both of them have hidden depths- and the overbearing and seemingly hard duke may be exactly what a shy wallflower needs.

Say Yes to the Duke continues Eloisa James' Wildes of Lindow Castle series with Wilde stepdaughter Viola- who has never really felt like one of the Wildes.  Overshadowed by her taller, more confidante step-siblings, the cripplingly shy Viola is happy to liver her life outside of Society, where only her family and immediate friends can really know the intelligent, witty person behind her quiet facade.  She may be one of my favorite characters of all time- completely relatable, kind, compassionate, and quiet, but willing to stand up for her family and loved ones when needed.  She may not have much self-confidence, but she's stronger than she thinks she is and becomes a delightful surprise to herself and Devin, as well as the reader.  Devin, the Duke of Wynter, starts off as the stereotypical nobleman, confident that he can do whatever he wants and get whatever he wants because he's a duke- and supremely uninterested with most of Society and their ways.  But when Viola goes and does the one thing a woman should absolutely never do if she doesn't want to catch a duke's attention- telling him exactly how rude and overbearing he is and then walking away- Devin finds he has a lot more interest in finding a wife than he had expected.  

Devin and Viola might seem to be opposites on the surface, but still waters run deep and they are completely perfect for each other.  He excels at solving problems, she excels at trying to make people happy.  When they are tested by a vicar and his horrible fiancée on what is right for the people of their entire parish, Wilde hijinks may ensue but true love eases all wounds.  Although Book 5 in a series it will be easy for new readers to start with this as a standalone, and James' brilliant writing and sparkling humor will capture new fans with every page.  A lovely book with passion and sparkling chemistry between Devin and Viola, rapier wit, laugh out loud humorous moments, and an army of cats, Say Yes to the Duke is a perfect must read!    

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Close Up

Close Up (Burning Cove Series)- Amanda Quick
Berkley Publishing
Release Date: May 5, 2020

Rating:
📚📚📚📚📚

Synopsis: Vivian Brazier never thought life as an art photographer would include nightly wake-up calls to snap photos of grisly crime scenes or headshots for aspiring male actors. Although she is set on a career of transforming photography into a new art form, she knows her current work is what’s paying the bills. 
 
After shooting crime scene photos of a famous actress, the latest victim of the murderer the press has dubbed the “Dagger Killer,” Vivian notices eerie similarities to the crime scenes of previous victims—details that only another photographer would have noticed—details that put Vivian at the top of the killer’s target list.
 
Nick Sundridge has always been able to “see” things that others don’t, coping with disturbing dreams and visions. His talent, or as he puts it—his curse—along with his dark past makes him a recluse, but a brilliant investigator. As the only one with the ability to help, Nick is sent to protect Vivian. Together, they discover the Dagger Killer has ties to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood royalty and high society. It is a cutthroat world of allure and deception that Vivian and Nick must traverse—all in order to uncover the killer who will stop at nothing to add them to their gallery of murders.

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While trying to make it as an art photographer, Vivian Brazier pays the bills with crime-and-fire shots she sells to local newspapers.  When her artistic eye sees details at the crime scene of a serial killer, she accidentally puts herself in his crosshairs.  Then Nick Sundridge, private investigator, shows up at her door to tell her she's being stalked by a killer and he's supposed to protect her.  It's enough to send  even as strong and pragmatic a woman as Vivian running for the hills- or at least Burning Cove.  In this little seaside town Nick and Vivian work together with mobster (and Bureau code breaker) Luther Pell to unravel the secrets behind the assassin for hire stalking Vivian- and must try to discover not only who is out to kill Vivian, but why?

 

Amanda Quick (Tightrope) returns to the glitz and glamour of 1930s Hollywood in her fourth Burning Cove book. This time the town is a safe haven for PI Nick Sundridge and photographer Vivian Brazier,  as they try to prevent Vivian's murder.  Nick is extremely laid back, pragmatic, and a perfect example of still waters running deep.  He and his faithful dog Rex make a delightful team, and Rex quite stole the show for me (that happens a lot with me and dogs who are obviously written with love. Also dust bunnies).  Vivian is a wonderful heroine- a modern woman trying to make a living with her photography while working on her art.  She's willing to roll with the punches life throws at her, and her rather personal interest in discovering who would want to hire someone to kill her gives her the believable investment in the mystery that some authors miss with amateur sleuths.  

The mystery is like the relationship between Nick and Vivian: an instant flash followed by a slow burn that builds up a solid foundation and a very satisfying conclusion.  It's an Amanda Quick mystery, so readers familiar with her books will know to expect plenty of twists, turns, and a few red herrings- plus the solution that you never quite see coming but makes perfect sense and ties up those last pesky loose ends after the big reveal. Readers new to the Burning Cove series or Quick's other books will enjoy a delightful, fresh story, while long time readers will also enjoy cameos by Luther Pell, Raina Kirk, Oliver and Irene Ward (The Girl Who Knew Too Much) as well as Caleb Jones!  The psychic twist for the characters here is not as much a part of the plot as in Quick's Arcane series, so mystery readers who don't like too much paranormal with their suspense should still enjoy the story.  Arcane fans (like myself) may be a bit disappointed the psychical aspect isn't pushed more, but I'm personally holding out hope for more in future book- perhaps Caleb Jones' diary can now fall into the hands of the 1930s Jones & Jones agency?

A fun and fast read, with plenty of satisfying plot twists set to the backdrop of glittering nightclubs and art galleries.  Also, huge shout out to the designer of the amazing Art Deco cover!  I love it!

   

Who Ate The First Oyster?

Who Ate The First Oyster? The Extraordinary People Behind the Greatest Firsts in History- Cody Cassidy
Penguin Books
Release Date: May 5, 2020

Rating:
📚📚📚📚📚

Synopsis: Who invented the wheel? Who told the first joke? Who drank the first beer? Who was the murderer in the first murder mystery, who was the first surgeon, who sparked the first fire--and most critically, who was the first to brave the slimy, pale oyster?

In this book, writer Cody Cassidy digs deep into the latest research to uncover the untold stories of some of these incredible innovators (or participants in lucky accidents). With a sharp sense of humor and boundless enthusiasm for the wonders of our ancient ancestors, Who Ate the First Oyster? profiles the perpetrators of the greatest firsts and catastrophes of prehistory, using the lives of individuals to provide a glimpse into ancient cultures, show how and why these critical developments occurred, and educate us on a period of time that until recently we've known almost nothing about.

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It's a question we've all pondered at some point:  Who first decided to . . . ?  In Cody Cassidy's new book Who Ate the First Oyster? Cassidy's research helps give us a better understanding of some of the most important firsts in human history- and why they are so important.  From eating the first oyster to drinking the first beer, riding the first horse, or first getting smallpox, each chapter covers a different period in human evolution and the "first" that propelled us onward.  Even more important, and interesting (to me anyway), he personalizes the discoveries and inventions by bringing the anonymous people responsible for these "firsts" back into the limelight they so richly deserve.

Cassidy's writing style is casual and full of humor, yet the reader has no doubt that this is an author who has done his research and isn't just making everything up.  While the actual person Cassidy credits the "first" to isn't necessarily a historic figure, they are the general figure.  For example, 'Oyster Girl' may or may not have been what the person who ate the first oyster was actually called, but Cassidy describes what her life would have been like based on archaeological evidence, why the chance is good it was a woman, why eating oysters hadn't been done before, and why we should care.  The science is presented to the reader in an understandable manner, making it accessible to anyone instead of Ph.Ds only.  Each chapter was both entertaining and informative and I found myself wishing I'd be able to remember more of the factoids than I inevitable would- but also thinking this was a book I would enjoy re-reading to remember more with each pass.  

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review