Monthly Archives

July 2013

reviews July 19, 2013

Hugh and Bess by Susan Higginbotham

Hugh and Bess: A Love Story by Susan Higginbotham

Forced to marry Hugh le Despenser, the son and grandson of disgraced traitors, Bess de Montacute, just 13 years old, is appalled at his less-than-desirable past. Meanwhile, Hugh must give up the woman he really loves in order to marry the reluctant Bess. Far apart in age and haunted by the past, can Hugh and Bess somehow make their marriage work?
Just as walls break down and love begins to grow, the merciless plague endangers all whom the couple holds dear, threatening the life and love they have built. (Goodreads)

Elizabeth de Montecute (Bess) is not happy when she hears that she is to marry Hugh le Despenser, son of Hugh le Despenser the Younger.A man twice her age and not to mention horrible family history. Hugh is not thrilled either but the king himself offers the marriage, he won’t say no.

After the executions of Hugh’s father and grandfather and his own time in prison, he is trying to restore the family name and shows himself loyal to the King.

I loved the relationship between Bess and Hugh and especially seeing Bess mature. I loved how kind, gentle and patient he is with Bess. The scene in the court when Bess comes little tipsy is just hilarious! Not all husbands would have been so understanding. Loved his sense of humor and his remarks about his family history.

I liked how Edward III was portrayed and I wish there would have been more of him, but maybe that’s just me…

I really enjoyed the book and wished it would have been longer!

4,5/5
Published: Sourcebooks Landmark (2009)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 287
Source: my own

reviews July 19, 2013

The Scarlet Lion by Elizabeth Chadwick

The Scarlet Lion (William Marshal 3) by Elizabeth Chadwick

Following early beginnings as a knight in the English royal household and a champion of the tourneys, William Marshal’s prowess and loyalty have been rewarded by the hand in marriage of Isabelle de Clare, heiress to great estates in England, Normandy and Ireland. Now a powerful magnate, William has weathered the difficult years of King Richard’s absence on crusade and is currently serving him on campaign in Normandy while Isabelle governs their estates. All the stability William and Isabelle have enjoyed with their young and growing family comes crashing down as Richard dies and his brother John becomes King. Rebellion is stirring throughout the Angevin domains and although John has created William Earl of Pembroke, the friction between the two men leads William and Isabelle to distance themselves in Ireland. The situation escalates, with John holding their sons as hostages and seizing their English lands. The conflict between remaining loyal and rebelling over injustices committed, threatens to tear apart William and Isabelle’s marriage and their family. (Goodreads)

I read The Greatest Knight earlier this year and absolutely loved it! The Scarlet Lion shows us more mature Marshal and the book also focuses more on his wife Isabelle and their children.

After King Richard’s untimely death John gets the crown and he certainly won’t make life easy for Marshal family. William’s and Isabelle’s marriage has some rough times when John takes theit two eldest sons as hostages. I love how their marriage is portrayed and how Isabelle is more than just her husband’s possession. William truly loved her and listened her opinions.

The ending and William’s death was so touching and I cried so hard through the last chapter. I didn’t want the book to end! Yet another awesome book by the author, you can never go wrong with Elizabeth Chadwick :)

5/5
Published: Sphere (2007)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 579
Source: my own

reviews July 19, 2013

The Queen’s Pawn by Christy English

The Queen’s Pawn by Christy English

At only nine, Princess Alais of France is sent to live in England until she is of age to wed Prince Richard, son of King Henry II and Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine. Alais is an innocent pawn on the chessboard of dynastic marriage, her betrothal intended to broker an uneasy truce between the nations.

Estranged from her husband, Eleanor sees a kindred spirit in this determined young girl. She embraces Alais as a daughter, teaching the princess what it takes to be a woman of power in a world of men. But as Alais grows to maturity and develops ambitions of her own, Eleanor begins to see her as a threat-and their love for each other becomes overshadowed by their bitter rivalry, dark betrayals, conflicting passions, and a battle for revenge over the throne of England itself. (publisher)

Alais was sent to England, where she was to be married to his father’s first wife’s son Richard. She is taken under Eleanor’s wings and they form very close friendship. When she meets Richard she falls in love instantly. But when she meets the king, Henry II, she just can’t stop thinking about him and whe she catches Richard with another woman, Alais feels betrayed and runs to Henry.

This was very interesting read since there’s not much written about Alais. The story is told from two point of views; Alais and Eleanor. While it was fun to read how both women felt the repeating of things was little tiring. I liked how Eleanor was portrayed and while I liked Richard, at times he seemed a bit too romanticized. Even if I have some serious doubts that Richard would have taken Alais back after she gave birth to Henry’s child, I liked how Richard had a softer side with Alais. But I really wanted to slap Alais when she catches Richard with another woman and feels wronged. I mean, how naive is she? Did she really think he was just gonna wait for her forever? And she had been drooling after Henry herself.

The only real problem I had was how Alais and Eleanor always seemed to know what eachother was thinking. It started sounding like hey had psychic abilities or something. And it was starting to sound little repeative.

But I did enjoy the book and can’t wait for next book!

3,5/5
Published: NAL (2010)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 373
Source: from author for review

reviews July 19, 2013

Voyager by Diana Gabaldon

Voyager (Outlander 3) by Diana Gabaldon

Their passionate encounter happened long ago by whatever measurement Claire Randall took. Two decades before, she had traveled back in time and into the arms of a gallant eighteenth-century Scot named Jamie Fraser. Then she returned to her own century to bear his child, believing him dead in the tragic battle of Culloden. Yet his memory has never lessened its hold on her… and her body still cries out for him in her dreams.

Then Claire discovers that Jamie survived. Torn between returning to him and staying with their daughter in her own era, Claire must choose her destiny. And as time and space come full circle, she must find the courage to face the passion and pain awaiting her…the deadly intrigues raging in a divided Scotland… and the daring voyage into the dark unknown that can reunite—or forever doom—her timeless love. (Goodreads)

The book starts with Claire, who’s been living in her own time the past twenty years. In the last book she met a historian who found out that Jamie didn’t die at Culloden. She’s been planning on going back for the last 5 months. Her appearance in the past tooks Jamie totally by surprise and while they learn to know each other again after twenty years apart, they have to save Jamies’s nephew (Young) Ian.

I have to say that I love these books! The book really started to come alive after Claire finds Jamie. I liked how they were showed learning to know each other again. No wonder you’d be a little akward when you haven’t seen each other in such a long time and so much has happened to them. I was getting kinda annoyed at Jenny though, why did you had to meddle in Jamie’s things?And by that I mean getting Jamie married to Laoghaire! That was the only problem I had with the book… I so wish we hear more of Fergus in the future. Poor man had a very interesting wedding… Most hilarious thing in the book :)

4,5/5
Published: Dell (1994)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 1059
Source: my own

reviews July 18, 2013

The White Queen by Philippa Gregory

The White Queen (The Cousins’ War 1) by Philippa Gregory

Brother turns on brother to win the ultimate prize, the throne of England, in this dazzling account of the wars of the Plantagenets. They are the claimants and kings who ruled England before the Tudors, and now Philippa Gregory brings them to life through the dramatic and intimate stories of the secret players: the indomitable women, starting with Elizabeth Woodville, the White Queen.

The White Queen tells the story of a woman of extraordinary beauty and ambition who, catching the eye of the newly crowned boy king, marries him in secret and ascends to royalty. While Elizabeth rises to the demands of her exalted position and fights for the success of her family, her two sons become central figures in a mystery that has confounded historians for centuries: the missing princes in the Tower of London whose fate is still unknown. From her uniquely qualified perspective, Philippa Gregory explores this most famous unsolved mystery of English history, informed by impeccable research and framed by her inimitable storytelling skills. (Goodreads)

The story starts after Edward has already gotten his crown and Elizabeth has become a widow. She waits for the king to pass her on the road and petition for her lands. And Edward, who just can’t leave a pretty woman alone, takes fancy on her. After Elizabeth refuses to become his mistress by theatening him with a knife, they marries in secret. You could say the marriage isn’t taken with happy faces…

I have to say that I’ve heard more about Melusina thatn I’ve ever wanted to read in my life. And I don’t like how the author repeats certain things over and over and over again through the book. The readers aren’t stupid, you know? Didn’t care for the witchcraft thing either. I like history and fantasy, as long as you don’t mix them.

I liked how she portrayed Richard, Duke of Gloucester but didn’t care for what was going on with him and Elizabeth of York. But what did annoy me was the whole Anthony-hero-worshipping. I get that Elizabeth idolized her big brother but I was wondering if Gregory is gonna change history and gonna name him as a saint. Because there really wasn’t a thing he can’t do wrong. Haven’t read anyone else having this problem so maybe it’s just me…

For a person who brags what a great historian she is, you would think that she gots the places right. At one point Elizabeth goes to a palace that’s started by her grandson, Henry VIII. Time travel maybe?

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would and it was better than The Other Queen.

3/5
Published: Pocket
Format: Paperback
Pages: 438
Source: library