January Read: Spare by Prince Harry

 

I hadn't planned on reading this book. But I was at the bookstore the day it came out, and they had a stack of it; I thought heck why not? It would be interesting to read from his own words.

I'm old enough to remember all the way back, when Diana and Charles were first dating. I was a few years younger than Diana, so it was all a fairy tale, and the first time I'd really ever been aware of the British Royal Family. I was invested in a way I think a lot of women my age were through the years, and utterly devastated when Diana died. Completely, shockingly upset. 

I've cheered Harry on when he met Meghan, and was so obviously happy and in love. Finally, a happy ending. And yes, a happy ending, but not without sacrifice and a lot of sorrow. 

I don't care whether you think ill of H & M or are big fans. I'm not here for a debate. I will say I found the memoir engaging, a quick read, and a glimpse into a life none of us can imagine. A memoir about a young boy, and a man, traumatized over losing his mom, and unable to cope for many, many years. Someone searching for a meaningful life, and struggling to find it in the confines of the family he was born into. Yes, privilege, but it came with a lot of shackles. And who wants that? 

Harry's story, told from his viewpoint, is compelling and interesting. His love and frustration for his brother and family are evident. It is possible to love someone and also be heartbroken by them, and angry with them. Disappointed. Hopeful somehow it will all eventually work out. 

I have heard, as most have, the "excerpts" the press have taken from this book. It was good to actually read the book, and realize most of it was taken out of context for shock value. I think it's also important to realize this young man is a person, and  he has experiences we can all relate to. His anxiety is relatable; his belief his mom was still alive somewhere, understandable. Anyone who has lost a loved one goes through that stage where you think somehow they are still alive, somewhere. For Harry, that lasted for years. I still find myself reaching to call my sister, or thinking what my Dad would say about such and such. Both have been gone for years, but I still have those moments where I forget, and then that crushing realization that no, they are gone. 

I can't imagine having my photo taken anytime I am anywhere; thousands of photos. I shudder at the snaps my boyfriend takes of me at home, doing everyday stuff. Ugh. Please delete those photos! At least he's the only one who sees them, not thousands of folks all over. How do you stand that?

Anyway. I enjoyed reading this memoir. Some spots are harsh, but honest. There is definitely a terrible relationship between the Institution and the press. The press is voracious and has an unquenchable thirst. No ethics at all. 

Rating: 5/6 for a memoir from someone who has lead a unique life. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio (I recommend listening to the audio, as Prince Harry himself narrates it.)

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January Read: Spare by Prince Harry

I Couldn't Wait to Start Reading a Holiday Novel: Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory

Blame it on the time crunch for reading library books. When they're available, you just have to check them out and get them read. I've been waiting for this novel for a few months and my turn finally popped up. It was just what I needed this weekend before Thanksgiving. 

Jasmine Guillory has written a series of novels, and rapidly become quite popular. This is the fourth in the "series" ( I say that loosely because they all have characters that appear in each novel) which includes The Wedding Date, The Proposal, and The Wedding Party. I plan on reading all of them, too. 

This was a breath of fresh air for me, mostly because the two main characters are in their 50's. I know when I was much younger, I couldn't even think about romance and middle age. Yet here I am, firmly in middle age, and hot dang, guess what? Romance is alive and well, and not just for the younger crowd. I was delighted to read a romance about two people who have some history, have been there, done that, and are at a point in their lives where raising children isn't an issue. They know who they are, and having a relationship and finding love is all about the companionship and togetherness it brings. Yes, that is important and vital for younger relationships, but it really does become the most important thing when you're past the age of raising children and carving out a new career, and balancing all of it and growing together* (*my opinion based on my life!).

So. Vivian Forest and her daughter Maddie are going to England over the Christmas holiday. Maddie has been hired to help dress the Duchess over the holidays, and she's insisted that her mother come on the trip. Vivian, a social worker in San Francisco, is happy to go, since she always spends Christmas with her daughter, and didn't want to break the tradition. She does take a little convincing, however, because Christmas always includes her big family. But a much needed break is just what she needs to prepare herself for an upcoming possible big promotion, which will mean a lot more work for her. 

Vivian and Maddie arrive at the grounds of Sandringham Castle, and stay at the home of the Duke and Duchess. It's quite the lush life, and Vivian quickly makes friends with the staff. She also meets Malcolm Hudson, the Queen's Secretary, and he catches her attention pretty quickly. There are very few people of color on the Queen's staff, and Malcolm's position is a very important one. Malcolm and Vivian hit it off immediately, and he finds ways to spend some time with her for the few days she's staying on the estate. The two of them have great conversation, and I enjoyed watching their attraction grow. It's a short time frame, but it seems pretty natural that yes, this could certainly happen. 

The romance moves to London after Christmas, with Vivian extending her stay for a few days to be with Malcolm to see the New Year arrive. But the obvious issue is the fact that they live 5,000 miles apart. Will this just be a holiday fling, or does it mean more? Is it worth the hard work it will take to see what their future holds? 

It's a romance, so rest assured there is a happy ending, but how they get there is interesting. I enjoyed the conversations between Vivian and Malcolm, and how they worked through issues--sometimes not right away, and sometimes it took hurt feelings to bring issues forward. 

I've read some reviews of this novel, and some reviewers found it "boring" and the characters flat. I didn't feel that way at all. It was a quick read, and a fine kick off to my holiday reading binge. And I discovered a delightful author. A win-win for me. 

I don't believe you need to read the three other novels before you read this one, but if you like to read novels in order, have at it. I'll go back and start from the beginning, but I don't feel I missed anything starting at the end.

Rating: 4/6 for a novel that delivers on the holiday romance theme. I appreciated reading a romance between middle-aged characters who weren't perfect, and yes, even moody sometimes. I was cheering Vivian and Malcolm on the whole way. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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I Couldn't Wait to Start Reading a Holiday Novel: Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory

A Column of Fire (Kingsbridge, #3) by Ken Follett

What does one do when given the opportunity to read Ken Follett's latest novel a few weeks before it is released by the publisher--and it's 928 pages?  

READ EVERY CHANCE YOU GET.  That's what I did, and managed to read this in a week on my Nook.  I even snuck in a few short reading breaks for a few other books I'm reading, too.  I finished last night, and had to take some time to absorb the spectacle of Ken Follett and Elizabethan England. This was an emotional journey all wrapped up in a wonderfully written novel.  

If you've ever read Mr. Follett's Pillars of the Earth, or World Without End, you know they are set in Kingsbridge, a fictional town in England that has a spectacular cathedral at the center of town.  The cool bit about the books is that they take place hundreds of years apart, so you can read each one without reading the others.  Each stands alone.  While you might be a bit apprehensive of the size (this book clocks in at 928 pages), I assure you it is well worth the effort.  It's the perfect book for a chilly evening because it's so weighty you quite happily sit for hours with it propped up on your lap. And, of course, a glass of wine at your side. 

Ken Follett's gift is his ability to make history come alive, and in such a way that you don't even realize how big his books are--pages speed by, and you'll find yourself reading 100-200 pages every evening; sometimes more if you've got the time.  His characters, both actual historical figures and fictional figures, are so well drawn that you'll become attached and your heart will leap when they're in danger, and cheer when things go right for them. The tale begins in 1558 and ends in 1620.  Who survives to the end?

So let's talk about the plot.  It begins in 1558, with a young Ned Willard sailing home to Kingsbridge after a year abroad.  He's eager to meet Margery Fitzgerald, a lovely young woman from a wealthy Catholic family in Kingsbridge. He hopes she hasn't forgotten him, because he's madly in love with her and hopes to marry her.  It would be a very good match--Ned's family is a prosperous one that has known the Fitzgerald family for years.  

Ned and Margery's hope for a future together is destroyed by her father and brother Rollo's ambitions: to be linked to the Viscount Shiring family through Margery's marriage to young Bart. Ambition and ruthlessness rule their world.  

The Fitzgeralds are a conniving family, and fervent Catholics.  Queen Mary Tudor (Bloody Mary) is a staunch Catholic and has been arresting and burning Protestants in England.  This is just the beginning of the decades long bloody struggle between Catholics and Protestants, not only in England, but in France, Spain, and the Netherlands.  The major players:  Queen Mary, Princess Elizabeth, and Mary, Queen of Scots (and eventual Queen of France); the Pope and King Philip of Spain are just part of the multiple story lines that weave themselves into one big glorious tale that begins in 1558 and ends in 1620.  

There are some devious, evil men that keep the story moving along across England, France, and Spain.  Pierre, a French man determined to rise through the ranks of the French monarchy is one of the biggest creeps around!  At first he's kind of charming, if smarmy, but he quickly progresses into a Catholic spy for the powerful Catholics, using his charm to gather information on Protestants who are worshipping in secret.  He's truly loathsome.  Rollo is another nasty man; his world eventually collides with Pierre's as they join forces to topple the fragile religious tolerance Queen Elizabeth has forged in England.  They won't rest until Mary, Queen of Scots is on the throne of England as the true and rightful heir.  

Oh, it's a mess.  Spies, treachery, murder, forbidden passion, betrayal...machinations every which way.  While I didn't know a lot about the struggle between Catholics and Protestants, I certainly got an education reading this novel.  Religious intolerance is a huge theme throughout the novel. That, and the belief by some people that Elizabeth was not the true heir to the English throne propel the plot through decades of bloodshed and political unrest.  

Argh!  I could go on and on.  I haven't even told you about some of the other characters that populate this epic tale.  Sylvie, for one--this woman is tough as nails and willing to risk her life every day for her beliefs.  She's one of my favorite characters in the novel.  Margery is also a tough cookie; she takes the cards she's dealt and makes a life that works for her.  "Nevertheless, she persisted" is so applicable to these two women--as well as the other strong women who make their mark in so many big and small ways.  You will root for the good guys, and be really pissed at the bad guys.  If anything, you'll have a better understanding of the complexities that fueled the upheavals of the sixteenth century.  Toss in the thrilling battle between the English Navy and the Spanish Armada, and you've got a fantastic read for September.  

A HUGE thank you to Viking Books for the opportunity to read and review A Column of Fire.  This made my year.  

Available September 12th in the United States in hardcover, ebook, and audio book.  

Rating:  6/6 for one amazing read.  Wow. 

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A Column of Fire (Kingsbridge, #3) by Ken Follett

My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

I used to read teen novels on a fairly regular basis.  But then my book talks at work became more frequent, and I found myself reading much more adult fiction and less teen.  Last month, a friend talked about this book at our book club, and loaned me his copy.  I LOVED THIS BOOK.

I've always had a giant pang in my heart for Lady Jane Grey.  She got such a lousy deal and lost her head over it.  For those who don't know, Lady Jane Grey was caught up in the Tudor soap opera.  Edward VI died at the young age of fifteen and wrote Jane into the line of succession, leaving his half sisters Mary and Elizabeth out in the cold.  Jane was queen for 9 days before the Privy Council turned their backs on her and backed Mary, who brought an army to London to claim the throne.  Shortly thereafter, Jane and her husband, Gifford Dudley, were executed for treason.  She was only sixteen years old!  

But Hand, Ashton, and Meadows turn this story on its head and created a really fantastic alternate ending to Jane's story (and Edward, and Gifford).  In this England, Edward is King, but he is really ill.  People are either Edian (eth-y-un) or Verities.  Edians are humans capable of turning into animals.  Verities believed it was wrong, and persecuted Edians as heretics.  Henry the 8th became a glorious lion when angered, and ate a few jesters.  Edward wanted to be an Edian so bad, but so far hadn't changed and believed he hadn't inherited the trait from his parent.  Jane, a lively, book smart young lady was Edward's closest friend and secretly longed to also be a Edian.  As long as Edward was on the throne, Edians had some measure of protection.  His sister Mary, however, despised Edians and wanted to burn them all.  

Edward is dying of "the affliction", and his advisor Lord Dudley (not a nice man) convinces him that Jane should marry his son, Gifford; and that Jane should be the queen after Edward dies.  Edward agrees, and Jane and Gifford are married.  It's mutual attraction and dislike at first sight.  What Jane doesn't know is that Gifford (who prefers to be called G) turns into a horse at sunrise, and back into a rather handsome young man  at dusk.  It's a family secret and G considers it a curse. He doesn't know how to tell Jane, but that is resolved pretty quickly on their wedding night when he turns into a horse in their bedchamber.  Oops.  He's got some explaining to do...

All sorts of stuff happens in this novel, and I don't want to give it all away.  Elizabeth (Bess) is a big player in the plot; she's close to Edward and neither of them much like Mary.  Bess has a few surprises up her sleeve, too.  Lord Dudley is hungry for the crown, and he's prepared to do what it takes to get it through Jane and Gifford.  So how will it end?!

This novel is full of humor, a bit of romance (teen romance that's fairly chaste), loyalty, and teenagers dealing with very adult problems.  Can you imagine being 16 and being crowned the Queen of England?  Nope.  I can't.  When I was 16 I was juggling babysitting jobs and vaguely wondering what I would do after high school.  The added spin of magical animals makes everything seem possible in this alternate England.  And I'm so glad I read this story, because it was clever, fun, and for the first time, made the Tudor kids actually come alive for me.  Yes, it's all made up, but I don't care!  Now I can carry this alternate life of Jane's with me and not think about the horrible ending she really had (thanks to Mary).  

Rating:  9/10  for a teen novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.  The three points of view presented a thorough look at the actions and motivations of Jane, Gifford, and Edward.  I think it's a darn clever plot and one of my favorite reads of 2016.  

Available in hardcover and e-book.  

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My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows