The White Queen by Philippa Gregory

Synopsis

Philippa Gregory, “the queen of royal fiction” (USA Today) Presents the first of a new series set amid the deadly feuds of England known as the Wars of the Roses.

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.

With The White Queen, Philippa Gregory brings the artistry and intellect of a master writer and storyteller to a new era in history and begins what is sure to be another bestselling classic series from this beloved author.

Gina’s Review

First of all, I must remind you that Philippa is one of my favorite authors, so I may be a bit biased.  Further, English historical fiction is my genre of choice – which may or may not be a negative in this regard.  Overall, I liked this book very much!  It was interesting, it gave depth to the characters that helped bring a story that I have read about on several occasions to life.  And, true to most of her books, Philippa ends to the book with detailed notes on where she took creative license and where she based the story on facts gleened from her extensive research.

The story is an interesting prequel to many stories already written by Philippa – the main characters are maternal great-grandparents to Henry VIII.  The strands of ties from this period are excellently woven to the future!  It brought ideas that I had never imagined – fictional or not – and intrigued me on many levels.  This book further expanded my appreciation for the crazy history related to England and the cutthroat lives that were lived by many for centuries in the realm.   Even with obvious “creative license” being used at times, it was an entertaining, well written story worthy of your time.

I definitely recommend this book and look forward to the coming stories in the series!

The Other Queen by Philippa Gregory

Editor’s Notes:

This dazzling novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author Philippa Gregory presents a new and unique view of one of history’s most intriguing, romantic, and maddening heroines. Biographers often neglect the captive years of Mary, Queen of Scots, who trusted Queen Elizabeth’s promise of sanctuary when she fled from rebels in Scotland and then found herself imprisoned as the “guest” of George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, and his indomitable wife, Bess of Hardwick.

The newly married couple welcome the doomed queen into their home, certain that serving as her hosts and jailers will bring them an advantage in the cutthroat world of the Elizabethan court. To their horror, they find that the task will bankrupt them, and as their home becomes the epicenter of intrigue and rebellion against Elizabeth, their loyalty to each other and to their sovereign comes into question. If Mary succeeds in seducing the earl into her own web of treachery and treason, or if the great spymaster William Cecil links them to the growing conspiracy to free Mary from her illegal imprisonment, they will all face the headsman.

Philippa Gregory uses new research and her passion for historical accuracy to place a well-known heroine in a completely new tale full of suspense, passion, and political intrigue. For years, readers have clamored for Gregory to tell Mary’s story, and The Other Queen is the result of her determination to present a novel worthy of this extraordinary heroine.

Gina’s Review

I love historical fiction – especially when related to England – so this book was fun.  It was interesting to see the inner thoughts and view from three different character; Queen Mary, George Talbot, and his  wife, Bess of Hardwick.  Sometimes it got tiring, though!  Sometimes, I wanted to the book to flow and not jump around like it did.  However, perhaps it allowed me to be exposed to aspects of the story that would otherwise be missed……

Even having said that, I truly loved the new perspectives of this story.  I am not certain it is 100% reliable, but I do respect the research Gregory usually does!  I recommend reading this book!

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer (Book 4 of the Twilight series)

Product Description:

When you loved the one who was killing you, it left you no options. How could you run, how could you fight, when doing so would hurt that beloved one? If your life was all you had to give, how could you not give it? If it was someone you truly loved?

To be irrevocably in love with a vampire is both fantasy and nightmare woven into a dangerously heightened reality for Bella Swan. Pulled in one direction by her intense passion for Edward Cullen, and in another by her profound connection to werewolf Jacob Black, a tumultuous year of temptation, loss, and strife have led her to the ultimate turning point. Her imminent choice to either join the dark but seductive world of immortals or to pursue a fully human life has become the thread from which the fates of two tribes hangs.

Now that Bella has made her decision, a startling chain of unprecedented events is about to unfold with potentially devastating, and unfathomable, consequences. Just when the frayed strands of Bella’s life–first discovered in Twilight, then scattered and torn in New Moon and Eclipse–seem ready to heal and knit together, could they be destroyed… forever?

The astonishing, breathlessly anticipated conclusion to the Twilight Saga, Breaking Dawn illuminates the secrets and mysteries of this spellbinding romantic epic that has entranced millions.

Gina’s Review

This book DEFINITELY closes the loop on many of the questions raised in the first three books of the series. I loved that part. The writing continues to be easily followed and yet very entertaining, with plenty of details to give depth to the characters and their surroundings without slowing down the pace of the book unnecessarily. However, I must add that the ending was a little too clean…..too clinical or sterile. It was almost like I was reading a Lifetime movie with the happy ending. Oops, have I said too much? It wasn’t happy – everyone dies. Better?

I think this book is worth your time, especially if you’ve invested in the first three books of the series. And you will find lots to enjoy……but when you’re done, we can talk.

Eclipse, by Stephenie Meyer

The third book in the Twilight Saga, this is my least favorite. While the characters are further reinforced by Meyer’s deep thought and character development, this rendition of the struggle of Bella’s human life seems to draw out. Often times I found myself saying, “Seriously, this is getting old.” The additional expansion of Jake’s love for Bella was endearing and irritating at the same time. I fought the idea of Meyer capitalizing on the popularity of this book, a la the Left Behind series, which seemed to pour out more books just to make money. I am not sure that is fair to say, but I admit asking the question numerous times. However, there ARE some good points in this book worthy of your time – I just can’t recommend it as highly as Twilight and New Moon.

A synopsis:

Jake, the werewolf met in New Moon, pursues Bella with renewed vigilance. However, when repercussions from an episode in Twilight place Bella in the mortal danger that series fans have come to expect, Jake and Edward forge an uneasy alliance.

New Moon, by Stephenie Meyer

In the second installment of The Twilight Saga, this books takes main characters Bella and Edward through more struggles than I care to admit.  It was a difficult book for me to start due to the exit of Edward from Bella’s life.  (A hint to this dilemma came from Kirstie, who screamed so often in frustration while reading this book……).  Even with this frustration in the separation of Edward and Bella, the book continues the intrigue that pulled me through the first book, Twilight.  Meyer continues to develop new and interesting characters and takes the idea of imagination to new extremes in this book.  This might not be the most intelligent book you’ve ever read, but it is entertaining and I recommend it!

A synopsis:

Recovered from the vampire attack that hospitalized her in the conclusion of Twilight (Little, Brown, 2005), Bella celebrates her birthday with her boyfriend Edward and his family, a unique clan of vampires that has sworn off human blood. But the celebration abruptly ends when the teen accidentally cuts her arm on broken glass. The sight and smell of her blood trickling away forces the Cullen family to retreat lest they be tempted to make a meal of her. After all is mended, Edward, realizing the danger that he and his family create for Bella, sees no option for her safety but to leave. Mourning his departure, she slips into a downward spiral of depression that penetrates and lingers over her every step.

Twilight, By Stephenie Meyer

This surprisingly deep love story has strong character development, a believable plot despite the story line, and is very entertaining.  While it is flagged as “young adult”, the premise and writing can be enjoyed by all ages.  I personally felt the premise of falling in love with a vampire and not being killed quite intriguing.  I recommend this to anyone who has not yet heard about this break out hit or seen the movie.  In fact, if you HAVE seen the movie, I recommend you read this as well.

A synopsis:

Bella Swan’s move to Forks, a small, perpetually rainy town in Washington, could have been the most boring move she ever made. But once she meets the mysterious and alluring Edward Cullen, Bella’s life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. Up until now, Edward has managed to keep his vampire identity a secret in the small community he lives in, but now nobody is safe, especially Bella, the person Edward holds most dear.

Nightmares and Smiles by Mary Natan

A few weeks ago I was privileged to attend a two hour discussion by Mary Natan at the Museum of Tolerance – during that time she recounted her childhood and the time she spent in death camps in Poland.  Her stories, as well as thousands of others, cannot be forgotten!  As she is approaching 80, I knew I was blessed that day to hear her words with my ears.  I was also blessed to purchase her life store, Nightmares and Smiles.  (ISBN-10: 1425765386, ISBN-13: 978-1425765385)

If you are looking for colorful grammatical usage or elaborate details of the minute, this is not the book for you.  Instead, if you are looking for facts from a child’s point of view – someone who went to hell and back and survived to tell about it – you will enjoy this book.  There are no frills, some sentences are rather short, yet the words seem to come alive in their directness.  As someone who thought she knew it all about WWII and what the Jews (and others) went through, I can say this woman and this book made a difference in my view.

Welcome to Gina Marie’s Book Review blog!

I found a similar blog recently and thought, “wow, what a great idea!” Most of my friends know I am an avid reader – often having 2 or 3 books going at once! So I thought it would be great to have a blog dedicated to my feedback on the books I read. Not that I am the end all of books, but hey, maybe it will help you decide if you want to invest your time in a certain book……or read one you hadn’t considered before!

Also, I don’t mind lending out books, IF you don’t bend paperbacks and/or fold the corners of the pages! And, obviously, return them! So let me know if you want to borrow one of mine – as long as I didn’t borrow it in the first place, it should work out!

Also, please comment if you agree/disagree/have questions!