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Marianne: A Sense and Sensibility Sequel by Alice McVeigh: A Book Review

Marianne: A Sense and Sensibility Sequel Author: Alice McVeigh Genre: Historical Fiction  Publisher: Warleigh Hall Press  Publication Date: October 27, 2025 Pages: 286 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review  Synopsis: Marianne returns to London for the first time since her husband’s death as young, beautiful, and impulsive as ever. Newly wealthy, she is besieged by admirers, despite her resolve to remain single. When her dramatic younger sister comes to stay, she has more to deal with…In a shocking twist, Margaret Dashwood finds herself on trial and in danger of deportation, and Marianne in need of her every friend - including Henry Crawford and John Willoughby, himself.       My Review: Marianne is a sequel to Sense and Sensibility . After Colonel Brandon has died, Marianne returns to London as a wealthy woman. She soon attracts many suitors. However, Marianne is determined to stay single. Her sister, Margaret, has come to ...
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Becoming Madam Secretary by Stephanie Dray: A Book Review

Becoming Madam Secretary  Author: Stephanie Dray Genre: Historical Fiction  Publisher: Berkley Book Release Date: 2024 Pages: 524 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: She took on titans, battled generals, and changed the world as we know it…          New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Dray returns with a captivating and dramatic novel about an American heroine Frances Perkins.          Raised on tales of her revolutionary ancestors, Frances Perkins arrives in New York City at the turn of the century, armed with her trusty parasol and an unyielding determination to make a difference.         When she’s not working with children in the crowded tenements in Hell’s Kitchen, Frances throws herself into the social scene in Greenwich Village, befriending an eclectic group of politicians, artists, and activists, incl...

Queen Katherine Parr by Anthony Martienssen: A Book Review

Queen Katherine Parr Author: Anthony Martienssen Genre: Nonfiction, History, Biography  Publisher: Sapere Books Book Release Date: 2023 Pages: 316 Source: Netgalley/ Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: A devotee of Renaissance humanism, Protestant firebrand, political intriguer, wily survivor, and early campaigner for the rights of women; there are few figures in Henry VIII’s court who had a greater legacy than Queen Katherine Parr.         Born into an ancient and wealthy family of Northern gentry, Parr received a thorough introduction into the New Learning advocated by Erasmus and Sir Thomas More before being married off at twelve to a sixty-year-old noble who would die only three years later. She and her second husband, John Latimer, somehow managed to escape condemnation and execution when they flirted dangerously with the rebels in the Pilgrimage of Grace. Yet, it was after Latimer’s death that Katherine took the great...

Great Catherine: The Life of Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia by Carolly Erickson: A Book Review

Great Catherine: The Life of Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia Author: Carolly Erickson  Genre: Nonfiction, History, Biography  Publisher: Crown Book Release Date: 1994 Pages: 400 Source: Personal Collection Synopsis: The author of Bloody Mary presents a popular biography of the legendary Russian empress that emphasizes Catherine the Great's political ability, humanitarian inclinations, and other accomplishments.          My Review: Catherine the Great was one of Russia’s most famous rulers. She was originally a German princess. She married Grand Duke Peter of Russia. When her husband Peter III ascended the Russian throne, Catherine realized that she could not trust him. Instead, Peter III planned to remove her as Empress and put his own mistress on the throne. Empress Catherine launched a coup d’etat against her husband and became the sovereign ruler of Russia. This biography shows her accomplishments and personal relationships....

Finding Margaret Fuller by Allison Pataki: A Book Review

Finding Margaret Fuller Author: Allison Pataki  Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Ballantine Books Book Release Date: 2024 Pages: 391 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: In the company of Ralph Waldo Emerson and his circle of enlightened friends, the young, beautiful, and brilliant Margaret Fuller becomes “the radiant genius and fiery heart” of the Transcendentalists. She inspires Louisa May Alcott, sparks Nathaniel Hawthorne to create Hester Prynne, and forms close bonds with Henry David Thoreau and Emerson himself. However, Margaret’s soul yearns for more than poetry and drama, leading her on a journey of adventure and self-discovery.        From hosting a women-only literary salon in Boston to becoming the first woman permitted entry to Harvard’s library, Margaret defies societal conventions as an activist for women’s rights and a champion for humanity. On the gritty New York streets, she spars with Edgar...

Death in the Details (Maple Bishop Mystery #1) by Katie Tietjen: A Book Review

  Death in the Details (Maple Bishop Mystery #1) Author: Katie Tietjen  Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery & Suspense  Publisher: Crooked Lane Books Book Release Date: 2024 Pages: 282 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Inspired by the real-life mother of forensic science, Frances Glessner Lee, and featuring a whip-smart, intrepid sleuth in post-WWII Vermont, this debut historical mystery will appeal to fans of Victoria Thompson and Rhys Bowen.       Maple Bishop is ready to put WWII and the grief of losing her husband, Bill, behind her. But when she discovers that Bill left her penniless, Maple realizes she could lose her Vermont home next and sets out to make money the only way she knows how: by selling her intricately crafted dollhouses. Business is off to a good start—until Maple discovers her first customer dead, his body hanging precariously in his own barn.       ...

Lady of Disguise (Dericott Tale #6) by Melanie Dickerson: A Book Review

Lady of Disguise (Dericott Tale #6) Author: Melanie Dickerson Genre: YA, Christian, Historical Fiction  Publisher: Thomas Nelson Book Release Date: 2024 Pages: 302 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Readers who love the fairytale charm of Melanie Dickerson, and the historical richness of Philippa Gregory and Bernard Cornwell, will be drawn into this riveting tale of courage, romance, and hidden treasures. Feel the tension and intrigue as a brave and determined young woman embarks on an adventurous journey to unearth the legendary "Giant's Treasure" in Melanie Dickerson's Lady of Disguise .        Only the hidden treasure will allow Louisa and her sister to gain their freedom.       England, 1388: All her life, Louisa has dreamed of finding the rumored "Giant's Treasure," a collection of ancient, lost riches said to be hidden on a mountaintop in Scotland, guarded by a fierce monste...