Author: whatcathyreadnext

#BookReview The Queen’s Lady by Joanna Hickson @HarperFiction

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The Queen's LadyAbout the Book

Can she tread a dangerous line between love and duty?

Raven-haired and fiercely independent, Joan Guildford has always remained true to herself.  As lady-in-waiting and confidante to Queen Elizabeth, wife of Henry VII, Joan understands royal patronage is vital if she and her husband, Sir Richard, are to thrive in the volatile atmosphere of court life.

But Tudor England is in mourning following the death of the Prince of Wales, and within a year, the queen herself. With Prince Henry now heir to the throne, the court murmurs with the sound of conspiracy. Is the entire Tudor project now at stake or can young Henry secure the dynasty?

Drawn into the heart of the crisis, Joan’s own life is in turmoil, and her future far from secure. She faces a stark choice – be true to her heart and risk everything, or play the dutiful servant and watch her dreams wither and die. For Joan, and for Henry’s Kingdom, everything is at stake…

Format: Hardcover (464 pages)         Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication date: 20th January 2022 Genre: Historical Fiction

Find The Queen’s Lady (Queens of the Tower, Book 2) on Goodreads

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My Review

The Queen’s Lady is the second in the author’s Queens of the Tower series, the follow-up to The Lady of the Ravens which I read in 2020.

The Queen’s Lady continues the story of Joan Vaux, now Lady Joan Guildford, lady-in-waiting to the wife of Henry VII, Queen Elizabeth.  Her position in the Tudor court gives her an insight into many of the significant events of the period: the death of Prince Arthur and the replacement of Prince Henry (the future Henry VIII) as heir to the throne, and the attempts of Queen Elizabeth to produce another son. The reader also witnesses the effect of Henry VII’s increasing paranoia, the growing factional infighting and general air of distrust which eventually has personal consequences for Joan’s family, especially her husband, Sir Richard Guildford.

As well as providing an ‘insider’s view’ of historical events, such as the marriage of Henry VII’s daughter Margaret to King James IV of Scotland, Joan’s experiences shed light on many social issues such as the dangers of childbirth, the frequent death of children in infancy, the plight of the poor and women’s diminished position in society. It also demonstrates that political intrigue and a system based on preferment and patronage has been with us for centuries!

I liked the sections of the book that focused on Joan’s personal life even if, sadly, her beloved ravens are not as much in evidence as in the previous book. Although a life not without tragedy, later in life Joan is rewarded with love, companionship and a degree of independence. The Queen’s Lady is a must-read for those who like their historical fiction rich in detail and full of period atmosphere, from the lavish apartments of royal residences to the squalor of London’s Fleet prison.

I received a review copy courtesy of HarperCollins via NetGalley.

In three words: Well-researched, authentic, absorbing

Try something similar: Cecily by Annie Garthwaite

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Joanna HicksonAbout the Author

Joanna Hickson was born in England but spent her early childhood in Australia, returning at thirteen to visit her first castle and fall in love with medieval history. During a twenty-five year career in the BBC, presenting and producing News and Arts programmes for TV and Radio, Joanna also published a children’s historical novel Rebellion at Orford Castle but now she is writing adult fiction full-time, indulging her passion for bringing the medieval past and its characters to life.

First inspired by Shakespeare’s history plays she began researching Catherine de Valois, Henry V’s ‘Fair Kate’, who is the subject of The Agincourt Bride and The Tudor Bride and now her interest has progressed into the Wars of the Roses which form the background to Red Rose, White Rose and the eventful life of Cicely Neville, Duchess of York and will also feature in her next two novels. As a result Joanna warns that she spends much of her life in the fifteenth century and even her Wiltshire farmhouse home dates back to that period. She is married and has an extensive family, some of which boomerang her back to Australia for visits! (Photo/bio: Publisher author page)

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#BlogTour #BookReview Liberty (Resistance Book 1) by Eilidh McGinness @RandomTTours

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Resistance BT PosterWelcome to today’s stop on the blog tour for Liberty by Eilidh McGinness, the first book in the Resistance trilogy. My thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part in the tour and to the author for my digital review copy.

ResistanceAbout the Book

Bravery, courage, fear, treachery and love in a time of war.

A chance meeting draws Sabine Faure into the shadowy world of the French Resistance where she meets the charismatic Hérisson and his intriguing comrade Loup.

Set in Dordogne in South-west France during World War II, the friends’ relationships and strengths are tested to the very limits as life changes in unbelievably horrific ways, The friends find themselves facing frightening situations and responding in ways they never thought possible as bravery and resistance take different forms in each of their actions.

Vivid and exquisite in its illumination of a time and place that was filled with atrocities but also humanity and extraordinary bravery, Eilidh McGinness’s novel will evoke readers to ask – What would I have done?

Format: Paperback (272 pages)  Publisher:
Publication date: 7th June 2021 Genre: Historical Fiction

Find Liberty (Resistance #1) on Goodreads

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My Review

Liberty is the first book in the author’s Resistance trilogy set in south-west France during World War 2. The second book, Equality, was published in November 2021 and the final book, Fraternity, will be published in May 2022.

The book alternates between Hérisson’s experiences at the sharp end of the Resistance movement, taking part in acts of sabotage against the Germans from a camp in the vast forest close to the demarcation line between the occupied zone of France and the ‘free’ zone, and Sabine’s role delivering messages and leaflets using her cheese deliveries as cover.  Sabine’s involvement with the Resistance highlights the contribution women made to the fight against the Nazi regime. I could see how it gave Sabine a feeling of pride that she was doing something for the war effort and also gave a her a taste of independence.  ‘She was no longer a young girl, trapped in the countryside with no destiny other than to repeat the tedious life of her mother. Now she was a girl who would form her own future. She was a rebel, with a purpose and a future of her own choosing.’

What the book does particularly well is to convey the realities of life under German occupation: the constant fear of reprisals for acts of sabotage by the Resistance, the shortage of food and fuel, the threat of betrayal or denunciation.  It’s a time of distrust and divided loyalties, evident in Sabine’s own family. Her father believes anything is better than war, even submission to the German occupiers; he also shares some of their vile prejudices against minority groups.

Given no-one knew what tomorrow might bring, who can forgive people for snatching brief moments of happiness when they present themselves, as is the case with Hérisson and Sabine. But their relationship is not without consequences.

The sabotage missions carried out by Hérisson’s Resistance group, either alone or in conjunction with other groups and British special forces, are vividly described.  There are some shocking scenes towards the end of the book – closely based on real-life events – that demonstrate just how ruthless the Nazis were in responding to attacks by the Resistance.

Clearly a lot of research has gone into the book in order to give a vivid picture of what it was like to live under German occupation and highlight the dangers faced every day by those who bravely joined the Resistance movement. As might be expected from the first instalment in a trilogy, the book ends on a dramatic note leaving a number of storylines to be resolved in later books.

Bringing to life a turbulent period in history, Liberty (and the Resistance trilogy of which it forms part) will appeal to those who love to immerse themselves in a different time and place.

In three words: Dramatic, authentic, absorbing

Try something similar: Daughters of War by Dinah Jefferies

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Eilidh Author PicAbout the Author

Eilidh was born and brought up in the Highlands of Scotland. She studied law at Aberdeen University. She practiced as a lawyer for twelve years, latterly specializing in criminal defence. Eilidh then moved to South West France with her then husband and four children. She established an independent estate agency business which she ran for twelve years before concentrating on writing- a long held dream. Eilidh has always been fascinated by history and ordinary people who achieve extraordinary things.

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