Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man by, Fannie Flagg~~Review

Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man by, Fannie Flagg
This is not a new book but one I just finished and loved! A detailed and hilarious look at life in the South during the fifties:
Daisy Fay Harper is now one of my favorite characters! She is spunky and independent and surrounded by a great cast of characters. This book spans Daisy Fay’s life from 1952-1959 at the beginning of the book she is 11 years old. Daisy Fay’s daddy is a drunk but she stands by him through thick and thin, he isn’t a mean drunk so that’s ok LOL.

It is so fun to read about her discovering life especially since this book is set in the 50’s.One of my favorite scenes is when they are living in Shell Beach and Daisy likes to sneak in and watch the entertainment at the local Blue Gardenia Lounge like the one-legged tap dancer and Ray Layne the young singer but the one she is so looking forward to is a real dancer from New Orleans named Tawny the Tasseled lady and her reaction to that was “She isn’t even a real dancer!” “All she does is spin them tassels one way then the other and shake around” I laughed so hard picturing this!

Not only is Daisy a great character but everyone else in this book is too from her bingo addicted grandma, to her daddy’s best friend Jimmy Snow who is a crop duster but seems to crash his plane a lot! Oh my I could just go on and on about this book this is the 3rd book by Fannie Flagg I’ve read and I think it is now my mission to read everything she has ever written.

If you like southern fiction and great characters who will make you laugh out loud you must read this book!

5 Stars

The Sherlockian by, Graham Moore~~Review

The Sherlockian by, Graham Moore
Description fron Goodreads:In December 1893, Sherlock Holmes-adoring Londoners eagerly opened their Strand magazines, anticipating the detective's next adventure, only to find the unthinkable: his creator, Arthur Conan Doyle, had killed their hero off. London spiraled into mourning -- crowds sported black armbands in grief -- and railed against Conan Doyle as his assassin.
Then in 1901, just as abruptly as Conan Doyle had "murdered" Holmes in "The Final Problem," he resurrected him. Though the writer kept detailed diaries of his days and work, Conan Doyle never explained this sudden change of heart. After his death, one of his journals from the interim period was discovered to be missing, and in the decades since, has never been found.

Or has it?

When literary researcher Harold White is inducted into the preeminent Sherlock Holmes enthusiast society, The Baker Street Irregulars, he never imagines he's about to be thrust onto the hunt for the holy grail of Holmes-ophiles: the missing diary. But when the world's leading Doylean scholar is found murdered in his hotel room, it is Harold - using wisdom and methods gleaned from countless detective stories - who takes up the search, both for the diary and for the killer.


MY REVIEW:
I am a fan of Sherlock Holmes but will admit to not knowing much about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, so I don’t know if a word of the historical side of this book is in any way accurate. But it was sure a good story! The author notes were interesting to learn a little more on what was and wasn’t real.

In the historical side of this novel we see Arthur Conan Doyle wanting to forget Sherlock Holmes ever existed but the reading public is up in arms, after there is an attempt on his life he sets out with friend Bram Stoker to figure out who is behind it. I loved the line when Bram Stoker said “You want me to be your Watson?’ because now of course we know who Bram is but at the time Dracula was not a classic and as Arthur couldn’t even remember the name of the country Bram’s little book was set it as a fan of literature I enjoyed these parts very much. Arthur wasn’t a nice person in this book especially on his views of women and I don’t know enough about the real man to judge but he is pretty snobby in this book.

As for the Sherlockians they are an elite group of Sherlock aficionados, scholars and such when one of their own is found dead their newest member Alex decides he is Holmes enough to solve this case.
Alex was a bit bumbling but was a good character along with Sarah a reporter there is almost a romance plus a pretty good whodunit and treasure hunt all rolled into one.

I enjoyed this book and think any fan Doyle’s work will enjoy this as well.

3 1/2 Stars

The Nobodies Album by, Carolyn Parkhurst~~Review

The Nobodies Album by, Carolyn Parkhurst

This book was so well written and very hard to put down. Author Octavia Frost has had a successful career but has been estranged from her son Milo, a famous rock star; they have grown steadily apart since the death of her husband and daughter when Milo was 9. But tragedy is about to bring them back together again when Octavia hears a news report that her son has been arrested for the murder of his girlfriend.

There are excerpts from Octavia’s books which all sound like books I would like to read! This was a story about family, failures, forgiveness and redemption. Through the words from the books Octavia has written you get glimpses into the life shared by her and Milo after the death of half of their family. Now Octavia and Milo need to work together to prove his innocence and repair their broken relationship.

This was a very powerful book that flowed through the beautiful writing; it’s so much more than a mystery but the mystery was a good one. This was my first book by Carolyn Parkhurst but for sure won’t be my last.

4 ½ Stars

Revolution by, Jennifer Donnelly~~Review

Revolution by, Jennifer Donnelly
Description from Goodreads:
BROOKLYN: Andi Alpers is on the edge. She’s angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Rage and grief are destroying her. And she’s about to be expelled from Brooklyn Heights’ most prestigious private school when her father intervenes. Now Andi must accompany him to Paris for winter break.

PARIS: Alexandrine Paradis lived over two centuries ago. She dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn’t want—and couldn’t escape.


MY REVIEW:
This was a great book it was really hard to stop reading. This is the story of two 17 year-old girls Andi in the present day and Alex in the 1700’s. Andi is trying to get over her brother’s death and not coping well at all, when her father takes her to Paris she finds the diary of Alexandrine who lived during the French revolution. Even though these girls are centuries apart Andi sees some similarities and kind of becomes obsessed with Alex’s story. (But then again so did I)

I loved Alex’s story it was edge of seat reading. However there were times when I didn’t understand Andi like why didn’t show her dad the diary or mention it to anyone. But I must say I really loved this book. It is totally deserving of the awards and accolades. I think this is one of the best YA historical fiction I’ve read , I know that Jennifer Donnelly’s book A Northern Light is very popular and I will be reading that one very soon I think she is a great writer!

I think saying this is just a young adult book is doing it a disservice; I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

I just want to gush on and on about this book but I will just say READ IT!!

5 Stars

5 Stars

New Books This Week

New Books this week:
In Adult Fiction:


Forever and Always by, Sonni Lagodinski – North Dakota Author
Left Neglected by, Lisa Genova- new from the Author of Still Alice
Room by, Emma Donoghue
The Nobodies Album by, Carolyn Parkhurst
Indulgence in Death by, JD Robb
Of bees and Mist by, Erik Setiawan
Lighthousekeeping by, Jeanette Winterson
Secrets of Harmony Grove by, Melinda Starns Clark
Kelly’s Chance by, Wanda Brunstetter
The Art of Racing in the Rain by, Garth Stein
Ghost at Work by, Carolyn Hart
Silent in the Grave-Silent in the Sanctuary & Silent in the Moor by, Deanna Raybourn
Full Dark No Stars by, Stephen King
Ethan Frome & Summer by, Edith Wharton
The Nosy Neighbor by, Fern Michaels
Sins of The Flesh by, Fern Michaels
9 Ranier Drive by, Debbie Macomber
Julia’s Hope by, Leisha Kelly
The Winding Ways Quilt by, Jennifer Chiaverini
Time is a River by, Mary Alice Monroe
The Unsung Heroes by, Suzanne Brockman
Pirate Latitudes by, Michael Crichton
The Mist by, Carla Neggers
Smash cut by, Sandra Brown

In Westerns:
Lawless Prairie by, Charles G. West
Vigilante Justice by, Will Camp
Wilderness Mountain Madness by, David Thompson
Lonestar and The Sierra Sabotage by, Wesley Ellis
Sundance Bring me His Scalp by, John Benteen
The Crime of Coy Bell by, Sam Brown

In Adult Non-Fiction:
The Cloister Walk by, Kathleen Norris
Bridges Across North Dakota by, the State Historical Society
Treasures of Islam by, Bernard O’Kane

In Audio:
Wicked Appetite & Sizzling Sixteen by, Janet Evanovich
Vanishing Act by, Fern Michaels
Exclusive by, Sandra Brown
The Teahouse Fire by, Ellis Avery

In Young Adult:
Bloody valentine by, Melissa de la Cruz
I Shall Wear Midnight Tiffany Aching #4 by, Terry Pratchett
Seer of Sevenwaters by, Juliet Marillier
The Demon Trapper’s Daughter by, Jana Oliver
Beautiful Darkness by, Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Evermore by, Alyson Noel
Beauty & Rose’s Daughter by, Robin McKinley
The Secret Life of Sparrow Delaney by, Suzanne Harper
Legacy & Spellbound by, Nancy Holder

In Juvenile Fiction:
The Beast From The East by, RL Stine
Granny Torrelli Makes Soup by, Sharon Creech
Beagle in a Backpack by, Ben Baglio
How To be a Girly Girl in Just 10 Days by, Lisa Papademetriou

In Childrens Fiction:
Miss Spider’s Tea Party by, David Kirk
My Little Book About Peter Rabbit by, Beatrix Potter
Shine Sun by, Carole Green
Snow White by, Walt Disney
The Puppy Book by, Jan Pfloog
Be Yourself Disney Princess by,Walt Disney
A Day With Ruth Rabbit at the Beach by, Diane Mathes
The Puppy Who Wanted a Boy by, Jane Thayer

The Replacement By: Brenna Yovanoff

This book is....disturbingly good. It makes me want to curl up in a ball and stay in bed, but at the same time it makes me want to discover a world of creatures living below our city. Brenna Yovanoff is a brilliant writer. This story sucked me in from the very beginning.

Mackie Doyle is a strange boy. He's not the kind of person that you would imagine a hero to be. He is allergic to metal and is very sick, but when a friend's sister turned up "dead" he kicked into action. First he discovers and underground world, then he joins a band, then he sacrifices himself to save a child. I wanted so bad to be part of this book and Brenna, the brilliant author, made me feel like I was.

5 stars! *****

Room by,Emma Donoghue~~Review

We Now Have this book in Hardcover
Room by, Emma Donoghue
Description:To five-year-old Jack, Room is the entire world. It is where he was born and grew up; it's where he lives with his Ma as they learn and read and eat and sleep and play. At night, his Ma shuts him safely in the wardrobe, where he is meant to be asleep when Old Nick visits.

Room is home to Jack, but to Ma, it is the prison where Old Nick has held her captive for seven years. Through determination, ingenuity, and fierce motherly love, Ma has created a life for Jack. But she knows it's not enough...not for her or for him. She devises a bold escape plan, one that relies on her young son's bravery and a lot of luck. What she does not realize is just how unprepared she is for the plan to actually work.

Told entirely in the language of the energetic, pragmatic five-year-old Jack, ROOM is a celebration of resilience and the limitless bond between parent and child, a brilliantly executed novel about what it means to journey from one world to another

My Review:
This is a hard book to review, it’s hard because I can’t say I enjoyed it because it is a very disturbing book but I did like it, I hope that makes sense. This book is narrated by a 5 year old boy whose mother was kidnapped and had a child by her captor they live in Room as Jack calls it. He thinks the world is only Room and everything else is TV. It was a fascinating and unique look at kidnap victims.
It is hard to put down (or in my case stop listening) because you must know what happens to Jack and his Ma.
There were parts that I just found it a little farfetched **no spoilers** and also parts I thought I couldn’t see the character doing that. Jack‘s narration gives us an insight into the mind of a 5 year old completely and I thought it was very well written. I think I may not have liked it as much as some but I didn’t hate it as much as others it is a very unique book and because of that I’ve rated it a bit higher.

I listened to this on audio and the narration was great!

4 STARS

The Eyre Affair by, Jasper Fforde~~Review

The Eyre Affair by, Jasper Fforde

Synopsis:
In Jasper Fforde's Great Britain, circa 1985, time travel is routine, cloning is a reality (dodos are the resurrected pet of choice), and literature is taken very, very seriously. England is a virtual police state where an aunt can get lost (literally) in a Wordsworth poem and forging Byronic verse is a punishable offense. All this is business as usual for Thursday Next, renowned Special Operative in literary detection.

My Review:
I loved this book!! It is humorous and fun! If you are a fan of Jane Eyre or a fan of literature in general you need to read this book! I also think fans of Douglas Adams would like it too.

Thursday Next is a Spec Ops LiteraTec in a world similar to our own but oh so different. The Crimean War is still going on there is still a Czar of Russia. People travel in time, they are the SpecOps contingent of the Chrono Guard. Thursday’s father was in the Chrono Guard and is now on the run through time from them. Thursday is after a master criminal named Hades who is stealing original manuscripts of classic books, but what he is dong with them I will let you read it to find out. This had a bit of a steampunk feel to it because of the airships and the unique inventions. I loved the names of people in this book Jack Schitt and Braxton Hicks.

I can’t say enough of how much I loved this book I think it is a must read for everyone who loves to read! Now I must go out and buy this entire series!

5 Stars

Arthur & George by Julian Barnes

Arthur & George, the tenth novel by Julian Barnes is a historical fiction that chronicles the lives of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and George Edalji. The former was, of course, the one and only creator of the greatest literary detective in the world, and the latter being the subject of a legal case in the early twentieth century. The book is beautifully and meticulously written with exacting, remarkable detail and two distinct tones for the different characters. The pace can feel plodding at points, but never to an extreme degree. Added enjoyment can be had for those who are familiar with the case and the people portrayed in the storyline. The characters are written in a way that it feels more like a living autobiography than the musings of an author what with the apparent realism infused into the work. In all honesty, a fictional chronicling of a legal case from the 1900s won’t appeal to everyone despite the names involved, one in particular. However, it’s engaging, smartly written, and surprisingly difficult to put down once a few chapters in. 4 stars ****

A Ring of Endless Light By: Madeline L'Engle

In this book girl named Vicky Austin and her family move to her grandfather's house to spend the summer with him. She is excited and scared to do this because er grandfather is dieing of leukaemia. At the begging of the summer a family friend dies and Vicky takes this as an omen of sorts. She is shaken out of her own little world where nothing bad happens into reality. As she faces fact that this death probably won't be the last of he summer she also struggles with boys. One who is charming and dashing but has a bit too much of a taste for danger, one who is recovering from his father's death, and one who is working with her on his summer science project. The boys all seem to need her ,including her grandfather, in one way or another, and as the summer goes on she begins to feel that her only relief is with the dolphins that she and Adam ( the boy with the science project) are working with. She feels pulled in so many directions and finally has a break down of sorts after a young girl in the hospital dies in her arms while she is waiting for a friend.

This book is amazingly deep and wonderfully written to bring the characters to life. I felt as if i was with Vicky through the entire ordeal, good and bad. Madeline did a fabulous job.

4 Stars

New Books This Week

The Library will be closed Friday December 24th & Friday December 31st. Have a Safe and Happy Holiday Season!

New Books This week are:
In Adult Fiction:
Cross Fire by, James Patterson
Hell’s Corner by, David Baldacci
The Confession by, John Grisham
Port Mortuary by, Patricia Cornwell
Happy Ever After by, Nora Roberts
The Sherlockian by, Graham Moore
Sins of Omission by, Fern Michaels
The Eyre Affair by, Jasper Fforde

In Audio:
Norah by, Debbie MacComber
Hard Ball by, Sara Paretsky

In Young Adult:
The Red Pyramid by, Rick Riordan
Beautiful Darkness by, Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Gothic! By, Neil Gaiman & Various Authors
Twelfth Grade Kills by, Heather Brewer

In Juvenile Fiction:
The Fire Within-Ice Fire & Fire Star by, Chris D’Lacey

The Kitchen House by, Kathleen Grissom~~Review

The Kitchen House by, Kathleen Grissom

This was a very good well written story it is sad but there was a lot of sadness for slaves.
It is set in the late 1700’s & early 1800’s. Seven-Year-Old Lavinia is an Irish immigrant whose parents died on the trip over so Lavinia is taken by the Captain as an indentured servant to pay-off the trip. She is dropped off at the kitchen house with the slaves. Mama Mae takes her in and raises her as her own and Lavinia grows up being well loved by the family in the Kitchen House. This book is told in alternating chapters by, Lavinia & young slave girl Belle, the master's illegitimate daughter, Lavinia becomes deeply bonded to her adopted family, though she is set apart from them by her white skin.Eventually, Lavinia is accepted into the world of the big house, where the master is absent and the mistress battles opium addiction. Lavinia finds herself perilously straddling two very different worlds. When she is forced to make a choice, loyalties are brought into question, dangerous truths are laid bare, and lives are put at risk.





The characters in this book are so well written you care about all of them. Except Rankin but you hate him because he is written as so revolting! This book was just so wonderful, it shows that family isn’t blood and that blood doesn’t make you family. This book was at times so heartbreaking and may make you cry! Everyone in this book goes through their share of hardships and it isn’t a happy book but there is just something about the story that is beautiful. I just don’t know how to express it but to say I loved this book!

I listened to this on audio narrated by, Orlagh Cassidy & Bahni Turpin it was wonderfully done both narrators bringing these characters to life.

5 Stars

Heat Wave by Richard Castle

Heat Wave by Richard Castle

The entertainment industry is split into various divisions, and they like very much to overlap. Books are adapted to film, film to television, perhaps to videogames and everything in between plus any sort of plausible combination is allowable. Most creative parties are aware and take advantage of this fact. Such is the case of Heat Wave. For those unfamiliar with the book’s background, Castle is an hourly procedural of sorts starring Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, an author of murder mystery novels, who assists in homicide cases with Detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic), the inspiration behind his newest novels. There’s a fantastic character dynamic between the two, one of give and take banter and a strong “will they or won’t they.” Heat Wave takes this aspect of the show and translates it perfectly to the written page. The mystery is solid enough, not enough to make me gasp when the murderer is revealed, but in all honesty, that’s not the reason to pick up Heat Wave. The simple truth is that from the dedication before the novel begins to the main character’s name (Jameson Rook), this book is written for Castle fans. There are a lot of nods to the series which is fitting since Castle is using his “research” at the NYPD to write this particular book. The most enjoyable experiences with Heat Wave are had when the reader maintains a mindset of Castle actually writing it, being the man behind the curtains, instead of some unnamed ghost writer. Snickering with the thought of Beckett’s reaction to a particular risqué chapter is only one instance. Bottom line, Heat Wave has the potential of appealing to a wide audience, yet its main focus is the fans, those who can match every character with their slightly different counterpart and catch all of the fan service aimed their way. It’s excellent for those reasons, 5 stars. *****

The Beast of Noor

The Beast of Noor Janet Lee Carey

The Beast of Noor reads like a fairy tale which seems only fitting since the overall plot is centered on an old legend in the world of Noor. The legend of, you guessed it, the Beast of Noor. Without going into too much detail, suffice it to say that it involves a curse on a certain family for the actions of an ancestor, actions which resulted in a monstrous dog, known as the Shriker, who now haunts the woods. Leave it to the protagonist, Miles Sheen, to make it his mission to destroy this demon, stop the ruthless killings, and redeem his family’s name in the process. The story is predictable enough once the reader finds out exactly how the Shriker came to be since there really is one sort of ending possible in books intended for the younger demographic. Despite this, it’s a charming book with a mild horror streak and notable character development even if it’s pretty straightforward development. The characters are interesting and likable enough…most of the time. There’s some whininess and somewhat irritating character choices, but it’s almost to be expected with these prepubescent heroes. The beginning seemed bogged down in exposition, but once it got that over with, clipped along at a steady pace. Carey creates a world of fairies and spells that, in all fairness, we have seen before. After all, it’s quite difficult to lay claim in originality in the world of fantasy what with the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and J.K. Rowling wandering about. Regardless, it’s a recommended alternative to the usual. It’s also for those who are looking for a darker novel, yet pretty light on the horror in comparison to the more visceral books in this genre. Bottom line, it’s solid, nicely done, and, at the very least, worth a look. 4 stars. ****

Black Horses For The King By: Anne McCaffrey

In this book Galwyn Varianus is working for his uncle on a ship. He hates this more than anything in the world. The lack of horses seems to be his biggest problem. When he runs into Lord Artos he is awe struck. He wants to help this man in any way possible. After running away from his uncle he travels with Lord Artos to a fair where he finds out that Artos is planning to take the largest horses he can find and use them in the war against the Saxons.

The only problem with the beautiful black horses is that their hooves are not used to the wet ground and easily develop problems. A man named Canydthinks he’s got the answer. Shoes for the horses. No one but Galwyn believes in this idea. Together they struggle to develop the shoes in time for the war. If they succeed they could be the reason the British win the war.

Four ****

Wow! What a great book.

If Wishes Were Horses By Anne McCaffery

Tirza, Tracell, and Lady TalarrieEircelly are devastated when their father must go off to war. They are left to take care of a village of people who could be attacked at any time. Only Lady Talarrie's calm head and intelligence saves them.

Tirza and her twin Tracell want nothing more than to turn 16. They just can’t wait to grow up. When the war starts tirza realizes that while her present is still secure her brother's has galloped off to battle. She tries to ensure her brother's present will still be a great one but, he wants only one thing. A horse. As their birthday draws nearer she watches the chances of tracell getting a horse dwindle. With the help of her birthday present she thinks she can ensure his.

Find out if she succeeds in Anne McCaffery's If Wishes Were Horses.

Four ****

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope Everyone Has A Safe & Happy Thanksgiving!

The Library will be closed Thusday & Friday!

Vixen by, Jillian Larkin~~Review

Vixen The Flappers Series by, Jillian Larkin- Release Date Dec. 14,2010

I loved this book! It is so unique being set in the 20’s. This is the story of three friends. Gloria society girl engaged to Sebastian Grey a most eligible bachelor, Lorraine the neglected little rich girl wanting to be loved by a boy who doesn’t see her as anything but a friend, and Marcus the handsome playboy living his life to the fullest. Then there is Clara Gloria’s cousin who has come to Chicago in disgrace to “help with Gloria’s wedding” but there is more to Clara than meets the eye.

The excitement of rebelling against society and going to an underground speakeasy. For Gloria it is to try to live a little before she marries the boring Bastian. For Lorraine she just wants to get out from under Gloria’s shadow and be the center of attention. At the speakeasy Gloria meets Jerome part of the jazz band she finds she is attracted to him but there is a huge problem as Jerome is a man of color and this is the 1920’s.

This book has it all friendship, betrayal, secrets, forbidden love, and gangsters. From the uptown society of Chicago to the seedy underground I loved every minute of this book. Jillian Larkin takes you back to the 20’s and puts you right there the feel the music the clothes. She brings this period piece to life. I liked that the love story was sweet and not the usual fare. There is a lot of drinking as it is set during prohibition and they go to a speakeasy and a lot of smoking which in the 20’s was something everyone did. One just needs to remember that this is historical fiction and the author has re-created the atmosphere very well.

This is a great debut and a great beginning to a fun series. The ending is a cliffhanger that left me salivating for the next installment. Bravo Miss Larkin you have me completely hooked!

I received this book from Barnes & Noble First Look Program thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

4 ½ Stars

Keeper of the Keys by, Janny Wurts-Audiobook~~Review

Keeper of the Keys by, Janny Wurts-Audiobook~~Review

In this one we see Jaric still trying to not become his Father Ivain the Firelord, to run from his responsibilities yet deep down knows he must face them sooner or later. IMHO This book explores the question does the power make a man mad or is the man mad to begin with? Just because the Firelord Ivain, Jerics father, was mad/crazy with power does that mean that Jaric will be too?

Taen is going through some troubles of her own plus still trying to save Anskiere and Jeric. There are some nasty demons that are playing with Jeric & Taen making them/Me wonder just what to believe is it real or dream.

I know that’s a bad description but as usual there is a lot going on. Action packed all the way through it’s definitely the middle book because it was pure action from beginning to end.

I look forward to the next book to see how this story ends up. Will Jeric embrace his Firelord heritage? What will be the consequences to him and those around him if he does? Will Taen survive? Is there a way to save her brother from the demons who enslave him? Do all of Taen's dreams come true or do they change from people's choices? So yes alot of questions to answers in the next book.

I enjoyed the Epilogue's last line Taen reminded me of Scarlett O’Hara-Tomorrow could only come after today.


As with the last book the narration by David Thorpe was fantastic! His demons were so scary the voices gave me chills.

5 Stars

Wolf Hall by, Hilary Mantel ~~Review

Wolf Hall by, Hilary Mantel
This is a hard review to write because there is so much going on in this book. It is the story of Thomas Cromwell from the time he is a teen. He was instrumental in securing Henry VIII’s divorce from Catherine so he could marry Anne Boleyn. He was a very ambitious man and I felt he went whichever way the wind blew to further himself.

Things about this book that left me wondering, the title for one, Wolf Hall only comes into it in the last 10 or so pages and that this is where the book ends not with the life of Thomas Cromwell but with the life of Sir Thomas Moore.

There seems to be so much more story to tell, it showed his rise to power but not his downfall there is only 5 more years of Thomas Cromwell’s life and I just feel like the story wasn’t finished yet. I think if you’re going to tell his story from a teen and up it should go to his death, especially when his fall from grace is only 5 years from the end of this book.

I did enjoy this book although it is rather confusing because so many people had the same names. I also think if you have no prior Tudor knowledge this book may not be for you. You need to know some of the players and history for this book to make sense. If you are a huge fan of the Tudors and would like some background into one of the minor players (With the Royals being the major ones) then this is for you. It was very well written but not a book I would read twice.

I did end up listening to this book on audio because I had a hard time getting into the print version. The Narrator Simon Slater was excellent and his mastery with all the different voices helped keep all the characters straight. If I were rating just the audio quality it would be a 4 - 41/2.Will be seeking out what else Simon Slater has narrated.

3 ½ Stars
Full Disclosure I won this book from LibraryThing Early Reviewers program