Annette's Book Spot: royalty

Showing posts with label royalty. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Book Review: Of Curses and Kisses by Sandhya Menon

Of Curses and Kisses by Sandhya Menon book cover and review

Although Of Curses and Kisses incorporates a familiar trope, the story of Princess Jaya and Grey Emerson is engaging.

Jaya has been raised to be an Indian heiress, following all the protocols her parents have set in place without question. When scandalous photos of her younger sister's escapades are exposed in the media, Jaya willingly accompanies her to a new boarding school away from the attention. When Jaya discovers Grey Emerson attends the same school she vows to avenge her sister. You see the Emersons family and Jaya's family are feuding and Emerson is the author of the vicious attack on Jaya's sister. She will compel him to fall in love with her, only to break his heart.

The reader can see from page one where Of Curses and Kisses is going. Of course, Grey is not what he seems, and these two are destined for true love, even though Jaya is practically betrothed to a neighboring prince (to build alliances for her father) and Grey has been cursed (by Jaya's family) and will die on his 18th birthday. The group of friends (and enemies) surrounding these two are interesting and canny. There is the friend who is "in love" with a cad, and the cad is dating one of the most popular girls at school. Jaya's sister is falling for a totally unacceptable mate, in Jaya's eyes. There is something mysterious about Jaya's ruby broach -- stones keep falling out of it and Grey seems to think it has something to do with the family curse. So there are plenty of barriers to true love and many surrounding issues adding substance to this "hate to love" imagery.

Another bizarre issue is that Menon throws in obscure vocabulary so much that at times the phrasing is awkward as if she is trying to throw in as many SAT words as possible. I kept a list of just some of them: puerile, insouciant, vitriol, imbibed, ennui, loquacious, innervating bespoke, misanthrope, disingenuous, untenable, nihilism. Some of these words were used in the dialog between the teens -- it was just awkward, and some teens may find this daunting. Of Curses and Kisses is being marketed to ages 12 and up. I just don't see that, given the vocabulary.

The happy ending is frenetic, but everything gets tied up nicely in a bow. Nothing special, but romance junkies will probably find Of Curses and Kisses charming.

Published by Simon Pulse, February 18, 2020
ARC obtained from School Library Connection Magazine
361 pages

Rating: 3/5

Monday, December 16, 2019

Book Discussion: The Crown: The Official Companion Volume 1, by Robert Lacey

The Crown: The Official Companion, Volume I, by Robert Lacey book cover and thought

I'm calling this post a discussion because I did not read the entire The Crown: The Official Companion Volume 1. Not that it isn't a good book, it just wasn't what I expected.

I'm a huge fan of The Crown Netflix series, and when I saw a book that was going to tell me all the secrets about the series -- where it was inaccurate and what it left out, I was excited.

However, The Crown: The Official Companion Volume 1 was far more detailed and repetitive than I had hoped. It tells the entire story that was being conveyed, adding more details for sure. I didn't want to read the entire story again...I just wanted a tell-all that indicated "this is what really happened" or "this is what we didn't show."

Also, I found the organization of the book to be ungainly. Right in the middle of a story (each chapter covers an episode), there would be a vignette (or several) about one of the characters or events that would take up one, or sometimes many more, pages. And it would include some of the events already described in the general chapter, albeit from a different perspective. I found the interruptions jarring and couldn't figure out how to smoothly fit them into my reading.

There are a lot of photos from the series as well as genuine historical pictures. Some of them of the same event, which for me was the best part of the book.

I ended up skimming most of the book, and therefore will not be counting this one on my list of books and pages read. I also won't be giving a rating, since I really didn't read the whole thing. Judge for yourself...you may want to just skim this for the pictures if you are a fan. If you are diehard and need to know everything about The Crown, you may be interested in the entire text.

The book for season two has been published, but I probably won't bother.

Published by Crown Archetype, 2017
Copy obtained from the library
336 pages

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Book Review: War Storm by Victoria Aveyard

War Storm by Victoria Aveyard book cover and review

War Storm is a rather imposing book, but when you've read the previous three books, it's a no brainer.

Spoilers if you haven't read the series. Stop now. Cal and Mare are apart after Cal gives up Mare because he wants to be a King. But they can't be totally apart, because they have to work together to defeat Maven.

So, I don't want to spend a lot of time relaying each move -- you can read War Storm for that. They work together to get enough support to go after Maven, but Cal and Mare's relationship is strained. Especially given he is betrothed to Evangeline. But the battle seems to go their way, and then it doesn't.

The multiple points of view make the story interesting and easier to read. But this is a loooooong book. It kept my interest, and I had to finish it because I needed to know. And that's the goal of the author, right? You have to read it. But I felt a kind of resentment for dragging it out.

So, I have mixed feelings. It was well written, easy to read, and interesting. So why am I complaining? I don't know.

The Red Queen Series is one of my favorites. The characters are intriguing, and I really became attached to them. The whole Reds vs. Silvers concept is well done. I liked the world and the writing. Who cares how long the books are? (I keep telling myself that...)

If you have read the series, like I said, you have to read War Storm. If you haven't read any of them, start with Red Queen and see what you think. I think it is worth it, and teens love these.

Published by Orion, February 21, 2019
Copy obtained from the library
662 pages

Rating: 4/5

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Book Review: The Royal Nanny by Karen Harper

The Royal Nanny by Karen Harper book cover and review

As I wait for the release of the new season of The Crown, I decided to experience The Royal Nanny to satisfy my thirst for all things related to the royal family.

The novel is based on a real person, Charlotte Bill (nicknamed Lala), the nanny to the Duke and Duchess of York's children beginning in 1897. So those are the Duke and Duchess that became King George V and Queen Mary, grandparents of the current Queen Elizabeth II.

The story starts out dramatically as, upon her arrival, she gets the current head nanny fired because she is abusing the children (David and Bertie--the Duchess was pregnant with Mary at the time.) Instantly, Lala is promoted to head nanny. If you are keeping track, David is the one that abdicated the throne for Wallis Simpson. And Bertie becomes King George IV and father of Queen Elizabeth II.) So she is the nanny to two future Kings of England.

The lives the children (and their nanny) lead is interesting and unusual, of course. It is astounding to realize that all of the monarchs of England were pretty much raised by their nannies. Think of the influence. Lala's influence was a good one. She tried unfailingly (and without much success) to change David's belief that he was deserving of special treatment, lauding over everyone. A true example of the "born with a silver spoon in his mouth" idiom. He was a little tyrant and didn't think much of his younger brother Bertie. Not that their father helped much. He, also, was a tyrant and didn't show much affection for his sons. They did get spoiled and loved, however, by their grandparents.

The Duchess went on to bear four more children, the cornerstone of the story being the last child, Johnny, who had severe epilepsy and potentially some sort of autistic disorder. As Johnny's seizures get worse, Lala and Johnny are banished to a small house on the Sandringham estate (where the children spent most of their childhoods.) Lala truly loved Johnny as her own and resented that he was mostly hidden from the public and not included in most of the family activities.

Lala's personal life, including a romance, add to the story, although this part is not necessarily historically accurate. Harper describes the lives and settings of The Royal Nanny so that you can understand the trials of Lala's position, as well as that of some of the other servants and of course, the children. The Author's Note gives some detail about the facts and embellishments of the story and includes an interesting note about the current royal children. It seems Prince William and Duchess Catherine decided their children would not have a nanny, but quickly changed their mind after the birth of their first child. It seems the reality of their royal duties just take too much time to be able to care fulltime for their children.

If you are at all interested in the royal family, I highly recommend you add this one to your list.

Published by William Morrow, 2016
EBook purchased
384 pages

Rating: 4/5

Monday, October 21, 2019

Book Review: Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory

Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory book cover and review

Royal Holiday is a delightful, romantic story. Just what I needed.

Vivian is busy. As most hard-working people are. When her daughter, Maddie's work takes her to England over the holidays, she is determined to take her mother with her. Vivian is resistant but eventually goes along. Maddie will be working as a stylist for a Duchess of the royal family at their castle at Sandringham.

Vivian is delighted when she meets the Queen's private secretary, Malcolm, and he offers to give her a tour of the grounds and castle.

Malcolm has never given private tours before and doesn't really understand what has come over him. But he is definitely attracted to Vivian, so he continues to find excuses to see her. The romance develops pretty quickly--well it needs to, since Vivian is only in England until January 2.

I enjoyed the easy banter between these two. I appreciated that these were not "20 somethings" but older adults. I enjoyed the Christmasy aspect of the story, although it wasn't too sappy. I enjoyed the Sandringham (I had to look it up on Wikipedia) and London settings.

I read this in a little more than one day. I was in the mood for a cute, fluffy holiday story and Royal Holiday definitely fit the bill. You should check it out.

Published by Berkley, October 1, 2019
eARC obtained from NetGalley
304 pages

Rating: 4/5

Monday, October 14, 2019

Book Review: Shadow Scent by P. M. Freestone

Shadow Scent by P. M. Freestone book cover and review

Shadow Scent (edited: The actual title is Shadowscent) introduces us to a new fantasy world that has been compared to An Ember in the Ashes. I think that is a pretty good comparison.

Scents are everything in Aramtesh, and Rahil has a very good nose. Scents are status symbols and religious artifacts. Rahil will do anything to save her father who is suffering from a disease that is literally rotting him away. Her only chance is to leave her father and go to the capital to compete to become a perfumer. With the skills and money she would earn as a perfumer, she could provide the best treatment for her father. She bargains with the devil, and even though she has the skills to win, she is tricked and ends up a slave to the head priestess. It turns out that this situation may not be as bad as it seems. The priestess knows more about Rahil than she realizes, and some revelations cause Rahil to question everything her father has told her.

Ash is the Shield to Prince Nisai and will protect him at all costs. But there is an unusual bond between these two based on deep secrets about Ash’s true identity. Nasai spends much of his time trying to figure out how to contain what is a secret part hidden inside of Ash, barely contained. Nasai chooses to undertake a long journey and visit one of their lands during a very special blooming of a mysterious dark flower that only happens once a generation. Ash fears for the Prince's safety, and rightly so.

Chaos ensues, the head priestess is killed, the Prince is afflicted with a deadly and mysterious disease, and Ash and Rahil become unlikely conspirators. They are on the run with the army in hot pursuit, trying to find the antidote that will save the Prince’s life. The tasks seem impossible, but somehow these two always manage to figure out the very obscure hints they are working with. Romance eventually blossoms between Ash and Rahil, as they face insurmountable odds, but also get closer to solving the riddles and finding the cure.

Loaded with tension, drama, life-threatening situations, and romance, readers will easily become enraptured with Rahil and Ash. Some surprising and imaginative twists and turns add to the drama. Although Shadow Scent stretches the imagination at times, it is a fantasy after all. We are left with an open-ended and heart-wrenching conclusion, clamoring for a sequel. Recommend Shadow Scent to fantasy-loving teens.

Published by Scholastic, November 5, 2019
ARC obtained for review
368 pages

Rating: 4/5

Thursday, June 13, 2019

Book Review: The Gown by Jennifer Robson

The Gown by Jennifer Robson, book cover and review

I love the Netflix series, The Crown, and am anxiously awaiting the next season, so The Gown was right up my alley!

The Gown is the story of two women who were the main embroiderers of Queen Elizabeth II's wedding gown. In 1947, London is still suffering the effects of World War II, so having a royal wedding to look forward to was a welcome diversion. We get the backgrounds of Ann and Miriam, two of our main characters, and how they ended up being embroiderers for the renowned fashion house of Norman Hartnell. Miriam, in particular, has a heart-wrenching story about being Jewish during the war.

Our third main character, Heather, is in 2016, and her grandmother (one of our embroiderers) has just passed away. Heather has never heard any stories from her grandmother about her life in 1940s London. But her Grandmother leaves her a box with embroidery samples and a picture that begins Heather's quest to discover her grandmother's secrets.

Those secrets involve stories about the creation of the gown (fascinating) and the royal wedding as well as stories of life during that period of time. There are romances, friendships, secrets, and other dramas that easily held my interest.

I'm totally wrapped up in the lives of England's royals, so The Gown was everything I hoped for. If you are interested in this time period, and especially if you are any kind of seamstress, you shouldn't miss The Gown.

Published by William Morrow, 2018
eBook obtained from the library
400 pages

Rating: 5/5

Monday, April 29, 2019

Book Review: The American Heiress, by Daisy Goodwin

I'm not sure where I got The American Heiress, but I know the reason I wanted it is because it has been compared to Downton Abbey. It wasn't the same as Downton, but I understand the comparison.

It is the late 1800s, the Gilded Age, and Cora Cash is a very, very rich American heiress. Her mother takes her to England because she wants Cora to marry a man with a title.

And she does. After falling off her horse, Cora is rescued by Ivo, the Duke of Wareham. One of the issues I had with The American Heiress is the insta-love between these two. But they do fall in love and get married. It is no secret that Ivo needs money. His estate is falling apart, and Cora is definitely going to help him financially.

Most of the book is about Cora's struggles to fit into English society. Her mistakes and indiscretions are numerous. The marriage is rocky, and at times Cora is convinced that Ivo really did just marry her for her money.

Not much else happens. Some of the characters are not what they seem. There are some secrets to be revealed. And they get a visit from the Prince of Wales.

The American Heiress definitely kept my interest, but it wasn't unputdownable. Cora is a sympathetic character and that helps. If you are interested in the time period, The American Heiress should be added to your list. The book is also appropriate for teens interested in royal romances.

Published by St. Martin's, 2011
Personal copy
468 pages

Rating: 3.5/5

Thursday, March 28, 2019

Book Review: Stain by A. G. Howard @aghowardwrites @jennybent @ABRAMSbooks

Stain by A. G. Howard book cover and review

I am pleasantly surprised by Stain. It is one of the best fairytale retellings I've ever read.

I'm getting tired of fantasy. Especially dark, ominous stories. So I had misgivings when I picked up Stain. But I had never read anything by Howard, and I wanted to.

Stain is its own story; a mashup of fairytales retold, which made it even more appealing. Even though you know the prince and the princess will eventually get together, you aren't sure how that's all going to play out. Howard includes The Princess and the Pea story at the end of the book, but I saw elements of Cinderella too. (Evil stepmother and stepsisters -- aunt and cousins in this case.) Although there is the bed of nails thing, and the prince needs to find her before he dies. Doesn't really matter. Just don't worry about what story this is supposed to be.

And about the Prince and Princess--Stain is full of peril and pain, but because it is written like a fairytale, you know there is a "Happily Ever After" (or, Hopefully, as Howard writes) in store for the ending. The characterizations are great--the evil characters are vile. And the heroes are...well, heroic! The writing is uplifting and compelling. At over 500 pages, I flew through Stain.

If I have to say anything negative about Stain, it would probably be that there are a lot of characters to keep track of. I did get confused once or twice, like, "now wait, who is that again??" But that's my own thing and might not apply to other readers.

Maybe Stain was just the right book at the right time for me, but I found it refreshing and fun. I'll be donating this to my high school library and can't wait to recommend it.

Published by Harry N. Abrams, January 15, 2019
Copy obtained from a freebie!
512 pages

Rating: 5/5