I, Elizabeth by Rosalind Miles

I love English History, particularly the Tudor era. I have read historical fiction from Richard III through Henry VIII and Mary I, mostly from Phillipa Gregory and Sharon Kay Penmen (Richard III). This was the first book I have read solely about Elizabeth I. Overall, I enjoyed the book. My one complaint is Miles should have included Dates in her writing to get a persepective of when things were happening. I had to use the deaths of the characters in the family tree to figure out when things were happening. As far as the events, I think Miles was pretty true to history, but I'm not sure how true to Elizabeth's character she was. Elizabeth was a true Queen in her actions. She fought for her throne and wanted to do what was best for her country. She was unlike her father and sister who put themselves first and their country second. She tried to regain peace that her sister destroyed. She rejected her true love, Robert Dudley for the sake of her country. Although she had many loves (lovers?) she did what she thought was best for England. The book was unclear about how intimate she was with her men. Overall, I thought this was a good read.

The Coffin Dancer by Jeffrey Deaver

audio book

This was an entertaining book for a long car trip. It was much better than I expected. Inspector Lincoln Rhymes and his assistant Amelia Sachs try to catch a killer who Rhymes has been chasing for years. The killer, called the Coffin Dancer based on a tattoo on his arm, is hired to kill people. The detectives must not only catch the killer, but the person who hired him.

Voyager by Diana Gabaldon

This is the third book in Gabaldon's Outlander series. Claire finds that Jamie is still alive in 18th Century Scotland, so she leaves her daughter to travel back in time to find Jamie. They rekindle their passionate love along with some crazy adventures. The book takes them across the sea to Jamaica to find Jamie's nephew Ian that has been kidnapped by pirates. The book has a ton of adventure and love scenes. It concentrates more on the events around Jamie and Claire than on the history of the time. I can't wait to start the next book in the series, Drums of Autumn.

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Kahled Houssini

audio book

This was a great book that I think everyone should read. It tells the story of two Afghan women, Miriam and Laila and the hardships they endure. It is difficult to read at times and it makes you angry. The reader must remember that this book takes place during modern times. It amazes me how poorly women are thought of and treated all in the name of religion. I don't understand the reasoning behind women being considered less than a man. The things these two women had to endure are so much more than what we have had. The abuse that is deemed acceptable makes you want to scream. The book talks about the events of 911 from Miriam and Laila's point of view and it is important to know that these select few people who destroyed our world do not represent the feelings of the country and are responsible for the oppression of the people. This book made me appreciate more the freedoms and opportunities that I have and that I can stand up and fight for my rights.

Tough Cookie by Diane Mott Davidson

audio book

another murder mystery featuring Goldy the caterer.

1916 by Morgan Llewellyn

This was a great book particularly if you are a fan of historical fiction. It is a story about the Irish rebellion through the eyes of Ned Halloran. It mixes fictional characters with real characters. The book grips the reader instantly and has them fall in love with Ned during the first few pages. Him and his parents board the Titanic to go to America to go to his sister's wedding. As we all know, the Titanic sinks, but Ned survives. His parents unfortunately do not. After he returns to Ireland he attends a boys school run by Padriac Pearse, a key player in the Rising. the book follows Ned through his part in the Rising and the aftermath. I look forward to reading the sequel, 1921.

Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe

audio book

I tried to listen to this on audio and didn't get very far. I have the book to read and may give it another try. I usually love classics, but couldn't get into this one. The story is about a young orphan girl who rises above and follows her through her five marriages. I felt that it was a slow moving story and not much happened. I couldn't get attached to the main character.

The Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett

I had heard raving reviews of Dunnett's writing and how wonderful it is, so I was really looking forward to reading this book. However, I couldn't finish it. I read until the last hundred pages and then gave up. I rarely stop reading a book, too. They book had promise, but I could only read a few lines at a time without having to put it down. I got bogged down with the large amount of songs in a foreign language. The book takes place in Scotland in 1547 with the return of Francis Crawford of Lymond who is charged with treason. He leads a group of men against England to fight for Scotland. I have heard that the Niccolo series is much better and may give it a try.