My Lady Jane by The Lady Janies (Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, Jodi Meadows)

Hello and welcome back to we're all stuck inside for the good of all humanity so we might actually get semi-regular updates.
Today we're going to talk about My Lady Jane an absolutely fabulous magical historical fiction book. It was recommended to me by CA several years ago. And I'm just now reviewing it... Oops I guess. Well My Lady Jane is the semi true story of the woman who was queen for nine days before Queen Mary the First of England and after King Edward.  She was a real person and really was queen for nine days. History has pretty much forgotten her, except for maybe in England, but trust me she existed. Basically before Edward died of tuberculosis Lady Jane's father, Lord Henry Grey, convinced him that Jane, a protestant, was a better choice for a successor than his half older sister Mary, a catholic. So when he died, Jane was declared Queen of England. A month before she had married a man named Lord Guilford Dudley (who is also a character and I absolutely love him) who  took an army to stand against the people and Mary. With him gone Jane was declared a traitor and her reign came to an end. On July 20 she was imprisoned in the Tower of London, and Guilford was arrested. They were found guilty of treason and sentenced to death but due to their youth and innocence Mary wouldn't execute them. Unfortunately, early the next year Lord Grey, Jane's father, led a rebellion and thus to end the rebellion Mary had to execute all of her opponents including Jane and Guilford. On February 12 1554 both of them died and the executioner held up her head and said "So perish all of the queen's enemies! Behold the head of a traitor!" Well this is the story of Jane and Guilford with some magic mixed in and a healthy dose of fiction thrown in because why read what really happened when you can make it so much more interesting.

Characters!

• Lady Jane Grey- She's nerdy, she's badass, and she doesn't want to get married. She also wears pants which is very against the status quo in Edwardian England. She's awesome and really annoyed about being married off. Also she loves to read which is amazing.
• Lord Gifford Dudley- Call him G. He's sweet and not really what you expect. He's an Eðian (eth-y-un) which I will talk more about in a minute. He also writes poetry and is a romantic at heart.
• Edward- King Edward really the one before Mary. He's sweet and kind and wants to believe the best in everyone. He's also an Eðian. And that's all I've got for him partly because he's not a main character and partly because its been a minute before I read it.
• Gracie- She's Scottish and spunky. Being Scottish she really doesn't like the British. If that isn't enough she's an Eðian.

Plot!

So in this magical version of England and history, rather than being split between Protestants and Catholics England is split between Eðians and Verities. Eðians are those with magic, they can shape shift into another animal, just one though. Verities are those without this magic who hate it and believe all with it should be killed. Given that there are a fair few Eðians the extermination of them could cause some problems. You can also see how this could cause a problem for our characters. Anyway Edward is told he has less than a year to live and is convinced by G's father to name Jane as his successor over Mary or Elizabeth. Edward is true to his time and doesn't believe that a woman should rule the country so Dudley (G's father) arranges for her to marry G. G is cursed to stay in his Eðian form, a horse, from daybreak to dawn everyday and neither of the two can break this to Jane. Jane being the feminist that she is is very annoyed by being married off and goes to G's family to meet her soon to be husband. Being cursed, G is unable to meet her and his brother makes some crass jokes and comments about G being a womanizer , which he isn't, that kind of irritate Jane. In this time Edward has discovered he's being poisoned and flees. Jane and G get married at dusk, G gets drunk to tell Jane his secret, doesn't and passes out on the floor of their room, and Jane wakes up very surprised to find a horse in her room. It's announced Edward has died, and Jane is queen. Mary decides to take back her thrown, but unlike in history Jane and G escape and the story truly begins. There's an army or two and a group of Eðians running rampant. It's tons of fun.

My Opinion!

Personally I love My Lady Jane all the characters are great and funny. There's some swearing, and romance, and the very end is a little more risque than the rest of the book as it ends with Jane and G's second wedding night. But nothing too out there. Personally I say 14+ to read it just for some maturity but it's great. The Lady Janies have written another book too, My Plain Jane, which I will review soon, and another set to come out in June, My Calamity Jane. Ten of ten paw prints🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾 

A Brief Word On The Current Situation

Let me begin with LET ME OUT OF THIS HOUSE. I can't stand it anymore. I need to see real life people in person. So to all of you people not staying at home because you just don't want to STAY HOME. If you're a healthcare worker or business owner or necessary personal I salute you, especially healthcare workers. Everyone else refusing to stay at home I hope you step on a lego. I've taken to putting together puzzles I've been meaning to do for a while. I just finished a 3D Diagon Alley which is super cool and now I'm working on a 3D Cinderella's castle. I've read, watched an inordinate amount of TV (hulu/netflix/dvds), and cooked. I want out. I want to go see people, I won't but I want to. So now that I've vented some of my crazy I invite you to do the same. Also go outside and enjoy the sun I know it makes me feel better.

Enjoy social distancing,

Merlin:)

To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee

Well hello my dears. Come in sit a spell.
Feel free to read that in a horribly stereotypical southern accent. I hate those accents but well it goes with the story, ish. I will continue to hate and be insulted by those accents forever. I don't sound like that, nor does anyone I know. And for those of you not from the south, and I mean deep south, and not just the southern united states. Think bible belt, good old fashion racism (something I do not and have never supported in any way), and ridiculous summer heat. Anyway, To Kill a Mockingbird is widely regarded as a classic, which typically means that it's boring as crap and horrible (I thought this when I first tried to read it) but it's actually really good. Given that I had to practically psychoanalyze this for my Lit class my opinions may be kind if weird but it's great. The morals. The plot. The characters, static and dynamic. I can't believe I actually went there, so weird. But that's all I'm going to say about static and dynamic characters. Possibly ever.

Characters!

• Scout Finch- Scout is a little girl at the beginning and the book follows her growing up over the years in the 1930's. She starts out as an innocent six year old. She doesn't really understand how the world works and what's going on but she's full of spunk and character and absolutely refuses to take crap from any body. 
• Jem Finch- Jem is Scout's older brother. He understands more about the world than Scout but he still doesn't quiet understand the world and why it is the way it is. But then again who does honestly. As much as Scout grows Jem grows and learns just as much. He's a young boy, he's mischievous, and constantly into trouble, and unwilling to let anyone tell him how things have to be.
• Atticus Finch- I freaking love Atticus. He's like the perfect southern gentleman. He's chivalrous, and kind, and willing to stand up for what he believes in. Why can't more people be like Atticus? Life would be so much better if they were. He also gives really good advice. 
• Boo Radley- I can't say much about him because he's an enigma wrapped in a mystery. He lives in the Radley house and may have killed someone but who knows.

There are a lot more characters. Tom Robinson springs to mind and I probably should have talked about him more than I did but I don't want to go on and on and on about characters. Some of the characters I love, others not so much but all together the cast of this book is fantastic.

Setting!

This is a rarely seen heading isn't it, but I think this is a book that the setting needs to be talked about. To Kill a Mockingbird is set in Maycomb, Alabama, in 1933-1935. Maycomb is your stereotypical small southern town. Everybody knows everybody, and the problems that you associate with Small town Southern America are prevalent and then some. Everybody knows about slavery and the Civil Rights movement but this falls in between the two (a lot of things did). This story shows everyday racism and sexism and all these problems, but also the wholesome community and love in the south that I know. So I just ask, if you read this book and aren't from the south, please keep this in mind.

Plot!

The plot of To Kill a Mockingbird is very simple, its just the life of a young girl growing up in Maycomb, Alabama. Scout is growing up with her father, Calpurnia, their cook/housekeeper/mother-figure, and her brother. Her life is very ordinary, happy, and to her amazing. Then Atticus takes a rather controversial case. This leads to all sorts of problems, for the children and the town. It brings to light racism that Scout and Jem didn't know existed and shows them how unfair the world is.

My Opinion!

I love this book. The first time I read this book I was too young to truly enjoy it and was horribly bored.  Reading it again later made me truly appreciate it and it's message.  Atticus says "You don't know a man until you walk a mile in his shoes." and he's quiet right. The whole book explores life in the south in the 30's and how people aren't always what they seem. Many characters in the book seem to be one way, (Boo, Tom, Mrs. Dubose) when they turn out to be completely different person. It shows how one person can slowly make all the difference in the world. I love it. Everyone should read it at some point. Read it to your children. Read for your self. Just read it. Eleven of Ten paw prints 🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾

I wish you the best in the apocamaybe and in life,

Merlin:)

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Amelia Hello my dears,
It has occurred to me that I have failed as your loyal blogger in two ways.

1. I haven't blogged this summer as much as I planned to, but alas I'm terribly scatterbrained and forgetful. I am terribly sorry for that.
2. I haven't reviewed The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society which is in my opinion doomed to eventually become a classic. It's that amazing. Today I intend to fix that.

The fact that I haven't reviewed Guernsey occurred to me as I was cleaning, which we all know is only appropriate to do between the hours of eleven fifteen and two in the morning. I'm sure plenty of you have heard of Guernsey after all it became a Netflix original a while ago. The movie is actually what inspired me to read the book as horrible as that sounds. But in my defense I didn't know it was a book before I watched it. One of the most interesting, and one of my favorite, things about Guernsey is it's written entirely in letters. What is most likely my favorite thing about Guernsey (other than the characters, the plot, and everything) is the fact that it has it's basis loosely in actual history. Guernsey is a real island in the English Channel that was really was occupied by the German's during WWII. Unfortunately it seems that most of the history of Guernsey during WWII has been swept under a rug, see the Brits were never supposed to stop fighting and never be occupied but Guernsey, being in the Channel, was.

Characters!

• Juliet Ashton- A London author who after WWII is rather unsatisfied with her life. She must go on tour for her book and she (much I like would) dreads it. Juliet is sweet and gentle but also determined and courageous. I absolutely adore her (mind you I adore all of the characters)
• Dawsey Addams- If only there were actual men like Dawsey. He's sweet and kind and wonderful. If he were real, age appropriate, and I knew him I would snatch him up in a heart beat. He writes Juliet about a book and sets the whole story in motion.
• Isola Pribby- Isola is a strange bird. She makes her own gin, is a feminist, and loves Brontë. I love her because of how unique she is. She's also sweet and kind and takes Juliet in so easily.
• Amelia Maugrey- A secretly delightful woman with a tough exterior from loosing people. 
• Eben Ramsey- Local postmaster and a very grandfatherly man. Eben has to be one of the sweetest men in all books, he has this quiet strength that I adore.
• Elizabeth McKenna- The founder of the Society and a strong woman who defends what she believes in, to the end.
• Sydney Stark- Juliet's publisher and oldest friend. He's charming, and sweet, and amazing. 
• Markham V. Reynolds- Ok I lied there are like two characters in the book that I dislike. Mark I hate, for reasons I cannot disclose without spoiling everything. (the other is so insignificant that she's not worth mentioning, in fact I'm not sure she's in the book this review has turned out to be half movie half book but if I do say so myself the producers did a fantastic job with Guernsey)

Plot!

So Juliet lives in London as a writer, but after the war she feels uninspired and unhappy with her life. Then she gets a letter from a man named Dawsey Addams in Guernsey, asking about a book. See he had acquired a copy of one of her books with her address on it. They start exchanging letters and one thing leads to another and Juliet ends up in Guernsey, where she meets and falls in love with the members of the Society. Except for Elizabeth who was sent off island during the war. She so falls in love with them that she decides to write about them. Various things happen, letters are exchanged , people show up, things come out, and we fall in love with the characters. My only advice READ IT!

Review!

I know I probably say this too much, but this has got to be one of the best books of all time. It's probably technically an Adult book just because it doesn't have the hallmarks of a YA book. In historical fiction that's not always a bad thing. That being said a fourteen year old could read it and understand and enjoy it. Guernsey of people trying desperately to figure out life after one of the greatest tragedies of all time and move on from what they lost. With just a little adventure and gentle romance mixed in for fun. I adore it completely. Eleven of ten paw prints! 🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾

Farewell my friends and may you find Guernsey as wonderful and perfect as I,

Merlin:)

PS: what got me started on Guernsey was I watching the movie and started thinking about the book and how I didn't remember if I had reviewed it or not.

Lost Roses Martha Hall Kelly

Привет
First,  may I just say that while I read this I got all the music from Anastasia stuck in my head. This book made me think of Anastasia so much. I'm not sure how many of you are history nerds like me but this is historical fiction. Lost Roses is set in 1910's New York and Russia. Some of the fabulous characters are Russian aristocracy. For those of you who don't know/care/remember, this is a problem because 1910's Russia was home to the Russian Revolution. During the Russian Revolutions the Bolsheviks and other revolutionaries killed basically all of the aristocracy left in Russia. This story is told by three wonderful (sorta) and unique women: Eliza a wealthy New York socialite, Sofya a Russian aristocrat, and Varinka a Russian peasant.

Characters!

• Eliza Ferriday- Our socialite with a big heart. Eliza has known and been friends with Sofya for years and considers her one of her best friends. She loves her friends and family to the ends of the Earth. That being said, she's not perfect. Eliza goes through a lot (she doesn't always react well), and comes out better for it.
• Sofya Afonovich- Our Russian aristocrat, who also happens to be a distant cousin of the tsar. 1910's Russia was not a good place for aristocracy. She's married to Afon, a soldier in the Russian army (1910's Russia was not a good place for the military either), and they have a wonderful son Maxwell. Due to revolution, Sofya also goes through alot. As you can see this is not a happy book.
• Luba- Sofya's much younger sister, and brilliant mind. I really identify with Luba. She loves learning new things and reading. Her step-mother isn't a fan. Once again goes through a lot.
• Varinka- Our final POV and Russian peasant, she lives in the village that Sofya's family has a house in. There's a guy who lives with her and her mamka, who is a revolutionary. He is also a horrible, HORRIBLE, person. I personally hate him.

There are so many more amazing characters, but I don't have the time or will power to go through all of them without spoiling things.

Background!

So because this is historical fiction, I think you need to understand the time period and what's happening in it. This particular period is very complicated. Russian history in general is very complicated. It involves vikings (sorta) and the Mongols. Russia also remained backwards for along time. I'm sure most of you have at least heard of the Age of Enlightenment, the American Revolution, the French Revolution, World War I (WWI), and the Russian Revolution. Now you're probably wondering how some of these events are related to this particular era, like I said complicated. Now I'm going to be really nerdy. I'll try to be brief, but I make no promises. The Age of Enlightenment was a period of time when people started to think differently. Catherine the Great was in power at the time, and she made her capital and palace a mini Paris. She spoke French, made ballet popular, and wrote letters to French thinkers. She also slightly reformed Russia. Then the American Revolution happened as a result of the Age of Enlightenment. The American Revolution prompted the French Revolution which prompted Russia to close it's self off to the rest of the world and throw out all things enlightenment. This caused problems including serfdom remaining and a failure to modernize. Failure to modernize led to losses in several wars, and economic issues. Then WWI happened. Most Russians weren't really happy with the idea after losses in other wars. Germany to Austria-Hungary that they had their back if they (A-U) declared war on Serbia, and Russia promised Serbia the same. So WWI began, and Russians hated it. WWI had many repercussions for Russia including the collapse of it's economy. This combined with internal issues sparked the revolution. In 1917 the Revolution forced Russia to drop out of WWI. The Revolution was a general mess. No one was sure what anybody else was doing which led to a lot of death. The main group of Bolsheviks in the capital had it together but other groups acted more on there own and seized property from aristocracy, and some even went as far as brutally murdering even the kinder aristocrats. Ok really long nerdy ramble over, sorry.

Plot!

So Eliza and Sofya met in 1912 at school and Eliza invited her and Luba to join her in Paris. In 1914 the pair are still fast friends and Sofya, along with her family, is staying with Eliza and her family in New York City. In New York Sofya gives birth to her son, Maxwell. Unfortunately they have to go back to Russia. At this point Russia is on the brink of revolution (in fact there was a minor revolution in 1914) but not quite there yet. Fast forward to 1916 and the revolution is about to start and Sofya and her family are forced out of St. Petersburg, starting her own personal hell. At the same time, in New York, Eliza's personal hell is just getting started (for completely separate reasons). Varinka's life has sucked for a while now. She's poor, and has Taras living with her. Taras is the HORRIBLE guy I mentioned earlier. I'm not even touching the stuff he does (it borders on and quiet possibly is sexual assault). Varinka plays a role in making Sofya's life suck. So two of three main characters end up in Paris. Lots of shenanigans occur. The ending is bittersweet, but ultimately more on the happy end of the scale.

Review!

First I need to apologize for rambling about Russian history. I'm a nerd but y'all knew that already. I really enjoyed this book. I have a deep love for historical fiction, particularly accurate historical fiction. This book is shockingly accurate. Martha Hall Kelly actually went to Paris and Russia to research this book. And most of her characters were or are based on real people. Given that the setting is all real places and the amount of research put into the setting is so rich you feel like you're there. I love this book. It's definitely one of my top five favorite historical fiction books of all time. If you like historical fiction you should read it, it's fantastic. Ten of ten Paw prints🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾

Пока,

Merlin:)

Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco

Salut!
So if you follow my bookstagram you know I read this one a while ago, but being the horrible person I am I haven't reviewed it until now. Yikes! So the greeting is in Romanian as this book is set in Transylvania which is now a region of Romania. When we last saw them Audrey Rose and Thomas were on their way to school in Transylvania. This school happens to be in the infamous Prince Dracula's castle. Of course on the way our dear friends run into dead bodies and dodge the tension between them, a little.

Characters!

• Audrey Rose- We all know Audrey Rose. I'm assuming we all love Audrey Rose. She's still the same spunky medicine loving improper lady she was in the first book, only now she's breaking even more stereotypes at a medical school in Transylvania.
• Thomas- Ah Thomas.  I love him soo much. 😍😍 He's great. Still charming, and arrogant, and kinda nerdy. He cares so much about Audrey Rose and his family it's great.
• Daciana Cresswell- So Daci was vaguely mentioned in the first book as Thomas's sister. She plays a role in this book. Not a huge roll but a role that involves this plot twist that's great. Actually two amazing plot twists.
• Ileana- She's Audrey Rose's maid at the school. So she plays a fairly significant role.
• Anastasia- She's the headmaster's ward. She and Audrey Rose become friends because other than the staff, they are the only girls at the school.

Plot!

So at the end of Stalking Jack the Ripper, Audrey Rose and Thomas are a) sorta together b) headed to Bran castle to attend Academy of Forensic Medicine and Science. On the train ride to Transylvania the pair hears rumors of Prince Dracula has returned. Naturally neither of the scientific pair want to believe in vampires, or as Thomas explains strigoi. Then one of the passengers ends up killed the same way as you would kill a strigoi. Superstition and mystery shroud Audrey Rose and Thomas's time at Academy of Forensic Medicine and Science, as they secretly investigate the rumors of Prince Dracula's return.

Review!

I adore this book. Normally sequels don't measure up to the first book, but this one does. Kerri's amazing writing and characters prevail. The imagery is amazing. I felt as though I was in Transylvania in drafty old creepy Bran Castle. I still love

• Historical Fiction
• Mystery
• Amazing characters

So this is all really amazing. Thomas is definitely still one of my top fictional crushes, ever. The plot was amazing. I thought I knew where it was going, but NOOOO. I thought I knew who Dracula was but no. Why this was happening, but no. Which is awesome. I don't want to know how things are going to end before the end. It's amazing. Trust me. Read it.

Rating!

I love this book. Definitely YA and the innuendos in the first book are present in this one too. This one is has slightly more gore than the first but it's not that graphic. Being Victorian Era they don't swear a lot. I love it 10/10 paw prints🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾 

Ramas bun,

Merlin:)

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

Good day my dears,

So I had been wanting to read this book for a while and was super excited about reading it. Well Kerri Maniscalco did not disappoint. She crafted a wonderfully rich, historically accurate world that sucks you in and makes you never want to leave. Also I was so shook when I read the ending. I thought I knew where it was going but well no, no no. It got crazier.

Characters!!

Audrey Rose Wadsworth- So this book is set in Victorian-era London in which women had very few rights and very little freedom. Audrey Rose resents this and is very modern, even by today's standards. She a young lady of polite society is interested in forensic medicine. So she apprentices with her uncle behind her father's back.

Thomas Cresswell- *dreamy sigh* He's my new fictional crush. I love and adore him. He's perfect. Smart, dreamy, a gentleman. However he does have flaws including being an arrogant donkey. Either way he also apprentices with Audrey Rose's uncle.

Audrey Rose's Father- Lord Wadsworth. He's just a little crazy.

Nathaniel Wadsworth- Audrey Rose's brother. He's vaguely supportive of Audrey Rose. 

Johnathan Wadsworth- Audrey Rose's uncle with whom she and Thomas apprentice. He's a scientist who specializes in the forensic sciences.

Jack the Ripper- Jack the Ripper is a famous serial killer who terrorized Whitechapel in London for anywhere from two years to three months. And yes I realize that there is a big time difference there, most historians believe that Jack only terrorized Whitechapel for approximately three months. If we go with most historians view, which I am, then Jack only killed five people. Yes I get that killing five people is a good idea but its been over a century and we still talk about the Ripper. Other accounts hold him responsible for eleven murders taking place over about two years. All of Jack's victims were working women *cough*. No one ever caught Jack and the reasons behind all of his murders remain unknown to this day. Which is tbh the most fascinating part of his story because serial killers like Jack typically don't stop killing unless they are a) made to as in caught or b) die. So what exactly happened to Jack? That question opens the door to historical fiction like this book and potentially many more.

Plot!

Ok so Audrey Rose Wadsworth is a young lady of high society in the Victorian Era. This effectively means that all she's supposed to do is gain some basic knowledge, gossip, learn to manage a household, be proficient in lady-like crafts, shop, and marry well. The only bits of this that Audrey Rose is interested in are shopping (sometimes), learning, and knowing some about managing a household. And when I say learning, I mean medicine which is largely considered inappropriate for women, and her father is extremely against her having anything to do with medicine or her uncle who's teaching her, so she's studying in secret, as a boy. While doing this Audrey Rose encounters Thomas Cresswell another one of her uncle's students. Her uncle is a well known forensic scientist and so is consulted on the murders done by the infamous Jack the Ripper, who at the time is called The Leather Apron. Given that this is a mystery and this is not at all mysterious, shenanigans ensue and Audrey Rose and Thomas end up stalking Jack the Ripper.

Review!

I absolutely adore this book! First of all Jack the Ripper fascinates me, as do most serial killers but Jack in particular. Second, Thomas is amazing. He's cocky and arrogant and yet a gentleman. I love him. Third, this book combines three of my favorite things 

1. historical fiction 
2. mystery 
3. a strong female lead character 

So yes I love this book. Victorian London is painted in such vivid color that you feel like you're there. You can feel the chaos and fear surrounding the people of London but the calm in Audrey Rose's uncle's lab. The writing is fantastic and whereas not long ago I had never heard of Kerri Maniscalco she is now one of my favorite authors. Her characters are realistic and her plots are full of twists. I love when authors write this story where you think "Oh I know where this is going." and then "boom wow what just happened?". I despise when you can pick out the end of a mystery from the beginning but when you think you know where it's going and then it goes in a completely different direction is amazing and I think it shows just how awesome the author is. I think that everyone who enjoys a good mystery or historical fiction would enjoy this book. That being said this book centers around a serial killer who is famous for mutilating his victims and a girl who performs autopsies in her spare time so yeah it can be a little graphic. Not like hard core gore and blood like in a lot of movies but you get some descriptions of the injuries and autopsies, just as a heads up. There are also some innuendos which are called out, not like really bad innuendos but they still exist. So all in all its a really good YA book and I think a lot of people would enjoy it. Ten of Ten paw prints🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾

Happy reading!

Merlin:)