Lady Almira and the Real Downton Abbey

A deeper look into one of the mistresses who "ran" Highclere Castle at the turn of the century and through World War I. Instantly recognizable as the setting of Downton Abbey one of the descendants and current occupants recounts some of the lost history of the estate. Lady Almira married the 5th Earl of Carnarvon and with it came the beautiful estate of Highclere. Lady Almira's family was a bit of a scandal BUT she was an heiress so her marrying into the family was a godsend for the estate. She knew how to throw lavish parties and always looked for a challenge. She turned the castle into a hospital during the war and considered it one of the highlights of her life. Her husband was infamous himself, he was the man who financed the King Tut excavation and discovery. A fascinating history that focuses more on the family than the house. There are a lot of parallels from the show to the real story which is cool. There are also TONS of photos which is nice. A must read for fans of Downton Abbey and Edwardian England!

The Secret Garden

Freaking loved this!! I had grown up watching the Hallmark version of this on repeat with my best friend and I must say... it followed the book pretty faithfully (minus the ending where the three kids meet up 10 years later). This is the perfect book to read in the spring and it made me really want to get outside and start working on my garden. There were a couple dated references (Indians being referred to as black and sub-human) that weren't cool but... it was a product of its time. For those unfamiliar with the premises, it basically follows a ten year old girl who was raised in India who is orphaned when cholera kills both her British parents. She is sent to live with a distant uncle in England who she has never met. She is a spoiled girl, used to getting her way, but she befriends a local boy who is so good humored and into nature that she starts to turn into a good little girl. Before long there is another spoiled boy who comes into the mix. Will he change his ways too? Wonderful, great for kids and adults alike. It definitely holds up!

The War That Saved My Life

Simply WONDERFUL! The audiobook is sublime and done by a woman with a wonderful English accent who can switch between kids and adult voices seamlessly; it's impressive. This Newbery Award winning middle grade book tells the story of two young kids who are sent to live in the English countryside during the Bombing Blitz of England in WWII. Technically they weren't sent, but they decided to run away. It would be an adventure, why not join the other children leaving? Ada has a twisted foot (club foot) and her mother is so ashamed and disgusted of her that she has never been allowed to leave the apartment or attend school unlike her younger brother. Suddenly, the English countryside is at her disposal. Susan the woman who was forced to take them in, finds herself thawing to the children. They've had a rough life and so has she. Can they survive this war together? A wonderful, compassionate, moving book!

The Splendid and the Vile

I love good WWII historical nonfiction and Erik Larson did a WONDERFUL job piecing together a story not just of Churchill, but his family, the people he worked with, and the bombing of Britain. I know there are a ton of books on Churchill, but I've never read them. I've also never really taken the time to learn much about the Bombing of Britain. This book combined so much I didn't know into a wonderful narrative filled with direct quotations, whether it be from diaries or speeches. Even though I clearly know the outcome of the war and know that the Nazi's did not end up invading; it was still fascinating to read about Churchill and how he came into office the day the Hitler invaded Belgium and Holland. The way he led Britain was inspiring and Erik Larson does a wonderful job of writing about how passionate, persuasive (and peculiar) he was. I definitely want to go read more now! Impeccably researched, never dry, and always engaging; this is how non-fiction should be written!

Bringing Down the Duke

A historical romance that is not only witty, but a tad bit steamy too! Certain plot lines read right out of a Jane Austen novel, but that only served to make the book more enjoyable! In her mid-twenties, Annabelle is practically a spinster, she convinces her closest relations to let her study at Oxford (now that women can attend) and finds herself getting more and more involved in the women's suffragette movement. While she's busy trying to recruit men to the cause she stumbles into Duke Montgomery, a dashing and infuriating man. Even though he is far above her station they keep finding their paths crossing. He is so insufferably attractive and witty; it would be easier if she could just hate the man and move on with her life. Soon they are both wanting to rip off each others clothes, but Annabelle has a lot more to lose if a scandal occurs. Charming, steamy, and unerringly witty; a nice romantic read.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Gah! I never wanted this book to end! It was an adorable, cozy read from start to finish and I LOVED the characters and the witty writing style of Juliet. Told through a series of letters, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, tells the story of a small island off the coast of England and how the islanders survived German occupation during World War II by forming a very unconventional literary society. Juliet is an author and Londoner whose wartime editorials have just been published into a popular book. While she is being celebrated around England she starts an odd and charming pen-pal relationship with a Guernsey islander and before long, she's writing to half the island. In no time at all she's found her inspiration for her next novel, in these odd, resilient, totally bonkers islanders. Cute, heartfelt, moving, wonderful, beautiful. I cannot wait to watch the movie adaptation!!

Atonement

This book is SOO descriptive! I honestly thought it pulled away from the story a bit. The first third of the book dragged on and on and I was bogged down with the descriptive details of every outfit, thought, vase, drink, and more. It definitely picked up in the second part but I wanted to quit reading long before I got there. In essence, this book is about a young sister who is a total jerk and joy-kill. She does something unforgivable and awful that impacts those closest to her and it has a ripple effect throughout the whole book. I wanted to like this, but I just couldn't get past the flowery pose. I bet the movie is better!

Elizabeth I

I haven't read historical fiction in a minute and I will admit that I was first daunted by the size of this book. However I was quickly captivated and this book was all I could think about. I had to know more! I vaguely remember learning about Queen Elizabeth I in history class, but what did I really know about her, so much was a mystery about her private life.

This 600+ page novel doesn't start during her childhood or even during her early reign. It starts when the Queen is in her mid-fifties and follows her through the end of her rule. It was utterly FASCINATING! The plot is told through the Queen's perspective and through her cousin, Lettice. Together they know an impressive cast of characters; Shakespeare, Francis Bacon, Grace O'Malley and more. I learned so much and was kept utterly charmed. I couldn't believe how wonderfully this was written and how much research the author put in to flesh out the queen's life. I can't wait to read more by this author.

The Alcatraz Rose

It's a shame that there isn't more of an online following for the Lawrence Kingston mystery series, or maybe there is but not in America. I would have loved to have stumbled upon this series sooner! I love good ol' murder mysteries, especially English ones, and this one is very reminiscent of Ellis' Peters' Brother Cadfael series. Not in the same time period obviously, and our main character isn't a monk, but they both seem to be wrapped up in mysteries that involve flowers or fauna. Which may sound lame but is actually kinda cool.

Lawrence Kingston is a respected botanist and acclaimed amateur sleuth. When a thirteen year old girl approaches him asking if he'll look into her mother's disappearance several years prior he can't refuse. What starts off as a simple cold case of a missing person rapidly evolves into a murder mystery, followed by the discovery of a once thought extinct rose on Alcatraz Island. Kingston discovers that many loose threads might actually be connected and he find himself trekking all over England and across the sea in America.

I may not be very good at predicting mystery endings, but this one left me doubly stumped. I would never have figured it out on my own had I not read all the way through. I look forward to reading the rest in this series. For fans of English murder mysteries.

I received this book for free from the author in return for my honest, unbiased opinion.

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

This was a touching story about an old man who lost it all (although he never really had it to begin with) and got it all back by opening up and actually living his life. Harold and his wife Maureen have been unhappily married for many years; they hardly speak, sleep in separate bedrooms, and do their best to stay out of each others way. That all changes one morning when Harold receives a letter from Queenie, an old friend. He hasn't spoken to hear in nearly 20 years and is dumbstruck to discover that she has inoperable cancer. Desperate to right his wrongs he writes a letter to Queenie but soon realizes it's not enough. On his way to mail the letter, he decides to keep walking. He will walk over 500 miles to save Queenie and do something with his life. Armed with nothing but his wallet and yachting shoes he sets off across England in this funny and moving novel about life un-lived, forgiveness, and redemption.