Genre: Crime, Thriller, Historical Fiction

​Sovereign is the third instalment of the 'Shardlake' series by C.J. Sansom and it did well to live up-to the previous renditions.

Following Matthew Shardlake across the country to the city of York ahead of the King's progress after the 'Pilgrimage of Grace' in 1536-37.

Sansom cleverly creates intrigue and tension in his usual style as Matthew gets thrown into a case with direct links to the King himself. As the story develops I was constantly kept guessing as to who the culprit was and the twists and turns gave nothing away.

It's incredible how Sansom's description and vivid imagery in his books brings you right back to the Tudor period. The style and narratives that Sansom creates, provides the reader with an insight into how everyday people live in this time. What was interesting with this rendition in the Shardlake series is that the focus was on portraying the lives of lawyers and their interactions with those stationed above them.

Sansom is very clever at weaving twists and turns and generating intrigue, hence my reasoning for awarding this novel 4 out of 5 stars. Being so far from London I did feel that it was hard to include characters we previously got to know in books 1 & 2, but otherwise a great read that I would thoroughly recommend. 

Genre: Crime, Thriller, Historical Fiction

​Origin is the fifth instalment in the Robert Langdon series by Dan Brown​ set in Bilbao, Madrid and Barcelona - focusing on the debate between religious leaders and scientists on creationism.

The main character in this book, Edmond Kirsch, is extraordinarily smart and is the anchor for the books narrative. His discovery causing wide debate and intrigue both in the book and to myself the reader.

From the get-go Brown has me gripped - to the point where I physically could not put the book down. I had to know what this discovery is. 

Brown's writing style and depth of research definitely comes through when reading this captivating novel. Even though the book jumped from Robert Langdon to Prince Julian throughout the book, but it was done in such a way that it did not detract the flow of the narrative, showing Brown's writing mastery.

Gaudi is a central figure in this novel - since finishing the book I have found myself drawn to Gaudi in a way I was not previously. I will look to read more about him and explore his works even more.

​My reasoning for awarding this book a four-out-of-five stars is that some of the twists and turns, even though required by genre doctrine were a little bit predictable. If they had been a bit more obscure and unpredictable then this book would definitely have received full-marks. A really enjoyable read.

Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance

​Within Jayne Seymour: The Haunted Queen acclaimed historian and novelist Alison Weir creatively tells the story of Jayne Seymour through fiction. This book has everything from romance, drama, political intrigue to executions and court hearings.

From the epic Six Tudor Queens series Weir clearly captures the tension of the time surrounding Anne Boleyn's fall from grace and power through to Jane's subtle and endearing nature.

I enjoyed Alison's portrayal of Jane, it's how I envisaged her being; trusting, endearing, loving, loyal - but also a little naive. It showed her journey from a country maid to lady at court and eventually Queen of England.

What was really intriguing about this novel was her interactions with other characters and the growth and development of her as an individual from - Jayne the loyal servant, Jayne the loving daughter/sister/aunt, Jayne the loving companion and finally Jayne the Queen. I felt like I had been taken on quite the journey with Jayne.

Personally I did not like the character of Anne in this novel, however it will be interesting if this changes when reading the second novel in the series - Anne Boleyn: A Kings Obsession. Katherine of Aragon's character was very regal and pious and I look forward to reading her story, especially about the beginning of her relationship with Henry - from her perspective, in Katherine of Aragon: The True Queen. 

I have digested this series in a rather odd way in reading the third book of the series first, however, I had an opportunity through Pigeonhole - and if you have not yet explored this site/app you should, it's awesome - to read this pre-publication. 

This book has been given five-out-of-five stars because I enjoyed it very much and could not fault it in anyway. If you get a chance please do check out Alison Weirs - Six Tudor Queens series. It offers a whole new perspective on such a poignant and critical period within English history.

Genre: Romance, Adult Fiction, F/F, Erotica, LGBTQI

Tipping the Velvet was recommended to me by my partner and I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it. It did take me a little while to get into it, but once I did I was gripped.
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Miss Waters writing style is a unique one that fitted the era of the time in question 'down to a T'. 

​When reading this I had to make sure that I put myself in the mindset of the time in question in order to make sure I was contextually engaging with the narrative as I should.

There were times where my jaw-dropped, as I could not believe some of the ways in which women had to conceal their feelings for the ones they love.

It was also a beautiful portrayal of a story of a broken-heart and the impact this can have on a life of the person and the people that surround them.

There was a hidden element of politics of the time and the struggles that everyday people faced, which added depth and social context to the narrative to help support the characters story and beliefs.

I gave this book 4 stars because you really do need to put yourself in the context and frame of mind of the time, which is challenging, but also rather enjoyable.

Give it a go - it's a must read.

Genre: ​​Historical, Cultural, Classic, Crime Fiction.

This is the second time that I have read To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee - and I must say that I enjoyed it just as much the second time around as I did on the first occasion.

What Lee does very intricately here is weave a tale of such a heinous crime but through the innocent eyes of a child. For instance, there are frequent examples of the child's naivety when confronted with dangerous and more 'adult' situations, with the general assumption made by the older characters that she is 'too young to understand'.

Reading this I began to feel that I, myself, was part of Maycomb County and that I was a member of their society, an onlooker if you will on the events unfolding across the narrative. It was extremely engaging, and I must admit I was on the edge of my seat on a couple of occasions.

Dialogue is essential to bringing about a cultural awareness and bringing the reader with you along the narrative journey. Here, Lee uses this to great effect throughout the novel, where I was unintentionally mimicking the Southern American accent along with the characters; thus bringing forth a familiarity with each of them.

​I am not surprised that this has been deemed a 'classic piece of literary fiction' by many avid readers. It has undoubtedly provided not only satisfaction, but also a wider sense of education of early 1900's America - across the southern states. It transfixed me so much, which is the reason for my 5 star-rating, and also the reason why this book is most certainly within my top-10 reads of all time.

The only thing I can add here is that I am very intrigued to see Lee's subsequent sequel to this amazing book - Go Set a Watchman. #WatchThisSpace