When I started the Amazon/Goodreads 100 Must-Read Books in a Lifetime list in January of this year, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Skimming the titles, I recognized several, either because I’d already read them or they were the commonly-used books in films about high school or college—you know, the “coincidental” book the protagonist is … Continue reading Lifetime Reading List Review, Part 1 – 2020
Note: I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley and am leaving this review voluntarily. When I first saw Before the Crown by Flora Harding on Net Galley, I hurried to request an Advance Review Copy (ARC). As followers of my blog are aware, I am a huge English History buff and … Continue reading Book Review: Before the Crown by Flora Harding
I’ve worked in theater for nearly a decade and minored in Elizabethan Culture in college, but when it comes to William Shakespeare, I’ve never described myself as a fan. Generally, I think this is because I’ve yet to see most of Shakespeare’s plays onstage. Of course, when in showbusiness, I’ve often had to read a … Continue reading Book Review: Macbeth by William Shakespeare
Before you read any further, please be aware that this post contains many spoilers of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins. As soon as I finished The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, I texted my best friend who’d loaned me the book. “Lucy Gray is Katniss’s grandmother!!!!!!” Quickly, Hannah responded with a … Continue reading Is Lucy Gray the Grandmother of Katniss Everdeen?
Out of the 100 books on the Amazon/Goodreads Lifetime Reading List, three are plays by William Shakespeare. I read Romeo and Juliet in February and Hamlet in March. Although I believe both plays are tales worth viewing, I don’t think these have any place on a reading list—I think these works should be viewed as … Continue reading Lifetime Reading List: Macbeth by William Shakespeare
Let it be known far and wide that the version of Anne Boleyn created by Gemma Lawrence remains breath-taking throughout The Scandal of Christendom (Above All Others – The Lady Anne, Book #4). Beginning in Autumn 1530, The Scandal of Christendom follows Anne Boleyn through the aftermath of the downfall of Cardinal Wolsey and the … Continue reading Book Review: The Scandal of Christendom by Gemma Lawrence
As Tudorphiles know, today is the 464th anniversary of Anne Boleyn’s death. Beheaded on Tower Green for accusations we, like her contemporaries, believe to be false and absurd. She was a woman with ambition, who lived and loved passionately. Several months ago, my husband and I were doing one of those “100 Questions to Ask … Continue reading Anne’s Legacy
If you know me, you know that I am a complete and total Tudorphile. Both of my kids are named after Tudor figures, and the person from history I’d most like to have a conversation with is Anne Boleyn. So, in a way, it’s only fitting that when I was dealing with a vexing situation … Continue reading “Let Them Grumble”
It isn’t the easiest task for me to assess Hamlet as a book review because my theatrical background (more than ten of my twenty-four years) prohibits me from seeing any Shakespeare as a book. To me, Hamlet is a script that’s bound like a book, but isn’t one. So for that reason alone, I have … Continue reading Book Review: Hamlet by William Shakespeare
As I said in regard to the placement of Romeo and Juliet on the Amazon/Goodreads Lifetime Must-Read List (see thoughts here), I don’t believe Hamlet by William Shakespeare should be included. While the story is spectacular, the original intention was of a performance, not a reading experience. The most profound central theme is the dynamic … Continue reading Lifetime Reading List: Hamlet by William Shakespeare
The Pensive Bookworm 