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#JulyJazz Stars and Stripes Written in 1896 by John Phillip Sousa. @Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

I loved this historical fiction novel in verse, set to the backdrop of classical piano music. This is the story of Helena, her family, and her new romantic interest Lucas in the weeks and months proceeding the fall of the Berlin Wall. It's weird calling something I remember watching on the news historical fiction.

John is 10 when an aristocrat comes to his humble country home to sweep him off to Oxford. Bewildered, he then learns that he is actually royalty and had been hidden away for his safety. I found this a little hard to get into at first, but I‘m glad I stuck with it, as it is SO good! The writing is great and some of the humor stopped me in my tracks. I very enthusiastically recommend this!

Set in the early seventeenth century, Sir David Moray, who served as Prince Henry‘s Gentleman of the Robes since his infancy, has been accused with poisoning him. King‘s Messenger, Andrew Logan has been tasked with returning him to stand trial. Along the way he finds a moral man and must choose what path to me take; he also finds love. Unlike many, I didn‘t find it all that well researched, but it is entertaining.

Today‘s book haul

Harkin‘s debut novel, Tell Me an Ending, was one of my top books of 2022. A quiet, dystopian-lite sci-fi. With The Pretender she‘s going back in time to the Tudor era. I‘ve had this book on hold since it was announced last year.

Alas! I am so overwhelmed with my reading lately—library due dates stress me out!—that I have made the tough decision to return it w/o a read.

I want it to be on people‘s radar though because Harkin has serious talent

Great story of two brothers from Massachusetts who end up at Gettysburg during Civil War. Has poetic parts but also very gritty. Map is of second day of 3.

#Read2025

This book get big bonus points for the descriptive writing about the food, fashion & especially design & decor. It also gave a good look at the fascinating history of the Greenbrier Resort & the work of designer Dorothy Draper. Why the so-so rating? The author tried too hard for a romance & HEA for Draper that just wasn‘t needed & required too many fictional liberties that took away from the rest. Also, much of pleasure I took from ⬇️