Long Live The Nine Day Queen

"And most of all, she loved the way that books could transport her from her otherwise mundane and stifling life and offer the experiences of a hundred other lives.
Through books she could see the world."

--Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, & Jodi Meadows, My Lady Jane

Genre: YA Historial Fiction, Alternate History

Publisher: Harper Teen

Pages: 512

Publication Date: June 7th, 2016

Source: ARC provided by author on ARC tour

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My Thoughts

The Belle

We all know how much I am obsessed with the Tudor era. While this book is not about Anne Boleyn, it does feature my fourth favorite historical lady--yes, I rank them, got a problem with that? And FYI being number four is quite high--and I could not have been more excited when I found out these lovely authors were going to rewrite her story. After Anne Boleyn, she is the lady I most need to have a different ending to her historical story. These authors did just that.

Following Your Heart In A World of Deception

"I will always come back for you, mi corazon."

--Laura Andersen, The Virgin's Spy

Genre: Adult Historical Fiction, Alternate History

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Pages: 336

Publication Date: November 10th, 2015

Source: ARC provided by publisher

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Previous Books in Series: The Virgin's Daughter
Previous Books in Companion Preceding Series: The Boleyn King & The Boleyn Deceit & The Boleyn Reckoning

Goodreads Description

For those who just can’t get enough of the scandalous Tudors, the author of the popular Boleyn King series offers the second in an enthralling new saga of the royal family, set in Elizabethan England. Perfect for fans of Philippa Gregory and Alison Weir.

This captivating continuation of her award-winning Boleyn King trilogy breathes immerses the reader in the dazzling Tudor court. Realistic period-details, genuine historical figures, and a stunning sense of atmosphere add depth and complexity to the seduction and glamour of the Tudor court in this spellbinding and imaginative sequel to The Virgin’s Daughter.

Most of you know my absolute obsession I have with these books because, duh, Anne Bolyen. I was extremely fortunate (re: lucky/thankful as a mother fucker who may or may not have danced around her living room upon receiving this mail) to receive THE VIRGIN'S SPY about 5 months before publication. What did I do? The only logical thing, of course. I dropped everything I was doing, re-read the entire Boleyn King series as well as the previous Tudor Legacy novel in prep for this book. I think we can all agree that was really the only option. So let's move on. It was a great few days of reading might I add.

SPOILERS FROM THE PREVIOUS BOOKS AHEAD, READ AT YOUR OWN RISK

So THE VIRGIN'S SPY picks up a short while where we leave THE VIRGIN'S DAUGHTER. Lucette and Julien are getting married--*squee!!!!*--but all is not settled with our other favorite players. Anabel continues to try and assert her independence and, like her mother before her, she really grows in this second book. I thought that she really started to see the bigger picture and manipulated as she could to get her way for what she thought best for her. Her options are obviously limited in that she is Princess but her mother is Queen Elizabeth. Y'all know your history? No? She's not one to mess with. While she couldn't always do what she wanted, my favorite part of her growth was that she was able to see the flaws of the ruling around her. Her mother is brilliant, I'm not debating that, but we all have flaws that we let dictate our decisions and Elizabeth is not exempt from this. Anabel knows her duty but also starts to see how she wants to run things. Who run the world? Girls.

Where you find Anabel, Pippa is not too far. However, this book brings Pippa more independence and this girl has some secretive problems she's not telling anyone about. It worries me. I love Pippa. She is passionate and sensitive beneath that ethereal demeanor and I want her to be okay. She is one of those people who bears the weight of the world on her shoulders and never asks for assistance. Things are brewing with her that we as readers still do not know but it all is going to come to a head in the final book. Oh-em-gee I cannot wait.

While we have an alternate history going down, some things remain constant. The war in Ireland is bloody and brutal and my *cough our cough* boy Stephen is right in the thick of it. Stephen is...so many beautiful things. His demeanor is similar to that of Dominic but he has this fire that can only be Minuette. Stephen is a man you want on your side. He is loyal, steadfast, and he does what is right rather than what is easy. And his choices are anything but easy. If any one character takes a more prominent lead role in this book I think it's Stephen. He goes through a lot of change and my heart breaks for him at so many moments. He has moments of triumph as well but if there is one single characters I need to be okay and happy at the end of this, it's Stephen. He is so strong, and like Pippa, thinks he alone has to solve all of life's problems. And when he doesn't live up to his own expectations? Well...prepare to shed a few tears...like I'm doing right now as I write this review. My heart is invested, you guys!

Speaking of Stephen, the threat of Ireland is a constant like I said. Much plot happens in this land of greenery and I loved this aspect. I personally did not know any of this conflict so it was a fantastic change of scenery and pace from what we are used to in previous books. Kit also plays a role in Ireland as well as abroad in Spain and hot damn you guys, this kid can bring the swoon, too. He is so very clearly a child of the love Minuette and Dominic share. He struggles with his feelings for Anabel and he is so damn adorable about it I wanna jump in the book and hug him.

Ok, I realize I just flailed about all the characters but I also talked about plot, too so it's a fairly decent review so far, right? Ok, fine. I suck but I love these people!! These books are my people, okay!?! Ok...moving on. The plot in itself moves steadily and takes us to Ireland and Spain, where Anabel's father and Elizabeth's ex-husband Philip is causing his own mischief with Mary, former Queen-ish of Scots. This part of the story is so deliciously intriguing to me. I'm anxious and excited to see how this plays out!

The writing of Laura Andersen continues to impress me and she just knows how to write historical fiction. There is that fantastic balance of history and character development with a huge side helping of character investment. You want to root for these people and see them succeed. Your emotions are completely tied into their feelings and I think that is so very hard to do with historical fiction. She has this way of writing that tugs at your heart strings--yes, I cried multiple times--but at the same time you trust in her writing and her vision that it is all worth the pain in the end. Same goes for The Boleyn King series and I have great feelings for the final book of this series. I cannot wait!!

The fact that I have to wait months for the next book is not cool...but ya know...I get it.

VIP
If you love the Tudors, strong characterization, and historical fiction in general...this book's for you.

Some Secrets Are Better Left Kept

"It's important to believe in something bigger than yourself."

--Jennifer Laam, Secret Daughter of the Tsar
    

Genre: Adult Contemporary, Historical Fiction. Alternative History

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Pages: 344

Publication Date: October 22nd, 2013

Source: Gifted to me by the lovely Erin Lindsay McCabe

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Previous Books in Series: Standalone

Goodreads Description

A compelling alternate history of the Romanov family in which a secret fifth daughter—smuggled out of Russia before the revolution—continues the royal lineage to dramatic consequences

In her riveting debut novel, The Secret Daughter of the Tsar, Jennifer Laam seamlessly braids together the stories of three women: Veronica, Lena, and Charlotte. Veronica is an aspiring historian living in present-day Los Angeles when she meets a mysterious man who may be heir to the Russian throne. As she sets about investigating the legitimacy of his claim through a winding path of romance and deception, the ghosts of her own past begin to haunt her. Lena, a servant in the imperial Russian court of 1902, is approached by the desperate Empress Alexandra. After conceiving four daughters, the Empress is determined to sire a son and believes Lena can help her. Once elevated to the Romanov’s treacherous inner circle, Lena finds herself under the watchful eye of the meddling Dowager Empress Marie. Charlotte, a former ballerina living in World War II occupied Paris, receives a surprise visit from a German officer. Determined to protect her son from the Nazis, Charlotte escapes the city, but not before learning that the officer’s interest in her stems from his longstanding obsession with the fate of the Russian monarchy. Then as Veronica's passion intensifies, and her search for the true heir to the throne takes a dangerous turn, the reader learns just how these three vastly different women are connected. The Secret Daughter of the Tsar is thrilling from its first intense moments until its final, unexpected conclusion.

The Settings
This book takes place across three time periods and three different settings. Tsarist Russia, Occupied Paris, and present-day Los Angeles. This was the best part of the book for me. I loved being immersed in this history and taking a secret look into the lives of the Romanovs. Having read a non-fiction book about Nicholas and Alexandra, I was pleasantly surprised to have the focus be on the positive attributes of Alexandra. The look we get in the Winter Palace, the streets of Paris, and the heat of Los Angeles was what kept this book going for me, as well as the subsequen history at the time. The ominous feeling of knowing the fates of the Romanovs years before tragedy happened is a perverse fascination for me and thus why I read historical fiction.

The Characters
I liked the characters, I didn't not like them but they were forgettable. I really love when books have multiple story lines especially over different time periods but this book is not a great example of that. The characterizations felt superficial, watered down, and rushed. I felt zero emotional connection to any of the three women featured and I really wanted to. I feel like if this was about a 600 page book with more build-up and description, this story would have really soared. But with the constraints of only being a 344 page book, we basically got a novella of each story...which sucks because the idea is really fantastic.

The Pacing
Along with my thoughts about the characters above, the pacing ties into this as well. When I'm not invested I kept falling out of the story. The first 100 pages flew by and I was excited to read but then I kept getting distracted while reading. Not wanting to keep going, and by the end of the book I just wanted to be done. I felt the romance aspect of the present-day story was insta-love rushed and it just didn't feel organic to the story.

Standing in Line Outside
If you love Tsarist Russia, superficial characterization, and rushed plots...this book's for you.