Dark Queen Rising by Paul Doherty
Stacey • August 6, 2019
England during the 14th and 15th Century was a bloody mess of wars and a pretty serious game with the throne. The 100 years war really took its toll on England and all its people. The war of the roses, the infamous battle between the Lancastrians and the Yorks was the pivotal turning point for England as a whole.
Fast forward to the tail end of the war and we find Margaret Beaufort. Ruthless, intelligent and the matriarch of the Tudor dynasty, knows she could never take the throne in her own birth right so pins all her dreams on her malleable son Henry.
During this time being a Lancaster may as well be wearing a bright neon sign saying traitor to the throne right here. This still did not stop Lady Margaret.
I adore historical fiction. It’s been my go to genre for quite some time. I am well versed in the Tudor dynasty and have a vast knowledge base starting with the war of the roses, all the way to the death of Elizabeth I. I half wondered if this would be a blessing or a curse and it turned out to be a curse for the author. There are some pretty acute inaccuracies in the historical parts of the book. They did grate on me a bit, I have to be honest but for for the most part, the writing is good enough for me to overlook the inconsistencies. The beginning of the book didn’t flow well for me, way too much talking and no story building. I hated that. Building into the story would have been better. I rather felt that the first chapter was picking up from somewhere else. It felt like I was starting a book from the middle of the story rather than the beginning.
Margaret Beaufort comes across a little less of a tyrant in this rendition. The author gives her a certain motherly humanity that made her a little easier to swallow. I couldn’t imagine having my only son so far away from me and not knowing if he was going to stay safe or if he was even alive. It must have taken its toll on Margaret being in fear constantly. I really can’t help wondering if the hardening of her heart started as young girl with no stabilty, rather than from all the upheaval with the realm.
When I read the synopsis for the book I was excited! A Tudor murder mystery!! How creative. I felt very let down with the whole story. The whole mystery surrounding the murders were not the star of the book as I was lead to believe. For me, if the part about the murders were removed from the summary, I would have gone in with a different mind set and I think you would have seen a very different review from me.
Instead this book is about a highly ambiguous woman with an ambition to rival any man. You never fully understand if it’s her love for her son that drives her or whether she loves the glory her son can give her by claiming the throne and ultimately, giving her the control of the realm.
‘She was determined to weave the web she wanted..’ That doesn’t sound like a woman who is just trying to navigate her way through a dark time in history. She is actively going against the grain and is putting her life and her sons in mortal danger in the process.
This book switches between the points of view of Margaret and Christopher Ulswicke. Ulswicke was one of only two people Margaret trusted in the world. I actually enjoyed his story more so than Margarets. He's funny, determined and could feel his need to do his very best. He was much more genuine a character than Margaret. He did what he did for the good of his mistress and for someone who kills people, was a much more believable human than Margaret comes across as. Other than the gruesome and overly descriptive deaths being described, there wasn’t much that stood out.
The pace of the book wanes a lot and other times you get far too much information thrown at you. I can still see the potential this book has but for a seasoned reader like me, it didn’t hold the water it should have. There were no twists and turns, nothing to drive you forward to continue to read. I did finish it. It was mediocre at best and a real let down for me. I did a happy dance when I first started to read it. I was excited. By the end I was just glad it was over.
I have never read any other of his work and in all honesty, I probably won’t be seeking his work out again. It’s a real shame that I didn’t have something better to say about this book. I really wanted to love it.
I would give it 2.5 stars out of 5. I even had to go and read parts again because my mind wandered and that never happens to me.
Sincerely, The Lioness
I just finished Sophie was here by Kathryn Croft and here are my thoughts. When Emmy’s boyfriend Charlie’s Parents want to give the family home to the couple, they move to the country which is something they both needed but what Emmy doesn’t expect to find is a mystery. Of what happened to Charlie’s girlfriend when he was a teen. When Emmy asks him about it, he turns cold… That’s not even the worst part.. When she goes down into the spooky basement.. There’s a message.. Sophie was here…. I love twisty turny psychological thrillers and this one was epic. Just when I thought I knew what was going on… BOOM! I was on a new path. It was great. I didn’t like any of the characters, they were a tad unlikable and Emmy was dramatic but I think that helped me to be more concerned about what happened to Sophie than the danger Emmy might have been in. I loved it. The audiobook was absolutely atmospheric! Pacing could have been a bit better but dang.. I was hooked from page one! 4.5 stars Thank you @netgalley and @bookouture for my gifted copy You can find your copy here https://amzn.to/4mGy6GD You can find all my reviews at thelionessofliteracy.com And my podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/5kKN96RNPNh4uNDZzpIE1A My store is bookaloriandesigns.com and no tariffs!!! #bookish #sophiewashere #netgalley #audiobookstagram #audiobooklover #bookalorian #booksbooksbooks #bookouture #alc #arcbooks #arcreader #arcreview #literaryinfluencer
I just finished Don’t Watch Alone by Elisa Daniels and here are my thoughts. What would you do if someone you don’t know tells you not to go to the movies with your friends… Stalks you… You take their power away and go anyway.. That was Blaize’s first mistake… Now she and her friends are in danger, trapped inside the mall after watching a horror movie. Trapped in their own version of a slasher movie not everyone is going to make it to the end.. Not sticking together was the 2nd… I have a real love for the 80s and slasher movies are my bread and butter so finding this book was so very exciting for me. Let’s start with Blaize. She was the epitome of a young adult living the life back then. She was realistic and raw and I loved that! I thought the lead up to them being trapped in the mall was a tad slow and each POV was Blaize’s and was like why do we need to keep being told who’s POV it was…. Well it made sense when we got to the carnage. I like the banter between all the friends and that made me nostalgic for the 80s, so much so I went on an 80s movie bender. I am so glad the book wrapped up and tied off all the loose ends at the end. The one thing I did wonder about is Andy mentioned he tried to warn Mary about the danger… Why would he warn her if she wasn’t the target? It was about the only plot hole I found because I didn’t feel satisfied by that whole part. All in all the writing was pretty good! Definitely would be interested to see what else this author has coming out in the future. 4 stars Thank you @mysterythrillerbookselisa and @booksirens for my gifted ARC copy! You can find a copy of the book here https://amzn.to/3WbCC58 You can find all mty book merch here - Bookaloriandesigns.com bookaloriandesigns.etsy.com You can find all my reviews at www.thelionessofliteracy.com You can find my podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/5kKN96RNPNh4uNDZzpIE1A #dontwatchalone #elisaddaniels #horror #slasher #thriller #80sbook #bookalorian #bookishpodcast #bookish #readervlog #reading #readstagram #bookinfluencer #literaryinfluencer #booksirens
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I just finished The 13 Power Moves of Dark Psychology by Lena Sisco and here are my thoughts! Have you ever been the victim of gaslighting? Manipulation? Deception? This book will give you the tools you need to recognize when dark psychology is being used on you and strategies to help you navigate your way through without falling prey to people looking to fool you. Protect yourself from narcissists, scammers, users and more. As someone who was married to a narcissist.. I wish I had had this book back then. It would have given me the map to being able to protect myself sooner. I love that the author has a background in intelligence and the whole book was really well laid out and was easy to follow. I felt empowered by it. I grabbed a copy to keep on my shelf but the audio book was absolutely phenomenal. Everyone deserves to be treated properly but not everyone is a good person so having the strategies you need to protect your peace! Awesome book 5 stars Thank you to @netgalley and @brilliancepublishing for my gifted ALC! You can find all my reviews at thelionessofliteracy.com And my podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/5kKN96RNPNh4uNDZzpIE1A Grab your copy here https://amzn.to/4n1pZpc #13powermovesofdarkpsychology #lenasisco #darkpsychology #bookish #bookalorian #litdulterous #bookishpodcast #bookworm #booksofinsta #bookstagramfeature #bookcommunity #bookreviews #bookblog #booksbooksbooks #readervlog
I just finished Procession by Katherena Vermette and here are my musings. I don’t read a lot of poetry books but there was something about the cover that just sucked me right in. I am really picky when it comes to poetry, I prefer having poetry read to me than reading it myself. I feel that poetry requires the author’s voice rather than mine but these poems.. They were so unique I felt I was hearing their voices if that makes sense. The poems follow what feels like a past to future unlived chronological order and it was really intriguing to say the least. They felt almost witchy in nature and I loved the tone and how it changed as the poems progressed. I loved the poems about photographs the most. They touched my soul. “faces echo familiarity names lost” This resonated with me so hard. It’s happened to me before. I found a box of photos and I remembered the faces but not the names. A fuzzy memory. The poem really hit home for me. I like the writing style and her voice is distinctive and warm. I read a few out loud to my kids and they actually listened so that was also a win. I find that poetry is personal to the reader and the writer spends their time finding commonality between them and us… It’s a rare treasure when you find a poem that sings to your soul and this one did for me. 4 stars Thank you Katherena Vermette @houseofanansi for my gifted copy of this beautiful work of poetry. You can find all my reviews at thelionessofliteracy.com And my podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/5kKN96RNPNh4uNDZzpIE1A You can find all my book merch at Bookaloriandesigns.com and bookaloriandesigns.etsy.com https://amzn.to/48wE7lE grab a copy here #procession #katherenavermette #poetry #poetrybook #booksbooksbooks #bookalorian #bookish #readersofig
I just finished The Shattered King by Charlie N Holmberg and here are my musings. Nym is a healer and the main breadwinner of her family but when the royal family brings her to the castle to heal Prince Renn, she worries about her siblings who are now left to fend for themselves. Getting home as quickly as possible is the ultimate goal but whatever is wrong with the prince is something she has never seen before but somehow she manages to do more than anyone else before her. Going home can only be achieved by fully healing the Prince but the truth of his illness is something she cannot begin to comprehend. This book does the fantasy thing a little differently… The world building isn’t the focus… I KNOW! SHOCK!!!! It’s a risky play but did it work? Well, you can’t go wrong with a story based in a castle. Pretty much the whole book is within the walls of the castle where Nym is basically a captive. It works and it works purely because the characters are well defined and interesting. I love Nym. She is a wonderful MC and her longing to go home to her family is heartfelt through the pages. Her magic is absolutely exciting and I was really drawn into the magical aspects of the book. Renn grew on me. He was just ok for me at first but I think I fell in love with him when Nym did. It was really artfully crafted because I am not a fan of slow burn romance but this hit the mark for me. The most action happened at the end of the book and I am really excited to see what happens in the next installment. The writing was quite lovely and I was lucky enough to have a hardcover and the audio version so I could immersion read and connect fully with the story. It was charming and I am a fan! 4 stars Thank you to @angelabookspr and @cnholmberg for inviting me to read this gifted book. Thank you @brilliancepublishing and @netgalley for my gifted ALC! Grab your copy here. https://amzn.to/3VbpVqA #theshatteredking #charlienholmberg #fantasy #fantasyreads #fantasybook #fantasybooklover #fantasyseries #bookalorian #bookreview #netgalley #bookcommunity #bookinfluencer #bookpodcast #bookblog
I just finished Milena and Margarete: A Love Story in Ravensbrück by Gwen Strauss and here are my thoughts. Can you imagine finding love in Ravensbruck? A concentration camp for women? During the worst world war we have ever seen? That’s what happened to Milena and Margarete. Milena was arrested by the Nazis for her part in the resistance activities in Prague and Margarete was traded to the Germans from the Russian because of her political views. They fell in love when they were held together. Loving each other could have meant the end of their lives but that didn’t stop them and this book gives you a fascinating glimpse of 2 incredible women during a time of serious unrest and danger. I really got sucked into this book. It was truly wonderful to read about two awe inspiring women and their ability to endure horrific circumstances while loving each other so passionately was moving in the most beautiful way. It was well researched. I love books that weave a real story in a really entertaining way. The writing was amazing and I am so glad I was introduced to these women! 4 stars Thank you @stmartinspress for my gifted copy Grab your copy here https://amzn.to/46dO5pp #booktok #booktube #bookalorian #bookish #booklover #bookishpodcast #bookstagram #reading #litdulterous #milenaandmargarete #nonfiction #bookreview #bookrec
I just finished Total Dreamboat by Katelyn Doyle and here are my musings Hope has hit rock bottom. When her best friend invites her on an all expenses paid cruise… There she meets Felix… a grumpy chef. Things start to bloom on the boat but when Felix sees the posts Hope’s friend added to social media… He is furious. What they don’t expect is to be stranded off the boat with no passports and stuck together… I do not like the miscommunication trope, it’s my least favorite ever…. I like that this one made sense as to why things blew up but still…. It annoys me but even with that.. I did enjoy this audio. The saving grace… The characters! I loved the development alone and together. It was really well done and the best part for me is when they are stranded and how they have to work together to get home. I thought the narration was well done and I actually thought the plot was clever… Plus the title… COME ON! That was enough to make me grab this one. 4 stars Thank you @netgalley and Macmillan Audio for my gifted copy You can find all my reviews at thelionessofliteracy.com And my podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/5kKN96RNPNh4uNDZzpIE1A Grab your copy here. https://amzn.to/3I2yroV #totaldreamboat #katelyndoyle #romanceread #romancereader #audiobook #audiobookreader #bookinfluencer #bookreviewer #booklover #bookalorian #litdulterous #lionessofliteracy #bookpodcast #bookishpodcast #bookishbusiness
I just finished Deadly Vision by T.D Severin and here are my musings. What do you do when you invent a medical breakthrough so advanced that people are willing to kill to prevent it ever coming to light? Dr Taylor Abrahms is a gifted researcher and he has created a virtual reality AI microsurgery that will change the face of surgery. When medicine becomes political, the technology is being used to scapegoat as the health system is on the verge of bankruptcy. Dr Abrahms is now under attack and the research team he works with are being killed off one by one. Can we just take a moment to appreciate how excellent the writing is in this book? ………. Wow! I was not expecting this level of scientific excellence.. I don’t know if this tech is even a real thing but this author… Made me think it might just be! It felt so real it was actually a little intimidating! The plot is really intricate and you would think with all the things going on that there would be a plot hole or two.. If there was, I didn’t find it. I am still reeling from how nerve wracking the twists were. Imagine creating something so fantastical and now you are in bloody danger… No thanks haha. It was gripping… The pace was excellent and the whole thing was tight and tidy. It was absolutely mindblowing. It was a solid thriller and I am not one who enjoys medical thrillers… Or political thrillers for that matter but if they are all written like this one… I may be eating my words. 4.5 stars and it only lost half a star for making me feel like a dumbass haha Thank you to @tdseverin for my gifted copy.. What you got coming up next? Grab your copy here https://amzn.to/46gOozI #tdseverin #deadlyvision #medicalthriller #thriller #thrillerreader #bookreview #bookreviewsofinstagram #bookreviewblog #literacyinfluencer #bookinfluencer #bookalicious #bookalorian #litdulterous
I just finished Voidwalker by S.A Maclean and here are my thoughts. Fionamara is a smuggler… She uses her powers to smuggle contraband between planes and it keeps her town afloat but when she gets caught up in a political Coup d’état, she joins forces with Antal who rules over the territory to get her city back. A revolution has begun. I am going to say one thing first.. The world building was absolutely top notch! We have the usual enemies to lovers with the MMC being an immortal who eats humans… Yeah you read that right and a FMC with powers of her own and a vicious need to protect her home. I actually thought the romance was really well done considering I am not a lover of the trope. One thing you will find in spades… Really witty and classy banter. It was epic. My biggest beef was how long it was. I felt some sections could have been trimmed down to make the book more streamline. The author repeated phrases a lot but all in all I thought the plot was really clever, even if it didn’t feel as exciting as it really could have been and I enjoyed the heck out of it. I know you might be thinking.. It’s a monster romance…Yeah I get it but it really does work here. It was pretty dark but honestly I think it is worth a go. 4 stars Thank you @orbitbooks_us @hachetteus for my gifted copy Grab your copy here!! https://amzn.to/46ft5ie #voidwalker #samaclean #romantasy #fantasy #romantasyreader #bookreview #hatchettbooks #orbitbooks #bookinfluencer #readersofig #bookalorian 1w
