The Northern Queen

Finished March 3
The Northern Queen by Kelly Evans

This historical novel follows the life of Aelfgifu, a highborn woman of northern England. When Aethelred gained the throne, he took his revenge against Aelfgifu's family, creating in her a strong antipathy for her new ruler. The Danish king, Sweyn, is determined to dethrone Aethelred for his actions on St. Brice's Day in 1002 when Aethelred murdered thousands of Danish immigrants and their families with little warning. As Sweyn looks for allies within England, Aelfgifu is approached. Not only does she ally with Sweyn, but she soon marries his son Canute.
Thus begins the battle for England, that has Aethelred's wife Emma proving a strong force to maintain control of the land, and creating a personal rivalry between these two strong-willed women that will last throughout their lives.
Aelfgifu is a very interesting women, taught to read and write and do figures by her father who saw her potential, and an able ruler in her own right. She understands how to not only run a household, but an estate, a region, and possibly a kingdom. She doesn't abide fools however, and her disdain for those that don't see the logic of her actions can lead to the making of new enemies. She has a real love for Canute that is mutual, but their relationship also has political implications that sometimes forces them apart.
This novel brings Aelfgifu to life, letting the reader inside her experiences, her emotions, and her thoughts. The battle scenes are detailed, and the day-to-day activities drawn in a natural way that shows the real people. A great read.
This is a excellent first novel by a Canadian historian, and more is planned for this time period.

For another view on this time in history try Queen Emma and the Vikings by Harriet O'Brien.

Little Green

Finished March 1
Little Green by Walter Mosley, read by Michael Boatman

I had read a few novels by Walter Mosley before this, but never one featuring Easy Rawlins. This is the 12th book in the series.
The year is 1967, and Rawlins is recovering from an near fatal car accident. As he gradually regains consciousness, his close friend Mouse comes to him for help. A young man, Evander Noon, nicknamed Little Green by Mouse, has gone missing after a trip up to Sunset Strip. The case brings Rawlins out of his own issues, but he must go to Mama Jo for help in gaining the energy to pursue the case. Mama Jo provides him with an energizing and healing elixir she calls Gator's Blood that he is careful to use as directed. Rawlins search for Evander takes him to the other world that is the Sunset Strip. The world of hippies, free love, and racial bridges, but also the world of conmen, drug dealers, and those who take advantage of the innocent. He meets the hippie flower selling young woman Ruby who put Evander on an acid trip that took him on a dangerous adventure that Rawlins must get him out of.
There are other side plots here as well, such as the attempted blackmail of Rawlins' highly placed insurance industry friend Jackson Blue, the squatter who has taken over Rawlins' house while he was incapacitated, and the windows into Rawlins' personal life through his adopted children and love interest.
This book evokes a particular time period, but certain insights, particularly around racism, still read true today. Rawlins is a man who is capable of violence, but also one who will always choose another way if her can. The writing is absolutely wonderful, something I've found in every Walter Mosley book I've read. He has an extensive vocabulary, choosing the right word for each situation and character, and the story just flows.
Here, the narrator brings that all to life, as we see the various friends that Rawlins can rely on, each with their own particular personality. I will have to read more in this series.

Read and Buried

Finished February 27
Read and Buried by Erika Chase

This is the second book in the Ashton Corners Book Club mystery series. Set in Ashton Corners, Alabama, this book has Lizzie Turner, leader of the book club and educational reading specialist, asked to invite visiting author Derek Alton to her upcoming book club meeting. Lizzie is surprised, but amenable, and even when her next encounter with Derek causes her to question his character, she still moves forward with the plan. But when his unexpected visit to her home ends with his murder, things get more intense. Lizzie's new boyfriend, local police chief Mark Dreyfus seems distant, unknown women are calling Lizzie looking for information on Derek's new book, and Lizzie's sleuthing uncovers both Derek's womanizing history and the secrets of many local women. Despite Mark's warnings, Lizzie can't keep herself from digging into the crime, and as she puts herself in danger, she also finds new allies.
Lizzie is an interesting character, perhaps too nice for her own good sometimes, and yet she does have a strong sense of justice. Mark seemed a bit disappointing at first, but he developed better as the story went on. Lizzie's book club has a nice mix of characters with potential for a variety of plotlines as this series continues.

The Longest Afternoon

Finished February 20
The Longest Afternoon: The 400 Men Who Decided the Battle of Waterloo by Brendan Simms

This slim history book looks at the decisive action that occurred at the farm of La Haye Sainte, the battle that was decisive in the action at Waterloo. The action began on June 18 1815 and the main players against Napoleon's troops were the King's German Legion, but the forces present also included British, Nassauers, Dutch, Belgian, Brunswickers, and Hanoverian regular army.
Simms shows us the timelines from both the French side and that of their adversaries. We see the men involved, their individual actions and reactions, their fates, and their interactions with each other. Simms also looks at their loyalty to the cause that shows in this battle and posits theories behind it.
Three maps are included: one of the farm, one of the troop positions the night of June 17-18, and one of troop placement across Europe. I would have liked more information on these, such as legends and text backgrounders, as the information on the maps wasn't always covered in the history given here.
The notes and bibliography are numerous, providing citations and further reading for those looking to delve deeper into this historic event.

Where Secrets Sleep

Finished February 18
Where Secrets Sleep by Marta Perry

This mystery novel begins as interior designer Allison Standish is going to the small Amish village of Laurel Ridge to see the building she has inherited from her grandmother. Allison never knew her grandmother and her father disappeared from her life without notice when she was six. Allison has a good relationship with her mother, stepfather and stepbrothers, but she has always felt a bit separate from the rest of her family.
In Laurel Ridge, she finds a community that is supportive and caring, but her inheritance comes with strings attached. As she learns about Amish life from her partner in the quilting store, she also learns more about her grandmother and her father. When things start to go wrong, and Allison is threatened, she finds that her new friends are more than protective of her. If someone is trying to scare her into going away, she is determined they won't succeed. With her new ties to the community, she is determined to get to the bottom of whoever is threatening the wellbeing of those who live there.
This story has mystery, romance, and self-discovery. As Allison learns about her family, she also learns about her own feelings about herself and her relationships, and as she begins to care about those she has come to know she wants to find how she fits into this community.

Do Not Disturb

Finished February 18
Do Not Disturb by Tilly Bagshawe

This romance novel has a lot going on, including some suspense. As the book begins, Honor Palmer has called a formal meeting to transfer management of her father's assets to herself as his dementia makes him unable to do it himself. It is not a smooth transfer, as her father Trey seems to have grown more and more attached to the idea that women don't have business skills and doesn't want her to take the management of the family hotel from him. Her socialite sister Tina doesn't mind as long as she gets a nice allowance as a result.
Meanwhile Lucas Ruiz has fought his way up from poverty in Ibiza, and with the financial help of a well-off lover has graduated from a prestigious hotel management program. Now he is fighting for a dream job at a luxury hotel, a step towards his ultimate goal of owning his own hotel chain. When he succeeds, he also gains a few enemies and finds that not all doors in upper society circles are open to him despite his charm. When Anton Tisch, his hotel's owner's, ambitions pits him directly in competition with Honor's family hotel in East Hampton, the sparks really begin to fly.
We see a lot of very driven characters here, from diverse backgrounds. Lucas cares for his mother despite her weaknesses, but is a player in his personal life, who doesn't treat women all that well. Honor is driven to prove her skills in revitalizing the family hotel, but is naive in her personal life. She both cares about her sister and resents her lifestyle. Lucas has an unlikely friend, who comes from a wealthy family, Ben Slater. Ben is a low-key man with a romantic side and strong sense of ethics. He is good as his job in finance, but isn't skilled with relationships.
The Carter family is a conservative, but wealthy family in East Hampton. Devon plays a role in society and his church that doesn't align with his personal life, and he seems to care more about appearances than other people. His wife is lonely and insecure despite her beauty. His daughter Lola is also driven, focused on a fashion design career despite her father's expectations. She knows how to use her assets to get what she wants, most of the time. Lola's brother Ned is a good talker, but doesn't seem to accomplish as much as he says, and isn't willing to work for it.
Honor's sister Tina also knows how to use her assets, and she can turn any bad situation to her advantage. Her activities are definitely not okay with the conservative set, but she doesn't take herself too seriously.
Sian Doyle is driven towards becoming a journalist, despite her working class mill town background, and she is willing to work hard to get there. She is lucky in the people she meets that give her opportunities, but it is her hard work that brings her success.
On the darker side, Anton motivations aren't always clear, but his competitiveness is extreme, giving him the drive to win whatever it takes.
Lots of sex, dirty deeds, and society viciousness is here, along with the romance and suspense.

Lumberjanes: A Terrible Plan

Finished February 14
Lumberjanes Volume 3: A Terrible Plan created by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, Noelle Stevenson and Brooke Allen

This third volume continues with the adventures of April, Molly, Mal, Ripley and Jo at Lumberjanes camp. Badges covered in the four chapters are If You Got It, Haunt It; Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fondant, Go Ball-istic, and Oldie But Goodie. The other badge covered is Grungeon Master. This collection brings back Bear Woman from the first volume and looks at how competitiveness can impact fun. Here the girls split into two groups for most of the action.