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oashackelford's Reviews (351)
I read this book a while ago when the show came out because, in my experience, the book is usually better. This was one of those times where the book and the show competed for first place in my heart because they are both so incredibly well done. The book is funny and engaging and the show was really good at replicating the tone of the book. It was also incredibly well cast. If you have not read this book I cannot recommend it highly enough, and if you are here to read it after watching the show, it will not ruin the show, only make you love the book and the show even more.
Jon Alleyenne has been a chef for the Royal family for most of his working life. He knows all their little idiosyncrasies and, other than his station, the king makes him feel like he is one of the family. So when the king orders everyone away for Christmas except for Jon and his security guard, Jon is honored that the king thinks so highly of him and his cooking. Jon is happy to be at Balmoral for Christmas, until things take a dark turn and the king is murdered. Jon is sure that the only culprit could be a member of the Royal family, and begins investigating who could have had it out for the king, only to discover that each member of the royal family has a potential motive. Can he figure out who did it before the blizzard is over, and more importantly, can he figure out the murderer before they strike again?
I really enjoyed this novel. I think it has all the trappings of a classic whodunnit. There are clues placed throughout the novel so that, in theory the reader can discover the murderer, but in true Christie fashion, there are so many motives and twists and turns that even when you think you know who the murderer is, you can never know the entire truth of the murderer. I managed to guess one of the perpetrators, but not the real motive or the entire truth behind the murder. A very fun read, especially if you are fascinated by the royal family and the idea of duty and station.
Now I would like to discuss the ending, so I will hide it as a spoiler.
I really enjoyed this novel. I think it has all the trappings of a classic whodunnit. There are clues placed throughout the novel so that, in theory the reader can discover the murderer, but in true Christie fashion, there are so many motives and twists and turns that even when you think you know who the murderer is, you can never know the entire truth of the murderer. I managed to guess one of the perpetrators, but not the real motive or the entire truth behind the murder. A very fun read, especially if you are fascinated by the royal family and the idea of duty and station.
Now I would like to discuss the ending, so I will hide it as a spoiler.
Spoiler
I loved that Martin knew exactly where to shoot Jon so that he would live long enough to get the word to someone who could expose them all. I also love that the author put that fact at the beginning of the book so that we knew Martin's intentions. The only thing that I would have liked from this book is another epilogue set after the one year later about when the public found out that their new king murdered his own father. Or at least how the show's researcher felt about the allegations and what he intended to do with them. I think that it would have been the cherry on top of the cake, so to speak. As he left it, the ending makes the novel feel a little anti-climactic, although I will say that I am glad that we know that Jon was able to get a little revenge.
Avery is *this* close to inheriting Tobias Hawthorne's 28 billion dollar estate, and, as always, someone has it out for her. After multiple attempts on her life, Avery is looking to keep close to home as she enters the final weeks nearing her inheritance. That is until she meets Tobias Hawthorne Jr's daughter, Eve. Eve has come to Avery because Toby has been taken and Eve needs help to get him back. Will Avery and the Hawthorne's be able to find Toby in time? Can Avery trust Eve? And will she be able to survive long enough in the Hawthorne house to get her inheritance?
I have had this novel sitting on my bookshelf for a year and for one reason or another I was struggling to get through it. It has a little bit of a slow start, and I still have little kids at home, so I relented and got the audiobook version so that I could listen to it while I cleaned. I only made it halfway through the audiobook before I put my chores on hold and pulled the book off of the shelf to finish the novel myself.
The book definitely takes a minute to get going, but once it does you find yourself right there with the Hawthornes rooting for them to find Toby in time and dying to see whether or not Avery really will inherit her fortune, and what she will do with it once she has it. I thought that this was the perfect wrap up to the story until I saw the epilogue at the end. I also saw that the author intends to write at least one more in this series. I am really excited for the fourth book and I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys scavenger hunt type books, or intriguing puzzles.
I have had this novel sitting on my bookshelf for a year and for one reason or another I was struggling to get through it. It has a little bit of a slow start, and I still have little kids at home, so I relented and got the audiobook version so that I could listen to it while I cleaned. I only made it halfway through the audiobook before I put my chores on hold and pulled the book off of the shelf to finish the novel myself.
The book definitely takes a minute to get going, but once it does you find yourself right there with the Hawthornes rooting for them to find Toby in time and dying to see whether or not Avery really will inherit her fortune, and what she will do with it once she has it. I thought that this was the perfect wrap up to the story until I saw the epilogue at the end. I also saw that the author intends to write at least one more in this series. I am really excited for the fourth book and I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys scavenger hunt type books, or intriguing puzzles.
After all the difficulties of World War II, Audrey heads to America to meet her deceased husband's family only to discover her friend Eve has taken her name and her place. If I Were You is a book that flashes forwards and backwards from the events leading up to World War II, through World War II, and through the aftermath of World War II for these two women who are struggling to figure out who they are and put their lives back together after the war.
I liked this book a lot more than I thought that I would. Sometimes books about war can slow down during certain parts, but I think that the author did a wonderful job at keeping the book moving at a good pace and making the girls' stories compelling enough to want to find out what happens to them. I do wish we had an epilogue at the end of the book so that we could get a little bit more of the story, of what happens to them a few years after the book ends, but I still think it was well written and an enjoyable read.
One thing that I thought that this book did really well was that it portrayed the lives of women in different classes and how they handled the blitz in London. I thought that the books descriptions of the horrors of the bombing matched historical diary entries that can be found from survivors of the blitz and those early above ground shelters and the struggle to keep up hope and keep moving forward. I think that this kind of historical fiction is the best because it is well researched, so if you, like me, like to listen to a lot of documentaries about this time period, then the book still feels grounded and real because it fits right in with what was actually going on at the time. A very well written book, and I look forward to reading more from this author.
I liked this book a lot more than I thought that I would. Sometimes books about war can slow down during certain parts, but I think that the author did a wonderful job at keeping the book moving at a good pace and making the girls' stories compelling enough to want to find out what happens to them. I do wish we had an epilogue at the end of the book so that we could get a little bit more of the story, of what happens to them a few years after the book ends, but I still think it was well written and an enjoyable read.
One thing that I thought that this book did really well was that it portrayed the lives of women in different classes and how they handled the blitz in London. I thought that the books descriptions of the horrors of the bombing matched historical diary entries that can be found from survivors of the blitz and those early above ground shelters and the struggle to keep up hope and keep moving forward. I think that this kind of historical fiction is the best because it is well researched, so if you, like me, like to listen to a lot of documentaries about this time period, then the book still feels grounded and real because it fits right in with what was actually going on at the time. A very well written book, and I look forward to reading more from this author.
If Walls Could Talk offers a look into history and into all of the items in the home that we now take for granted. Lucy Worsley will take you through the four main rooms in the house that have been around for most of history, the bedroom, bathroom, living room, and kitchen, and walk you through the room's different purposes throughout time, as well as different inventions that changed each room. Worsley offers us a look into the way that things used to be done, and how we functioned before the advent of electricity and modern convenience.
I liked this book a lot and I liked the way that the author introduced and brought you through the changes of each of the rooms. Since I listened to an audio book version of this book I will admit that at times the discussion seemed to meander, but I soon realized that it was because of the way that the reader was reading the chapter titles, I just wasn't noticing them clearly. I do disagree with the conclusion of the book, that we will one day have to return to a more mediaeval style of living because we will one day run out of resources, I think that there is some really good research being done into more renewable resources, so I think things will change again rather than revert, but I do still think that it is a good idea to know where our ancestors came from and how they did things to help inform us when things do get tough.
I liked this book a lot and I liked the way that the author introduced and brought you through the changes of each of the rooms. Since I listened to an audio book version of this book I will admit that at times the discussion seemed to meander, but I soon realized that it was because of the way that the reader was reading the chapter titles, I just wasn't noticing them clearly. I do disagree with the conclusion of the book, that we will one day have to return to a more mediaeval style of living because we will one day run out of resources, I think that there is some really good research being done into more renewable resources, so I think things will change again rather than revert, but I do still think that it is a good idea to know where our ancestors came from and how they did things to help inform us when things do get tough.