Intriguing and ruthless characters, compelling plot twists and turns, and a healthy dose of gossip about people long dead. These are the elements, along with historical facts, that, to me, make for great historical fiction. Sara Poole's new book has plenty of these and more. Well written, well researched, this book kept me interested until the end. There are many references to past occurences that left me wondering if the end would provide explanations. It wasn't until I did some research that I discovered that this book is a follow up to the book Poison. It isn't necessary to read that book first but it would help to fully explain the actions of the main character and her past relationships. This is a book that should be read by anyone who enjoys historical fiction as much as I enjoy it.

I must admit at the beginning of this review to be not only a lover of historical fiction but a fanatic fan of Henry VIII and all the nonsense and intrigue that surrounded him and his descendants. I read whatever I can get my hands on, some good, some great, some bad and some horrendous. The period has been written and rewritten about by so many authors that its difficult to find something that brings a fresh viewpoint. The Tudor Secret does just that; its fun, refreshing and entertaining. Though there has always been speculation that there were other Tudor family members, this book brings it to the forefront in an interesting way. Anyone that loves the Tudors and all the fun that finds them will love this book

This was the most fun reading a book that I have had in awhile. Delightful, quirky characters and silly animals...I loved them all. I laughed and giggled through the whole thing

It wouldn't be correct to call Glynis Ridley's account of the1766 French expedition of the ships Etoile and Boudeuse a biography of Jeanne Baret. I wanted to read this book because I am fascinated by the lives of unique and unknown historical figures. It isn't what I expected; in fact, it is less biographical in relation to Baret than her mentor, Philibert Commerson. This is not a fault of the author; there is very little known about Baret. It is, however, a well researched account of the voyage with extensive botanical records, descriptions of fauna and flora of the regions encountered during the voyage, geography of places such as the Magellan Strait, and a detailed history of Paris and other regions important to the characters involved in this story. This book will be of interest to history buffs and those interested in botany and geography. To call it a biography of Jeanne Baret, however, is a little misleading.

As a lover of long, lengthy drama filled books, I am always looking for the short, sweet, entertaining books that give me a breather in between tragedies. My guilty pleasure is Sue Grafton and others like her. This book held the promise of that kind of refreshment. It's short (I read it in afternoon), kind of sweet but it stopped short of being very entertaining. It was superficial and predictable and left me wondering if I had actually figured everything out before I even started reading. Perhaps if I already had a relationship with the detective Tess Monaghan, I might have forgiven some of the short comings. I am wondering if Laura Lippman has the potential to be my next breath of fresh air between novels and I will give her another chance but, as a mystery, this one left me scratching my head.

In Sena Jeter Naslund’s beautifully written novel, "Adam & Eve", Lucy Bergmann finds herself facing worlds and dilemmas of extreme opposites. After the death of her husband, she unwillingly becomes the carrier of two secrets that threaten the core of three major religions. She lives in a world of never-ending war, but crashes into an oasis. It’s a breathtaking world, a real Eden where she meets Adam, a man with a fragile mind, victimized by brutal violence whose faith in God is iron.

This is a book about faith; faith in God, love and humanity. In our world of science and war and violence its difficult sometimes to hold on to belief in a God; yet Naslund suggests that its in these times that we need faith most. A book of memorable characters and an uplifting message, it challenged me to look at my own faith and beliefs and how well they stand up to threats of the modern world and science and whether they would hold steady in the face of crisis. Another outstanding book by Sena Jeter Naslund.