The White Queen by Philippa Gregory

Elizabeth Woodhall may be queen, but she is not safe. The Cousins War has never really ended, and even though her husband, King Edward IV, is the anointed king of England, Elizabeth knows from experience that the sons of York are ambitious and loyal only to their own interest. Elizabeth's love for Edward, her desire to see the best for her children, and her mother's diligent use of magic has made Elizabeth the greatest lady at the most magnificent court in Europe. But those who rise far have the farthest to fall. Elizabeth must protect the interests of her family using every means available to her if she is to ensure the legacy of the house of York. Only time will tell if she can remain at the pinnacle of the wheel of fortune.

This was my second time reading Philippa Gregory within a two week period. I picked up her book The Lady of the Rivers from the bargain table at my local bookstore on a whim, and quite enjoyed it. When I looked up Lady, I saw it was actually book three in the Cousins' War series, which is currently at six books long. So, I got my hands on number one, The White Queen.

Suggested book for August 2013

The Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory

Jacquetta has heard the story of Melusina, a river goddess who fell in love with a human man, many times as a child. It is said her family is descended from Melusina, and that the eldest girl of each generation is blessed with some of Melusina's power. In Jacquetta's case it seems to be true: sometimes she can foresee. And while Jacquetta is a beautiful young woman from a powerful family in English-controlled France, it is her power that attracts the most powerful man in France: John, Duke of Bedford. But not all are as accepting of Jacquetta's unique gifts, especially when her friendship with the unpopular queen thrusts her into a prominent place at the English court.

The Lady of the Rivers (Book 3 in the Cousins' War series) by Phillipa Gregory is a story of romance and intrigue at the English court at the beginning of the Wars of the Roses, known then as the Cousins' War. Pick it up for the history, enjoy it for the magic, and read it again for characters.

View my suggested books by Phillipa Gregory

Suggested book for June 2012

The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel

Ayla is little more than an infant when an earthquake destroys her home and claims her family. She wanders for days without food and shelter, eventually falling prey to a cave lion, who visciously slashes her leg. Wounded and alone, she's found on the brink of death by Iza, the medicine woman of the Clan. She adopts Ayla as a daughter and raises her to be a medicine woman of her line. But Ayla is different from the rest of the Clan, and there are some who never truly accept her. She must find the strength within herself to find her place in a confusing and dangerous world.

In The Clan of the Cave Bear, Jean M. Auel gives readers her unique perspective on the lives of neanderthals. By making the protagonist homo sapiens, it gives readers a comfortable lens through which to view this very different and yet very similar race of humans. Ayla herself is a highly likeable protagonist: she has plenty of gumption and curiosity, and the situations she gets herself into will keep you turning tha pages. Be warned however; while Auel's sweeping exposition on subjects like cultural evolution and ecology are interesting and informative, to some readers they grow repetitive by the end of the book (or in any subsequent readings).

This book is the first of her Earth's Children series. NB: In The Valley of Horses, the second book in the series, Auel's style morphs to include elements of the romance genre, including explicit love scenes.

View my suggested books by Jean M. Auel

Blood Red Ochre by Kevin Major

This is a guest post
by Carol Tulpar

Blood Red Ochre is a gripping story that moves forward with a sense of urgency and mystery. When Nancy appears in David’s small town high school class, he feels attracted to her. They have been asked to write an essay about the vanished Beothuk, a group of aboriginal people who once occupied the island of Newfoundland, including the fictitious town of Marten, near St. John’s, where their school is located.

The Once and Future King by T. H. White

Everyone knows the story of Arthur and the knights of the Round Table. It's the story of mighty and chivalrous knights having adventures under the reign of the just King Arthur. It's the story of the love affair between Lancelot and Guenever. And it's the story of Arthur's fall at the hands of his son, Mordred. T. H. White has taken the famous text Le Morte d'Arthur by Thomas Malory and re-written it in four parts: Aurthur's childhood, his early kingship and the young lives of the Orkney clan, Lancelot's adventures and his relationship with Guenever, and the fall of the Round Table.