I found this to be a somewhat pedestrian telling of the marriage of King Henry VIII and Katherine Howard, told from Katherine's pov. Perhaps it was just too familiar a tale - it's not been that long since I was captivated by its playing out on The Tudors. But, regardless, I didn't feel I learned anything new or interesting here.
The Lady Elizabeth - Alison Weir
OTOH, the story of Elizabeth I, in all its parts, is one that I've seen told and retold endlessly over the years and, yet, I still found this telling to be absolutely enthralling and felt that I still was able to learn something fresh about this compelling woman as we travelled with her from being a child told of her mother's disgrace and execution to the moment she learns she is Queen of England. Absolutely fascinating.
The Left Hand of God - Paul Hoffman
Another fantasy trilogy that has made its way into my top ten list. I'll be waiting eagerly to read books two and three. One thing I especially liked with this one was that although the characters were recognisable as stalwarts of the genre, they were flawed enough that they behaved against type in many instances, which leant an unpredictablity to the story that's often missing in the world of fantasy novels. And although that's not something I have any issues with, it's nice now and then to break away from the norm.
LabRat
Athos: If you'd told us what you were doing, we might have been able to plan this properly. Aramis: Yes, sorry. Athos: No, no, by all means, let's keep things suicidal.
